Parking fines can be a source of frustration for us all - after all, who wants to lose money overr something as small and relatively insignificant as parking?

But what if the parking fine that you receive is totally unfair and wrong? Is there anything that can be done?

Damian Seagar from Erskineville recently found himself on the wrong side of parking regulations and felt the full force of the law.

In December last year, he received a whopping $362 fine for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights'. Understandably, Seagar was shocked at the exorbitant price of this fine - and doing some further research among his neighbours, his confusion merely grew.

It seemed no one else knew that they couldn’t park in this spot - yet he was the one receiving the hefty fine.

Motorist Damian Seagar challenged a large parking fine that he received for parking in a spot that he and other residents believed to be a legitimate parking area. Credit: Damian Seagar.

'This seemed ludicrously over the top for a quiet area,' Seagar said.

'I would never park intentionally illegally if it was signposted that way!'

‘It's really unclear, and it's mixed messaging to have some corners with signs and some without because that implies that the corner without the sign is fine.’

Seagar was determined to fight the fine and set out to prove his innocence. Despite having no legal training, the Erskineville resident went to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to represent himself.

And believe it or not, it worked!

To prove his case, Seagar took an impressive 40 photos of other cars parked in the same spot over the past two months.

He argued that if 'no one knows about' the parking rule, it was unfair for him to pay a hefty fine for something he could not know.

It should be noted that a survey conducted by Yahoo News Australia aimed to determine public awareness of a specific road rule.

The results revealed that 61 per cent of respondents were not aware of the rule and believed there should be signs to inform drivers, while 39 per cent believed the rule was common knowledge.

He also offered various explanations for the fine, arguing that his car was three metres away from the intersection and did not obscure the view of anyone travelling over the intersection.

In fact, he argued that a building on the same corner was far closer to the intersection than his car — a full 1.7 metres away.

Magistrate Haskett was evidently impressed by Seagar's argument and dismissed the penalty, which the motorist himself credits to being well prepared.

He remarked: ‘I put a lot of work in and submitted a lot of paperwork, and they were pretty impressed by that.’

Seagar has a fresh challenge ahead – earlier this year, he received the same hefty fine for another car that had been parked in the same spot for almost five months.

But he’s not afraid to give it another shot. If he can win the first one, then why not the second?

He remarked: ‘The warden would have seen it parked in that spot when they ticketed me for the first one.’

‘It just shows even some wardens don't know the rules properly themselves.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney man has managed to have his $362 parking fine dismissed after presenting a compelling case about a little-known road rule.
• The rule meant he was penalised for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights' in a usually parked spot with no signs suggesting it was illegal.
• To convince the court for leniency, Mr Seagar provided 40 photos of other cars parked in the exact same spot and evidence that his car did not obstruct the view of the intersection.
• He succeeded in dismissing the penalty and now plans to contest another similar fine received in the same area.

The case of Damian Seagar highlights that receiving a parking fine does not always mean accepting guilt. If you believe the fine is unfair, you can always challenge it in court.

The outcome proves that preparation, evidence, and determination can be effective in defending oneself against a parking ticket.

The incident also highlights the need for better communication and signage regarding parking rules. (You may read about this lesser-known parking rule that could give you a $3200 fine).

So, next time you find yourself with an unfair parking fine, don't hesitate to stand up for yourself - you might just be able to prove your innocence.

Members, would you consider fighting your parking fines if given a chance, or would you accept your fate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Khate]

I know this law from my learner driving 60 years ago. People need to check All of the driving rules

 

[MHM]

Parking fines can be a source of frustration for us all - after all, who wants to lose money overr something as small and relatively insignificant as parking?

But what if the parking fine that you receive is totally unfair and wrong? Is there anything that can be done?

Damian Seagar from Erskineville recently found himself on the wrong side of parking regulations and felt the full force of the law.

In December last year, he received a whopping $362 fine for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights'. Understandably, Seagar was shocked at the exorbitant price of this fine - and doing some further research among his neighbours, his confusion merely grew.

It seemed no one else knew that they couldn’t park in this spot - yet he was the one receiving the hefty fine.

Motorist Damian Seagar challenged a large parking fine that he received for parking in a spot that he and other residents believed to be a legitimate parking area. Credit: Damian Seagar.

'This seemed ludicrously over the top for a quiet area,' Seagar said.

'I would never park intentionally illegally if it was signposted that way!'

