The obscure parking rules that keep catching tourists out

"Never heard of this before!"

Trying to find a car park in a busy area is no easy task, even for locals.

I’d be shocked if you couldn’t recall at least one experience where you thought you’d found a car space after half an hour of searching, just to be met with one of those crazy signs no one can understand - and ultimately copping a fine.

For tourists and newer Australian residents, this struggle is taken to the next level, and one UK expat has just experienced it first hand.

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Image: TikTok / @archoz_2025.

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“Never heard of this before!”

A man who’s just moved to Australia from the UK, on TikTok as @archoz_2025, has taken to TikTok after receiving a confusing parking fine.

“Here’s one for ya, never heard of this before,” he said in the video.

“So we parked at the beach all day, checked where we parked, it didn’t say anything about no parking. Come back, and I’ve got a ticket.”

The man admitted that he had no idea where the fine had come from, until some locals were able to shed light on the issue.

“Basically what it is, is in Australia, it is illegal to park on the wrong side of the road that you’re not driving on,” he said.

The fine would ultimately set him back a few hundred dollars. Yikes!

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“It’s common sense”

Commenters on the post were quick to call out that the error was simply common sense. But, this isn’t necessarily the case.

In the UK, it’s only illegal to park against the direction of the traffic flow at night, whilst during the day, it’s not as strict.

But, after the rule was explained, the man said it made total sense.

“It’s because you can’t exit the spot without having to go against traffic,” said one commenter.

“You can’t get into or out of that spot without doing the wrong thing - crossing into the wrong lane of traffic etc.” said another.

Is that all he’s in trouble for?

Some commenters on the post also made the man aware of a second fine he might cop as a result of his parking.

In the video, you can see that the car is also parked in front of a fire hydrant, which in New South Wales, you aren’t allowed to stop within one metre of.

“I’d say it was more to do with parking in front of a fire hydrant,” said one commenter.

“you parked in front of Fire Hydrants... they need to be cleared for emergencies…” said another.

“Lucky you didn't get an extra fine for parking in front on a fire hydrant,” a third agreed.

But, since the ticket from Shoalhaven City Council didn’t actually say what the fine was for, it seems he’ll have to wait and find out.

Originally published as The obscure parking rules that keep catching tourists out