Parking Fine 2HR Zone, but Live on The Same Street, Any Way I Can Argue It?

Ticklemittz on 12/07/2019 - 17:36
Last edited 12/07/2019 - 19:26 by 1 other user

Hey, so I wouldn't mind a little bit of your opinion. So I live near a train station (one street over) and during the weekdays our street is always packed with non-residents taking all of our residential parking spots. Wednesday, a few days ago I had an appointment during the day that I needed to use my car for, coming back there were no parking spots except two in the 2hr zone, so I parked there (this happens a lot) and was going to come back and move the car into unrestricted parking later (hopefully). This happens frequently so I usually set a 1.5hr alarm on my phone and return later, I forgot this time.

The next day I came out to a nice $114 fine, this has occurred once in the past and I just sucked it up and paid it, however, it seems really unfair that as a resident on the same street I am forced to park in a 2hr zone because non-residents take our spots.

Is there anything I can do to avoid paying this fine again? I'm a student, currently looking for a job and I don't have $114 sitting around.

In the event that I do just suck it up again like last time and pay the fine (which seems unfair), is there something I should start doing (that's legal) to prevent people taking the parking area in front of my residence? It's a share house, with one parking spot at the house and street parking infront of the house. In total we have 3 cars. Obviously, nobody takes the spot at our house, but the spot infront of our house… Could we reserve that? Maybe with traffic cones? A sign? Is it legal to do that?

Thanks for any help.

Automotive

Comments

  • altomic on 12/07/2019 - 17:43
    -4

    what did your council say when you contacted them?

    • iforgotmysocks on 12/07/2019 - 20:34
      +17

      They said they have no jurisdiction and that judgement of the matter rests solely in the hands of the forum section of Australia's foremost bargains community.

  • [Deactivated] on 12/07/2019 - 17:48

    Is there a way you can get non-resident cars towed or are they permitted to park there during the day?

    • Ticklemittz on 12/07/2019 - 18:03

      As red and dj said I believe it doesn't matter because they're public spots. Sucks for us living there I guess! D:

      • [Deactivated] on 12/07/2019 - 18:06
        +4

        It is but the train station and limited parking didn't suddenly happen.

        It's one of those nuances I look at when buying personal property (not investments). No blind corners around entry to property and ample street parking.

        Hopefully it's a rental.

  • chumlee on 12/07/2019 - 17:51
    +3

    Ask your council to make the immediate surrounding streets around the train station parking permit so residents can park there

    Worth challenging the fine and see what happens

    • Ticklemittz on 12/07/2019 - 18:02

      A housemate said they have spoken to the council in the past about getting residential permits, but they refused. :(

      Not sure how I'd challenge the fine tbh. Maybe just explain the situation as per my post above? They can atleast read it then… They'll likely keep the fine in place.

      • chumlee on 12/07/2019 - 18:55

        Get a petition going with other residents

      • [Deactivated] on 13/07/2019 - 09:40
        +1

        Don’t just talk to a random council staffer, find who the councillor is for your ward, drop in to their office. Have a chat with them, and invite them around to show them the impact of commuters parking in the residential streets. Unlike the staff members, councillors are elected so they are incentivised to try and help you to secure your vote.

  • redforever on 12/07/2019 - 17:55
    +8

    If you are referring to on street parking in front of your house, you don't own the street. so its fair game to everyone.

  • djkelly69 on 12/07/2019 - 17:55
    +5

    I understand this would be really annoying, but:

    I am forced to park in a 2hr zone because non-residents take our spots

    either they are spots reserved for residents (in which case get non-resident's cars towed/call the council/whatever), or they are public parking spots which happen to be in front of or near your residence (in which case, first in, best dressed).

    • Ticklemittz on 12/07/2019 - 18:01

      You're right, I suppose it's just one of those things, even if I make a fuss about it I feel as though it would all be in vain.

      • mbck on 12/07/2019 - 18:03

        Get council to make that strip permit zones.

