Fined for Parking in Loading Zone - Whitehorse Council Melbourne

Ltodervico on 02/01/2025 - 10:50
Last edited 02/01/2025 - 14:10 by 1 other user

Hi all, I'm just looking for advice here regarding a parking ticket I got in October 2024.

I had a new job which provides parking so on my first day I knew I needed to park on the road before I got my parking garage access. I bought a parking ticket for an hour at 9:20am, then parked my car and displayed the ticket. As I was a bit nervous about the job etc I parked in a loading zone without noticing but I was showing my ticket on the dashboard. I went upstairs, got my access card and came downstairs to move my car.

I came down 15 minutes after parking and had a $200 ticket, the loading zone was for 30 minutes as well. I realise that I probably shouldn't have parked in the loading zone, but I was only there for 15 minutes and I had paid for a ticket so it was very obviously a mistake rather than anything sinister.

I wrote an email to the council and they flat out said hard luck, you should have checked, pay the fine. I get where they are coming form but I was expecting (silly me) something more along the lines of, " we see you tried to pay for your parking and as you were only there for 15 minutes, we'll wipe it this time, be more careful next time.

Should I suck it up and pay or take it to court? Feel like I'm trying to take on the big man on behalf us battlers who occasionally make a mistake. If I take it to court I'll be asking for my $3 back of course.

Automotive Parking Fine

Related Stores

Whitehorse City Council
Whitehorse City Council

Comments

          • SlickMick on 03/01/2025 - 09:55

            @todervico: If there are always available parks, why would anybody be parking illegally (apart from being nervous of course)

            • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:46
              -1

              @SlickMick: Because they feel "self entitled"

              I see this every day where I have coffee……

              People parking in clearly marked loading zones whilst they have thier coffee.

            • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 10:48
              +2

              @SlickMick: Like I've said i didnt see the sign and just thought it was a 1 hour park like the other ones… people make mistakes

      • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:44

        You obviously have leant NOTHING based on this comment where you take NO RESPONSIBILITY for you actions.
        Its always someone else's fault….in other words…self entitlement

        • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 10:47
          +1

          I've taken full responsibility and have paid my fine.. i'm not entitled I made an honest mistake and was kind of hoping it would be seen as that considering I had paid for a ticket but just parked in the wrong spot. I feel like you and I are going around in circles on this…

          • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:49

            @todervico: Ths is your comment deserving of my reply…

            "yeah they are like hawks in Box Hill, I reckon they hide in the bushes. Lets just say that I have learnt an expensive lesson in Councils needing take more money from us on top of rates"

            Its shows you take no responsibilty for your own actions.
            In this case you blame council for your actions

            • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 10:54
              +2

              @HeWhoKnows: Sigh… here we go again. This comment was in relation to seeing how others are getting tickets not me. I have taken responsibility for my mistake and have paid, like I have said about 10 times.

              My case was that I paid for a 1 hour park and mistakenly parked in the wrong spot. I was hoping that me buying a ticket would be taken in to consideration but it hasnt been. This doesnt make me entitled. Not buying a ticket and just parking where I want then complaining would be entitled.

    • tenpercent on 04/01/2025 - 10:24

      What a day. I agree with and have upvoted Protractor.

  • MS Paint on 02/01/2025 - 15:28
    +3

    What's the street view link? I'm interested to see how stealth this loading zone is.

    • OZKap on 03/01/2025 - 00:58
      +3

      Yeah only possible defence I see is that the loading zone was improperly marked, faded sign, etc. Given that OP hasn't mentioned anything of the sort, however…

      • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 09:00
        +1

        It was marked properly I just made a silly mistake, had a few other things on my mind and just thought they were all 1 hour parks. I was just hoping that they could see I tried to do the right thing by paying for a ticket etc but obviously not.

        • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:54
          +2

          If you realize you made a mistake, then you pay the fine and thats the end of it.

          The law states that you must observe all directional signs.

          It doesnt make exceptions for "mistakes"

          Doesnt matter if you paid for a ticket or not.

          do you 'accidentally" exceed the speed limit as well or "accidentally" drive straight throuh stop signs?

      • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:51
        -1

        OP might yet suggest that the signs were moved whilst they were inside
        OP takes no responsibility for thier actions

        eg "Council rangers hiding in the bush"

        • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 10:56
          +3

          Again you are being way too black and white here… I would never suggest such a stupid thing as to move signed whilst i was inside. I paid for a 1 hour park and didn't see the sign, it was a mistake.

    • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 09:06
      +2

      here ya go.. Like i said I made a mistake and just didn't look.. its not obscured apart from the tree but again, my fault.

      https://www.google.com/maps/@-37.8182182,145.1185203,3a,75y,…

      • BobLim on 03/01/2025 - 14:49

        I see people parking htere illegally all the time without consequence. If anything, the council needs more enforcement not less IMO.

        People that do the wrong thing, especially where that jeopardises the work, amenity or safety of other innocents who aren't doing anything wrong, deserve to be penalised.

        • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 15:28
          +2

          I see the opposite, they have people patrolling that street all the time… pretty hard to get away with it!

          • BobLim on 03/01/2025 - 19:24

            @todervico: So they do exist? Pity they can't be bothered getting out to other areas to do something about people parking next to double lines on biind bends every single day…

  • mrvaluepack on 03/01/2025 - 01:12
    -8

    Was the sign in chinese like the majority of displays there? Lol

  • wchang235 on 03/01/2025 - 08:16
    -1

    Take it to court and get the Darwin Award

    • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 08:58

      Calm down, this is a place where we can all chat, raise questions and not be put down. Take a look at yourself and be better.

      • digitalbath on 03/01/2025 - 17:37
        +1

        Take your own advice here and "Be better" and stop whining when you get caught doing the wrong thing.

  • Myone888 on 03/01/2025 - 08:57

    I think councils are run by dictators and tyrants as they don’t show any heart and always after $. Thus pay themselves high salary and have good yearly raises no matter the bad economy. Collecting rates and increasing them annually, a bit like robbers.

    • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 08:59
      -1

      Yep exactly, even though what i did was silly and a mistake I was hoping for some level of compassion but here we are. I'll just end up paying it and will be more careful in the future

      • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:59
        +1

        Compassion for what?

        Your failure to observe a clear and obvious parking sign?

        Or your obvious feeling of self-entitlement - that YOU had the god-given right to park right outside your new place of employment (so convenient for you) because you put $3 into a parking meter?

        But nobody else has the right to do that unless they are making a delivery.

        • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 11:06
          +3

          Ok, i think we are done here…

  • Scotty 350 on 03/01/2025 - 09:52

    You could argue the signage is confusing. Why is there a sign directing you to a ticket machine if the parking bays are loading zones. Does that imply you can also park there if you have a ticket?

    • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 09:56
      -1

      yeah thats the mistake I made.. its my fault for not looking but I just pulled in in front of the tree thinking it was a 1 our park like the one next to it.

    • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 11:04

      There is nothing confusing about this at all.
      The sign is very clear as OP has admitted.

      Just because you display a paid parking ticket does not entitle you to park wherever you want or however long you want.

      FYI
      Even delivery vehicles parking in loading zones must display a ticket to show they are not exceeding the loading zone time limit.

  • SlickMick on 03/01/2025 - 09:58
    +1

    I feel that you have already paid $3 for that park, so it would be reasonable for you to only pay $197.
    This is not advice.

    • todervico on 03/01/2025 - 10:13

      yeah thats how I feel but I doubt they will see it that way

    • HeWhoKnows on 03/01/2025 - 10:55

      This is the funniest comment here SlickMick

      Got me laughing big time

    • digitalbath on 03/01/2025 - 17:40
      +1

      But the OP did not pay for that parking spot. He paid for a different spot, and chose to park somewhere else.

      • SlickMick on 04/01/2025 - 12:22

        He paid a $3 contribution to council, the full price is $200. Yeah officially OP would need to ask for reimbursement coz they sold a ticket that didn't meet purpose.
        But I think I was already padantic enough without taking it another level.

