MINI2

JugMan · Sep 24th, 2004, 05:06 AM

Hey everyone,

I just got a f**king Brisbane City Council parking fine for $50 for parking today in Alexandria Street, near the RNA grounds (in Brisbane).
Here

We parked there all day Wednesday without even a chalk mark on the tyres. Anyway, Alexandria street has NO signage, except for the other side of the road which has "<--no standing -->" signs on it. Can I get off this? It's a fair whack of a young bloke's pay just for frigging parking on a dead street (hardly any bloody traffic all day).

Woo

MickyD · Sep 24th, 2004, 05:15 AM

I don't see how they can fine you if there's no signage there....

Mike Clarke · Sep 24th, 2004, 05:23 AM

In my experience with parking fines, which is extensive,

they rarely make a mistake in issuing one. By all means write a polite letter to them setting out your circumstances and the reasons why you thought that parking in that place at that time was allowed. Most councils will have a review process and as long as you are not aggressive they will give you a fair hearing. But remember, they are just people doing a job and if you get aggressive then their natural reaction will be to look for ways to enforce the fine. If you are pleasant with them they will be so surprised they might let you off anyway, guilty or not. As to the Wednesday all day parking, well look at that as a bonus; you got two days illegal parking for the price of one.

StuJones · Sep 24th, 2004, 05:31 AM

As with Mike I am on a first name basis with my regular parking inspectors! Sometimes in central Sydney its cheaper to pay a fine than pay for parking station

If signs are not obvious best approach is to right a nice letter, even take some photos of the area to demonstrate and see how you go. Have found photos help a lot with obscured or missing signs.

Stu

JugMan · Sep 24th, 2004, 05:31 AM

Well I've just called the enquiries number on the ticket, and they said that there are signs on the major access roads that tell you that you're entering the CBD traffic area, in which parking is limited to 2 hours.

However, I deliberately took the backstreets as I had to go in at about peak hour, and I know traffic was bad on the major roads.

I'll definitely try to get off it, but, I'm not inspired by your story of "they generally don't make mistakes". However, I do find that the area they were policing is ridiculous, and that surely they've got more active regions of illegal parking to fine - somewhere that actually deserves it.

jasemini · Sep 24th, 2004, 05:41 AM

Do a thorough check of the side of the street you parked on and entered from. If there are no signs that you could have reasonably seen when entering the street and parking the vehicle then take some photos and write a nice letter. They'll probably get you on a timed parking limit infringment for the inner city area as we are all supposed to be aware that the inner city area carries a maximum 2hr parking limit unless signed otherwise. But if you didn't see any signs nor did you see any signs mentioning the above time limit restrictions in the area during your journey from wherever you came from to your place of parking then all you can is take the pics and plead your case. Perhaps retrace the exact route you took and double check for any parking restriction signage. If there's no sign, you've got a good chance at beating it. Was there a solid yellow line on the ground between the kerb and the bitumen? If there was then that's a no standing zone by way of road markings rather than signage and their excuse will be that they did a public awareness campaign for this new marking procedure therefore covering themselves for issuing you a ticket. $50

is a bit rich though no matter how much money you earn.

Sorry to hear of your ticket woes my boy

JugMan · Sep 24th, 2004, 06:46 AM

Cheers Jase,

Though, I would think that if there was a yellow "no standing" line, then they wouldn't bother chalking my tyre and giving me a "parking longer than allowed" ticket. They would've given me something else wouldn't they?

jasemini · Sep 24th, 2004, 06:53 AM

Yep! all you can do is retrace your journey and see if there are any visible parking limit restriction signs, if not then present that exact route on paper and perhaps photgraphic proof that there are no signs, if there is a sign on that route though, then pay up is all you can do.

Good luck

Harry Morant · Sep 24th, 2004, 10:12 AM

I once had an ex-parking inspector apply for a job - needless to say he didn't get it but I'll give him points for confidence. I don't know if I'd have the guts to put that on my CV.

AussieMini · Sep 24th, 2004, 08:12 PM

For $50 I'd just pay it.

There are no demerit points attached to it and at the end of the day to fight it will cost a small fortune.

mignon · Sep 24th, 2004, 10:03 PM

Quote: Originally Posted by JugMan

Hey everyone,

I just got a f**king Brisbane City Council parking fine for $50 for parking today in Alexandria Street, near the RNA grounds (in Brisbane).
Here

We parked there all day Wednesday without even a chalk mark on the tyres. Anyway, Alexandria street has NO signage, except for the other side of the road which has "<--no standing -->" signs on it. Can I get off this? It's a fair whack of a young bloke's pay just for frigging parking on a dead street (hardly any bloody traffic all day).