  • John Kimble on 12/07/2019 - 18:32

    We have a similar issue in our area. A resident was annoyed enough to flyer drop the area with a petition and contact council about it.

    Council sent an official survey and they ended up making a lot of streets around ours 2 hour parking…except ours…so all the commuters park in our street now…we were forced to get a parking permit so we could have the luxury of parking a few streets away in the 2 hour zones to avoid a fine!

    We asked the council to extend the 2 hour zones to our street also…it's under review…will suck for us either way, my mum comes over to look after our kids once a week…is she meant to go out every 2 hours and move her car???

    • brad1-8tsi on 15/07/2019 - 09:30
      +1

      Most councils you can usually buy single day parking permits to be displayed on the dashboard. They are around $3/day and a max of 100 tickets/yr. Sucks but still cheaper than a fine.

  • MrHyde on 12/07/2019 - 18:52
    +1

    Need to petition council to put in 2hr zones or shorter in your street, plus permit exception… So residents with permits can park for as long as they want and non-residents can only park for limited time

  • Quantumcat on 12/07/2019 - 19:11
    +4

    When I lived in an apartment you could get stickers to put on your car that exempted you from the time limits on our street. If that doesn't exist on your street then you're out of luck.

    Unfortunately this sort of situation is what goes with living on a desirable parking street. You should either move, or ditch your car. It is the sort of thing you should have looked into before either moving there or buying a car (or getting a job that you can't take public transport to if that's what necessitated the car purchase).

    If you and your housemates are willing to work together, and the parking spots aren't marked: you could each have each others keys, and move each others cars when you leave to just cover the spots and not leave enough room for another car to get in. Then when you come back, double park for a few minutes and move all the cars away again. It has ways of going wrong and is a lot of bother but something to think about.

  • adam on 12/07/2019 - 20:13

    Don't take the matter to Council, take it to your local Councillor. The Councillor will try to appease you and actually get Council to do something (maybe).

  • RockyRaccoon on 13/07/2019 - 08:23

    While I can see your point of view, look at it this way.

    Commuters would think, why should you get special treatment, free on street parking, plus you can catch the train at will, while they have to park somewhere far away from the station everyday so you can have the luxury of being able to move your car at will and park at will at a spot which is a premium spot for everyone.

    Yes as you point out, the odd time you have to leave when you come back you might have to park a few blocks away on that day, vs they have to park a few blocks away every day.

    in the evening when they go home, you can move your car back and it’s free for as long as you want.

    The reality as you said, you simply forgot to move it, you were prepared to do that and if you did you wouldn’t have an issue.

    Even in suburbia someone has a party and we can’t park outside our house.

    So while I understand the problem, things don’t always work out for us. Learn how to set up a reminder on your phone so you won’t get caught again.

  • Randxyz123 on 13/07/2019 - 10:49

    I parked in a no standing zone for 2 minutes so I could pick up my great aunt from the shops. We had been shopping and that was the closest park. The disabled parks had been taken. I explained what I was doing but no dice from the council. They told me it was dangerous what I did (hardly, everyone parks there).

    The council won't want to make the street permits only because they can get 114 x however many cars park there and forget about the limit.

    I would start gathering signatures from neighbours. Get evidence and make a case. Worst they can do is say no.

  • brad1-8tsi on 15/07/2019 - 09:24

    Mate, you are stuffed.

    My place is within 100m of 2 stations and close to a busy shopping precinct and a major university. Our street is 2 hr parking with residents permits that cost up to $160 for the first car and $240 for the 2nd. Because my apartment was built after 1996 I can't get a permit. I'm fine but if my kids visit they have to park up to 500m away.

    My GFs place is also a 2hr residents parking area. If I want to leave my car there during the week I have to park 10 minutes walk away (It's no big deal). We've been fined 3 times in 2 years (various really stupid reasons that were our fault). You can't get out of the fines.

    There will always be a few untimed spots in a area and they are usually taken but you just have to have drive around until you find one… and that might be 1km from home.

    If you have no money then you have to pay with inconvenience

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