Vic: Red tape thwarts quadriplegic's war against selfish drivers

AAP General News (Australia)
08-29-2006
Vic: Red tape thwarts quadriplegic's war against selfish drivers

By Simon Mossman

MELBOURNE, Aug 29 AAP - Barmy bureaucracy has scuppered a Melbourne quadriplegic's
personal crusade against selfish motorists who steal disabled parking spots.

Michael Wright, who was left severely paralysed after a car accident eight years ago,
was warned he could face hefty fines and even jail under federal road safety and environment
protection laws.

His crime: placing inoffensive postcards on the windshields of cars, pointing out that
their owners had parked in specially marked disabled spots.

Today, Michael, who lives in Noble Park in Melbourne's south-east, was considering
his next move after being told he could be fined up to $215 for littering - or also be
locked up for tampering with other people's cars.

"It's a bit disappointing, to be honest. I just wanted to make people aware they were
breaking the law in the first place," he told AAP.

"My initial research led me to believe it was not illegal and even the police told
me there was nothing wrong with it - this was a non-confrontational approach simply pointing
out that people were taking disabled parking spots."

Michael created his own postcards, which read: "This card is here because your car
obstructed the path of a disabled person or was parked illegally in a disabled parking
space. This is our way of saying thanks."

He paid $,1000 of his own money to have 7,500 cards printed.

But City of Greater Dandenong council officials warned him that leaving the cards on
windscreens broke federal laws.

Keysborough Ward councillor Roz Blades, who backed the campaign, said the council was
continuing to work with Michael to identify other options.

"We're now trying to find another way to make good use of the work Michael has done," she said.

"The postcards are such a great idea, they're inoffensive and non-confrontational.

"But Michael is also a very careful, law-abiding person - he didn't want to break other laws."

AAP sjm/gfr/cjh/bwl

KEYWORD: QUADRIPLEGIC

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