Woman fined for ‘five-minute’ stop at Caves Beach, Newcastle
A motorist has vented her anger after being fined $136 for a “five-minute stop” before the real reason was revealed.
Amy Sloane shared a photo of the ticket she bought at The Esplanade on Caves Beach in Newcastle on July 6 after she wanted to ‘check out the surf’.
She had no idea she had been fined until she received the fine in the mail a few weeks later.
“Rangers can’t fine people who don’t clean up after their dog on the beach, but they can fine you without you knowing, just for looking at the waves for five minutes,” she said.
“How about a warning, you cowards!”
The post on a community Facebook page sparked divided reactions from locals.
Several people were not very understanding and asked Ms Sloane to discuss the matter with the council instead of complaining online.
“Aren’t the warnings on signs?” someone wrote.
Newcastle resident Amy Sloane was left furious after a parking attendant fined her $136 (pictured) for a ‘five-minute’ detention
Another added: ‘So you parked wrongly, but you complained when you got a parking ticket.’
Others said it was common for locals to stop on the beach to watch the waves, or even go whale watching during migration season.
Some felt that Ms Sloane should be grateful that she did not receive penalty points for the parking violation.
Lake Macquarie City Council has since stated that Ms Sloane’s brief stop was not the reason for the fine.
Instead, the council pointed out that her car was parked in the opposite direction of traffic, which is illegal in all Australian states and territories.
Lake Macquarie City Council explained that Ms Sloane’s fine was a result of her car being parked in the opposite direction of traffic (pictured: The Esplanade at Caves Beach)
“The fine we received was for not parallel parking in the direction of travel, which is an Australian Road Traffic Act offence,” a council spokesperson said. Yahoo News.
‘The driver’s vehicle crossed double white lines and was parked near a bend, facing oncoming traffic, further increasing the safety risk.
‘Lake Macquarie City Council enforces parking regulations to ensure the safety of all road users.’