A 70-year-old driver claims 'bad intentions' after receiving $603 parking fine
- Replies 26
70-year-old driver, Doria Coral, is fuming with anger after being slapped with a jaw-dropping $603 parking fine and losing a precious demerit point. But she's not taking it lying down. Doria insists that the punishment is not only excessive but also 'unfair and unjust'.
The local council, however, begs to differ, and the stage is set for a showdown between the aggrieved driver and the authorities.
The incident unfolded when Doria drove to the library in Gosford, a picturesque town on the Central Coast of New South Wales. The parking lot was packed, and Doria had to circle around for a while before she found a vacant spot.
As luck would have it, just as Doria was about to park, an elderly couple pulled out of their spot nearby. Without thinking twice, Doria pulled into the disabled parking bay for only five seconds, with her car's engine running, to allow the couple to manoeuvre their car out of the tight spot.
But little did she know that her actions would land her in hot water with the authorities.
Three weeks later, Doria received a shocking surprise in the mail — a hefty $603 fine for parking in a disabled bay, complete with photographs taken by a sneaky parking inspector.
Needless to say, she was utterly flabbergasted, as she claims she never saw the inspector taking the pictures. How could she have known that her brief stop in the disabled bay would result in such a severe penalty?
According to Doria, if the inspector had been there taking photos, he would have seen that she was in her car with the engine running, and giving way to an elderly couple struggling to leave their spot.
In her eyes, this could only mean one thing: the inspector had 'bad intentions' and deliberately overlooked her act of kindness. Doria is adamant that she did nothing wrong and is now digging in her heels to clear her name.
Credit: Department of Social Services, Australian Government.
While Doria insists that the blurry photographs show her hand on the steering wheel, the council is standing firm in their position.
According to a council spokesperson, the parking officer confirmed that the car was unlawfully parked in a disabled bay and that no person was present in the vehicle at the time, contradicting Doria's claim that she was simply reversing and stopped for a few seconds.
Despite the council's rejection of her appeal, Doria is not one to back down. Determined to clear her name, she's gearing up for a legal battle and plans to fight the fine in court.
The tension between Doria and the council has reached new heights, with both sides holding their ground and refusing to back down.
To view the photos taken by the parking inspector, check out the original report made by A Current Affair by clicking this link.
The social media sphere is buzzing with opinions, and it seems that the majority of people are siding with the council in this parking fine dispute.
Many were quick to point out that disabled parking spots are reserved for those with permits, and anyone else using them — even temporarily — is in violation of the law.
Comments on Facebook are pouring in, with some expressing frustration at the misuse of disabled parking bays. One person stated, 'My understanding is it's a disabled parking spot. You can't use it for any purpose unless you have a permit.'
Another user added, 'More people need to be fined for parking in disabled spots. They are not a drop-off point or a waiting zone, and secondly, learn to park properly. Pay it, and don't do it again. Easy.'
The sentiment was echoed by others, with a call for stricter enforcement and more fines for those who misuse disabled parking bays. 'There should be more fines handed out. Too many people use these Disability parking bays when they don't have a permit,' commented a third user.
Members, where do you stand on this issue? Do you think Doria Coral was in the wrong, or do you believe that the council was too harsh in their punishment? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
The local council, however, begs to differ, and the stage is set for a showdown between the aggrieved driver and the authorities.
The incident unfolded when Doria drove to the library in Gosford, a picturesque town on the Central Coast of New South Wales. The parking lot was packed, and Doria had to circle around for a while before she found a vacant spot.
As luck would have it, just as Doria was about to park, an elderly couple pulled out of their spot nearby. Without thinking twice, Doria pulled into the disabled parking bay for only five seconds, with her car's engine running, to allow the couple to manoeuvre their car out of the tight spot.
But little did she know that her actions would land her in hot water with the authorities.
A NSW driver claims she received an 'unfair and unjust' $603 parking fine and lost one demerit point for momentarily stopping in a disabled parking spot. Credit: Shutterstock.
Three weeks later, Doria received a shocking surprise in the mail — a hefty $603 fine for parking in a disabled bay, complete with photographs taken by a sneaky parking inspector.
Needless to say, she was utterly flabbergasted, as she claims she never saw the inspector taking the pictures. How could she have known that her brief stop in the disabled bay would result in such a severe penalty?
According to Doria, if the inspector had been there taking photos, he would have seen that she was in her car with the engine running, and giving way to an elderly couple struggling to leave their spot.
In her eyes, this could only mean one thing: the inspector had 'bad intentions' and deliberately overlooked her act of kindness. Doria is adamant that she did nothing wrong and is now digging in her heels to clear her name.
Credit: Department of Social Services, Australian Government.
While Doria insists that the blurry photographs show her hand on the steering wheel, the council is standing firm in their position.
According to a council spokesperson, the parking officer confirmed that the car was unlawfully parked in a disabled bay and that no person was present in the vehicle at the time, contradicting Doria's claim that she was simply reversing and stopped for a few seconds.
Despite the council's rejection of her appeal, Doria is not one to back down. Determined to clear her name, she's gearing up for a legal battle and plans to fight the fine in court.
The tension between Doria and the council has reached new heights, with both sides holding their ground and refusing to back down.
To view the photos taken by the parking inspector, check out the original report made by A Current Affair by clicking this link.
The social media sphere is buzzing with opinions, and it seems that the majority of people are siding with the council in this parking fine dispute.
Many were quick to point out that disabled parking spots are reserved for those with permits, and anyone else using them — even temporarily — is in violation of the law.
Disabled parking spaces are specially designated spots where disabled people can more easily access the facilities they need. Credit: Pexels/Jakub Pabis.
Comments on Facebook are pouring in, with some expressing frustration at the misuse of disabled parking bays. One person stated, 'My understanding is it's a disabled parking spot. You can't use it for any purpose unless you have a permit.'
Another user added, 'More people need to be fined for parking in disabled spots. They are not a drop-off point or a waiting zone, and secondly, learn to park properly. Pay it, and don't do it again. Easy.'
The sentiment was echoed by others, with a call for stricter enforcement and more fines for those who misuse disabled parking bays. 'There should be more fines handed out. Too many people use these Disability parking bays when they don't have a permit,' commented a third user.
Members, where do you stand on this issue? Do you think Doria Coral was in the wrong, or do you believe that the council was too harsh in their punishment? We'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below!
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