Summernats parking woes

[Dubious]

The ACT parking wardens are sneaky b*stards at the best of times but this one must take the cake. I came back to my car after the event to find the familiar yellow envelope under the wiper with the following ticket inside:



And this is where I parked. Note the 'No Parking' sign pointing away from the line of cars. This was in fact the reason I chose to park there - plus the gravel laid down and the receding kerb line indicated to me that this area had been set aside for cars to be parked when visiting the Thoroughbred Park over the fence.



I love the bit about being parked on a "path/strip in built up area". Yeah it's really built up with the equestrian park on one side and farmland on the other. And nice path by the way. Idiots.

[Ideo]

Fight it.

a) not a built up area
b) the signage indicates that parking is allowed.

[Dubious]

Received a rather snotty 2 page reply from the pointy heads informing me that the ticket won't be waived, and that if I have a problem with it I am welcome to take the matter before a magistrate (with the court costs far exceeding the ticket amount of $79).

Apparently the No Parking sign in the photo "clearly" relates to the road and not the grass area, which is considered a "nature strip" under Australian Road Rule [blah], and that it's considered a "built-up area" due to the fact that a building is in the area. They helpfully pointed out that just because a driver assumes it is ok to park somewhere doesn't change the fact that it is illegal. Presumably this means I could've parked on the edge of the road (blocking traffic) and that would have been legal, however parking off the road deserves punishment.

I'm pleased that we live in a country where common sense prevails. Next time I'll think first: is this compulsory or is this banned?

[mk3pete]

this has made me angry just reading this!!!!!!!!!!!!

[goodfella]

Given your handle is Dubious... I'd say the parking officer felt it was just to give you a ticket

Just kidding... my council had the wisdom to change our street to 2hr parking weekdays and forgot that people actually live there.. I got a fine for parking my car outside my own place!! and then the council wondered why I bothered to contest it!

[hooba]

I hope that you decide to take them up on their offer and show how stupid their logic is in Court.

[maca]

this has made me angry just reading this!!!!!!!!!!!!

............

[Dubious]

I'm quite tempted to. Legally though (assuming the quoted road rules are true), I don't really have a leg to stand on in court. As the pointy head said, just because I and many others assumed it was legal to park there doesn't mean that there isn't some road rule somewhere saying it's a punishable offence.

Plus if I lose I'm up for the $79 ticket plus at least another $80 for court costs. They know this fact and exploit it.

[mk3pete]

someone pull up the numbers !!!
im pretty sure a high percentage who contest the fine win!!!

[Ideo]

Do it anyway.

They won't want to drag themselves away from their AC office to deal with it.

Blow up the photo to a large scale, clearly showing the no parking arrow etc

Make them justify their existence. I'm sure the members of VWwatercooled can chip in with the court costs for the matter to be heard.

I fight most things - not the last parking fine I got though. I deserved that one (parked in a pay and display car park without paying and displaying, still, at $40 a day I got 6 free days for one $79 ticket, so it worked out ok).