Parking Fine Help

[Beach40]

I got a parking fine in Sydney Town today.

The bike was parked in a lane way as close to the building as possible, on what I thought was termed "the building line." A parking cop explained this to me once.

I and others have been doing this for years and never had an issue before today.

(Bulletin Place, the Circular Quay end of Pitt St for those that know Sydney)

But today I found a fine on the bike that reads "Stop on path/strip in built-up area"

Anyone else had this issue or is this some sneaky new law to grab some more revenue?

[Matt]

They'll get you wherever they can. The "building line " is a grey area, you really have to be on private property like in a recessed part of the building frontage.

Did you know that you can park on the street for free in the City of Sydney? You can only stay as long as the signs allow but there are quite a few 2 hour spots in the city after hours and on weekends. And there are the free bike parking areas all over the place.

Good luck trying to beat it.

[Beach40]

I'm well aware of the free designated spots, but unless you get there at 5am, they're always full and theres not that many of them.

The free parking is a good idea, but I can't get out every two hours to move it and theres a sneaky little bit of fine print that says you have to move it to another "zone". If you don't move it far enough they will fine you anyway.

Oh and good luck getting the zone boundaries from the council. That bits secret.

In all the years I have been parking bikes in the city I have never had a fine like this. The spot where I was parked is used everyday by about six or eight bikes.

[Scaredofthedirt]

Write to the council disputing the infringement.

Hopefully when they write back they will quote you the by-law you've broken and saying that the fine stands. More often then not, they've just given you the out as the by-law has not been propperly applied.

Write to them again disputing the infringement making reference to the previous communications.

They will write back saying that the fine still stands.

Repeat until you get bored of this.

Worst case by now is that you still have to pay the fine but can feel better in that you've cost them more in admin costs replying to you than what they have raised in the initial bogus fine.

[MikeyR]

Check the ARR, which should be on the net.

This infringement should only be issued if you are blocking the footpath for pedestrians.

Mike

[farqhuar]

Originally Posted by Scaredofthedirt

Worst case by now is that you still have to pay the fine but can feel better in that you've cost them more in admin costs replying to you than what they have raised in the initial bogus fine.

Have you? I would say their admin costs are static - they ain't going to employ additional staff members because of having to respond to a couple of letters, at most it may cost them a couple of extra stamps for the letters, and a couple of sheets of paper and envelopes..

[Mouse]

Originally Posted by farqhuar

they ain't going to employ additional staff members because of having to respond to a couple of letters.

there is a cost to them to respond to your letter, if you think it is just paper and stamps then i am glad you do not advise me on my business.

if a letter takes ten minutes to respond to (which would have to be far short of the reality given the person who opens the mail would need to forward it to the person responsbile etc) the cost of such a response is much more likely to be in the order of $50+ given labour and overheads.

switcher, i note your comments on the truck related thread, perhaps you need to read the arr and familiarise yourself with the law referenced?