Did this Aussie parking inspector commit an illegal road act or was it a misunderstanding? Here's what the council has to say

We've all heard of people going a little bit too far with their attempts to find a free parking spot by doing things like parking on grass, kerbsides, and private property (without permission). It's no wonder local councils and parking inspectors have to be vigilant when it comes to ensuring their rules are followed.

It seems that recently, the roles of the pesky parking inspector and the rule-breaking parker were reversed when a video emerged of an inspector who was alleged to be committing an illegal road act.



A parking inspector in Prahran, Melbourne, unknowingly became the focus of an online discussion after a savvy motorist — who interrogated him for his questionable parking antics — took to social media to share the bizarre scene.

In a now-deleted clip, a council worker is seen standing on the footpath while issuing a fine to a parked car.

And while the sight is nothing unusual, what has drawn attention is that the other car parked next to the one receiving the fine appears to belong to the inspector.


feb88fdb2caf901aa62de94208b8fda21822706d.png

A concerned motorist captured the inspector's apparent illegal act on film. Credit: Instagram.



But that’s not all — the council car is blocking the driveway of a residential home, an act which is a fineable offence.

The motorist asked in the video: 'Across the driveway?'

'I’m giving a ticket,' the inspector can be heard replying as he wrote out the individual’s fine.



The motorist clearly viewed the incident as a form of parking retribution, or a 'gotcha' moment.

However, upon consulting with the Stonnington Council, it appears that the inspector's action was not illegal.

In a statement, the council reiterated the Victorian government's Rule 307 or the Road Safety Road Rules 2017, which stipulates that 'authorised officers are exempt from restrictions on stopping and parking provided the driver takes reasonable care and is in the performance of their duties'.

'The City of Stonnington is satisfied that the officer in question has complied with the Road Safety Road Rules,' the statement continued.



It is no secret that different states follow different parking guidelines. The methods and approaches of local governments in Australia when it comes to enforcing parking laws vary greatly.

In some areas, there is greater enforcement of the rules and tougher penalties for those who are caught. In others, the approach is more relaxed, with a focus on educating rather than punishing.

It is also important to note that the regulations that apply to parking can differ in each state and territory, so what is allowed in one area may not be allowed in another.



For example, parking laws in Queensland differ from those in New South Wales. In Queensland, parking is mainly enforced by local governments, whereas in NSW it is mainly enforced by the Roads and Maritime Services. In addition, NSW also has stricter regulations for parking in 'No Stopping' zones.

It is also important to note that regulations when it comes to the amount of time one is allowed to park in a certain area vary between local governments. In some areas, parking limits only apply during certain times of the day and on certain days, while in other areas they apply at all times of the day, every single day.

When parking in an unfamiliar area, it is important to familiarise oneself with the local parking regulations.This can help to ensure that one does not incur heavy fines or penalties for parking violations.

Key Takeaways

  • A Melbourne parking inspector recently caused an online stir after blocking someone's driveway while issuing a parking fine to another vehicle.
  • The parking inspector's actions are allowed, according to the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 (Rule 307) which allow for authorised officers to be exempt from restrictions on stopping and parking provided the driver takes reasonable care and is in the performance of their duties.
  • The City of Stonnington has confirmed that the officer in question complied with the Road Safety Road Rules.



There you have it, folks! If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, remember to consider all of the facts before accusing someone of breaking the law – and always be sure to follow the rules of the road when parking your car.

Have you ever seen a parking inspector break the law? Share your story with us in the comments section below!
 
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We've all heard of people going a little bit too far with their attempts to find a free parking spot by doing things like parking on grass, kerbsides, and private property (without permission). It's no wonder local councils and parking inspectors have to be vigilant when it comes to ensuring their rules are followed.

It seems that recently, the roles of the pesky parking inspector and the rule-breaking parker were reversed when a video emerged of an inspector who was alleged to be committing an illegal road act.



A parking inspector in Prahran, Melbourne, unknowingly became the focus of an online discussion after a savvy motorist — who interrogated him for his questionable parking antics — took to social media to share the bizarre scene.

In a now-deleted clip, a council worker is seen standing on the footpath while issuing a fine to a parked car.

