i just got my first parking fine EVER!!!
needless to say i am quite pissed off/angry/confused!

id like to know if there is any possible way to get out of paying this fine?

or perhaps should i just go throw my $200 at them and move on with my life?

i got done for stopping in a yellow line area (no signage around mind you). i left the vehicle for all of 2 mins. i got no ticket at the time, but it was mailed to me a week later.

and yes i realise i am in the wrong but damn those parking officers all the same!

how does the parking officer know just how long the car had been sitting there?

Unfortunately i think you will have to suffer the consequences and learn from this (very expensive) little mistake

I got out of my only ever parking fine a while ago by proving enough doubt for them not to bother chasing me up about it.

Deal was that I was using a loan car while mine was being repaired and never signed it back in when I finished with it. Someone else must have picked up the fine shortly after I handed it back and I had enough people able to provide information on my whereabouts and that I, in no way was able to be in possession of the vehicle at the said time of the offence.

So, take photo's, write a letter, prove enough doubt, and you might get away with it.

you will generally have to provide a FAIR whack of evidence and a very well written letter to get away with this one though.

still, give it a shot, at the very least it will help you learn how to write persuasively...


[edit: sorry, $200 is not funny in anyone's language...good luck]

I parked in a no standing sign outside the commonwealth building in Bourke St. Had a pass for Bourke St but obviously was in a no standing area.

This was due to an urgent call out.

See Commonwealth building is owned my city of melbourne. We were working for city of Melbourne at the time. We were working on the fire services. Anyway, washer went in a hydrant started filling Lv7 with water i was up the road got a call, rocked up to shut down the fire service.

Got fined by the City of Melbourne while i was stopping a building owned by the City of Melbourne from flooding.

Sent a letter explaining OHS issues if I would have taken another 15 minutes to park, all the other points I could think of.

Nup. Still got the fine.

From my experience, you won't beat a parking fine.

I've been done twice for parking in bus zones. Both times, the sign either did not exist, or was not visible and in both situations there were no lines painted on the road. I fail to see how a bus stop sign that had been stolen/removed is my fault, and I also fail to see how a bus stop sign inside a tree, totally invisible from the road is my fault, but I didn't win, and I sure battled hard.

This is the calibre of letter you will need to write.

I have removed lots of details of people and vehicle rego's but you get the drift.

Click to view attachment

The attachment fails for me

yeah, the attachment is full of fail for me too.

if all else fails and you have to pay the fine i have the least painful way to pay it.

1. go to bank
2. give them $200 and ask for it to be changed into 5c coins
3. pay the $200 worth of 5c coins to wherever it needs to go
4. ????
5. Profit.

HA, funny i used to pay my bus tickets that way... well i found it funny at the time, not the bus driver or other passengers!

As per the fine, the eastern states fines are ridiculous and the only chance that you may be able to dissolve the fine is if the fine was isued out of the areas jurisdictions ( public fine isued in private parking are, or private parking company isued fines of which are generally not legally binding and may not be enforced).

But in real world terms / legally speaking; how may a fine be legally binding if it was issued vial mail and no other proof or evidence (ie; photograph or testimonials) stipulating that the offence was actually committed.

There are codes of parking practises and street signage which may be obtained from local government , councils and such for further reading.
Within SA, signs obscured, incorrectly angled, worn damaged or not 100% legible are eligible for dispute if fines are isued within. incorrect signage, or contraindicative signage is also an area to dispute.

There are many areas that you may dispute upon though i think you may have to pay this one,do as i do with fines; rite out a check to pay the fine as a donation (tax deductible to an extent).

or, go the 5 cent denominations of $200 payment!, and drop it all over the counter Cosmo Kramer stile!

1 and 2 cent coins are better (go copper)

now that i would find hard to let go, but at the end of the day ive found the stress and all involved is insane, id just pay it and move on mate,
btw,
i parked outside a court, went in to get adjournment, was told i had to see the mag' for that to happen, anyway, i got a parking ticket waiting for my call up, which took more then the 2 hrs i had allowed in that zone.... i wrote in and said by law i could not legally have left the court without permission and if i was called up and not there, a warrant will have been issued... they didnt take that story either,lol. worth a try tho!

also, ive done the 5c coin trick too, only $65 to a cheeky desk jokey, but in melb they only have to accept up to $100 in coin, after that they can refuse..so check before making a fool of your self,..
good luck with it, youll need it, cheers ..

My brother has gotten away 3 times now, and only once being really honest. The time he was being honest, the ticket machine wasn't accepting his change, ticket came in the mail and sent a letter back explaining the situation.

This man buys a brand-new ute for $29,000 in coins, and in 1994 he also bought a ute for $41,000 in spare change!

write a letter telling them you had a flat tyre and as you carry no spare tyre had to run down to QV, Big-w to grab a can of tyre weld.

A sign with "broken down" on the dash always works well for deliberatley parking in no standing area's.

I got fined while going for a job inteview once (and I didn't get the job!).

are you sure? who has done this?
im now of the opinion that nothing really can really save you....