Woo

can empathise, jugman.

my brother, from country victoria, was staying with me for a few weeks 'cos our mum was in icu and doing it tough for some time. he borrowed the work ute so he could come and go from the mater hosp at all hours. he got booked in water street south bris during the morning and then came home to our house at newstead in the arvo only to be booked again despite displaying a vistors permit.

we got a letter from the icu dr confirming mum's condition and wrote a letter to call their attention to the fact that there were no "no standing" signs where he had parked in water street explaining at the same time that he was a visitor to the city.

he had that fine overturned and the one from newstead was a shoe-in 'cos we were able to prove that he had the visitors permit displayed on the window.

so he had both fines withdrawn simply by writing a letter.

the down side is that brisbane has a controlled parking zone from the gabba to breakkie creek with huge signs as you enter the zone, so unless you can claim extenuating circumstances, i think aussiemini's advice might be the best to follow.

cheers and good luck
mignon

JugMan · Sep 25th, 2004, 11:12 AM

I drove in again today, and don't remember for the life of me seeing any signs that indicated that I was specifically in the CBD region of 2 hour parking.

As for $50 being negligible... to you it may be

But I'm poor, and $50 is $50 that I can be spending on myself, not to a revenue raising

city council :P

brett · Sep 27th, 2004, 02:40 AM

Write a letter and beg for mercy. If it's knocked back you've only spent 55 cents ( price of a hash Brown at Maccas). Or like my get the car rego by a company and then the CBD of Brisbane is your Oyster ie there are lots of Commercial vehicle parks only in Brisbane ( I used to do it in the Company Falcon, while on holidays and never got a ticket

JugMan · Sep 27th, 2004, 01:30 PM

How does registering the car through a company do that? Does the company pay or do they just not get ticketed? How's it work, because we have a family business...

brett · Sep 28th, 2004, 08:00 AM

IT's under a company its got Comm on the Rego sticker,

Neeshil · Sep 29th, 2004, 11:06 PM

I think in Brisbane we need to have a 'commerical vehicle parking permit' which costs $700 a year, or be a commerical vehicle such as a ute etc..

Quote: Originally Posted by brett

IT's under a company its got Comm on the Rego sticker,

brett · Sep 30th, 2004, 08:33 AM

Quote: Originally Posted by Neeshil

I think in Brisbane we need to have a 'commerical vehicle parking permit' which costs $700 a year, or be a commerical vehicle such as a ute etc..

Really ??? I must have been touching Wood !!!! or the parking inspector wasn't around

Neeshil · Oct 2nd, 2004, 11:06 AM

I nearly got a parking ticket at stones corner today.

I parked in a 2 min loading zone and was in a gift shop and was leaving and chatting to my friend. I saw someone looking at the car and realised it was a parking ticket person. i bolted over and said "Sorry, I was just delivering something to the shop over there... is that alright?" and she nodded and i was like phew!

quote from city council website about commercial zones.:

Quote:

Loading zones and passenger zones
...
Owners of sedans, station wagons or motorcycles must apply to the Council to have their vehicles approved as commercial vehicles.
...

from http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/:STANDARD:

c=PC_1227

Sep 24th, 2004, 05:06 AM	#1
JugMan MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - North Side Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 510 Offline	Parking Fine Hey everyone, I just got a f**king Brisbane City Council parking fine for $50 for parking today in Alexandria Street, near the RNA grounds (in Brisbane). Here We parked there all day Wednesday without even a chalk mark on the tyres. Anyway, Alexandria street has NO signage, except for the other side of the road which has "<--no standing -->" signs on it. Can I get off this? It's a fair whack of a young bloke's pay just for frigging parking on a dead street (hardly any bloody traffic all day). Woo

Sep 24th, 2004, 05:31 AM	#4 (permalink)
StuJones my second passion, a tin! Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Cronulla, NSW Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 747 Offline	As with Mike I am on a first name basis with my regular parking inspectors! Sometimes in central Sydney its cheaper to pay a fine than pay for parking station If signs are not obvious best approach is to right a nice letter, even take some photos of the area to demonstrate and see how you go. Have found photos help a lot with obscured or missing signs. Stu 2002 BRG MCS with more mods than can remember The thieves choice in race cars 2005 BEP MCS stock standard and staying that way

