Driver's $320 fine while waiting in busy car park: 'Idiotic'
The motorist has urged others not to make the same simple mistake now their appeal has been rejected.
A driver is urging others to "be careful" after their appeal for a little-known parking offence was knocked back, following the $320 parking fine received even before they'd found a parking spot.
Trying to find a parking bay in a busy car park during the weekend can be annoying at the best of times but the driver has since faced more frustration having been fined while "waiting for someone to pull out of their spot" at Hurstville Aquatic Centre in Sydney on June 15.
After receiving the fine the driver appealed it to Revenue NSW, however, it was rejected — with the driver calling it an "idiotic" move from authorities.
Revenue NSW rejects appeal to drop 'ridiculous' parking fine
In response to the appeal, Revenue NSW said it acknowledged the circumstances surrounding the offence but it was simply "unable to cancel the fine" as the driver had double parked, an offence which involves parking a vehicle in a non-designated area alongside one that is already parked. It is not known how long the car was double parked for.
"You cannot wait for another car to exit a space as parking must be immediately available," the response from Revenue NSW read online. "Double parking can create blind spots for motorists and pedestrians, as well as cause other drivers to travel on the opposite side of the road." The driver was instructed to pay the fine.
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After the motorist aired their frustration online, many Aussies were shocked to learn this offence was viable in a car park, given the driver hadn't left their car and had simply stayed stationary until the other driver vacated the parking bay.
"Contest it again. That is absolutely ridiculous," one woman wrote, with many others agreeing that there is "not a single person on this planet that hasn't done exactly this on dozens of occasions." "Absolutely ludicrous," another simply wrote.
Council increase patrols in car park after trend of 'illegal parking'
Georges River Council defended the parking fine that was issued, explaining it recently increased patrols at the Hurstville Aquatic Centre car park due to "vehicles being observed parking illegally'.
"Double parking is an issue that the NSW State Government has identified as requiring a strong deterrent across the state due to the safety risk it creates for the community and obstruction to traffic, hence a penalty of over $300 is applied," a council spokesperson told Yahoo News.
"This year alone, Georges River Council has received over 2,700 requests to investigate reports of illegal parking from the community, including double parking in both shopping precincts and School Zones.
"Within the Aquatic Centre grounds itself, signposted No Parking & Loading Zone areas are available to permit drivers to legally stop temporarily."
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