‘Privileged white woman’: Shelley Beggs is fighting an ‘unfair’ parking fine
A Tesla driver has accused a council of not pulling a parking fine because she is a “privileged white woman” and because of the car she drives.
South East
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A female motorist feels she has been 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 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”.
Ms Beggs said the council’s “no excuse” and “prejudicial” attitude gave her the impression it was trying to fast track its Covid recovery by “calling in all fines”.
“Yes I was in the wrong, but they (council) are not being lenient in a time when I had a lot on my mind ... they don’t care about mental health and say I should have been aware of absolutely everything,” she said.
Monash Mayor Stuart James told Leader the fine was issued when the car was in a clearway zone which ensures the “safety of children during pick-up and drop-off times at Glen Waverley High School”.
“Council takes the safety of children around schools extremely seriously and the fine was upheld accordingly,” he said.
“The driver had parked their car for 22 minutes after the No Stopping restriction was in effect putting the safety of children and other road users at risk.”
Cr James added the infringement inspector noted there were other parks available nearby and all drivers should observe parking laws when driving in Monash.
