Unfiltered Story #201659

In Australia, local council rangers are generally the people who issue parking fines for street parking. I worked for one of the most affluent suburbs council, who’s rangers were the authority for issuing parking fines.

The main drag had a free parking, but a maximum of half an hour. Being a very popular area, this was fairly strictly enforced. The fine for exceeding the maximum allowed time was $50.

We had one lady who was quite known to the council for being nasty to us. She parked her $120,000 Range Rover on the main drag, in said half hour zone. She exceeded the allowed half hour and was issued a parking fine by a senior ranger. The council offices were just down the road.

She came into the council office, ticket in hand, demanding to see the senior ranger. The senior ranger agreed to see her.

Lady: (being super nasty to the senior ranger) What is this s***? I was NOT parked here for more than half an hour. You are just revenue raising. This council is corrupt. You are simply picking on me because I’m rich. I bet you get a cut of this fine or something.

Senior ranger: When you park there for more than half an hour, or anyone else for that matter. we issue you an infringement notice. Simple

The lady continues on a rant, whilst the senior ranger just stands there, taking it all in her stride.

Senior ranger: Look, you were parked there for more than half an hour, thats why you were fined. You have a few options. Pay the $50, elect to take this matter to court, or supply the council with a statutory deceleration outlining how you were not there for more than half an hour, or whatever the case is.

(In Australia, A statutory deceleration is a legal document that you have notarized, swearing that the facts you are saying is true. It’s a criminal offense to provide a statutory deceleration with material that is false)

Lady: This is bull. I am going to submit a statutory deceleration. You’re all corrupt.

The lady indeeds properly submits a statutory deceleration, swearing that she was not there for more than half an hour. We accept the statutory deceleration, and withdraw the fine.

The council reviews the matter. The lady parked directly in front of one of the council’s CCTV cameras. So the council her to court on the charge of lying on a statutory deceleration. What I was told is that the council simply went to court, pressed play, showed the judge the time stamp of when she parked, played the video until she left, and pointed out the difference in the timestamps being 46 minutes.

As the statutory deceleration was proven to be false. not only was the $50 fine reinstated, she now has a criminal record.