Comments on: Parking Tickets - Conspiracy?

By: Boris Viskovic

Boris Viskovic — Sun, 06 Dec 2009 16:23:32 +0000

Have you ever noticed that what you’re paying is an infringement NOTICE or NOTICE of offence. All they’re telling you is that you’ve committed an offence (menace to society we all are…)

You make the cheque/payment out to the CEO.

They most likely have an ABN/ACN.

So, I guess that makes them a business, and the purpose of a business is to make money.

So the next question is, why do we pay rates and where does the money all go? They sure as hell don’t spend them on the roads in Sydney! LOL

By: claude

claude — Thu, 09 Jul 2009 09:24:40 +0000

I got a $243 fine for stopping in a bus zone for 30 seconds… I stopped in the bus zone during school hours ( 8:30am ) because i was waiting for another person to drive out of a 2P zone that i wanted.
I was working across the road in the school construction zone but the school could not provide us with parking on school grounds..

I pleaded with the SDRO to review the fine and practice better judgement to no avail.

The parking ranger that booked me on the day was 100 meters down the street hiding behind a tree with a zoom lens camera.

Pigs the lot of them.. I got booked for trying to park legally.

Go figure…

By: Rob Mulally

Rob Mulally — Sat, 13 Jun 2009 06:17:58 +0000

Meg, Thanks for this information it helped when we were in a similar situation. The back of the Parking Infringments in Sydney are not as clear as they potentially could be. If your interested in reading our story I have posted our story on my blog linked above. Thanks Rob Mulally Rob Mulally's last blog post..Parking Infringement Sydney

By: Fortnightly Update for 29th November | Dipping into the Blogpond

Fortnightly Update for 29th November | Dipping into the Blogpond — Fri, 30 Nov 2007 04:44:55 +0000

[…] like we beat the parking ticket. I received a letter saying: We have found meter ….. was not operating correctly at the time […]

By: Babyamore

Babyamore — Thu, 22 Nov 2007 04:46:02 +0000

it is rort ! Thanks for sharing the advice about getting a fault ID … I will tell others too.I am sure it happen frequently.

By: Meg

Meg — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 22:37:54 +0000

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Looking a little further into this, apparently you need to ring up AT THE TIME and get a fault ID. I’m assuming there is a number printed on the ticket machine, but there is more information available at the City of Sydney website.

I rang the number listed but was told that unless the fault ID is issued at the time, then they won’t issue it afterwards. They won’t even CHECK to see if a fault was lodged on the machine, which could be used as “evidence” to contest the fine.

I have emailed the City of Sydney Parking, but shan’t hold my breath.

By: Steve

Steve — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 11:13:45 +0000

That’s what camera phones are for. And if you can’t get a picture, source yourself an employee who works nearby and on a permanent basis, have them acknowledge the fault with the machine, and then go about your business. If you get the fine, return to the worker with a prepared letter confirming the defective machine.

I also include a nice letter section in my letter to the council (well in the two times I’ve been forced to follow this route) about their statutory obligation to maintain working and accurate equipment. I then throw in the bit about how, if they aren’t willing to dismiss the fine, I’ll be billing them at my normal, daily charge out rate for all the time it takes to address the matter to my satisfaction, which started with the drafting of the letter I’d sent them.

Both fines were promptly dismissed.

By: Lightening

Lightening — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 08:58:56 +0000

Blah! I say conspiracy. Imagine how much money they make from people who don’t bother to dispute them. But I can understand why you wouldn’t. You’re not the first person I’ve heard complaining about this. It’s just not RIGHT that they can get away with it! I’m just glad we live near a town that doesn’t bother with this sort of stuff. I think if it were me I’d end up paying it but it would sure make my blood BOIL!!!!

By: alyndabear

alyndabear — Wed, 21 Nov 2007 07:03:57 +0000

I would go with CB on this one - pay it, but write about the issue and explain the situation. Less hassle than court, that’s for sure. Fingers crossed they’ll check out the problem and work it out.

By: gary

gary — Tue, 20 Nov 2007 20:51:35 +0000

Great story, I got a fine in Sydney thanks to a parking ticket I had on the wind shield blowing upside down because of my slightly ajar window.

On another note have you seen how “easy” it is to claim cashback for using the M4/M5 tolls? I didn’t even know you could do it until a friend told me, the little window gadget which takes the money out of your account is completely automated from the beep of driving past the toll point to the money coming out of your account. Try to get some of it back and there’s a form to fill out and you have to post it off after calculating the rebate yourself.

http://www.rta.nsw.gov.au/usingroads/motorwaysandtolling/m4m5_cashbackscheme.html