Help with parking ticket

Lxe191 on 27/09/2014 - 10:47

Hi guys,

I'm looking for some advice on possible options I have regarding a parking fine at University.
I was at uni all day and purchased an all day parking ticket for $3.
I left uni and drove nearby for dinner with some friends, and came back. One of my friends left a roll of paper on my dashboard, covering the TOP HALF my ticket.
The university fined me for failing to display a valid permit.
I launched an appeal explaining my cause and sending them a scan of the original parking ticket. The appeal was denied as "adequate grounds for withdrawing the infringement have not been presented"

What are my options as of now? Has anyone been in a similar situation?
Also, it's worth noting that although the top half of the ticket (Purchase Date, Price) was covered, the bottom half was still visible (there is a receipt number shown). If the parking inspector had taken the time to record any details that were visible on my parking ticket (ie. Receipt number), then the university could have confirmed that the ticket I scanned them is the same ticket that was in my car.
I believe it is reasonable that the parking inspector should record any available information if they are going to fine me, especially since half of my ticket is visible. However, I think he just took a picture of the dashboard and the receipt number is illegible.

I have uploaded a picture of the ticket. The top half of the ticket was covered approximately halfway, indicated by the shaded red area.

http://imgur.com/S0i2IGm

Thanks for your help

Automotive

Comments

  • Tuttorix on 30/09/2014 - 13:07

    If you have security personnel like guards at the area where the boom gate etcetera is, I suggest you go have a talk with them. People have compassion if you face them up close, and explain your situation. I did the same thing ($4 Ticket) and they waived it.

  • wonderkathy on 01/10/2014 - 14:16

    I had an incident where I parked legally in a Disability parking space but when my 86 year old mother got out the sticker was dislodged from the windscreen. We received a fine which from memory was a couple of hundred dollars. I wrote a letter to the Infringement/Revenue department explaining the situation and the fine was waived. So my advice would be, write a very detailed letter but also if there is an office at Uni where you can go and discuss this situation do this also. Go to the top when you visit. Ask politely or make an appointment to see the person who signed your letter. Good Luck. I think you are in the right. Please post what happens.

  • apey2000 on 01/10/2014 - 21:47

    Some of the staunch and complacent "you broke the law! Bad boi!" responses here are laughable.

    Yes law is law and in the strictest sense you failed to comply with the fine print. But let's face it, lawyers aren't always right, and as a result a lot of laws are far from perfect and will crumble under sufficient scrutiny in the courts. A lot of 'laws' aren't even legal. Victorian public transport ticketing system has been and largely remains a joke, as an example. And let's not even go into the dubious practices of some of the private parking companies (that just don't care ;) )

    From my experience most public/private companies will exercise restraint and reason when presented with compelling evidence that intent was there to comply with the law, but a set of extenuating circumstances were at play which prevent this from happening.

    I tend to just pay for stuff when I'm clearly at fault. But it's important that you stand up for your rights, when you're in the right! I've so far successfully taken on a caring parking company, an internet provider and the council over things I felt were unfair.

    So, as somebody has already said, I would get the parking company to review your case in person. Provide clear evidence:

    1. Your parking ticket
    2. Credit card in your name that was used to pay for the ticket
    3. If you have a history of paying for parking at Uni every day, or at least on a regular basis, provide this evidence as it will help to demonstrate that you are generally law-abiding and unlikely to be trying to scam the Uni.
    4. Bring your friend that covered your ticket to back up your story/testimony (as long as you can trust them to maintain a polite and objective demeanour).
    5. If the person at the counter simply refuses to consider the facts, politely ask to discuss the case with a supervisor.

    As a caveat though - no $55 is worth your losing sleep or taking your frustrations home. So if interpreting the legal system tends to get you emotional, maybe it's better to pay & forget about it purely for those reasons.

    Good luck!

    • GnarlyKnuckles on 01/10/2014 - 22:49
      +2

      "lawyers aren't always right…"

      Lawyers? Jesus, get a grip hombre, and don't encourage this guy to waste any more time or money (his own, or that of the uni'/ tax-payer/ anyone else) than he already has.

      • apey2000 on 02/10/2014 - 00:17

        Why sir, I do realise that some of us Mexicans think a little differently, but is getting a parking fine waived (particularly considering OP paid for a valid, albeit only partially visible, parking ticket) not in the spirit of OzBargain?

        OP does have a choice to suck it up and pay, just as all of us OzBargainers have a choice to not bother 'wasting' time on this site and paying RRP on everything without question instead.

        Happy shopping!

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