One for the brains trust

[TermiMonster]

Anyone see a problem here:
444322
444323
I walked out to move my car, just as the guy was moving to the next car.
I have been booked for doing 2km over the limit. I have been booked for 3km over the limit. I have been booked for 4 k over the limit. And I have paid them all. I have been booked for parking incorrectly in front of my own house, twice (more fool me). But by hell I am going to fight this one. These f#@kwits just Sh*t me. The limit starts at 9 and they turn into the street at a cpl minutes before. I find that despicable. It's not just Stonnington, it's all of them. I wouldn't be so peeved if I hadn't actually gone out to move the car. I didn't realize until later that the time was prior to the limit. How do you spell seething.
Hrrrrrrrmmrmmmm......

[Skew ChiDAMN!!]

Good on you.

All too many people would just wear it... which is what lets these mongrels get away with it.

8:59 is not now - and never will be - between 9:00 and 10:00.

[dimithri]

No way. Tell them to get stuffed. Luckily you have a clear document with the time stamp. And not a guy who just wrote down 9

[doug3030]

Yep, stick it up 'em. trouble is it will still cost you time and inconvenience to beat them. Instead of just taking it to the council and challenging it take it to court and ask forcosts as well as voiding the fine.

[BobL]

Full sympathies all round but I'd take it to the council first as these things can get way out of your hands really quickly.
Looking at the situation in a cold hard light, the first thing a magistrate will do is ask why you didn't go to the council before bringing it to court and that will paint you in a negative light from the start.
It won't bother the council a dot to go to court as they do this all the time and it won't ultimately change anything - I'll bet the inspector does not even get a rap over the knuckles over it. Costs awarded won't pay for the agro already sustained and what you will go through, or time you lose over it, and there is always the chance council could still win through a technicality or other BS.

[rustynail]

It's invalid. Circle the time and send it back to Council. Don't waste your time hand delivering it. They haven't got a leg to stand on. Make sure you take a copy before sending.

[Chesand]

It's invalid. Circle the time and send it back to Council. Don't waste your time hand delivering it. They haven't got a leg to stand on. Make sure you take a copy before sending.

As above but I would hand deliver it, addressed to the CEO, and ask for a receipt. That way they cannot deny receiving it.

[ian]

I'd be talking malice.


BTW, in Victoria who collects the fine?
IN NSW it's State Debt Recovery -- so you will get nowhere talking to Council.

And Council doesn't give a toss because they get all the revenue so are looking for easy pickings -- which this site looks to be.

[Bohdan]

I had one like that. The council said "too late it's in the system".

I said we go to court, they issued a summons, I filled in the fact that I contest the fine, got notified of a court date, heard nothing more until a few days before the court case got a letter:- "case withdrawn".

[Bushmiller]

It's invalid. Circle the time and send it back to Council. Don't waste your time hand delivering it. They haven't got a leg to stand on. Make sure you take a copy before sending.

I'm with you on this, but I would suggest that a reference to going to the media (media of your choice) will have more effect as adverse publicity always looks bad and can quickly balloon into a pickle for them. It might start somebody delving into issues they would prefer to keep quiet.

Regards
Paul

[woodPixel]

How do you spell seething.


seethe
verb
gerund or present participle: seething
1. (of a liquid) boil or be turbulent as if boiling
2.(of a person) be filled with intense but unexpressed anger.


I too, would seethe.

:D:D:D:D:D

[cava]

They cover themselves well - the ticket states "Alleged Offense". So it is not a verified offense and can only be verified by a Magistrate/Judge and not a council contractor/employee.

There is a protocol in place to protect yourself.

The first step is to write to the council asking the ticket be withdrawn and enclose a 'copy' of the notice. Always keep the original as evidence if you go to court. You must be seen to be honourable in the matter.

Chances are that they will push the point initially (all bluster), but there is also a real chance that court action may happen.

Perhaps get in touch with Community Law Resource Association, they fight councils/governments/credit suppliers regularly and teach others how to do it for essentially free. Google is your friend.

