Senator to introduce biker legislation

UH offers special motorcycle parking, but handicap spaces may still be better for some students or staff. Motorcyclists who park in on-campus handicap spaces without a special UH permit risk getting a ticket, even if they have handicap license plates, said College of Social Work Senator Josephine Tittsworth. | Emily Chambers/The Daily Cougar

The Student Government Association senate will have a first reading of a bill that would change the University’s policy on motorcycle handicap parking. The discussion will occur during the third senate meeting at 7:30 p.m. today in the M.D. Anderson Memorial Library Rockwell Pavilion.

If bikers park in handicap spaces, they have to hang a UH handicap tag from their motorcycle even if they have state-issued handicap licence plates or risk getting a parking ticket, said College of Social Work Senator Josephine Tittsworth.

“You’re dealing with a very small minority of people who are handicapped and ride a motorcycle,” she said.

While motorcyclists already have their own special parking areas, they are not always as close to the students’ destinations as handicap spaces, Tittsworth said.

Students, faculty and staff can park their vehicle in the handicap spaces with a UH handicap pass, but the pass is not safe when hanging from a motorcycle.

“If you hang a placard on a motorcycle, anyone can come by and steal it,” Tittsworth said.

Tittsworth said while she uses a UH handicap pass in her car, she doesn’t use it on her motorcycle and has not yet received a ticket for parking in a handicap space without the pass.

Also at the meeting, the Senate will go over several presidential and speaker appointments to fill senatorial positions and positions on the executive branch of the SGA.

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Tags: Josephine Tittsworth, Parking, SGA