But in my youthful years, I did receive some parking tickets. The first was at the Alfred Hospital where I had taken a friend for emergency treatment. She paid the fine. The second time was in the city. I would not now dream of driving into the city, but I did when I was young. Quiet laneway, I parked a too far forward when there wasn't really a space and I received a ticket.
The last time was at a bank in Balaclava and by this time I was 21 years old. I parked illegally because I was only going to be a minute, and I was about two minutes.
As is said perhaps in England, Fair cop Gov. I deserved to be caught.
No more Missy, and ever since, I have pretty well always parked legally.
But it struck me watching tv tonight that people in New South Wales call their parking officers something different.
Here police can book you for illegal parking, but they would never bother checking on overstayers. Normally it would be a parking officer, a council officer, parking inspector or bylaws officer who would book you. All the same person, just referred to with different names.
So what is the person who could book you for overstaying in a parking space in your part of the country or the world? If you have recently received a parking infringement ticket, you may be tempted to use a bad name for them, but I want the proper name.
I was intrigued by your title. Good job on grabbing my interest.
ReplyDeleteOne thing I do avoid is illegal parking, having no doubts I'd be caught and ticketed.
Sandra, it is not worth the little bit of effort it can take to park correctly.
DeleteARRGGGH. Brings back a memory of Christmas Eve aeons ago. A cold drizzle was threatening to cover everything with an icy glaze. We had to make sure my octogenarian and rickety mother made it safely into the church, high heels (yep, she didn't give them up until she was 90)
ReplyDeleteand all. So we parked in the "handicapped" space nearest the church. After the service, we found a policeman writing a ticket. (We didn't have the proper "handicapped" tag to hang on the rearview mirror.) We tried to explain while propping up my tottery mother. The policeman didn't care and gave us a ticket.
Forsythia, that sounds very unfair but I don't blame the person too much for doing what they are supposed to do. I would have appealed the ticket later, with a mea culpa but for a very good reason.
DeleteThey are Parking Officers here. And viewed in a poor light.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your luck and good management.
EC, they are always viewed in a poor light everywhere. It is rare that I can catch the eye of them, but I usually smile when I can. They do a very important job.
DeleteHere it is the Rangers, and besides fines they also collect lost dogs and fine tourists illegally camping. ;)
ReplyDeleteSnoskred, that may have been the word I heard on tv last night. Yes, they enforce council bylaws.
DeleteI am a Clean Operator. No tickets of any kind, and I live in fear of getting one. Could be due to the fact that Dad was a summer Police Officer and he instilled this fear in me!
ReplyDeleteMom was a Crossing Guard/Parking Meter Officer, and so it was a double whammy.
In my misspent youth, I am sure I did drive after one too many, but the only time I really felt bad diving, I pulled over and got a hotel room.
No, I am afraid I am surprisingly dull.
Maribeth, a clean record means you are good, not dull. Ah, so Parking Meter Officer, well back then at least.
DeleteThe overstayers don't bother me at all. The ones who are really irritating are physically fit young things who park in the reserved spot for handicapped drivers gggrrrr
ReplyDeleteHels, but they will only be a minute! There are some good videos from the US where they are publically shamed on camera, as well as being booked.
DeleteI can do better I never had a infringement at all but I don't drive and don't own a car so that explains it.
ReplyDeleteMerle.............
Merle, I bet you jaywalk often. Look out. They will get you eventually.
DeleteIn my many years of driving I've received three speeding tickets (the third one only a couple of months ago)!!
ReplyDeleteI've only every received two parking tickets...one in Launceston in 1987. First time (last and only time) I'd visited Launceston. I drove up from Hobart to spend a few hours visiting travel agents...and was unfamiliar with the town. It was went I was managing the then resort on Hinchinbrook Island.
Lee, it was a much less restrictive time and I don't think we were as careful about parking. Now we know we can't take the risk.
DeleteBecause I don't drink I wouldn't get caught for that, but I must confess I've had 2 speeding fines in the last 11 years!
ReplyDeleteOne close to home where there is a school and on the way to work I was 7kms over the 40km limit, and the other on the freeway I was 110km and top speed is 100km! I'm a lot more careful now as fines are expensive.
Sami, I think here if you are 20 km/h over the school limit, it is loss of license. They can be hard at times, but sat nav is helpful now. My niece was caught speeding in a school zone and when she was pulled up, the policeman asked what job she did. Schoolteacher!
DeleteIt's been ages since I got any traffic ticket, but I have never lost my driving privledge.
ReplyDeleteCoffee is on
Dora, we do drive more sensibly as we get older, and that is a good thing as our skills reduce.
DeleteI've had a few speeding tickets here. Strange, but they've all been around Christmas time, when the Gendarmes are fund-raising for their annual booze-up.
ReplyDeleteCro, do you pay a discounted fine in cash to the gendarmes? You might be ok this year, with country cop reinforcements being called to Paris.
DeleteHave no idea what they are called Andrew.
ReplyDeleteNever been booked or pulled up by the Police for anything.
Margaret, good to hear you are one of the few with a perfect record.
DeleteJust as well you said you haven't been pulled up, or I might suggest you used the daughter of a policeman line.
DeleteI have no idea who would do the booking, I assume a council-hired ticket officer. They used to wear brown uniforms and be easily recognised as they went around marking tyres with chalk so they'd know if that same car was still there on the next round.
ReplyDeleteRiver, Brown Bombers? While chalking still happens, some enforcement is very high tech now and you can't cheat at all.
DeleteTicket inspector I think but wouldn't swear to it! I went through a bad period where I got speeding tickets on a regular basis when my mum was still with us and I was rushing to get her to doctor appointments on time. But made up my mind years ago that not one more of my dollars would go to fines. I absolutely believe though that if you do the crime you pay the fine!
ReplyDeleteGrace, I have people who change their driving ways as you describe are very successful at it, which shows I suppose that it is not that hard.
DeleteWe used to call them meter maids. I don't know what the current politically correct term here is. Parking enforcer I suppose. Police don't get involved in such trivial matters.
ReplyDeleteStrayer, you know what meter maids used to do here, well in Queensland? They were scantily clad and would feed meters with coins for you.
DeleteThat is so much better than giving out tickets!
Delete