Parking

I recently parked in Southbank during riverfire afternoon on Grey street. I paid for 30mins of parking while we unloaded the car. I returned to my car there was a policeman next to my car waiting for a tow truck to arrive to tow my car and a $100 fine on the windscreen for apparently parking in a bus zone. But I was parked out the front of the parking meter in the white allocated parking lines and well away from the yellow bus zone lines and had paid and displayed my ticket from the parking for 30min of parking and I returned well within this time frame. Can they do this? It doesn't make sense to me.

Hi Mary

I'll be honest, I'm not 100% sure but I think that if you have a campervan/motorhome you need to stay in a caravan park or official camping ground. I don't think overnight street parking is allowed.

http://www.caravanqld.com.au/ might be able to offer some more advice.

I don't think I would like to try parking a motorhome anywhere else, anyway! I'd recommend finding somewhere to stay and then catching a bus or train into the city.

I'd also recommend touring through the Brisbane Valley on your travels :)

Enjoy your holiday!

Good information, thanks.

Just over a month ago i was forced to quickly move premises due to a failed living arrangment with a flatmate. My car at the time was unregistered, so i had to move it outside and park it on the road.

It's been a tough month with having to find new accommodation, christmas and what not, so i had been unable to register my car so i had to leave it as i couldn't drive it (unregistered and dead battery).

I checked on my car once a week, aware that a notice had to be placed there before they could tow it if it was thought to be dumped there, and no such notice appeared.

Today i go to check on it to find it's just not there, after some frantic calls to find out if it had been stolen or what, i found the Council had towed my car.

I have now been informed it's just illegal to have an unregistered car parked out on the road, something i've never heard about nor seen advertised. Also, apparently notices were left on my car which i never saw when i checked it, a letter was sent to my registered address but with the speed i had to move, i never got to change my address through queensland transport in time, and then my car got towed.

Now as i'm just starting to get back on my feet financially, i am told i'm looking at $420 PLUS to get my car released.

I understand the reason's for having to tow cars thought to be dumped, but now it's going to cost me more to get my car back than it was to get it registered, and if my details are available to council through the department of transport, why is a phone call so hard? Surely it's easier than having to post out letters and have someone stop by to leave notes on the car which infact were never there.

I'd like to know how i go about fighting such a bill for a law that i never knew existed until now.

I set down my wife, and picked her up at Elizabeth St, CBD, on Myer side. it took about 15 second for each step. Recently I got a letter saying I that PARKED my car at bus zone, and demanding a payment of $100 fine.

I am prepared to go to the court to dispute. I also prepared to sue the council for a false allegation, if they cannot provide an evidence, that I stopped there for more than 2 minutes.

Loading zones, they have 'passengers 2 mins max'.

Extract from QLD Road Rules:

183 Stopping in a bus zone
(1) A driver must not stop in a bus zone, unless the driver is driving a bus (except a bus of a kind that is not permitted to stop in the bus zone by information on or with the bus zone sign applying to the bus zone).

Maximum penalty—20 penalty units.

(2) A bus zone is a length of a road to which a bus zone sign applies.

I also have just received a notice "Contrary to official traffic sign bus zone" and fined $150.

This is an absolute joke.

If u receive a parking fine, its placed on your windscreen whilst you have commited the fellany.

If you are caught speeding you receive a ticket from an officer, if it is via speed camera you receive photograpic proof of your alleged offence.

This is just "as your vehicle has been observed committng an alleged parking infringement"

I have no knowledge of committing such an infringement but am aware that i was in the area at the time. The Council site highlightseach sign and what they mean, but doesn't not list this particular sign.

If i was near this area it could not have been for more than 25seconds as i picked up my wife.

Has anyone had responses and success yet through writing to the council? This has to stop

I just received a $200 fine from BCC for Contrary to official traffic sign clearway between times for when my husband picked me up from a loading zone on Elizabeth St just in front of the bus zone. I am surprised there was even enough time for the council guy to take a photo.

