The next time that you pull into a handicap parking space even just to run into a building really quick, you had better think twice.

John Wuerflein, campus police chief, has already issued 37 tickets for violations this semester whether the violation occurs on campus or not, this is a city parking violation so the regular $5 ticket will not be issued to these illegal parkers. In Levelland, the fine is set at the minimum of $312, while in other cities the fine can reach more than $500. If the violation is repeated, the price will go up. Last semester, Wuerflein reported, his department issued about 67 handicap parking tickets.

“I write tickets,” Wuerflein. “I don’t give breaks.”

Wuerflein says that every building is required to meet a decreed minimum amount of spaces available for the disabled, and not a single building on campus has one space over the minimum. Out of the 2709 parking spaces available, including the legal curb-side street parking, there are only 83 handicap spaces. He says that there are people that need these spaces to park. They are not there for a lazy person’s convenience. Even if it is for a quick moment and you have your flashers on, Wuerflein said he would give you a ticket.

“You have to be handicaped and have a legal pass to park there, that is all there is to it,” he said.
Wuerflein stated that there is the occasional cheater who will use a temporary pass that he or she hangs in the car that is not even theirs. He says that he gets complaints al the time from passersby that see these people that use these passes. They park up front, hop out of their vehicle and jog to class, Wuerflein said Obviously these people are not crippled by any means he added, Wuerflein said that he alone could think of six staff or students who he knew were physically disabled and did need and used the handicap parking.

When asked why people that do not have a handicap park in these spaces, he said, “Because people are lazy. They don’t care, or they don’t realize how much the violation really costs. There is really no solution beyond what the city already has done. A hefty fine doesn’t seem to scare people enough or perhaps it is simply lack of knowledge.”

All Wuerflein could suggest to help stop these violators is to simply ask that those who are not disabled should stop parking there.

“One student” Wuerflein says, “did a story on parking one semester and walked from one side of campus to the other. With casual hellos and handshakes they recorded it took them six minutes.”

There is just no excuse as far as Wuerflein and other campus and city police are concerned. He wants it to be understood that there will be NO exceptions.