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Councilor proposes giving access to HP parking spots to the pregnant and new mothers
By adamg on Wed, 03/13/2024 - 1:11pm
The City Council will consider a proposal to grant handicap parking placards to pregnant people in their third trimester or who have given birth within the past six months.
City Councilor John FitzGerald (Dorchester), who proposed the measure, pointed to issues such as mobility problems, high blood pressure and, in many cases, the need to recover from C-sections - and said he certainly heard his wife Meghan ask why she couldn't get a placard before she gave birth to a 10 lb., 6-oz. baby.
FitzGerald added such a measure could even help Boston retain the roughly one in four young people one study found planned to leave the city, by showing them the city really cares about them and their future. He acknowledged the study found other issues, such as skyrocketing housing prices.
"As a new dad, I'm definitely in favor of this," Councilor Brian Worrell (Dorchester) agreed.
The measure now goes to a council committee for a public hearing and consideration.
Neighborhoods:
Free tagging:
| Attachment | Size |
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 Complete proposed measure | 133.92 KB |
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Comments
Isn't this a state issue, not a city issue?
Also, the existing RMV regulations don't seem overly onerous -- pretty sure all you need is an application and a doctor's note. Unless this is all about waiving the fee, or just political posturing.
I'd like to hear more about why Meghan was turned down.
How far along?
Ok, so how is this going to be enforced? If someone says they are 6 weeks pregnant. How is this going to be proven? The honor system?
I completely understand the concept. This just opens this up to so much abuse.
First paragraph
third trimester or given birth within 6 months. kind of clear and the time when women are the most mobility challenged, especially post birth, where they have to navigate a baby in a carrier or stroller while recovering from birth or surgery. If you can get a placard temporarily with a broken leg, I can't see why this can't be accepted as well.
This is addressed in the first paragraph
"pregnant people in their third trimester or who have given birth within the past six months"
So 26 weeks, not 6 weeks. By that point I would hope they'd seen a doctor at least once for prenatal care, who could verify the gestational age for the RMV.
Curious
Do we know if she was turned down? All we know is she said something to her husband about why she couldn't get one. Not whether she really asked for one.
"As a new dad, I'm in favor"
Public service, not self-service, fella. I suppose I respect him for saying it out loud, instead of trying to obfuscate people, like Gavin Newsom or Nancy Pelosi do.
Credit is Due
You at least have to give him credit for addressing the real reason behind the exodus from Boston! /s
He's not the pregnant one.
Genius
Subway Etiquette
It would be a nice gesture while riding on the subway to offer up your seat to a pregnant or new mother.
Why not grant them pregnant
Why not grant them pregnant and new mother placards?
Yet further evidence we have
Yet further evidence we have the council we deserve.
Seriously
Pregnancy is not a medical condition. Wake it up City Council
Having no brains is not a
Having no brains is not a medical condition
Guessing you've never been pregnant
It's not *just* a medical condition, but it *is* also that. For some people it's effectively a functional impairment, and a placard is a reasonable thing to have.
But it is
Don’t make me mansplain pregnancy.
Neutral to positive on this
Neutral to positive on this move but shaking my head at the reference to the study as a justification. Just shows that the council isn't reading these things at all. There's literally a category in the study asking about Mental Health/Relationships/Work-Life Balance and only 17% indicated caring for kids as a high priority.
The survey in question OVERWHELMINGLY indicates it's the cost of housing and a jobs issue.
But the Council doesn't want to hear that so we get this nonsense.
Will a free T pass from Michelle
Be available to those who don't have vehicles?
On one hand, and on the other hand
On one hand, this would be a "no" from the Mayor, because, um, it will increase driving and we're trying to decrease it. Ride a bike.
On the other hand, I believe that legislating in any way against new moms is bad politics. So it's a yes.
And on the third hand, as others noted, this seems like a State issue, not a City one.
We are governed by incredible virtue signaling politicians
It seems like it's increasing, or maybe it's me.
Young people are leaving the city because we don't have enough baby on board parking spaces?
How about the embarrassing School system? The high property taxes?
Etc.
Baby parking
The baby will be 40 years old before the permit/placard is issued......
cost of living, sure
It's probably one of the biggest factors. But, high property taxes?
It's the schools
If BPS provided safe schools in every neighborhood there would be bidding wars for properties around Boston and the city would gentrify even more....people are moving for better schools to houses in Milton, Dedham, and Needham. Maybe someday things will change.
I guess this is a big issue for some?
Just the other day...
I was walking down the street and this pregnant woman got out of her car and was mumbling to herself about how she's "leaving this goddamn city if she can't park in front of the businesses she needs to go to while she's pregnant and for at least like a month or two after".
Of course that didn't happen.
I have no doubt this would be a benefit to women during those difficult few months...but tying it to the fact that people who are growing their families are leaving the city is just plain stupid. If you want to do something about that, then you're going to have to address housing and cost-of-living, school system issues like equity and busing, and the tidal wave about to break in lack of pediatric and primary care physicians in the city.
Heh
You think this is an issue in the city, try a rural area.