And while the sight is nothing unusual, what has drawn attention is that the other car parked next to the one receiving the fine appears to belong to the inspector.


feb88fdb2caf901aa62de94208b8fda21822706d.png

A concerned motorist captured the inspector's apparent illegal act on film. Credit: Instagram.



But that’s not all — the council car is blocking the driveway of a residential home, an act which is a fineable offence.

The motorist asked in the video: 'Across the driveway?'

'I’m giving a ticket,' the inspector can be heard replying as he wrote out the individual’s fine.



The motorist clearly viewed the incident as a form of parking retribution, or a 'gotcha' moment.

However, upon consulting with the Stonnington Council, it appears that the inspector's action was not illegal.

In a statement, the council reiterated the Victorian government's Rule 307 or the Road Safety Road Rules 2017, which stipulates that 'authorised officers are exempt from restrictions on stopping and parking provided the driver takes reasonable care and is in the performance of their duties'.

'The City of Stonnington is satisfied that the officer in question has complied with the Road Safety Road Rules,' the statement continued.



It is no secret that different states follow different parking guidelines. The methods and approaches of local governments in Australia when it comes to enforcing parking laws vary greatly.

In some areas, there is greater enforcement of the rules and tougher penalties for those who are caught. In others, the approach is more relaxed, with a focus on educating rather than punishing.

It is also important to note that the regulations that apply to parking can differ in each state and territory, so what is allowed in one area may not be allowed in another.



For example, parking laws in Queensland differ from those in New South Wales. In Queensland, parking is mainly enforced by local governments, whereas in NSW it is mainly enforced by the Roads and Maritime Services. In addition, NSW also has stricter regulations for parking in 'No Stopping' zones.

It is also important to note that regulations when it comes to the amount of time one is allowed to park in a certain area vary between local governments. In some areas, parking limits only apply during certain times of the day and on certain days, while in other areas they apply at all times of the day, every single day.

When parking in an unfamiliar area, it is important to familiarise oneself with the local parking regulations.This can help to ensure that one does not incur heavy fines or penalties for parking violations.

Key Takeaways

  • A Melbourne parking inspector recently caused an online stir after blocking someone's driveway while issuing a parking fine to another vehicle.
  • The parking inspector's actions are allowed, according to the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 (Rule 307) which allow for authorised officers to be exempt from restrictions on stopping and parking provided the driver takes reasonable care and is in the performance of their duties.
  • The City of Stonnington has confirmed that the officer in question complied with the Road Safety Road Rules.



There you have it, folks! If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, remember to consider all of the facts before accusing someone of breaking the law – and always be sure to follow the rules of the road when parking your car.

Have you ever seen a parking inspector break the law? Share your story with us in the comments section below!
 
All law enforcement officers should be made to adhere to the same rules as the rest of us and LEAD BY EXAMPLE, unless, of course, they are on URGENT business.
A few months ago 2 police officers in an unmarked car pulled up on a corner in a no stopping zone just near my place, got out of their car and proceeded to a house across the road. I took a photo of their car parked in its illegal position and when the officers returned they asked me what I was doing. I told them that they were parked illegally and that I’d be forwarding this onto the authorities for appropriate action to be taken, to which they replied, “Oh, we are on urgent police business!” (No they were not! No lights, no sirens and no urgency in their movements as they dawdled from their vehicle to the house). The worst part of this particular situation was, if they had of performed a U-turn they could have parked quite legally directly outside the premises they were attending!
In the public’s eye this type of behaviour does not paint a very good picture, nor does it command respect.
 
Revenue raising, it's one country should be one rule everywhere.
No, Bill. It is six sovereign states federated into one Commonwealth. States (representing the people of the state) are, and should be, entitled to legislate for their state, not rely on the Commonwealth to do it.
Yes it is revenue raising, but it is also a form of deterrence to people who disregard the rights of others for their own advantage.
 