[TermiMonster]

Thanks for the replies, gents.
I'm not quite so peeved today, and I will probably just contest it through council. It will be withdrawn(I'd be very surprised otherwise).
I'll let you know how it goes.
cheers,
TM

[TermiMonster]

BTW, I like the idea of including the media. I'm not a fan of them usually, but they do have their uses;)

[Uncle Al]

'A Cuurent Affair' or similar TV shows love these stories.
It's probably a good thing to let things come off the boil for a day or two before fronting the dopes, much better for your blood pressure!.

Alan...

[doug3030]

'A Cuurent Affair' or similar TV shows love these stories.
It's probably a good thing to let things come off the boil for a day or two before fronting the dopes, much better for your blood pressure!.

3AW - Neil Mitchell loves to take on bureaucratic stupidity

[rustynail]

Just stand on your own two feet. This notion of threatening Media involvement is becoming all too prevalent in our society. They have no case against you.

[BobL]

Just stand on your own two feet. This notion of threatening Media involvement is becoming all too prevalent in our society. They have no case against you.

I agree. If you take it to the media up front and the council finds they can fight you in court on a technicality the magistrate may consider you as a trouble maker looking for noteriety.

[Handyjack]

About nine and a half years ago I received in the mail a parking infringement notice from Stonnington Council.
Yes I was in the area, but am always careful about parking. The time on the notice was also about an hour after I was in the area.
I sent off a letter of challenge and the infringement notice was withdrawn.

There is every chance (and so there should be) that it will be withdrawn.

[Glider]

A few years ago I was booked outside my house in Balmain for "parking without a permit" despite the sticker being clearly displayed on the nearside windscreen. I emailed the council asking them to cancel the fine and to "make sure I didn't have to go to any trouble for their mistake". They checked and sure enough the sticker was prominent in their photo. After a couple of follow ups, I was driving back from the farm when the mobile rang. "This is Darcy Byrne, Mayor of Leichhardt speaking". Fortunately I'd stopped to take the call otherwise I would have run off the road. He rang to apologise and tell me they had fixed the ticket at their end.

There's good councils and bad ones.

mick

[KBs PensNmore]

I got a fine for parking in a Disabled zone, the remains of my Disability Permit were visible on the dash and also in the photo. It got sqashed eventually but took about 2 months to do it.
Pity the inspector's not there most other times, when people park in a disabled zone to duck into Smokemart.
Their usual comment is "What's it to you?" or "Are you the parking Inspector?" My normal reply is "I'm trying to save you $380.00"
Kryn

[doug3030]

Pity the inspector's not there most other times, when people park in a disabled zone to duck into Smokemart.
Their usual comment is "What's it to you?" or "Are you the parking Inspector?" My normal reply is "I'm trying to save you $380.00"

Theres been so many people parking illegally in the disabled spots around here lately I had to buy another packet of cable ties :rolleyes:

[woodPixel]

Theres been so many people parking illegally in the disabled spots around here lately I had to buy another packet of cable ties :rolleyes:

The super thick ones :)

[doug3030]

The super thick ones :)

Yeah, the super-thick ones who keep parking illegally in the disabled spots :wink:

[woodPixel]

Or the stainless steel ones!

https://www.blackwoods.com.au/browse/cable-ties-and-accessories/202003711

I'm still relatively young and able, but my poor wife has a wicked brain tumour. It makes me furious beyond apoplexy when I see some of the so-called "disabled" users asserting their assumed "entitlement".

Passes really need to be more carefully considered. My MIL is one of these... Pure obscene life-long profound laziness, now combined with age and entitlement. Makes my blood boil. All so she can save 5 metres walking.

[doug3030]

Or the stainless steel ones!

https://www.blackwoods.com.au/browse/cable-ties-and-accessories/202003711

I'm still relatively young and able, but my poor wife has a wicked brain tumour. It makes me furious beyond apoplexy when I see some of the so-called "disabled" users asserting their assumed "entitlement".

Passes really need to be more carefully considered. My MIL is one of these... Pure obscene life-long profound laziness, now combined with age and entitlement. Makes my blood boil. All so she can save 5 metres walking.