Sep 24th, 2004, 05:41 AM	#6 (permalink)
jasemini MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - Queenslan Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 428 Offline	Do a thorough check of the side of the street you parked on and entered from. If there are no signs that you could have reasonably seen when entering the street and parking the vehicle then take some photos and write a nice letter. They'll probably get you on a timed parking limit infringment for the inner city area as we are all supposed to be aware that the inner city area carries a maximum 2hr parking limit unless signed otherwise. But if you didn't see any signs nor did you see any signs mentioning the above time limit restrictions in the area during your journey from wherever you came from to your place of parking then all you can is take the pics and plead your case. Perhaps retrace the exact route you took and double check for any parking restriction signage. If there's no sign, you've got a good chance at beating it. Was there a solid yellow line on the ground between the kerb and the bitumen? If there was then that's a no standing zone by way of road markings rather than signage and their excuse will be that they did a public awareness campaign for this new marking procedure therefore covering themselves for issuing you a ticket. $50 is a bit rich though no matter how much money you earn. Sorry to hear of your ticket woes my boy 02 MCS gone after 2 years of fun and new friends, and 10 visits to the service dept at Brisbane BMW. You don't know the meaning of practical until you've owned a Camry! (seriously it's not a bad car though )

Sep 24th, 2004, 06:53 AM	#8 (permalink)
jasemini MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - Queenslan Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 428 Offline	Yep! all you can do is retrace your journey and see if there are any visible parking limit restriction signs, if not then present that exact route on paper and perhaps photgraphic proof that there are no signs, if there is a sign on that route though, then pay up is all you can do. Good luck 02 MCS gone after 2 years of fun and new friends, and 10 visits to the service dept at Brisbane BMW. You don't know the meaning of practical until you've owned a Camry! (seriously it's not a bad car though )

Sep 24th, 2004, 10:03 PM	#11 (permalink)
mignon MINI2 Master Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: brisbane australia Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 2,172 Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by JugMan Hey everyone, I just got a f**king Brisbane City Council parking fine for $50 for parking today in Alexandria Street, near the RNA grounds (in Brisbane). Here We parked there all day Wednesday without even a chalk mark on the tyres. Anyway, Alexandria street has NO signage, except for the other side of the road which has "<--no standing -->" signs on it. Can I get off this? It's a fair whack of a young bloke's pay just for frigging parking on a dead street (hardly any bloody traffic all day). Woo can empathise, jugman. my brother, from country victoria, was staying with me for a few weeks 'cos our mum was in icu and doing it tough for some time. he borrowed the work ute so he could come and go from the mater hosp at all hours. he got booked in water street south bris during the morning and then came home to our house at newstead in the arvo only to be booked again despite displaying a vistors permit. we got a letter from the icu dr confirming mum's condition and wrote a letter to call their attention to the fact that there were no "no standing" signs where he had parked in water street explaining at the same time that he was a visitor to the city. he had that fine overturned and the one from newstead was a shoe-in 'cos we were able to prove that he had the visitors permit displayed on the window. so he had both fines withdrawn simply by writing a letter. the down side is that brisbane has a controlled parking zone from the gabba to breakkie creek with huge signs as you enter the zone, so unless you can claim extenuating circumstances, i think aussiemini's advice might be the best to follow. cheers and good luck mignon WHY BOTHER TO SHOW UP IF YOU CAN'T SHOW OFF

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Sep 24th, 2004, 05:15 AM	#2 (permalink)
MickyD MINI2 Master Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Melbourne, Australia Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 3,770 Offline	I don't see how they can fine you if there's no signage there....

Sep 24th, 2004, 05:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
Mike Clarke You are number 6 Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Perth WA Local Time: 07:01 PM Posts: 5,210 Offline	In my experience with parking fines, which is extensive, they rarely make a mistake in issuing one. By all means write a polite letter to them setting out your circumstances and the reasons why you thought that parking in that place at that time was allowed. Most councils will have a review process and as long as you are not aggressive they will give you a fair hearing. But remember, they are just people doing a job and if you get aggressive then their natural reaction will be to look for ways to enforce the fine. If you are pleasant with them they will be so surprised they might let you off anyway, guilty or not. As to the Wednesday all day parking, well look at that as a bonus; you got two days illegal parking for the price of one.

Sep 24th, 2004, 05:31 AM	#5 (permalink)
JugMan MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - North Side Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 510 Offline	Well I've just called the enquiries number on the ticket, and they said that there are signs on the major access roads that tell you that you're entering the CBD traffic area, in which parking is limited to 2 hours. However, I deliberately took the backstreets as I had to go in at about peak hour, and I know traffic was bad on the major roads. I'll definitely try to get off it, but, I'm not inspired by your story of "they generally don't make mistakes". However, I do find that the area they were policing is ridiculous, and that surely they've got more active regions of illegal parking to fine - somewhere that actually deserves it.