Does anyone know if there are clearway signs there anywhere? I have never seen them before. It seems that if he stopped a few meters back in the bus zone we wouldn't be up for as much on the fine.

Has anyone successfully fought one of these fines?

Hey guys if you are sick of parking inspectors, use http://www.parkinginspector.com at work. You place a marker in a map and everyone in the office and surrounding area is sent an email. It’s saved me tickets.

I recently recieved a parking ticket for parking on a street that had no signs stating the terms of the parking, the $75 ticket states Torum act 1995/bne laws:
Offence: Park in official traffic area longer then permitted - CTA
I Dont understand the longer then permitted part there was no signs stating what is permitted.
If any of these fines can be beaten it will be found in this link Its the full TORUM Act

http://www.legislation.qld.gov.au/LEGISLTN/CURRENT/T/TrantOpRUA95.pdf

page 275 onwards, I have enough from this to challenge my ticket I encourage you all to read this and fight yours as well.

I was booked $100.00 for parking in Lambert st Kangaroo Valley I couldnt find one no parking sign anywhere, what should I do, it was my first day of a new job.

i was droping my elderly mother in fortitude valley for an appointment, after trying to find a park for 20 min i came across a car park with 30+free spaces. Knowing i would only be 10min escorting my mum to her appointment i thought it would be ok.. I was totally wrong.after returing to the car i noticed it was gone so i asked someone if they had seen my car..could have been towed he said, try calling this number. So i did and it had been towed. I had to collect the car from acacia ridge. After a $60 cab ride i was shocked to find out i had to pay $400 to release my car..i know now what i did was wrong but this is just revenue raising at its worst. Especially there was no signage stating that you couldnt park there. Ah well lesson learnt.just be carefull where you park, i know its expensive but has to be better than $400..

SECURE PARKING Brunswick Street, Fortitude Valley - they scraped the early bird roof top park which was $7.60 and the raised the flat rate from $10 - $11...I can't park there now cause it isn't affordable. at a normal going rate it is also ridiculous to park there, expect to pay $20 for an hour....which I found out after getting a haircut one weekend...avoid them!

Most, if not all carparks have allocated spaces for disabled customers. As for on street parking I dont think there are any - nor is there such a requirement.

On Sunday morning I parked in the road side parking in Eagle Street to go into the markets. At the top end of the parking area and the bottom end it is a Taxi Zone from 7pm to 7am Monday to Saturday.

My car and the car behind me received a parking fine. The cars at the top end in the Taxi zone received no fines.

I do not know what the rules are here. There were no restrictions regarding Sunday parking. Cars are always parked along this area on Sunday mornings.

Can you tell me what the rules are here? I have a $100 dollar fine. The car in front of me did not and they were in the same zone as my car.

A lot of people here are complaining about getting fined for simply stopping (and not parking) in a bus zone. Think about it - it's a BUS ZONE.

For all those people complaining about Elizabeth St in the city, why not simply park on the other side of the road where it's legal to stop?!? Don't be lazy and then blame the council when you get fined for something you shouldn't be doing in the first place.

Stop being cowardly and take responsibility for your own actions.

I am suprised at the comments from people who believe this type of action is reasonable. If you look on the BCC website they are unable to tell you where the pick-up and drop off zones are, and it appears that there are insufficient places for this to happen. It is a fact of modern life that at some point we will all need to do this if we drive a car.

I agree that when you park your car and leave it for 2 hrs, blocking the road you should expect to get a ticket, but most people would have stopped longer in a traffic jam on these roads, than when they did to drop off or pick up people ... does this mean that they should have got a ticket then!

I think some common sense should come into play here. If the council does not provide sufficient affordable parking/pickup and drop off zones or public transport, then please help me understand how fining us to bankruptcy will help the situation.

My 19yo daughter has been driving for only a few months. She is a very careful and considerate driver, still a little overwhelmed by the speed and volume of traffic around her. She is very respectful of authority, whether parent, teacher or police. In fact, she is quite paranoid about 'doing the right thing' and I am very proud of her.