The ones that really get me are the ones who are obviously using Grandma or Grandad's disabled permit. The ones who are first through the ticket gates at the station and run to their cars in the disabled spots like Usain Bolt.

They get to their cars so fast so they can beat everyone out of the carpark before the queue gets too long - until the day they have to stop and find something that can cut a cable tie before the can drive off. :gaah:

[ian]

Apart from the potential charge of malicious damage, what do the cable ties connect?



on the issue more generally, I know of a 50+ year old with MS who was "given" a disabled parking authority by their doctor on the basis that not having to worry where to park helps with managing the MS.

[doug3030]

Where possible it holds the shopping trolley to the drivers door handle. Some door handles are not suitable for this but other parts of the car can be utilized. :D

[ian]

I see.



Although I can't the accent right -- "devious I calls it, devious"

[doug3030]

on the issue more generally, I know of a 50+ year old with MS who was "given" a disabled parking authority by their doctor on the basis that not having to worry where to park helps with managing the MS.

Probably won't help them much. There are never enough disabled car parks anyway. Disability parks are allocated at roughly one space in 50 and one driver in 13 has a disability permit. Then factor in all the cretins who illegally use other peoples permits and the system is just a farce.

Where disability parks are useful is for people like me who need to be able to fully open the door to access the vehicle because of mobility issues with my back, also for people who need to load and unload wheelchairs from the side of the vehicle.

Trouble with the system is that there are many classes of people lumped into the one permit category. This one category attempts to assist people with vastly different needs. It tries to cover people fully dependent on wheelchairs and an attendant right through to people like Ian's friend who needs the permit for mental health issues so it doesn't look after anyone properly and some not at all.

[woodPixel]

I've often thought there should be more spaces, plus those spaces broken into categories.

Some disabilities are invisible. These are not the ones I've a gripe with.

The use of old pops pass by others for personal use should result in a creative punishment.....e.g. your full leg is put into a cast for 6 weeks or you are forced to wear goggles that reduces your vision by 80%.

Disability is a terrible thing. Those with a disability need every assistance we can give them. Life is bloody hard. Those who abuse these benefits are deeply immoral and need to experience the lifestyle of those they block to truely understand their sin.

[P.W.H.]

Over here it's not like the council still employs meter-maids. That way they would be responsible for any
misbehaviour and malfeasence like described. No, they farm it out. Then it's always "well, WE didn't write
that ticket". Makes sorting it out a right real pain in the posterior, because some of those 'contractors' are
pretty shady people.

[Enfield Guy]

I’m afraid that my response to that ticket would be one phone call to find out who to email. One email and forget about it. It will sort itself out, it’s clear.

use the oxygen for enjoying life.

[Chris Parks]

after having open chest surgery (not heart related) my doctor offered a permit to me which I thought was totally uncalled for even of I was struggling for a while. The system is too easy from what I can see, giving me the permit was still not going to fix the problem.

[FenceFurniture]

Well, it says "Approximate Offence Time" is 8.59 so I would suggest the ticket issuer must have been going by another device to determine what time it was. Clearly the two devices are not time synched.

There is no contest that you will win, it's just a matter of how. I'd ring the Council first and see what they say. If you go to court it may be an interesting experience but it will take up much of your valuable time. You could sit there all morning before you get on, or you could find it is held over until another day due to something more urgent and time consuming. DAMHIKT!

Essentially you want the quickest solution with common sense prevailing. It's a Council matter so common sense may not apply. A magistrate will get a good laugh out of it though.

[TermiMonster]

Just to update, I have asked for a review, with the council. As yet, I have not heard back.
Thanks for the input.
TM

[rrich]

A quote with the wisdom of the ages.

"Essentially you want the quickest solution with common sense prevailing.
It's a Council matter so common sense may not apply.

A magistrate will get a good laugh out of it though. "

[TermiMonster]

Well, the verdict is in:
Not guilty.
I am a free man.
..."This investigation has revealed that an error occurred with the issue of the notice...." etc, etc, very sorry...blah blah.
So, despite what Fencefurniture says(;)), there is a god.
Many thanks,
TM