Parking fines fights: Some of the most bizarre battles
Parking fines are a necessary evil but these disputes prove just because you’re slugged doesn’t mean you are in the wrong. SPECIAL REPORT
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We have all got one but many Aussies refuse to concede defeat.
Parking fines are a necessary evil but these disputes prove just because you’re slugged doesn’t mean you are in the wrong.
The battle between council workers and drivers reignited in January 2023 when a conspiracy theorist was torn to shreds after trying to get out of paying a $110 parking fine.
In a hilariously savage but polite exchange, a Victorian council staffer sent a long four-paged letter in response to a bizarre grounds of appeal from a driver who was caught parking in a loading zone.
Although the parking infringement occurred in October 2022, photos of the letter recently started making the rounds on Twitter.
These are some of our most amazing parking fine feuds in recent years.
‘I was queued in traffic waiting to advance’
A Brisbane motorist was left furious in October 2018 after receiving a parking fine based on a drive-by photo when he claims he was only waiting in CBD traffic.
“Dave” said he was queued outside the “Tower of Power” at 1 William St to access a loading zone when he was snapped by a passing Brisbane City Council inspector.
He backed up his claim by saying the illuminated red tail light on his Toyota Corolla, which was third in line, shows he was pressing the brakes and waiting to move forward.
The photo was taken in late September and Dave did not know he about the ticket until the $130 fine, with a photo of his alleged indiscretion, arrived in the mail.
“They have a few thousand public servants and just three parking bays to pick them up from,” Dave said.
“They have based the fine on the photo and I was queued in traffic waiting to advance to pull into the loading zone.”
Under Queensland’s road regulations, it is illegal to “park or stop where there is a continuous yellow line painted along the edge of the road”.
A council spokesman said at the time no motorist can park or wait on a “no-standing yellow line” under any circumstances.
‘They could think I’m a privileged white woman’
A female motorist claimed she was discriminated against for being a “privileged white woman” who drives a Tesla in her battle against a Melbourne council over a parking fine.
After receiving an “unfair” parking infringement, Shelley Beggs in September 2022 wrote to Monash Council asking for a warning in place of the $182 fine.
“I took a photo and realised it probably made it worse because they could think I’m a privileged white woman,” Ms Beggs said.
“But it’s not my car and the council isn’t showing any compassion.”
The financial broker drove her work car — a Tesla — to meet her boss in Glen Waverley for her first time leaving her house after undergoing foot surgery in December.
Ms Beggs had a moon boot and crutches, and was “seriously anxious” about driving and walking in public.
She said she parked in a 2P zone at 12.30pm on February 16 on O’Sullivan Rd in Glen Waverley and returned at 2.20pm to find a parking inspector issuing her a ticket.
The parking space had turned into a no stopping zone before Ms Beggs could get back to her car.
“I was slower than I thought I would be on the crutches ... I didn’t know how fast I would go,” she said.
The inspector said once the ticket was in the system it couldn’t be cancelled, but told her to email the council explaining her circumstance and not to worry.
The council replied to her two months later and said: “You would have been aware of the impact of your speed with crutches and could have accounted for that by securing longer term 2P or 5P parking nearby”.
‘There is no way on earth I’m going to pay’
A motorist snared by parking inspectors in a controversial sweep of Helensvale Farmers Market has slammed the process.
Hope Island man Wayne James was one of at least 17 people hit with $172 fines for angle parking on June 4, 2022 on a road beside the market, which takes place every Saturday morning at Helensvale High School.
Council maintained that only parallel parking is allowed on the road, which is used on school days as a bus zone. But Mr James said people had been parking angle parking in the same spot for many years without incident, questioning why council had only just decided to start issuing fines.
“I got the fine and decided to challenge it. I sent them pictures of Google Earth showing what the parking is like,” he said.
“I went and took photos of all the signs and sent photos of all the signs. There is nowhere there that says you can’t angle park. So I argued all that in my letter that I sent them.
“There is no way on earth I’m going to pay that fine.
“ … It’s absolutely ridiculous.”
‘You can’t get that ticket unless you leave your car’
Sydney Council rangers were in March 2017 labelled “predators” for slapping a $108 fine on a car while the driver was just metres away at a parking ticket machine.
Shane McCarthy had crossed Darling St at Rozelle to print out a ticket to allow him 30 minutes’ free parking when an Inner West Council officer ticketed his car.
Mr McCarthy claimed the parking officer – who he did not actually see - must have been “hiding in wait” for him to park before putting the penalty notice on his windscreen while he was at the ticket machine.