Yesterday however, she drove into Brisbane CBD to meet a friend. He was on foot and she agreed to pick him up. She tried to determine if it was OK to stop (for a few seconds) but found the myriad of complicated signs confusing. She figured that it was probably OK, especially as there were already cars along that particular kerb.

As she waited for her friend to run to her, a man tapped on her window and asked why she was parked there. Not understanding who he was or why he was asking, she replied that she wasn't parked, just picking up her friend. As her friend climbed into the car, the man - who was clearly a parking attendant - gave her a parking ticket for stopping in a clearway.

My daughter is a hard-working student who also holds down two part-time jobs. She is extremely distressed, not just by the $200 fine (what?) but because she has 'broken the law'. She will, however, struggle to find the funds. I truly cannot understand how the simple mistake of a few seconds such as this merits such a large penalty!

When I contrast my daughter's experience with my own, when I was a new driver in 1973, I am saddened and disheartened. We see in the media every day, tales of crime and violence on the streets, and police officers being shown disrespect by the young. To be honest, I feel that 'the old way', i.e. a short lesson on where not to park and a ticking off (she was, after all, sitting in the car with the engine running) would have both cleared the road AND maintained my daughter's fragile belief in the fairness of the law. To fine her so highly for such a trivial and unintentioned misdemenour can only serve to add one more person to the swelling ranks of young people who distrust the law and authority. Whereas I, when a new driver, was let off with a stern reprimand a couple of times and so retained my respect of and support for the law, my daughter's first experience has been handled very, very badly and goes some way toward expleining why there is such a disconnect between the people and authority these days.

Presumably, she is a victim of our governments' fondness for parking revenue taking precedence over good relations with their citizens. Shame.

Hi

I rarely drive into the my workplace at Spring Hill but I did today. Outside my workplace all the parking bays had gone. So I parked my car and I still bought a full day ticket.

I then got a ticket stating that I had parked for too long. Although there are no signs to say there are 2 hour limits.

What I dont understand is why I am not given a warning ticket with an explanation and maybe a charge of $25.oo's or something not a $75.00 fine even though I paid $8.00 for the whole day. If I had known I would have parked 5 minutes down the road for $10.oo's.

Maybe City Council can explain why they dont have an interim, you can check how many tickets people have had. Or put signs up.

Rebecca

I can't see how tow truck drivers are allowed to make the decision to tow your vehicle so quickly without a City Council Officer or Police Officer present. I'm sure most of them are not 'the sharpest tool in the shed'. I wonder how much they get per car they tow?

Hmmm... Actually seems like a good idea for a new business. Start a towing and car impounding business. Get in good with some local shopping centre and TOW AWAY !! and charge $400 per car you impound.

We parked in Market St, (just off Eagle St last night to go for dinner) when we went to collect our car this morning there was (2) parking tickets for 2 x $100, is legal? can you get (2) fines for the same offence? this is rediculious, and since when has Market St been a taxi zone? there's never taxi's there the sign says Pay & Display Mon - Fri 7am - 7pm ...

hi,

does anyone know if there is a limit of how many cars you can have at a residential propertly. My neighbour has 3 trucks (used for their work) and 3 4WDs. Its so anoying, i can never park out the front of my house as they are always parked there!!!!

I have just moved to Brisbane and discovered that I lived in a special parking area called Lang Park thanks to the 75 dollar-fine on my car parking in front of my house (for more than 2 hours...)

The price of these fines are a shame. It took me 10 minutes of internet research to find a map of that area. No signs anywhere, no information shared by the real estate. Shame, shame, shame...

I copped a $75 fine tonight for parking in the Lang Park Traffic Area. I don't follow sport so have no idea when a game is on. I have regular business in the area. I took care to park in an area free of signs and walked a long way back to the business. My disdain for BCC and also for sporting events has increased yet again.

I, like many others on this thread got stung at Central Brunswick last night copping the $400 towing fee. I too, have used the upper carpark on the Left side of the complex for years and years without incident. When I went into the car park I looked for a "no parking" sign infront of the parking bay - of which there was none, in fact the business was closed due to a reno and it was outside of business hours so it certaintly was not being used.