‘It's really unclear, and it's mixed messaging to have some corners with signs and some without because that implies that the corner without the sign is fine.’

Seagar was determined to fight the fine and set out to prove his innocence. Despite having no legal training, the Erskineville resident went to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to represent himself.

And believe it or not, it worked!

To prove his case, Seagar took an impressive 40 photos of other cars parked in the same spot over the past two months.

He argued that if 'no one knows about' the parking rule, it was unfair for him to pay a hefty fine for something he could not know.

It should be noted that a survey conducted by Yahoo News Australia aimed to determine public awareness of a specific road rule.

The results revealed that 61 per cent of respondents were not aware of the rule and believed there should be signs to inform drivers, while 39 per cent believed the rule was common knowledge.

He also offered various explanations for the fine, arguing that his car was three metres away from the intersection and did not obscure the view of anyone travelling over the intersection.

In fact, he argued that a building on the same corner was far closer to the intersection than his car — a full 1.7 metres away.

Magistrate Haskett was evidently impressed by Seagar's argument and dismissed the penalty, which the motorist himself credits to being well prepared.

He remarked: ‘I put a lot of work in and submitted a lot of paperwork, and they were pretty impressed by that.’

Seagar has a fresh challenge ahead – earlier this year, he received the same hefty fine for another car that had been parked in the same spot for almost five months.

But he’s not afraid to give it another shot. If he can win the first one, then why not the second?

He remarked: ‘The warden would have seen it parked in that spot when they ticketed me for the first one.’

‘It just shows even some wardens don't know the rules properly themselves.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney man has managed to have his $362 parking fine dismissed after presenting a compelling case about a little-known road rule.
• The rule meant he was penalised for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights' in a usually parked spot with no signs suggesting it was illegal.
• To convince the court for leniency, Mr Seagar provided 40 photos of other cars parked in the exact same spot and evidence that his car did not obstruct the view of the intersection.
• He succeeded in dismissing the penalty and now plans to contest another similar fine received in the same area.

The case of Damian Seagar highlights that receiving a parking fine does not always mean accepting guilt. If you believe the fine is unfair, you can always challenge it in court.

The outcome proves that preparation, evidence, and determination can be effective in defending oneself against a parking ticket.

The incident also highlights the need for better communication and signage regarding parking rules. (You may read about this lesser-known parking rule that could give you a $3200 fine).

So, next time you find yourself with an unfair parking fine, don't hesitate to stand up for yourself - you might just be able to prove your innocence.

Members, would you consider fighting your parking fines if given a chance, or would you accept your fate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Pink lion]

There appears to be no obstructed view of traffic and I suggest you could find MANY vehicles parked at such a distance from an intersection in cities especially.

About a vehicle and a half's length back (to me) feels ample.

After all councils allow massive walls trees etc to obscure vision, far closer to intersections, in quieter areas, such as this.

They even allow lampposts to be right on the curb, so we can reverse into them.

I don't get the double standard. this is just my own opinion. however OF COURSE I will comply with the rules, and I will from now on, make certain that I too park away even further.

 

[MHM]

Parking fines can be a source of frustration for us all - after all, who wants to lose money overr something as small and relatively insignificant as parking?

But what if the parking fine that you receive is totally unfair and wrong? Is there anything that can be done?

Damian Seagar from Erskineville recently found himself on the wrong side of parking regulations and felt the full force of the law.

In December last year, he received a whopping $362 fine for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights'. Understandably, Seagar was shocked at the exorbitant price of this fine - and doing some further research among his neighbours, his confusion merely grew.

It seemed no one else knew that they couldn’t park in this spot - yet he was the one receiving the hefty fine.

Motorist Damian Seagar challenged a large parking fine that he received for parking in a spot that he and other residents believed to be a legitimate parking area. Credit: Damian Seagar.

'This seemed ludicrously over the top for a quiet area,' Seagar said.

'I would never park intentionally illegally if it was signposted that way!'

‘It's really unclear, and it's mixed messaging to have some corners with signs and some without because that implies that the corner without the sign is fine.’

Seagar was determined to fight the fine and set out to prove his innocence. Despite having no legal training, the Erskineville resident went to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to represent himself.

And believe it or not, it worked!

To prove his case, Seagar took an impressive 40 photos of other cars parked in the same spot over the past two months.

He argued that if 'no one knows about' the parking rule, it was unfair for him to pay a hefty fine for something he could not know.

