Blindness is not an acceptable criterion for a disabled parking placard in Illinois, no. In 24 states, it is, but not mine. Of course, if you’re blind and also have crappy breathing, you can get a plate/placard, but not for blindness alone.
In Illinois only a car used to transport a person with a qualifying permanent disability more than 60% of the time it’s used can get a disabled plate. If you don’t have a vehicle that meets the >60% requirement, you can get a placard that hangs from the rear view mirror that you can use in any vehicle. This may only legally be used when you (the disabled person) are entering or exiting the vehicle during your trip. If you are just riding along and not getting in or out, your driver may not use your placard to park in a disabled parking spot. If you are not in the car, your driver may not use your placard to park in a disabled parking spot. The same restrictions hold true for plates. Plates and Placards belong to the disabled person, not the car.
There’s a guy with only one arm and one leg that rides rings around me at our local race track, on a slightly modified motorbike. Off the bike, he hobbles along with difficulty but determination. On the bike, he’s poetry in motion.
Made me think long and hard about limitations and making judgements / assumptions.
I have a friend who rides long distances (e.g. Wisconsin to Utah), but has significant mobility issues. He struggles with throwing a leg over the bike - moreso lately, to the point that he’s considering switching to a Harley Davidson, which would have a lower saddle height than his current BMW - and once off of the bike, he requires a cane while walking. Although he doesn’t have a handicapped license plate on his bike, he would certainly qualify for one under the rules quoted by WhyNot (cane = “assistive device”).
If you state allows that the able-bodied driver would only be allowed to exercise handicapped privileges while the handicapped person is with them, or if they’re picking that person up somewhere.
Same in California. Handicapped plates are assigned to the vehicle (of course), and the vehicle has to list the qualifying user as (a) registered owner.
So, once the loan on my current car is paid off, I could out my wife’s name on the title with mine, and we could get a plate.
Also, there are automatic motorcycles out there, although they’ve never been very popular. You could probably get by riding one of those with a very basic prosthetic on your left foot and left hand.
Many years ago, I briefly dated a man who had handicapped plates on his motorcycle. Several years before, he was in a serious car accident that left him with one leg permanently weakened (when I met him, I thought he had a BKA but that wasn’t the case) and he used a cane. He usually didn’t take advantage except in the winter, or if he was at a big community event.
This. There have been automatic bikes since the 1970s - for some reason Honda seems particularly determined to build them - and some companies are now making DCT bikes that don’t require a shift lever. I recently read a blog post from someone taking his first motorcycle safety course who discovered on the last day that the instructor has a prosthetic leg. I haven’t seen anyone put such plates on a bike, but I can think of many cases where it would apply.
I have handicapped plates and drive a bike. I may not have them forever as I am getting both knees replaced but for now walking is very painful. My bike is a 650 and has NO feet controls, none, everything is on the handlebars.
My brother had handicapped plates on his pickup due to AK amputation. He bought a motorbike, 100hop scooter style IIRC, after he lost his leg. Can’t recall if the bike had a handicapped plate or not but he certainly qualified.
When riding his scooter he did not use his prosthetic. He strapped a set of crutches on the side with some bungee cords. That would be enough to get him inside Wal-Mart or a grocery where he could switch to their motorized shopping cart. Crutches stayed at Customer Service while he shopped.
I have a buddy who lost his left arm and leg in a motorcycle accident.
After his recovery, he got a Ural with a sidecar, and had an attachment made for his prosthetic arm that could grab and operate the clutch lever for shifting.
Many people with respiratory conditions have handicapped plates/stickers. They can’t walk far at all without having to rest, but they can ride motorcycles just fine.
I don’t have a picture handy (I’ll try and find one) but at this years Lone Star (motorcycle) Rally I saw a guy that had fabricated a sidecar sort of rig that he could roll his wheelchair up into and drive the motorcycle while sitting in his wheelchair.
