Parking

[onetwothreefour]

I was dropping junior to an after school class. Since we got there 5 min early, we waited in the car. I parked the car on the street outside the building, on a car space which had a meter parking machine. Then a ranger came and told me to pay for parking there. I told him, I was not parking since I was just dropping someone of and I stayed in the car. So he said he would give me a fine ticket for not paying and he did. I am furious as I thought I did not do anything wrong. It was after 5pm and there were lots of empty car park.

So I wonder what is the definition of parking? He said I must pay for parking since I was occupying an allocated space.

I thought if the driver stays in the car on public property on parking space, then the driver is not obligated to pay.

 

[buzzps]

I certainly understand your frustration (and as a former casual parking officer years ago - did i really confess that!) I can understand the inspectors job.
I would bet anyday (and in any area) that what you were doing (in legalese) was parking....personally if I were him I would have been more understanding ie.
given you a chance to move on after explaining your job etc. But sadly, everyones not a nice guy like me!

 

[perthguy]

Have to check the road rules in your state.

 

[Demoivre]

Have to check the road rules in your state.

Agree. WA represent

 

[bashworth]

Legal definition
Parking is when you stop and allow your vehicle to stay in one place, whether or not you leave the vehicle unattended.

 

[redwing]

If it's an automatic, were you in P or D

 

[The Y-man]

Might have to keep the vehicle rocking back and forth saying you are sitll "trying to park it"

The Y-man

 

[Ed Barton]

I was dropping junior to an after school class. Since we got there 5 min early, we waited in the car. I parked the car on the street outside the building, on a car space which had a meter parking machine.

So you admit that you were parked? It doesn't take 5 mins to drop someone off.

Then a ranger came and told me to pay for parking there. I told him, I was not parking since I was just dropping someone of and I stayed in the car.

It seems like you showed no intent of dropping someone off - you were parked while you waited to drop someone off. Would you still claim that you're innocent if you'd occupied the space for an hour but not left the car. Did junior get out of the car? Was the car running?

So he said he would give me a fine ticket for not paying and he did. I am furious as I thought I did not do anything wrong. It was after 5pm and there were lots of empty car park.

Was it still metered parking after 5? If so, what does 5pm have to do with anything? What has lots of empty car parks got to do with anything? Would you have parked in a disabled spot just because it was empty?

Were you furious with the ranger? If so, that could explain his hard line.

So I wonder what is the definition of parking? He said I must pay for parking since I was occupying an allocated space.

Take it to the high court and find out. Call the council and plead your case, they might cancel the fine (but I doubt it).

I thought if the driver stays in the car on public property on parking space, then the driver is not obligated to pay.

Apparently not. What if you'd stayed in the car for hours - would you still think that wasn't parking?

 

[Ed Barton]

Legal definition
Parking is when you stop and allow your vehicle to stay in one place, whether or not you leave the vehicle unattended.

I'm lucky there's no parking restrictions at traffic lights then.

 

[DaveM]

What did the street signs/lane markings say?

If you were there 5 mins, you were parked not standing

 

[Corey Batt]

Sounds like a nice guy for giving you the option to note pay a fine, as opposed to issuing one immediately.

 

[Jaggannath]

Legal definition
Parking is when you stop and allow your vehicle to stay in one place, whether or not you leave the vehicle unattended.

Doesn't sound like a legal definition. For instance, standing (vice parking) is allowing your vehicle to stay in one place, and yet in a No Standing zone you'll only get pinged if the car is *note, not a definition but my understanding* switched off/unattended.

 

[Perp]

The definitions to the National Road Rules define park as: "park, in Part 12 and for a driver, includes stop and allow the driver's vehicle to stay (whether or not the driver leaves the vehicle)."

So while the vehicle has stopped and is sitting in a fixed position, it's parked; bashworth wrote a plain language explanation of precisely what the rule says.

You were parked, onetwothreefour. There is no rule that you don't have to pay if you stay with the car.

 

[Perp]

Doesn't sound like a legal definition. For instance, standing (vice parking) is allowing your vehicle to stay in one place, and yet in a No Standing zone you'll only get pinged if the car is *note, not a definition but my understanding* switched off/unattended.

No Standing - no such exception that I can see.

No Parking - Rule 168 gives you 2 minutes provided you leave as soon as your task is complete and stay within 3m of the vehicle. (Technicalities: or the length of time specified if there is one - though I couldn't find an example where a length of time is specified, anyway - or twice as long as either 2 minutes or the specified time for people with a disabled parking permit.)