It should be noted that a survey conducted by Yahoo News Australia aimed to determine public awareness of a specific road rule.

The results revealed that 61 per cent of respondents were not aware of the rule and believed there should be signs to inform drivers, while 39 per cent believed the rule was common knowledge.

He also offered various explanations for the fine, arguing that his car was three metres away from the intersection and did not obscure the view of anyone travelling over the intersection.

In fact, he argued that a building on the same corner was far closer to the intersection than his car — a full 1.7 metres away.

Magistrate Haskett was evidently impressed by Seagar's argument and dismissed the penalty, which the motorist himself credits to being well prepared.

He remarked: ‘I put a lot of work in and submitted a lot of paperwork, and they were pretty impressed by that.’

Seagar has a fresh challenge ahead – earlier this year, he received the same hefty fine for another car that had been parked in the same spot for almost five months.

But he’s not afraid to give it another shot. If he can win the first one, then why not the second?

He remarked: ‘The warden would have seen it parked in that spot when they ticketed me for the first one.’

‘It just shows even some wardens don't know the rules properly themselves.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney man has managed to have his $362 parking fine dismissed after presenting a compelling case about a little-known road rule.
• The rule meant he was penalised for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights' in a usually parked spot with no signs suggesting it was illegal.
• To convince the court for leniency, Mr Seagar provided 40 photos of other cars parked in the exact same spot and evidence that his car did not obstruct the view of the intersection.
• He succeeded in dismissing the penalty and now plans to contest another similar fine received in the same area.

The case of Damian Seagar highlights that receiving a parking fine does not always mean accepting guilt. If you believe the fine is unfair, you can always challenge it in court.

The outcome proves that preparation, evidence, and determination can be effective in defending oneself against a parking ticket.

The incident also highlights the need for better communication and signage regarding parking rules. (You may read about this lesser-known parking rule that could give you a $3200 fine).

So, next time you find yourself with an unfair parking fine, don't hesitate to stand up for yourself - you might just be able to prove your innocence.

Members, would you consider fighting your parking fines if given a chance, or would you accept your fate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

It is true that magistrates in the Traffic division of the Local Court will respond favourably to a plea of guilty with an excuse, and often reduce the amout of the fine and dispense with an order for court costs. The excuse needs to be rational, well argued, and fully prepared. Just fronting up and expecting the magistrate to exonerate an offending motorist, without reason is not going to happen.
My immediate response after reading your article is that it's something of a shame that Mr Seagar didn't put as much effort into learning traffic rules ("I didn't know the rule" is hardly convincing) as he did preparing his "excuse" for the magistrate. Having written that, I do concede that Mr Seagar's van is not creating nearly as much nuisance as is the blue Mazda shown in the lower right side of the image.

 

[MiasMum]

I know this law from my learner driving 60 years ago. People need to check All of the driving rules

Lol...you had learner driving 60 years ago? I walked into the Police Station on my 16th birthday, answered a few questions, and walked out with my full licence!

 

[MotherGoose]

"parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights". And it's 20 metres if the intersection has traffic lights. That's the law in WA and always has been for the 40+ years that I have been driving. It's also the law in every state of Australia. It's in the handbook that you have to study to get your licence. It doesn't need to be signposted because ALL drivers should know this. I'm very surprised he got away with this because ignorance of the law is usually not accepted as an excuse. It just goes to prove that there are lots of people driving on our roads who should not be because they are clueless about the road rules.

 

[Mina vriesekolk]

My son once got a hefty parking fine in the outer Brisbane city region , but he was parked legal , he took a photo of the sign and sent it off. Never heard anything of it . Not even apologising for it that he was in the right.

 

[Staffordshire Whippet]

Seriously, SDC?
He did not "WIN".
He got off on a Section 10, which is a Court-imposed Caution, one-time-only.

 

[Rollscanardly]

"parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights". And it's 20 metres if the intersection has traffic lights. That's the law in WA and always has been for the 40+ years that I have been driving. It's also the law in every state of Australia. It's in the handbook that you have to study to get your licence. It doesn't need to be signposted because ALL drivers should know this. I'm very surprised he got away with this because ignorance of the law is usually not accepted as an excuse. It just goes to prove that there are lots of people driving on our roads who should not be because they are clueless about the road rules.

 

[MotherGoose]

Seriously, SDC?
He did not "WIN".
He got off on a Section 10, which is a Court-imposed Caution, one-time-only.

