Woman fined after paid car park gets set up around her parked vehicle
Josephine Williams had been leaving her car in a gravel clearing at Westgate in Auckland, alongside other commuters to catch the bus into the city for months.
The New Zealand woman was left with a "nasty surprise" when she returned from work on Monday to find a NZ $85 ($77) fine sitting on her windshield.
"To my unfortunate surprise - and many others - I was greeted by an $85 parking ticket for a breach and a flyer from Wilson Parking saying paid parking had started that day," Williams told Stuff.
"But what breach exactly was made? How was I supposed to know paid parking started that day when there was nothing at all displayed anywhere in the car park?"
Williams claimed that the Wilson Parking car park had been set up around her already parked car, even providing dash cam footage that showed her pulling into the gravel clearing at 7.45am, with no paid parking signs or Wilson branding in sight.
By 6pm, a large red and white Wilson sign had been put up at the entrance, with "12 hours for $4" written on it.
"Wilson deliberately put their sign up sometime after 9am and then took it upon themselves to fine every single car that was already parked there from the morning," Williams said.
"$85 is a lot of money - it would have been two weeks' worth of grocery shopping for me," she added.
"I'm lucky that I know the law and my rights, but some other people might not. What about students or the elderly or people who don't know English well?"
She estimated that there was usually around 50 and 100 cars in the gravel clearing.
Wilson argued that the carpark was always there and they had just added more signage, but have since waived Williams' fine after she lodged a request to have it reviewed by Parking Enforcement Services.
Wilson Parking also said that they had started to set up the car park and installed a "clear signage" on April 22.
"It was not set up around parked cars on 29 April as suggested," a Wilson spokesperson said.
"Several payments were made by customers via the Parkmate app from 22 April proving that signage on the site was clear and effective," they said.
They added that on April 29 more signs were added to all entry points of the car park.
"In acknowledgment of the increased signage added on the 29th at the entry we've made the decision to refund all payments made until 30 April and waive any breach notices issued up to this date."
They also denied issuing any breach notices before the signs were put up.
"Payment options were available and signed from 22 April - but no infringement notices were issued prior to the 29th."
Images: Stuff