The council rejected the claim, insisting its rangers “do not act covertly”.
Mr McCarthy, who was in Rozelle for a quick business meeting, supplied copies of the parking ticket.
Information on the ticket from the parking machine showed Mr McCarthy printed it out at 10.58am on February 20.
The penalty notice, for “park without current ticket displayed”, shows that it was issued at 10.59am.
Mr McCarthy said he crossed the road to use the ticket machine opposite to where he was parked outside Tilly’s Art Supplies in Darling St.
“So what the council is saying is that you can’t park until you have a ticket. But you can’t get that ticket unless you leave your car and go to the ticket machine.
‘Being in a queue is not parked’
Residents of a leafy inner-northern Adelaide suburb lashed out at their council after a man was issued a parking fine while he was sitting in traffic.
A Prospect man, who has chosen not to be named, said he was in a queue of cars on Highbury St at Prospect when a trigger-happy parking inspector snapped a photo of his car in November 2022.
Days later, to his wife’s and his surprise, a $70 parking fine showed up at his house.
The man’s wife said he was driving in the car near Blackfriars Priory School, an area known for an intense build up of traffic at school pick-up time, when it happened.
Feeling harshly done by, the couple challenged the fine with the council only to be rebuked despite the evidentiary photo showing her and her husband in the car.
“We are all aware there are traffic issues in this area, but being in a queue is not parked as cars slowly advance and we were as near as practical to the kerb,” she said.
“We (challenged it), but the reason for rejection of our challenge was not clear and they still determined we were parked while in the queue.
“(The council) obviously have different idea of parking.”
Another woman said on Facebook the “exact” thing had happened to her.
‘People abuse our car parks continually’
A Sunshine Coast McDonald’s franchisee in September 2022 responded to outraged customers complaining about being fined for parking at restaurants – despite claims they did nothing wrong.
Several disgruntled Sunshine Coast residents were slapped with a $77 parking fine at various McDonald’s stores.
But McDonald’s franchisee Gary Binet said there was more to the story.
Mr Binet said he understood the concept of time-limited parking in McDonald’s was a new concept, but it was necessary to protect his business.
“People abuse our car parks continually … (it has) got to the point where it’s costing me business,” he said.
However, Mr Binet acknowledged sometimes legitimate customers were affected by this, and he said he was working hard alongside Smart Parking to ensure genuine patrons could have their fines appealed as soon as possible.
Some McDonald’s restaurants even validate parking by giving your number plate to staff.
“I don’t want to lose my customers,” he said.
One of those customers was Buderim mother Charlotte Demytko, who was fined $77 after visiting the Sippy Downs McDonald’s drive thru twice in one day and was accused of spending more than three hours at the restaurant.
‘The only thing I can think of is revenue’
Residents on Inverall Ave in the southwest Sydney of suburb Hinchinbrook were in February 2022 forced to park on the street’s nature strip, in order to allow traffic to freely pass through the narrow four lane road.
They then claimed they were being unfairly targeted by their local council with threats of $275 fines, with Liverpool City Council giving residents a seven-day grace period before they start issuing fines.
Speaking to A Current Affair, one resident Mario - who’s been parking on the street’s nature strip for six years - said the $275 fine was “useless” and didn’t help fix the problem.
“The only thing I can think of is revenue, to tell you the truth. How can you afford $275 every time you come home from work?,” he told A Current Affair.
“Can you imagine if someone needs a fire engine down the street? What do you do, let the house burn?”
Measuring the street, having two cars parked on either side of the road means only 2.4 metres was left for the multi-way traffic that occupies the street.
‘How is a person parking expected to know?’
A Brisbane man had his parking fine rescinded after a David and Goliath battle with the Brisbane City Council that lasted more than a year.
Paul Sutherland was stung with the $91 fine in May, 2017, after overstaying the 15-minute time length in the Lang Park traffic area in Milton on an event day.
Mr Sutherland claims he saw no signage as he approached the area that indicated it was an event day, leading him to believe he could park his car.
He spent the next 12 months fighting the fine, including writing to the Lord Mayor, challenging the fine with the disputes commissioner and asking the director-general of the Transport Department about the validity of the parking signs in the area.
It was eventually withdrawn in July 2018 – just 24 hours before Mr Sutherland was scheduled to go to court, with a council spokesman conceding it was rescinded due to a “technical matter”.
“I retraced my steps into the area and I drove straight in (and) didn’t go past any signs,” he said.
“It’s very easy to enter the area without being notified as a motorist you’re in the area. How is a person parking expected to know what is meant by event day or when an event is on…?”