The article said the penalty was dismissed. I couldn't find anything in the article about a Section 10 or a caution.

 

[Rollscanardly]

I would say that most people over 35+ if they had to sit a drivers test the fail percentage would be quite large and i would most probably would be in that category. The road rules keep on changing and nobody updates their own knowledge and the powers to be change their minds whenever. As an instance the rule was bought in about indicating when leaving a roundabout months later they dispensed with it because no-one was doing it including a couple of patrol cars that i followed.

 

[MotherGoose]

"I would say that most people over 35+ if they had to sit a drivers test the fail percentage would be quite large and I would most probably would be in that category."

I am sure you are right - and I would be in that category with you. However, if I received a fine and discovered I was in the wrong, I would learn my lesson, pay up, and not whine about it to the media.

Just for the record, all councils have avenues of appeal so if you feel you have a valid case, you can appeal it. And if your appeal is polite and reasonable, it will be viewed favourably. Most councils will let you off with a caution for a first offence. If you don't like the result of the appeal, you can take it to the ombudsman, and if you are still not satisfied, you can take it to court. As a rule, however, the courts take a dim view of it if you have not gone through the processes of appeal and ombudsman first before taking up the court's time.

 

[Macarj]

If he can't park there then there should have been a yellow line painted parallel
to the gutter so I am not surprised he won

 

[chips]

Lol...you had learner driving 60 years ago? I walked into the Police Station on my 16th birthday, answered a few questions, and walked out with my full licence!

I find that hard to believe that you didn't even take a driving test

 

[Baz1960]

Parking fines can be a source of frustration for us all - after all, who wants to lose money overr something as small and relatively insignificant as parking?

But what if the parking fine that you receive is totally unfair and wrong? Is there anything that can be done?

Damian Seagar from Erskineville recently found himself on the wrong side of parking regulations and felt the full force of the law.

In December last year, he received a whopping $362 fine for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights'. Understandably, Seagar was shocked at the exorbitant price of this fine - and doing some further research among his neighbours, his confusion merely grew.

It seemed no one else knew that they couldn’t park in this spot - yet he was the one receiving the hefty fine.

Motorist Damian Seagar challenged a large parking fine that he received for parking in a spot that he and other residents believed to be a legitimate parking area. Credit: Damian Seagar.

'This seemed ludicrously over the top for a quiet area,' Seagar said.

'I would never park intentionally illegally if it was signposted that way!'

‘It's really unclear, and it's mixed messaging to have some corners with signs and some without because that implies that the corner without the sign is fine.’

Seagar was determined to fight the fine and set out to prove his innocence. Despite having no legal training, the Erskineville resident went to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to represent himself.

And believe it or not, it worked!

To prove his case, Seagar took an impressive 40 photos of other cars parked in the same spot over the past two months.

He argued that if 'no one knows about' the parking rule, it was unfair for him to pay a hefty fine for something he could not know.

It should be noted that a survey conducted by Yahoo News Australia aimed to determine public awareness of a specific road rule.

The results revealed that 61 per cent of respondents were not aware of the rule and believed there should be signs to inform drivers, while 39 per cent believed the rule was common knowledge.

He also offered various explanations for the fine, arguing that his car was three metres away from the intersection and did not obscure the view of anyone travelling over the intersection.

In fact, he argued that a building on the same corner was far closer to the intersection than his car — a full 1.7 metres away.

Magistrate Haskett was evidently impressed by Seagar's argument and dismissed the penalty, which the motorist himself credits to being well prepared.

He remarked: ‘I put a lot of work in and submitted a lot of paperwork, and they were pretty impressed by that.’

Seagar has a fresh challenge ahead – earlier this year, he received the same hefty fine for another car that had been parked in the same spot for almost five months.

But he’s not afraid to give it another shot. If he can win the first one, then why not the second?

He remarked: ‘The warden would have seen it parked in that spot when they ticketed me for the first one.’

‘It just shows even some wardens don't know the rules properly themselves.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney man has managed to have his $362 parking fine dismissed after presenting a compelling case about a little-known road rule.
• The rule meant he was penalised for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights' in a usually parked spot with no signs suggesting it was illegal.
• To convince the court for leniency, Mr Seagar provided 40 photos of other cars parked in the exact same spot and evidence that his car did not obstruct the view of the intersection.
• He succeeded in dismissing the penalty and now plans to contest another similar fine received in the same area.