My mistake was meeting my friend at Glass then popping back accross the road to Grill'd for dinner.

I found the sign - it points inwards so you can't see it when you drive in, nestled into a hedge.

Look for a massive, metallic beige ute with a black tray cover. I have seen this car before with a guy hanging around it. Actually I saw this guy last time I parked there but must have made a lucky escape?

Central Brunswick center management can go make all the dodgy business collaborations they want. I'm never going back there to spend my money at any of the businesses.

Folks, be aware that a number of private car parks are monitored by private security officers and WILL tow your vehicle if parked there unauthorised. This means LOOK FOR THE SIGNS. $400 and a taxi fare is what it would normally cost. Is it worth that just because you didn't take the time to find and read the signage.

They wont take ignorance, or any other excuse into consideration.

Why does this site not contain a map or information on loading zones that we can use to drop off or pick up passengers? Due to the high cost of both public transport and parking I have decided to drop my partner to work in the city each day to save costs... In the short amount of time i have been doing this i have been sent three separate fines for $100 for "parking in a bus zone". Two of these i have successfully disputed as these were completely false allegations.
I would never intentionally block a bus way but what does the council suggest we do? We are heavily punished for stopping almost anywhere in the city ($100 for 5 seconds!?!?), but we are not provided with enough AFFORDABLE parking or loading zones, or given the information or maps of where to find them. I'm really disappointed that a council that takes every opportunity to tout their service to the public, are not capable of managing such a basic issue. But hey, if i had a taxpayer funded parking space in the CBD i wouldn't care either...

I used to visit the city and retail shops at least three times a week. I no longer do this directly BECAUSE of the expensive parking. It's lucky if I visit the city three times a year now, total loss of revenue for this area..I'm not the only one!

Is there a web site that tells me where I fill find parking restriction zones specific to the street? The Brisbane City Council web site states suburbs, does that mean the entire suburb has restrictions? If I am new to the area particularly inner city suburbs how does one see these signs as well as concentrate on what lane they are in, observing where to go, avoiding road work whilst attempting to obey the current road rules - which seem to be "every man for himself". Is there a web site where I can specifically check if the street I think I can legally park in is a "restricted area"???
Sadly I am now out of pocket because I thought I had parked legally in a side street and walked happily to the place I needed to be at only to discover I had "overstayed" my welcome.

Hi guys,

I am a Journalism student at UQ and am considering writing an article on parking in Brisbane. This was inspired by an unexplained parking fine for $75. I'm a poor uni student, I can't afford that! After reading many similar (and much, much worse!) stories, I believe this is a public concern which requires attention.

I drive from the city out toward the airport along Kingsford Smith Drive and have noticed for at least the past four days that there are four Budget trucks and one Budget car parked in ALL of the free parking spaces provided at the Hamilton Ferry Terminal. I understand this is free parking but have some difficulty in justifying the use of all this space 24hrs a day as a free bilboard advert for a rental company and if that is not the case they shouldn't use it as an overflow area because their yard is full either. I don't use the parking area myself but it does irritate me when I find a business using the space without any consideration for the wider community. I don't think I'll use budget again!

PAY AND DISPLAY - Time of day for these meters , especially the new ones can be more than an hour slow ! . ALWAYS CHECK , dont expect the traffic warden to check. YOU will be expected to do their job for them and report this (and hopefully cancel the fine) . Use another pay and meter if nearby if avialable.I have video proof of these facts.

To the Journalism student thinking about writing about some of the problems – it might be worthwhile noting the following from the BCC website.
http://www.brisbane.qld.gov.au/traffic-transport/parking/frequently-aske...
“Where can I drop off and pick up passengers in the city?
.... A map that shows the location of city drop off zones is currently unavailable. This is because of the number of temporary changes from major road projects.”
Given the ongoing development of Brisbane City, it is likely to permanently have “temporary changes from major road projects”. This is no excuse not to put up maps showing the current locations of drop off zones. Presumably, the BCC must have such a map itself otherwise it couldn’t plan. One of the points of the Internet is that you can instantly and easily update information without incurring printing costs. The failure to do so with such an important piece of information is inexcusable.

