Hi my dad was given a parking fine today when he parked on an expired meter. He was in the car (and is the driver) when he was given the fine. I always thought that if you were in the car you didn??
intrade,
Apr 28, 10:22pm
i would say you should do more research citicen asdvice place etc. Befor you pay the gungsters any money . i am waiting since ages till one day the news report! that one of these wardens have beaten to a pulp.
skull,
Apr 28, 10:32pm
Your Dad had plenty of time to put a coin in the meter, some meters have 15 minute steps, his 10 minutes would be a good chunk of a coins worth anyway. Next time he should pop a coin in the slot when he arrives, sitting there for 10 minutes for free is preventing someone else who is prepared to pay from parking there. Another option if he is not prepared to pay would be to circle the block until Mum arrives on the footpath. I think the being in the car bit applies to preventing being towed away rather than avoiding a ticket.
dinx,
Apr 28, 10:46pm
Just curious, was it local or over inn Palmerston North where every park has a sensor? Getting 5 mins is a luxury and discretion and likely a policy with no bylaw that makes it a right. Or if in palmy that might be how long the Frog system is set before it txts the warden the exact park number than has not paid. You cannot get away with not paying or overstaying in Palmy, the system is extremely effective unfortunately and does not rely on wandering wardens, they come direct to your car as notified
Technically you are not permitted any time free on a park. The only exception I know of is some councils allow double time for same fee for mobility passes but the meters can't allow for it.
village.green,
Apr 28, 10:50pm
I think you are only allowed 5 mins grace if your parking fee has expired, however if you don't put any money at all in the meter then you have broken the rules - not worth it as far as I am concerned. Even when popping into a shop for pickup I always put in 20c which I think is 4 or 8 mins. Those frog parking sensors are very clever and the office is here in Palmy. (I do this because I would rather spend a few coins than cop a parking fine)
dinx,
Apr 28, 11:04pm
Yeah, the ones in Wellington are 1 hour minimum charge, 20c is never going to keep you safe, most are $1 even for 10 mins. And the wardens are contractors not council staff so no big on any discretion. I think I read our fines revenue almost equals all of Auckland and thats Wgtn city only, not Hutt or Porirua which are different councils.
tintop,
Apr 28, 11:08pm
Stupid advice followed by an inane comment.
buildermikey,
Apr 28, 11:25pm
Yip 1 hour minimum but you might be happy to know wardens are now back to being council employees .They did keep a few but most were trashed. I'm dealing with a $65 parking ticket from Wilsons that is doing my head in.
kazbanz,
Apr 28, 11:31pm
The purpose of the 5 minute grace period is to give you time to get coins etc to pay the meter. Your dad should have kept on driving. He was parked in a parking space so has to pay the fine. woulda been cheaper to pay the meter as required.
poppajn,
Apr 28, 11:32pm
What stopped him getting out and putting dosh in the meter, he's toast, pay up
gchow,
Apr 29, 4:39am
My dad and I always thought that if there was someone in the car then you didn??
3tomany,
Apr 29, 4:43am
lesson learnt pay up after you pay you will forget very quickly.
gchow,
Apr 29, 4:45am
It was local in Levin.
trade_menow,
Apr 29, 4:45am
In wanganui if someones sitting in the car the parking warden will move to the next one with nothing said - thou if your still there after some time has passed i wouldnt be surprised if something was said then but no - if someones sitting there and the parking warden sees you - theres no fine
gchow,
Apr 29, 5:11am
That is what I originally believed. I have parked in paid parked meter zones without paying many times (this is when I was in the car) and the parking officers have ever bothered me before, they just walk by without saying anything. I will not be doing this again next time I will just put a coin in just in case.
bashfulbro,
Apr 29, 5:21am
The law may have changed, but it used to say, In a ' No Parking ' Zone, you could stop for max of 5 minutes, providing the driver was in driving seat. In a ' No Stopping ' Zone. NO stopping at all. . That may be where confusion lies, I guess a metered parking zone is different, they are there to make money.
pauldw,
Apr 29, 5:49am
In the Road User Rules where metered parking applies "park" is defined as being stopped for longer than 5 minutes. It is different to a space where you shouldn't be at all like dotted yellow. Without some leeway how would you stop and get to the pay and display and back with your coupon before being ticketed? Some Councils allow longer.
exwesty,
Apr 30, 5:06am
Usually the grace period is 10 minutes, to allow for quick pickups, getting change etc before you have to feed the meter. If the warden chalks your tyres on an expired meter then if they return after 10 minutes your toast and will be ticketed. I have been chalked before and have been back in the vehicle or on the phone when the warden has returned and they have approached the vehicle ready to issue a ticket but when they have seen someone in the vehicle they have just carried on to the next one. OP did the warden interact with your dad at all or didn't they even see him in the vehicle?
trogedon,
Apr 30, 5:52am
"your" should be 'you're' or 'you are'. Just sayin'.
dublo,
Apr 30, 9:19pm
And chalking tyres is nothing new. There was a beautiful Nevile Lodge cartoon about the practice in the Wellington Evening Post back about 1960: a council traffic cop was bending over and marking a right front tyre. The car's owner was holding the radio aerial back in a big curve over the bonnet and lining up the cops' backside to be the target when he let it go.
huca1,
Apr 30, 9:25pm
I always assumed they just move on if there is a driver in the car because once you see them get the book/machine/camera out they know you will just drive away?
OP why didn't your Dad just drive off when he saw the guy?
gchow,
May 1, 3:59am
My dad was sitting in the driver??
gchow,
May 1, 4:05am
My dad was waiting for my mum and we originally believed that you would not be fined if there was someone in the vehicle but that turns out not to be true now.
mileyfan73,
Feb 16, 8:58am
He shouldn't pay it.as fines are illegal.I have fines dating back to 1990.Never paid them never will.Parking is and always will be 'free' to those who actually understand the REAL laws.Not propoganda peddled by so called 'authority'.
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