Why this photo of a police car parked on the side of the road is sparking outrage: ‘This is really disappointing’
- Reddit user spots cop car in disabled parking spot
- They say police were voting in NSW state election
- Expresses disappointment as a ‘disabled person’
A police car spotted in a disabled parking spot has sparked a furious debate among social media users.
The vehicle was snapped in a space reserved for the disabled in the inner south Sydney suburb of Mascot with many slamming the cop.
The photo was posted online by a Reddit user with the caption: ‘Police parking in a disabled spot so they can vote in Mascot. Where should I complain?’
The user confirmed they had watched the officers park in the space to lodge an early vote for the upcoming NSW state election on Saturday.
‘I have no issue with them voting while on the clock, I do have an issue with them having to park in a disabled spot,’ the user wrote.
A Reddit user has expressed their frustration at seeing a police car parked in a disabled spot so the officers could cast an early vote in the NSW state election
‘They have 5 more days to vote, even if they can’t find time when they’re not working, they can at least wait until they’re not disadvantaging a disabled person.
‘As a disabled person, this is really disappointing.’
Another user defended the action.
‘Arguably, emergency services are probably better off parking in convenient accessible locations,’ they wrote.
‘I agree a disabled spot sounds a bit sh***y but you wouldn’t want them having to rush to level 4 of a nearby multi story carpark to take an urgent call like a domestic violence response.
‘Re the issue of voting – as a healthcare worker who often works 7 day stretches I kind of get the need to just vote when you can as a weekend election day isn’t really suited to shift workers schedules.
‘Even a full week to early vote doesn’t help if you’re on a week long run of 12hr days.’
However, not everyone was convinced by this line of argument.
‘There’s open parking behind and in front of the disabled parking lol. They just had to pull forward like 5m,’ another user pointed out.
Another was also less than convinced.
‘If that’s the case where their time is that precious they can’t take a 30 second walk to the car, and have no possibility due to roster scheduling of doing it off duty, they should be doing a postal vote,’ they argued.
‘They shouldn’t be making their disorganisation a problem for disabled citizens.
My understanding is unless they are responding to an emergency, parking in disabled bays is no bueno.’
NSW legislation states that restrictions on emergency vehicles, such as police cars, parking in disabled spots do not apply where the driver is taking reasonable care and it is ‘reasonable’ the provision should not apply.
NSW police have been contacted for comment.