I do not heart BNE, rather annoyed at BCC because of a parking fine which was issued.. I have just moved to brisbane from Rockhampton, and stopped to ask for directions when a BCC officer told me i could not park in a no standing zone, with that i would have been on my way. He proceeded to fine me, though i was going to immediately move my car.

Sorry i caused such a fus I said, appologised and moved my car, to find a fine turn up in the mail. SHould have stoped, found my directions, as either way i would inccur the fine.

It's all very easy for these people to condescendingly tell us to "read the rules", but what if a majority of people disagree with these rules?

We've developed from a convict colony and I understand that there are still remnants of the typical sycophantic butt-kissing head-con who wants to tell us how important the rules are; or maybe you guys are just our beloved "hall-monitor" employees of BCC giving us another what-for?

If governments treat their citizens as criminals; their citizens will then act as criminals; very basic, but very true criminological theory.

Any fine over $50 for a parking infringement is excessive.

Giving a fine to someone where a council worker is parked in that very same illegal spot...how can you argue that that is NOT revenue raising? And futhermore, how can you argue that taking photos is not HARASSMENT!!!

The people of Brisbane need to speak up, we will NOT be bullied, we will not pay for the Mayor's poor spending.

You can go to court and some simpleton can tell you that you are making a frivolous claim and maybe you "broke the rules", but how else are we going to get a say and exercise our rights? It's either that, or pay your fine, and let the bully cycle continue.

Hi All, The cost of parking space is clearly becoming a joke, it's also getting harder to find.
The best way to avoid these exorbitant prices is by renting space from private owners of parking space. Websites like http://www.parkingaustralia.com.au/ are great place to start looking. All the best with this ongoing battle

Guys - try using this new service - www.carparking.info - it will find you the cheapest parking!!

I was on holidays in Brisbane a few months ago, and stayed with relatives in Warner. I made one trip into town to take a watch into Brisbane Vintage Watches for repair (BTW fantastic shop!) in Adelaide St and now many months later I have received a Traffic Infringement Notice for $150. Like so many before me, my husband pulled over (but it was in the driveway just before Brisbane Arcade), I got out, and he continued on - the whole process over in about 5 seconds. The same for the pickup. And no cars or buses in sight, so not impeding anyone. Getting a fine for that would be bad enough, as it was a driveway, not the busstop. However, the council states that the offence took place at 2.38pm, when I was in town at 10am and didn't return again after that. I sent the council a letter disputing the notice on the grounds that I wasn't in Adelaide St at the time they claim the offence occurred, and not unexpectedly they have refused to budge. They probably have a picture of the car, but the details on the ticket are incorrect. I have witnesses who will sign a stat dec that I was with them at Warner at 2.38pm. I also asked the council to communicate via email, as I have since returned to China and the mail can take a while, and in keeping with their policy of ignoring everything else in my letter, they sent me a letter telling me to pay up by a date that had already passed by the time I got the letter! Seeking legal help will clearly cost more than the ticket, but it is obscene to have to pay a fine for something just because it will cost more to fight it! I have no idea how to take this further, suggestions anyone?

In my opinion a $400 parking ticket shows how low and depraved Australia has become. For honest hard working people to be slugged $400 in a poorly signed area by an illiterate foreign thug is akin to a terrorist act. I fought for this country, but I am now sickened by what it has become.
By all means fine people for doing the wrong thing, but lets make it reasonable and fair, and make sure that the signage is clear and legible, I suppose that is too much to ask.

