Sydney parking fail: Owner of car blocking family’s driveway for a week found holidaying in Bali

THE woman whose car blocked the driveway of a Sydney family for a week has been located holidaying in Bali, and she’s very sorry.

Katrina Gulabovski in front of her house with the car blocking her driveway. Picture: Craig Wilson

THE owner of a car which blocked a Sydney family’s driveway for seven days has been located.

Lora Chevkenova, who is still away on a tropical getaway in Bali, has apologised but maintains it wasn’t her fault.

Ms Chevkenova — who was located by the Inner West Courier via Facebook — said she feels responsible for the week-long parking fail nightmare but added it was an honest mistake and not her fault.

Since Thursday last week, the Gulabovski family in Sutherland St, St Peters, had been battling bureaucracy to take action to remove the silver Holden Astra convertible parked across its driveway.

Lora Chevkenova. Picture: Facebook

Lora Chevkenova. Picture: Instagram

Despite single mum Katrina Gulabovski calling police and the Inner West Council to complain, the vehicle was not towed away until yesterday evening.

Ms Gulabovski said police officers and council rangers could not agree who had responsibility for removing the car.

“The police and council were buck passing this issue and all we wanted was to get the car out of the way,” Ms Gulabovski said.

“I spoke to the police from Newtown and they said it was the council’s job to get the car moved.

“Then I rang the council and they said they couldn’t move it, it was a police responsibility.

“It was ridiculous and frustrating.

“I’m a single mum with three kids and an elderly mother who needs regular medical visits.”

Katrina Gulabovski was bandied about by police and local council. Picture: Craig Wilson

An exasperated Ms Gulabovski said her household owns three cars — she has two adult children — that had been locked out of their own driveway.

“There should be a streamlined process between the police and the council so that the car is moved straight away, not seven days later,” she said.

From her Bali holiday hideaway, Ms Chevkenova told the Inner West Courier that she wants to apologise to the Gulabovski family for the “honest mistake”, but said she was not the person who parked the car across their driveway.

She said she had a late flight to Bali last Thursday night and asked a male friend to drop her off at the airport, using her car, and then park the car in Sutherland St.

“He didn’t realise he’d blocked someone’s driveway when he parked there,” Ms Chevkenova, who won’t be back in Sydney until next week, said.

Katrina Gulabovski is upset at the local council and police passing the buck about which organisation should move a car that has blocked her driveway for six nights. Picture: Craig Wilson

When asked if she needed to apologise to the Gulabovski family, Ms Chevkenova said “of course”.

She also offered to compensate the family.

“I feel completely responsible for the incident,” Ms Chevkenova said.

“I feel terrible about this.”

Ms Chevkenova will be hit with a $108 fine as well as a bill for the towing charges.

Ms Gulabovski said people catching planes often park in her street to save money on long term parking at Sydney Airport.

Newtown Police duty officer Inspector Andrew Garner said soon after Ms Gulabovski called police, officers notified the council.to make arrangements to move the car.

But is was not until Tuesday, September 7, before council officers stuck a notice on the car’s windscreen, advising its owner that it would move the vehicle and bill the owner for the job.

Under the NSW Impounding Act a vehicle may be impounded immediately, without having to notify its owner, if the vehicle is in a public place and the impounding officer is satisfied it is causing an obstruction to traffic.

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