The case of Damian Seagar highlights that receiving a parking fine does not always mean accepting guilt. If you believe the fine is unfair, you can always challenge it in court.

The outcome proves that preparation, evidence, and determination can be effective in defending oneself against a parking ticket.

The incident also highlights the need for better communication and signage regarding parking rules. (You may read about this lesser-known parking rule that could give you a $3200 fine).

So, next time you find yourself with an unfair parking fine, don't hesitate to stand up for yourself - you might just be able to prove your innocence.

Members, would you consider fighting your parking fines if given a chance, or would you accept your fate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

I would say what he was lucky. The rule is in place to cover every corner. Small and narrow roads from the horse and carts days and funnily enough are making a return in new subdivisions. But, trucks and over service vehicles need room and vision to turn. I have heard of illegally parked vehicles being pushed out of the way, by the fire brigade. Having said all that .. just obey all the road rules... to say he wasn't aware of the rule. Shows that he does not comply with requirements of having a licence. That is you must know and observe road rules. Saying it was a little know road rule is not accurate. Very surprised he was let off on that rule alone.

 

[Sockjoan]

Parking fines can be a source of frustration for us all - after all, who wants to lose money overr something as small and relatively insignificant as parking?

But what if the parking fine that you receive is totally unfair and wrong? Is there anything that can be done?

Damian Seagar from Erskineville recently found himself on the wrong side of parking regulations and felt the full force of the law.

In December last year, he received a whopping $362 fine for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights'. Understandably, Seagar was shocked at the exorbitant price of this fine - and doing some further research among his neighbours, his confusion merely grew.

It seemed no one else knew that they couldn’t park in this spot - yet he was the one receiving the hefty fine.

Motorist Damian Seagar challenged a large parking fine that he received for parking in a spot that he and other residents believed to be a legitimate parking area. Credit: Damian Seagar.

'This seemed ludicrously over the top for a quiet area,' Seagar said.

'I would never park intentionally illegally if it was signposted that way!'

‘It's really unclear, and it's mixed messaging to have some corners with signs and some without because that implies that the corner without the sign is fine.’

Seagar was determined to fight the fine and set out to prove his innocence. Despite having no legal training, the Erskineville resident went to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to represent himself.

And believe it or not, it worked!

To prove his case, Seagar took an impressive 40 photos of other cars parked in the same spot over the past two months.

He argued that if 'no one knows about' the parking rule, it was unfair for him to pay a hefty fine for something he could not know.

It should be noted that a survey conducted by Yahoo News Australia aimed to determine public awareness of a specific road rule.

The results revealed that 61 per cent of respondents were not aware of the rule and believed there should be signs to inform drivers, while 39 per cent believed the rule was common knowledge.

He also offered various explanations for the fine, arguing that his car was three metres away from the intersection and did not obscure the view of anyone travelling over the intersection.

In fact, he argued that a building on the same corner was far closer to the intersection than his car — a full 1.7 metres away.

Magistrate Haskett was evidently impressed by Seagar's argument and dismissed the penalty, which the motorist himself credits to being well prepared.

He remarked: ‘I put a lot of work in and submitted a lot of paperwork, and they were pretty impressed by that.’

Seagar has a fresh challenge ahead – earlier this year, he received the same hefty fine for another car that had been parked in the same spot for almost five months.

But he’s not afraid to give it another shot. If he can win the first one, then why not the second?

He remarked: ‘The warden would have seen it parked in that spot when they ticketed me for the first one.’

‘It just shows even some wardens don't know the rules properly themselves.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney man has managed to have his $362 parking fine dismissed after presenting a compelling case about a little-known road rule.
• The rule meant he was penalised for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights' in a usually parked spot with no signs suggesting it was illegal.
• To convince the court for leniency, Mr Seagar provided 40 photos of other cars parked in the exact same spot and evidence that his car did not obstruct the view of the intersection.
• He succeeded in dismissing the penalty and now plans to contest another similar fine received in the same area.

The case of Damian Seagar highlights that receiving a parking fine does not always mean accepting guilt. If you believe the fine is unfair, you can always challenge it in court.

The outcome proves that preparation, evidence, and determination can be effective in defending oneself against a parking ticket.

The incident also highlights the need for better communication and signage regarding parking rules. (You may read about this lesser-known parking rule that could give you a $3200 fine).