‘I am unable to walk that distance’
A Toowoomba woman copped $574 in parking fines after taking her 14-year-old son to a basketball tournament on the Gold Coast in November 2022.
Tina Laughton was fined for parking on the grass at the Coomera Indoor Sports Centre on both Saturday October 29 and Sunday October 30 when no other parking was available.
“The only parking available on both days was out on the road,” Ms Laughton said.
“I am unable to walk that distance due to my foot issues hence had no choice but to park on the grass. I cannot park in disability parking due to the difficulty in obtaining a permit.”
Ms Laughton said she was especially annoyed to receive fines for parking on successive days when no notices were placed on her vehicle.
“At the very least why wasn’t a ticket put on the first day so I would know for the second day,” Ms Laughton said.
“I would have got a friend to drive the car up the road for me.”
Council previously said that 68 drivers were fined at the 510-space Coomera Indoor Sports Centre on the Saturday Ms Laughton was issued a ticket.
The Champion Basketball School of Queensland tournament was taking place at the time, attended by thousands of people.
Ms Laughton said she was particularly annoyed to have been so heavily fined after spending money on four nights accommodation and at northern Gold Coast attractions.
‘Now I take a receipt every time’
A Brisbane resident warned motorists to always accept a parking meter receipt after claiming he was fined a minute after he had paid for the on-street car space.
Mal Smart was fined $97 in Allenby Street, Spring Hill on November 23, 2018 for failing to pay for the parking space.
The fine was issued at 1.46pm, just 60 seconds after Mr Smart said he was issued with a receipt showing he had paid $9.20 for the car park.
Mr Smart said that since his daughter was wrongly fined by the Gold Coast City Council a couple of years ago he has always requested a receipt when prompted by a parking meter.
“My daughter didn’t worry about a receipt because the machine couldn’t issue it but when she was fined she couldn’t fight the council because she never had a receipt,” he said.
“Now I take a receipt every time.”
Mr Smart said he never saw a parking inspector at the time he used the meter.
“I don’t know where he was hiding. Up a tree or something,” Mr Smart said.
“My biggest pain is that the ticket should have been dealt with over the phone but you have to use your time and effort it’s all unnecessary when they have got it wrong.
“If I didn’t have a receipt I would have had to go to court and ask for the records off the parking meter.”
‘We have been parking like that for 19 years’
A Logan resident was in disbelief in June 2017 after receiving three parking tickets in two days because vehicles in her own driveway were protruding over the edge of the footpath.
Logan homeowner Vicki Buckley received two $81 fines for two infringements dated May 27, and the next day another $81 notice was delivered, but for a different offence, dated June 3.
One of the vehicles parked in the driveway was a ute, booked twice for different offences even though it was never moved.
Logan City Council handed out two fines for the May 27 incident for vehicles being stopped on a bicycle path, footpath, shared path, dividing strip or nature strip.
Then the council officer returned to write another ticket for Ms Buckley’s son’s ute for failing to park parallel on road-related area, facing in the direction of travel of vehicles.
The photo printed on the second fine also included a contractor who had parked completely across the driveway.
Ms Buckley said her driveway was shallow and that the wheels on one vehicle were partially on the footpath, but a simple warning would have been enough for them to move their vehicles.
“We have been parking like that for 19 years and a warning should have been given before a fine,” she said.
“I don’t understand why we didn’t receive a notice beforehand.”
Ms Buckley said some her neighbours had also received parking infringement fines.
‘I’ll spend my $ elsewhere’
The historic State of Origin clash on the Gold Coast in July 2021 was soured for dozens of fans who were hit with hefty parking fines, despite Mayor Tom Tate encouraging them to come out and support the game.
The near sellout game at Cbus Stadium at Robina was the first time an Origin had been played on the Glitter Strip after the showdown was relocated at the 11th hour from Newcastle because of the worsening NSW Covid crisis.
But almost 170 fuming fans were hit with fines of at least $82, despite parking kilometres from the stadium.
One person wrote on Twitter that they parked 3.2km from the stadium in a designated parking zone but still copped a $82 fine because the area had been declared a ‘special event’ precinct by the council.
“Was planning on taking family to other games over the next couple of weeks @cityofgoldcoast but no chance now. I’ll spend my $ elsewhere … no signs about events within 200m of (parking) spot,” the fan wrote.
A City of Gold Coast spokeswoman defended the dozens of fines dished out.
“Parking officers patrolled the area to ensure motorists were complying with parking restrictions and 167 tickets were issued for noncompliance,” she said.
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