The allure of Australia's beaches is undeniable. Their golden sands and rolling waves beckon locals and tourists alike to bask in their natural beauty.

But for one woman, a brief pause to admire the surf turned into an unexpected and costly lesson in parking regulations.

Amy Sloane was drawn to the picturesque scene at The Esplanade at New South Wales' Caves Beach.

On 6 July, she stopped her car to check the surf conditions, a seemingly harmless act many beachgoers might do without a second thought.

However, this quick stop resulted in a $136 fine in her mailbox weeks later, leaving her both surprised and frustrated.

Amy Sloane was fined $136 for wrong-way parking at Caves Beach, NSW. Credits: Facebook

'How do I feel? Pissed off,' she expressed.

‘Rangers can't fine people who don't pick up after their dogs on our beaches but can secretly fine you without you knowing for just checking out the surf for five minutes.’

Amy felt that the fine was issued stealthily, without any immediate indication from the parking inspector that she had committed an offence.

She didn't mince words when she labelled the council workers as 'cowards,' highlighting that the area where she stopped is a familiar spot for locals and tourists to enjoy the view.

However, the council had a different perspective. Lake Macquarie City Council defended the fine.

‘The fine at hand was issued for not parallel parking in the direction of travel, which is a safety offence under Australian Road Rules.’ the council spokesperson explained.

‘The driver's vehicle crossed double white lines and was parked near a bend, facing oncoming traffic, which further heightened safety concerns,’

‘Lake Macquarie City Council enforces parking regulations to ensure the safety of all road users.

The reaction on social media to Amy's predicament was mixed.

While some sympathised with her frustration, others argued that the fine was justified.'

‘If you think the fine is wrong, fight it. If you were parked incorrectly, wear the fine,' one commenter advised.

Ultimately, Amy decided to pay the fine, albeit reluctantly.

In related news, parking across your driveway is illegal in New South Wales and can result in substantial fines.

A Sydney resident received a fine for parking across her driveway, unaware that it was against the law. Read more about the incident here.

Key Takeaways

• Amy Sloane was fined $136 for parking her car in the opposite direction of travel at Caves Beach, NSW.
• The Lake Macquarie City Council defended the fine, stating it was a known 'safety offence under Australian Road Rules' and emphasised enforcing parking regulations for road safety.
• Sloane expressed frustration on social media, where opinions were mixed, with some agreeing with the fine and others sympathising with her.
• After considering her options, Sloane decided to pay the fine despite her annoyance with the situation.

Have you ever encountered or been in a similar situation before? Please share your experiences and tips on how to avoid parking fines in the comments below.

 

[Catherines]

Suck it up, Amy. You were in the wrong and must pay up & smile.

 

[Veggiepatch]

You are just an annoying person on here, many others have said the same thing I noticed

If you want to see an annoying person, look no further than your bathroom mirror.

 

[Greg350]

If you want to see an annoying person, look no further than your bathroom mirror.

Still haven't answered my questions.

Come one big mouth, prove that councils can't fine you for parking on "major roads"?
Show me where the parking rules are different on different road types?
Show me where councils have no authority on "major roads"?

You are a joke.

 

[Rob44]

The Highway Code in the UK states NOT to park against the direction of travel. It is one of those rules that no one adheres to and has become common place.View attachment 54177

Interesting. I wonder when that came into being. It would seem to have been after my time in the UK which was a forgetful time ago, and I certainly don't recall it. It makes sense in regard to your comment about seeing oncoming traffic.






uk

 

[gordon1940]

The danger of parking in the opposite direction to traffic flow is common knowledge.

The danger arises for other drivers when the parked driver goes to drive away.

This type of incident could be avoided by having consideration for others and paying attention to signage.

Couldn't a Fine be also issued for driving on the wrong side of the road?

 

[Greg350]

If you want to see an annoying person, look no further than your bathroom mirror.

Western Australia Road Rules. Where does it except roads not under council control? Just says, "roads".

 

[Greg350]

Couldn't a Fine be also issued for driving on the wrong side of the road?

Not by council, police can.

 

[LeahI]

You can refuse the fine. You never signed the contract with council or any such department including the police department so you never agreed to those conditions. It is not their jurisdiction to do so. It is a victimless crime. What they are doing is completely illegal according to the Constitution of 1900. Our politicians and councils etc are illegal entities and make up a the corporation that our government has become. We, the people, need to stand up to this tyranny. There have been grous set up to educate and assist: My Place Australia has groups all over Australia and check out My Self Reliance Groups also. They can over much information on Common Law/Lore.

Got a tin foil hat too?

 

[LeahI]

You are permitted to cross double unbroken lines when entering a driveway, side street or parking spot.

Which she did none of those.

 

[David567]

These fines are a result of tax cuts. They have to make up for the loss so we'll all be getting fines for the most trivial things now.
They give with one hand and take with the other. This crap is happening more and more now and will only get worse, especially while Albosleezy is in power.

 

[Greg350]

These fines are a result of tax cuts. They have to make up for the loss so we'll all be getting fines for the most trivial things now.
They give with one hand and take with the other. This crap is happening more and more now and will only get worse, especially while Albosleezy is in power.

These offences have been around for decades, council rangers have been fining people for decades.

You do realise that "tax cuts" are a federal government responsibility, parking is a council responsibility. This has absolutely nothing to do with the federal government whoever is in power.

 

[Veggiepatch]

Come on, show me where I said any different. So you are saying that parking rules cannot be enforced on the freeway.

Okay. PROVE IT TO ME

Do you park on a freeway?

 

[Greg350]

Got a tin foil hat too?

Notice this person is very new to this page, no doubt trying to spread the word to Australia about their delusions to satisfy themselves that they are correct.

 

[Greg350]

Do you park on a freeway?

More questions, how about answering one of mine?

You can't park on a freeway, Road Rules 177 and 178 across the country except WA 149 and 150.

If a council ranger saw you stopped on the freeway they would enquire whether you needed to, they could issue a fine for "No Stopping On Freeway"

 

[riskydave]

The bit about parking on the wrong side of the road facing the wrong direction should have triggered something in the driver's brain, if not maybe they should not be driving.