So, next time you find yourself with an unfair parking fine, don't hesitate to stand up for yourself - you might just be able to prove your innocence.

Members, would you consider fighting your parking fines if given a chance, or would you accept your fate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

 

[Sockjoan]

I was issued a huge fine, accompanied by 4 demerit points, for “using my phone while driving”. I was carrying my phone with a lanyard holder round my neck. The traffic camera could see the phone, but I couldn’t! I contested this one - and won! Crazy that you’re allowed to use the phone if you have it in a cradle on the dashboard (where, of course, you can see it), but you’re not allowed to carry it (without using it) on a lanyard round your neck,

 

[Keswickian]

Damian was very lucky to get away with it.
It is clearly stated in the "Road Users Handbook, Transport for NSW" page 158, that parking is not permitted within 10 metres of an intersection without traffic lights or 20 m from an intersection with traffic lights.

 

[mustI@myage]

Parking fines can be a source of frustration for us all - after all, who wants to lose money overr something as small and relatively insignificant as parking?

But what if the parking fine that you receive is totally unfair and wrong? Is there anything that can be done?

Damian Seagar from Erskineville recently found himself on the wrong side of parking regulations and felt the full force of the law.

In December last year, he received a whopping $362 fine for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights'. Understandably, Seagar was shocked at the exorbitant price of this fine - and doing some further research among his neighbours, his confusion merely grew.

It seemed no one else knew that they couldn’t park in this spot - yet he was the one receiving the hefty fine.

Motorist Damian Seagar challenged a large parking fine that he received for parking in a spot that he and other residents believed to be a legitimate parking area. Credit: Damian Seagar.

'This seemed ludicrously over the top for a quiet area,' Seagar said.

'I would never park intentionally illegally if it was signposted that way!'

‘It's really unclear, and it's mixed messaging to have some corners with signs and some without because that implies that the corner without the sign is fine.’

Seagar was determined to fight the fine and set out to prove his innocence. Despite having no legal training, the Erskineville resident went to Sydney Downing Centre Local Court to represent himself.

And believe it or not, it worked!

To prove his case, Seagar took an impressive 40 photos of other cars parked in the same spot over the past two months.

He argued that if 'no one knows about' the parking rule, it was unfair for him to pay a hefty fine for something he could not know.

It should be noted that a survey conducted by Yahoo News Australia aimed to determine public awareness of a specific road rule.

The results revealed that 61 per cent of respondents were not aware of the rule and believed there should be signs to inform drivers, while 39 per cent believed the rule was common knowledge.

He also offered various explanations for the fine, arguing that his car was three metres away from the intersection and did not obscure the view of anyone travelling over the intersection.

In fact, he argued that a building on the same corner was far closer to the intersection than his car — a full 1.7 metres away.

Magistrate Haskett was evidently impressed by Seagar's argument and dismissed the penalty, which the motorist himself credits to being well prepared.

He remarked: ‘I put a lot of work in and submitted a lot of paperwork, and they were pretty impressed by that.’

Seagar has a fresh challenge ahead – earlier this year, he received the same hefty fine for another car that had been parked in the same spot for almost five months.

But he’s not afraid to give it another shot. If he can win the first one, then why not the second?

He remarked: ‘The warden would have seen it parked in that spot when they ticketed me for the first one.’

‘It just shows even some wardens don't know the rules properly themselves.’

Key Takeaways

• A Sydney man has managed to have his $362 parking fine dismissed after presenting a compelling case about a little-known road rule.
• The rule meant he was penalised for 'parking within 10 metres of an intersection with no traffic lights' in a usually parked spot with no signs suggesting it was illegal.
• To convince the court for leniency, Mr Seagar provided 40 photos of other cars parked in the exact same spot and evidence that his car did not obstruct the view of the intersection.
• He succeeded in dismissing the penalty and now plans to contest another similar fine received in the same area.

The case of Damian Seagar highlights that receiving a parking fine does not always mean accepting guilt. If you believe the fine is unfair, you can always challenge it in court.

The outcome proves that preparation, evidence, and determination can be effective in defending oneself against a parking ticket.

The incident also highlights the need for better communication and signage regarding parking rules. (You may read about this lesser-known parking rule that could give you a $3200 fine).

So, next time you find yourself with an unfair parking fine, don't hesitate to stand up for yourself - you might just be able to prove your innocence.

Members, would you consider fighting your parking fines if given a chance, or would you accept your fate? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!

I would fight it myself.