I think there are several things that should be the same Australia wide. Laws, education, pricing such as utilities and transport and access to affordable health care. These things are universal, therefore the rules should be too. :)
 
Re revenue raising. I have a relative who was a parking inspector for the city of Perth. When he got the job, he was told officially that there were no quotas and the purpose of the job was not to raise revenue. His function was to ensure that the maximum number of parking bays were available for as many people as possible so that everybody gets a fair go at finding a parking bay, and to ensure the smooth and safe flow of traffic. This meant issuing tickets to people who out-stayed the time limits and/or parked inappropriately. People park in clearways, on footpaths, in loading bays, taxi bays, disabled bays etc and argue that "I was only going to be two minutes" despite the fact that they are usually there half an hour or more, often blocking traffic at peak hours. Regarding the "parking should be free" argument - what a lot of people don't realise is that local city governments have to pay a levy to the state governments for each parking bay available and the money for the levy must come either from the rate-payers in that city OR the user. And if parking was free in the city, workers would grab all the parking early in the morning and stay there all day, to the exclusion of the general public. Regarding the motorist in the story, it sounds like a petty revenge tactic which backfired.
 
Last edited:
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We've all heard of people going a little bit too far with their attempts to find a free parking spot by doing things like parking on grass, kerbsides, and private property (without permission). It's no wonder local councils and parking inspectors have to be vigilant when it comes to ensuring their rules are followed.

It seems that recently, the roles of the pesky parking inspector and the rule-breaking parker were reversed when a video emerged of an inspector who was alleged to be committing an illegal road act.



A parking inspector in Prahran, Melbourne, unknowingly became the focus of an online discussion after a savvy motorist — who interrogated him for his questionable parking antics — took to social media to share the bizarre scene.

In a now-deleted clip, a council worker is seen standing on the footpath while issuing a fine to a parked car.

And while the sight is nothing unusual, what has drawn attention is that the other car parked next to the one receiving the fine appears to belong to the inspector.


feb88fdb2caf901aa62de94208b8fda21822706d.png

A concerned motorist captured the inspector's apparent illegal act on film. Credit: Instagram.



But that’s not all — the council car is blocking the driveway of a residential home, an act which is a fineable offence.

The motorist asked in the video: 'Across the driveway?'

'I’m giving a ticket,' the inspector can be heard replying as he wrote out the individual’s fine.



The motorist clearly viewed the incident as a form of parking retribution, or a 'gotcha' moment.

However, upon consulting with the Stonnington Council, it appears that the inspector's action was not illegal.

In a statement, the council reiterated the Victorian government's Rule 307 or the Road Safety Road Rules 2017, which stipulates that 'authorised officers are exempt from restrictions on stopping and parking provided the driver takes reasonable care and is in the performance of their duties'.

'The City of Stonnington is satisfied that the officer in question has complied with the Road Safety Road Rules,' the statement continued.



It is no secret that different states follow different parking guidelines. The methods and approaches of local governments in Australia when it comes to enforcing parking laws vary greatly.

In some areas, there is greater enforcement of the rules and tougher penalties for those who are caught. In others, the approach is more relaxed, with a focus on educating rather than punishing.

It is also important to note that the regulations that apply to parking can differ in each state and territory, so what is allowed in one area may not be allowed in another.



For example, parking laws in Queensland differ from those in New South Wales. In Queensland, parking is mainly enforced by local governments, whereas in NSW it is mainly enforced by the Roads and Maritime Services. In addition, NSW also has stricter regulations for parking in 'No Stopping' zones.

It is also important to note that regulations when it comes to the amount of time one is allowed to park in a certain area vary between local governments. In some areas, parking limits only apply during certain times of the day and on certain days, while in other areas they apply at all times of the day, every single day.

When parking in an unfamiliar area, it is important to familiarise oneself with the local parking regulations.This can help to ensure that one does not incur heavy fines or penalties for parking violations.

Key Takeaways

  • A Melbourne parking inspector recently caused an online stir after blocking someone's driveway while issuing a parking fine to another vehicle.
  • The parking inspector's actions are allowed, according to the Road Safety Road Rules 2017 (Rule 307) which allow for authorised officers to be exempt from restrictions on stopping and parking provided the driver takes reasonable care and is in the performance of their duties.
  • The City of Stonnington has confirmed that the officer in question complied with the Road Safety Road Rules.



There you have it, folks! If you ever find yourself in a situation like this, remember to consider all of the facts before accusing someone of breaking the law – and always be sure to follow the rules of the road when parking your car.

Have you ever seen a parking inspector break the law? Share your story with us in the comments section below!
It seems one rule for all and no rules for the Government
 
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