  • quick-dry on 03/01/2025 - 12:18

    check the victorian laws around loading zones, and any conditions on that loading zone in particular.

    what type of vehicle do you drive?

    there used to be loopholes around loading zones where if you drove a vehicle that was a certain type e.g. van, station wagon, suv, and you were loading or unloading 'goods' you could use the loading zone. What are ;goods'? well, the classic example was 'a couple of coffees'. (NSW, not VIC, so YMMV)

    But I'd want to check it thoroughly and be dead certain on the win beforehand so you don't get the fine AND court fees.

  • apple2016 on 03/01/2025 - 12:55
    +1

    Should I suck it up and pay or take it to court?

    sure you can, but plead guilty and ask for leniency and most likely you will be let off…

  • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 03/01/2025 - 13:36
    +1

    As somebody who needs access to loading zones on a daily basis I can tell you that people like you are a major PITA. That also includes tradies who unload a couple of drills and then F off and leave the ute there.

    I dont care whether you pay the fine or not just find a normal park.

  • Purp on 03/01/2025 - 13:43
    +3

    So you admit you did it but don't want to pay the fine?

  • lainey13 on 03/01/2025 - 14:21
    +4

    Could you stop mentioning that you paid for a ticket, it means nothing when you park in a spot that the ticket isnt for. I could pay for apples at Coles but if I take the apples from Aldi it is still wrong?!

    • SlickMick on 04/01/2025 - 12:25

      Same vendor, different product. You'd need to pay for the apples, but you'd also get a refund on the other product you didn't get.

      Or to entertain your scenario, you need to pay Aldi, but you'd get reimbursed from Coles.

  • bozaar on 03/01/2025 - 14:42
    +1

    Did you respond to any of the interview questions with "I have good attention to detail?"

  • digitalbath on 03/01/2025 - 17:36

    You did the wrong thing. Pay the fine and suck it up.

  • garage sale on 03/01/2025 - 19:14
    +2

    Should have gone to specsavers.

  • Prosp24 on 04/01/2025 - 10:22
    +1

    That council has clearly made decisions to generate its income from parking/fines. Just look at the cost of parking and ticketing infrastructure around box hill compared to the CBD. Dont expect any lenience when trying to part a council from their income. If it were the state government you could write a letter, but not likely to work with a council.

    Like many things the cost, time and effort to contest most likely won't be worth the trouble. They will have taken their own damning images of your vehicle as evidence and likely provide a copy to you if you continue to contest

    • tenpercent on 04/01/2025 - 10:28
      +1

      If the OP has a few spare minutes to get ChatGPT to write a few letters/emails it will end up costing the Council far more in time and resources reviewing and responding. The OP is still unlikely to 'win' but at least the Council will be out of pocket.

  • tenpercent on 04/01/2025 - 10:26
    +1

    So many bootlickers in this thread.

  • 91rs on 04/01/2025 - 11:46
    +1

    Terrible council, after every dollar like most are.
    Copped the first parking ticket in decades in Box Hill in Nov, paid for 1hr, parked a couple mins before my appointment time for a nearby Dr, Dr's always never on time but this day was much worse and I was late getting back by 8-9mins even after adding more time via the app (it was the 1hr limit that was the issue), but due to the sensors they just turned up and ticketed within minutes of it expiring. Couldn't leave the Drs and couldn't leave a newborn there either.
    Council didn't care or want to hear about it, Mentioned it on the next Drs visit with the front desk and they sort of laughed and said yeah they're pretty keen to ticket people etc.
    Nothing about my 15min consult being over 40 mins late…
    Paystay refused to give me money back on the additional time paid.
    We're copping it from every angle these days, expensive parking with not very useful limits, Drs who are never on time and don't bulk bill or charge a gap fee, council waves hand in air in general, apps that just drop comms if you ever question a charge.

  • hasher22 on 04/01/2025 - 17:04
    +1

    Delivery driver here

    Laws have changed 3 years ago, only trucks, vans and utility vehicles such as utes can park in loading zones, no more than 30 minutes. Before, wagons and 3 wheel delivery bikes could park there too for up to 15 minutes.

