I'm the person who wrote the long message about the handicapped parking problems (see below). Yesterday, for the first time in months, I was able to find a handicapped spot on the second floor. When I came to get my car this morning, I was horrified to see that someone had vandalized it—bending the windshield wiper on the passenger’s side and breaking ripping off the one on the driver’s side so violently that the entire “arm” that held it broke off. I was shocked and sickened. What kind of crazy person damages someone else’s car so badly (especially a car with handicapped license plates)?

I was overwhelmed with fear at the thought of some criminal lurking behind posts in our garage, smashing and destroying people’s cars. Then I spoke to some of the porters and the people in the garage and found out that other people have also had their cars vandalized—and THEIR CARS WERE ALSO PARKED IN HANDICAPPED SPOTS. What is this about?

To me, the only thing that makes sense is that there is another handicapped tenant (or other tenants) who feels the same fury I do when I can’t find an open handicapped spot and have to go up to the top floor in order to park anywhere near the elevator, but his person (or person) is crazy enough to act out his or her anger. Why else would only the cars parked in handicapped spots be vandalized? And if my guess is accurate, then it means that whoever is doing this didn’t look at my license plates and, thus, thought that I was illegally parked in a handicapped spot (because I don’t have a tag hanging—I don’t need one because I have the handicapped plates). [And of course, the Board was too cheap (and thoughtless) to ever agree to put security cameras on any of the floors, so there’s no way to know who did the damage. Or who is lurking around at any time of the day or evening.]

So now, not only can I never find a place near the elevator to park, but I’m scared to park upstairs. And I’m devastated at having to pay hundreds of dollars to having the wiper armatures and mechanisms replaced. And I’m doing something about this: I’m calling my lawyer (who specialized in personal injuries.) And I’m calling ADA specialist at the Queens branch of the NYC Commission on Human Rights to report the facts that (1) the parking lot (as well as other areas of the building) has not been in compliance with the city’s laws concerning handicapped parking spots since it was built, (2) the Board and the Management Company both knew this and still know it and have done and are doing nothing about it, and (3) the Board’s and Management’s neglect concerning this illegal situation has resulted in a misdemeanor being perpetrated on my property and has caused me great psychological harm.

Sorry about your car, however this is Queens New York, it happens all the time. My car got vandalized 3 times in 2 years. To say you have great psychological harm due to your car being vandalized, well, then that would mean there are hundreds of New Yorkers everyday with the same problem. Unfortunately, its part of life in the city.

Perhaps. But it sounds as though this fellow was deliberately targeted because he was in the handicapped zone. And that would be a more serious offense. It doesn't appear to be as random as other car vandalism in the area.

[quote]And of course, the Board was too cheap (and thoughtless) to ever agree to put security cameras on any of the floors, so there’s no way to know who did the damage. [/quote]

Anyone know why there aren't security cameras in the garage? I recall that someone was attacked last year, so it seems like cameras should be installed for safety reasons.