Parking Ticket At Car Wash?!

[adis]

Hey guys,

Im not sure if starting a thread is a good idea but ill try i guess...

Friday night i pulled over at BP car wash in oakleigh, dandenong rd. bad idea but i thought im driving a honda euro, surely i wont get into trouble.

As i parked at vacum parking where you vaccum the inside of your car... Walked out to get some change, drink and toilet, come back out, there is a fine 122 dollars for "stopped-contrary to a no stopping sign"

I didnt realise there was a sign posted up by car wash saying "no stopping unless vacuming cars between 930pm to 3am"

-The fine doesnt state approx time of offence?

-Are these signs valid because they are not vicroads sign?

Basically im asking if i should contest this or cop it on the chin..

Thanks in advance.

[Astonish]

i think you might be on a winner here if the ticket doesn't state any time.

[81gSKy]

I totally reckon It is bogus! Do not pay it, until you are safistied that it is legit! No time and BP or any service stations are private properties and I doubt they have gazetted it to be public space use, where you can be fined.

[adis]

Its a legit police fine from a police officer as i saw same officer fine others after.

Would love to hear from people with a bit of experience on weather or not i should contest this fine, ie write a letter.

[Cowboy1600]

I'd write a letter saying you had gone inside to get change for the vacuum.

What an utter bullshit fine.

On a slightly different note, this is interesting:

http://www.trafficlaw.com.au/forum/viewtopic.php?t=538

Seems those "pay for" car parks with no attendants or gates are pretty much useless for the owner. Park there for free, and simply ignore the threats which roll in.

[4teecal]

I am not sure what Victorian rules state , but the sign must be erected by the authority and be an approved sign under the relevent act. I have never heard of an authorised sign mention vaccuuming.

[gdogzgtr]

I know that there are lots of new parking signs recently installed in that area to combat the groups of people gathering. I also know that there is a move on power fine of $1000 for any "spectators" loitering in area if they remain once instructed to leave area.

In regards to contesting fine for no time, normally if we miss something like that we are instructed to re-issue the fine with necessary corrections. You can always write letter to civic compliance and see how that goes. My letter failed recently for red light offence when turning right as I believed I had entered on green. Can't hurt to try.

Pretty tough to contest/win if police took photo of your car parked with no occupants and sign clearly states no standing expect for vacuuming.

[Birds]

I'd be writing about going to get change, surely they can't expect you to have change on you all the time. It's not like you left the premises. The whole point is to ensure the spot is free for paying customers, well you went and bought a drink so...

[adis]

I was away from my car no more than 4 minutes all up.

Ill definately give a letter a go and will state that i was getting change (and i was, not making excuses), also mention that there isnt time specified on the ticket which might mean i wasnt even there withing the time of no standing.

Also worth mentioning may be the sign, as the car park is privatly owned, the sign is not a proper sign to go by i dont think...ill post a picture of it later.

Other bays were empty so its not like i was taking someone elses spot while i was inside the petrol station. I have photos to prove but dont know how much that will help me.

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

it's such a pity this is how the vic govt chooses to use our police resourses.

[Dobz]

If it's private property then the fine isn't worth a pinch of shit unless the car wash has affiliated with the local council to make the fines legally binding.

[htial]

I know the one... ...I was there a few weeks ago with some mates (one car, around 11pm) and we'd finished cleaning his car and headed over to get some drinks from BP... ...As we were on out way back a divi van was there writing out a ticket... ...we were told that we weren't allowed to park there to go into BP... ...We argued that we'd just finished cleaning the car and we didn't think we were doing anything wrong by leaving the car for a few minutes because no one else was around and we were the only ones there... ...Cut a long story short... ...we dropped and raised all four windows to show that the inside of the doors were still wet... ...and they let us go...

I'd say fight it as much as you can... ...or at least request a moment of the officers time and plead with him to cancel it...

[mistamidget]

it's such a pity this is how the vic govt chooses to use our police resourses.

Plus 12% now as off yesterday.

Ah well death and taxes!

It's a shame society now feeds off it's constituents rather than being there for their health and well being

[Birds]

Plus 12% now as off yesterday.

Ah well death and taxes!

It's a shame society now feeds off it's constituents rather than being there for their health and well being

Watching The Matrix, you might find yourself thinking how horrible the human farms are...then take a step back / look at real life and realise we have the coloured-in version of that. Which is ironic, because The Matrix program itself was supposed to be the somewhat pleasant dream we enjoyed while being used as batteries...

[some_cs_student]

If it's private property then the fine isn't worth a pinch of shit unless the car wash has affiliated with the local council to make the fines legally binding.

+1

You can't be fined on private property for no standing

[gdogzgtr]

I'm pretty sure that the local council has approved the signs. I'm not 100% sure but I don't believe that a service station is deemed as private property but more a road related area in regards to traffic matters. Hence I can catch drink driver, unlicensed, unregistered etc etc in a service station. Also can clearly search car/person for weapons/drugs and lock up drunk as deemed public place.

[joeyjoejoejuniorshabadoo]

and THESE things are fair enough

[mistamidget]

Watching The Matrix, you might find yourself thinking how horrible the human farms are...then take a step back / look at real life and realise we have the coloured-in version of that. Which is ironic, because The Matrix program itself was supposed to be the somewhat pleasant dream we enjoyed while being used as batteries...

+1 paradoxes 'r us

[Little]

Jesus Christ how much pressure is put on the traffic cops to fine people for misdemeanours??!!

Our system relys on an officers judgement and discretion on a case by case basis and more and more of them are landing

on the oppressive bullshit side.

And the councils/Pollies attitude! f**k off! Most of us give a thousand bucks a week For you to waste on 80 thousand useless ministers to shove your responsibilities on to because you all procrastinate and you cant handle a decent workload; and then you turn around and give yourself pay rises and EXTORTINATE amounts of superannuation Stop oppressing the good people and wake up to your own uselessness and moral failures Raaaaaah You are all useless And i wish you a horrible horrible death of diarrhea!!!

... And Adis... hope you beat your fine mate

[some_cs_student]

I'm pretty sure that the local council has approved the signs. I'm not 100% sure but I don't believe that a service station is deemed as private property but more a road related area in regards to traffic matters. Hence I can catch drink driver, unlicensed, unregistered etc etc in a service station. Also can clearly search car/person for weapons/drugs and lock up drunk as deemed public place.

Interesting, I've seen a council fine been reversed on a service station property. The owner parked in a disabled bay, the fine was reversed as the council didn't have the power on private property