    Some parking officers are nice and let SUVs park there, some a real a-holes and they hide around the corner and wait for you to leave then book u.

    We don't know what car you have, if it's a sedan, hatch, motorbike, coupe or an obvious car that shouldn't be in the loading zone, then unfortunately, ticket officers will run to your car for a nice easy ticket.

    You have to pay the fine

    • OBEY YOUR MASTERS on 05/01/2025 - 11:35

      I once did a CBD delivery with a twin-steer truck. There were 2 loading zones where I needed to unload. There were 3 tradie utes parked there with no tradies in sight. A woman was also parked there and sitting in her car. I thought "bugger you lot" and just double parked them. I got my forklift and started running the pallets into the building and who turns up?? You guessed it, the parking inspector! I thought to myself "this should be interesting".

      So the inspector comes up to me and goes "hey mate you can't park like that!" I said "Well I am parking like that, have a look at these guys parked in the loading zones". He said "Well I can't do anything about that!?".

      "Mate, YOU'RE THE PARKING INSPECTOR!". So he scratches his head a bit and realises I'm probably right and then goes to talk to the woman in the car. He doesn't fine her but gets her to move out and she does so reluctantly. I stayed parked where I was and continued on the fork till I was done.

      I don't really think you could call it a win but it just never ceases to amaze me how these guys will fine you for being a couple of minutes late but otherwise they are completely useless to the general public.

  • BuddhaBoy on 04/01/2025 - 17:36

    If the signs conform, you will not win if you take appeal the fine at the Court - 100% (with the reasons you have provided above).

    Instead, you will end up paying the Court lodgement fee of approx $80 + original fine ($whatever the amount it), + any additional costs incurred by Council to represent their case. I would say most of this time the 'additional cost' is not passed onto the offender (about 90% of the cases) but if you are being dick in front of the magistrate court, the judge would add those in and then you will be offered to pay via instalments.

  • brad1-8tsi on 05/01/2025 - 08:56

    I recently took a fine to court.

    My observation was those with legal council got a reduced or no penalty.
    Those that represented themselves were hit with the original fine plus court costs plus a contribution to the victims of crime fund.

    You would probably get off (Good record, I'm so sorry, I'll be more diligent in future) but it will cost you in solicitor fees.

  • Hvrd on 05/01/2025 - 10:01

    say you were doing an uber eats delivery, they can park in loading zones

    • hasher22 on 05/01/2025 - 12:39

      No they can't. That's like saying ubers are allowed in taxi zones and wait for their next client.

      Only specific vehicles can park in loading zones in VIC

      The only exception is that anyone can park in a loading zone for max 2 minutes when loading or unloading passengers, this is in NSW though.

      VIC loading zones, you can't even unload/load passengers in a loading zone. https://www.melbourne.vic.gov.au/parking-pick-drop-and-deliv…

  • Ademos on 05/01/2025 - 10:59

    It wasn't a mistake, it was entitlement. You've been taught the lesson you refused to learn yourself. This is how it's meant to work. It takes an outrageous level of entitlement to do this in the first place, let alone make a post on the internet genuinely thinking you should get special treatment because you're either upset, sorry, or stupid.

    The bigger issue is that if it was a genuine "mistake", you shouldn't have a licence. Learn to drive.

  • The Value on 05/01/2025 - 17:13

    Unfortunately, your reasons aren't valid.

    1. You "paid" for a ticket. Plenty of people would happily park in a loading zone if they could get away with it by just paying for a parking ticket and feigning ignorance.

    2. Only 15 minutes in a 30 minute loading zone. Zero minutes for vehicles that are not permitted to park in loading zones.

    An expensive mistake you won't make again.

  • doctordv8 on 05/01/2025 - 20:02

    "I realise that I probably shouldn't have parked in the loading zone"

    No ifs or buts.

    Why question it especially if 3 months late?

  • Hangryuman on 06/01/2025 - 20:35

    I stopped reading at 'I parked in a loading zone without noticing' …

Login or Join to leave a comment
Login Join