Sep 24th, 2004, 06:46 AM	#7 (permalink)
JugMan MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - North Side Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 510 Offline	Cheers Jase, Though, I would think that if there was a yellow "no standing" line, then they wouldn't bother chalking my tyre and giving me a "parking longer than allowed" ticket. They would've given me something else wouldn't they?

Sep 24th, 2004, 10:12 AM	#9 (permalink)
Harry Morant The Iron Pyrite Join Date: Nov 2002 Location: Canberra ACT Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 835 Offline	I once had an ex-parking inspector apply for a job - needless to say he didn't get it but I'll give him points for confidence. I don't know if I'd have the guts to put that on my CV.

Sep 24th, 2004, 08:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
AussieMini MINI2 Senior Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Brisbane Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 705 Offline	For $50 I'd just pay it. There are no demerit points attached to it and at the end of the day to fight it will cost a small fortune.

Sep 25th, 2004, 11:12 AM	#12 (permalink)
JugMan MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - North Side Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 510 Offline	I drove in again today, and don't remember for the life of me seeing any signs that indicated that I was specifically in the CBD region of 2 hour parking. As for $50 being negligible... to you it may be But I'm poor, and $50 is $50 that I can be spending on myself, not to a revenue raising city council :P

Sep 27th, 2004, 02:40 AM	#13 (permalink)
brett 1st MINI Owner in QLD !!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: St George Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 2,410 Offline	Write a letter and beg for mercy. If it's knocked back you've only spent 55 cents ( price of a hash Brown at Maccas). Or like my get the car rego by a company and then the CBD of Brisbane is your Oyster ie there are lots of Commercial vehicle parks only in Brisbane ( I used to do it in the Company Falcon, while on holidays and never got a ticket 1968 Mk1 Morris Cooper S 1310cc Downton Lake Green - White 1974 Leyland Mini 1098c Country Cream 2008 MINI Cooper S Chilli Pepper White - Black Roof

Sep 27th, 2004, 01:30 PM	#14 (permalink)
JugMan MINI2 Senior Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: Brisbane - North Side Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 510 Offline	How does registering the car through a company do that? Does the company pay or do they just not get ticketed? How's it work, because we have a family business...

Sep 28th, 2004, 08:00 AM	#15 (permalink)
brett 1st MINI Owner in QLD !!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: St George Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 2,410 Offline	IT's under a company its got Comm on the Rego sticker, 1968 Mk1 Morris Cooper S 1310cc Downton Lake Green - White 1974 Leyland Mini 1098c Country Cream 2008 MINI Cooper S Chilli Pepper White - Black Roof

Sep 29th, 2004, 11:06 PM	#16 (permalink)
Neeshil MINI2 Regular Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brisbane AUS Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 264 Offline	I think in Brisbane we need to have a 'commerical vehicle parking permit' which costs $700 a year, or be a commerical vehicle such as a ute etc.. Quote: Originally Posted by brett IT's under a company its got Comm on the Rego sticker,

Sep 30th, 2004, 08:33 AM	#17 (permalink)
brett 1st MINI Owner in QLD !!! Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: St George Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 2,410 Offline	Quote: Originally Posted by Neeshil I think in Brisbane we need to have a 'commerical vehicle parking permit' which costs $700 a year, or be a commerical vehicle such as a ute etc.. Really ??? I must have been touching Wood !!!! or the parking inspector wasn't around 1968 Mk1 Morris Cooper S 1310cc Downton Lake Green - White 1974 Leyland Mini 1098c Country Cream 2008 MINI Cooper S Chilli Pepper White - Black Roof

Oct 2nd, 2004, 11:06 AM	#18 (permalink)
Neeshil MINI2 Regular Join Date: May 2003 Location: Brisbane AUS Local Time: 09:01 PM Posts: 264 Offline	I nearly got a parking ticket at stones corner today. I parked in a 2 min loading zone and was in a gift shop and was leaving and chatting to my friend. I saw someone looking at the car and realised it was a parking ticket person. i bolted over and said "Sorry, I was just delivering something to the shop over there... is that alright?" and she nodded and i was like phew! quote from city council website about commercial zones.: Quote: Loading zones and passenger zones ... Owners of sedans, station wagons or motorcycles must apply to the Council to have their vehicles approved as commercial vehicles. ... from http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/:STANDARD:c=PC_1227

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