'Moral fine': action combats irregular use of parking spaces for people with disabilities in a city in Rio Grande do Sul; understand

The project distributes a leaflet, dubbed a "moral fine," to drivers who improperly occupy these spaces. The material has no legal value and does not impose a monetary fine , but it aims to encourage reflection in those who break the rules.

"It's an awareness leaflet talking about the moral responsibility of respecting the rights of people with disabilities, so that we ourselves can leave that leaflet there and say 'look, I was here, I couldn't park in the space that is my right, and so I'm leaving a message here that it's important to respect the rights of others'," explains the initiative's coordinator, audio describer Débora de Aranha Hauopt, who is quadriplegic.

• ⚠️ According to the Statute of Persons with Disabilities , which has been in force for 10 years, all parking lots open to the public — including public roads — must reserve 2% of the total spaces for people with disabilities , with at least one space marked and close to pedestrian access points .

Banker Anderson André Mendes Monteiro reports frequent difficulties with this type of situation:

"I've passed by some of the parking spaces on this street several times. I drove by slowly, looked, and there was no identification, no card," he says.

According to the initiative's creator, the challenges are a daily occurrence: "It's rare that you arrive to park in a space and find a correctly identified car parked there," she says.

The initiative seeks continuity, according to Daniela, a member of the project:

"The idea is to be permanent, or as long as we believe it's fulfilling its role in raising awareness. Perhaps to create a more sensitized and educated society," he says.