Just received a $150.00 on "Contrary to offical traffic sign bus zone other times" in location at Elizabeth Street. The notice claim it was happened on 7NOV10, 2 months ago from today 9JAN11. Here is my question:
1. Why would an infringement notice came 2 months after? How could we remember something happen 2 months before?
2. Why would BCC personel come and tell you break the law at the scene?
3. If they claim the incident happen within 5 seconds and it is too little time to come up for warning why wouldnt they attach a proof picture along with the notice like we receive our fine if we pass the red light?
4. No where quote how much it does cost on this law? I have been searching both transport and brisbane city council website, there is no information to tell how much the fine is.
5. BCC website does not outline how the procedure will go through once you would like to dispute.

King.....

Hi Guys, The issues associated with car parking in our major CBD areas is fast becomming a nightmare. I have found that there are some great alternatives out there. as an example http://www.parkingaustralia.com.au/ has some good information on parking in most of the major capital cities as well as information on alternatives to this issue.
Best of Luck!

i recently got ticket for parking on Garrick Tce on a Sunday while visiting my wife @ royal Brisbane hospital my only mistake was not noticing on one side of telephone post is 2hr mon-fri the other side was 2hr every day, my car was half and half , coming from town where the is no! parking regulations i think this is very unfair would not recommend Brisbane for holiday stay away

hi. I'm travelling to ann street on monday i need to know if there is any free parking sights as i don't have the money to pay for it, please if you could help out that would be greatly appreciated.

What is the BCC doing to our children, post floods and with car parks closed at St Lucia campus of the University of Queensland my daughter could not find a car park, she parked illegally at the boat club, she returned to collect her car after her last lecture at 9pm to find no car. She was being harrassed and threatened by two youths when I arrived at 10pm. It seems to me that BCC have gone into business with the scum of the earth to increase revenue, (Tow Truck operators) when people are confused and unsure of changes in their environment and are more prone to poor decision making, are BCC generating a new category of flood victim here. The tow firm was unavailable for her to collect her vehicle until the next day and only for a few hours during office hours " we do have to run a buisiness" was the response of the tow firm. Up to $400, funny how it was the maximum $400, I wander if anyone has had to pay an amount less than the maximum. Shame on you BCC

Has anyone actually taken BCC to court and had a result? We all have similar stories but has anyone been able to do anything about it?

If someone tried to steal $75 from my wallet I’d fight them for it. How is someone putting a $75 fine on my car for being parked down a street with absolutely no signage any different?

Please can someone post if they took any of these matters to court.

I have taken parking and speeding fines to court in the past 15 years with mixed results. On the whole though, I'm ahead of where I would be if I had just lain down and taken it! And I've included paying myself $200/day for lost time too.
I urge every one of you on this forum and anyone you know to FIGHT this! Fact, there are more than a million traffic related tickets issued every year in Qld alone. So if just 5% of people had the balls to fight, even if you think you have little chance, the system would collapse and authorities would be forced to think about what to do next eg. train people to drive properly; learn how to create effective signage; stop giving their deputies - traffic wardens, police, council workers - fine quotas.
Australia, we live in the lucky country - even when you hear these things, you can't disagree - however that makes us apathetic. You can change that by simply filling in the back of your ticket with "I want my day in court to put my case" and then doing some research on how you can outsmart the system. After all the guy who gave you the ticket wasn't playing his hand in the open was he? Taking photos from behind a window etc...?
And to Troy, Dan, Roger and Mary et al - next you can go dob in some poor wretch, who escaped from his hell-hole country in a leaky boat, to immigration. Call yourselves Australian...?
FIGHT PEOPLE or what's next?

Hi Mary,

Thank you for your input, I have read the section on clearways in the TORUM regulations as you have suggested.. it states

"176 Stopping on a clearway
(1) A driver must not stop on a length of road, other than a
road-related area, to which a clearway sign applies, unless the
driver is—
(a) driving a bus or taxi; and
(b) dropping off, or picking up, passengers.
Maximum penalty—20 penalty units."

so if someone is dropping off passangers, as many of the drivers on this forum have stated, it is NOT an offense to do so. What i take issue with is the fact that the council are fining people for offenses thatb they have not actually committed in the blind hope that they just cough up their hard earned $200.

Let me guess, $400 an hour?