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Woman's fake parking fines divides internet

Finding a parking ticket on your windscreen is the last thing you'd want to see after a day out - but last month dozens of drivers were greeted with fake fines made by one woman who wanted to spread "a little kindness". Melbourne woman Karina went viral for her odd marketing tactic, where she put handmade fake fines onto cars, public phones and lamp posts across the city's southeast, in a bid to promote her photography business. The "infringement" note read: "Notice to owners: We saw you pull into this car park and I wanted to tell you that you look absolutely beautiful today, your smile could light up a whole room... "Just to make your day a little more special than you already are, I want to give you $30 towards my beach prints from my travels." When asked why she did it, Karina told Yahoo News: "I decided to do it to make people's day by spreading a little kindness. It was a reminder that life is too short." "They're going to think it's a fine but little do they know that it's actually some money towards a print for our store." While there were a few that praised her "hustle" mentality, saying that they "love this idea" and thought it was "cute", others were less pleased. "No this would make me have a panic attack," one wrote. "I thought this was wholesome until I realised ya'll are just trying to sell stuff," another added. Images: TikTok

Money & Banking

Ranger's confrontation with mum sparks debate

An altercation between a woman and a parking inspector in Sydney's Double Bay has sparked debate online. Video footage of the confrontation was shared on <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/parking-ranger-altercation-mum-ritzy-000020905.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">social media</a>, and the pair can be seen arguing over a parking ticket the woman received on Cross St, where two-hour parking rules apply. The woman claimed that she'd "just parked" her car and was paying for a ticket when the inspector arrived to fine her. She started recording him as he was "rude and abrupt", with the video showing him writing up the fine and telling her that he will be adding a complaint to his notes. "You're harassing me, I'll call the police," the ranger said to the woman, as she films him up close. As he turns abruptly pointing a finger toward her, and telling her to leave he appears to hit the phone, and the woman accuses him of assault. "You physically assaulted me. Wow. It's all on camera," she said to the ranger. She also claimed that the ranger "pushed her away", and said that it was "terrifying". The video posted online attracted mixed responses from locals, with some arguing that "there's more to the story" as the video didn't capture what happened before she started filming. However, a few others called the ranger out for his "shocking" behaviour. "The ranger has no right to assault anyone. And if it was when they were on the job, it’s a sackable offence, if not criminal," one said. Another argued that the woman was also in the wrong for being "up in his face" as the ranger was "just doing his job". "You can tell he didn't mean to knock the camera, and that she was up in his face," another added. A spokesperson for Woollahra Council confirmed they were aware of the incident and "regrets any distress experienced during the issuing of a fine due to an illegally parked vehicle." "We understand no one likes receiving a fine, but [we] ask members of the public to refrain from taking out their frustration on Council staff, either verbally or physically," they told Yahoo News. Images: Facebook/ Yahoo

Travel Trouble

Teen slapped with massive fine over "unsafe manoeuvre"

A Sydney P-plater has copped a massive fine of $3,568 after he overtook another car unsafely on Campbell Hill Rd at Guildford, west of the CBD, about 8.45pm last Friday. The 18-year-old was fined for crossing a double white line, travelling more than 45kph over the speed limit, and “overtaking when unsafe”, police said. The road itself had a speed limit of 50 kph but the boy was travelling at 115 kph, according to police. Police have suspended the teen's provisional licence for six months and confiscated his plates for three months, but many were unhappy with the penalty. “The court should impose 12-month suspensions. We probably all did some dumb things when on P-plates and after obtaining a full licence, but this is bordering on criminal,” one person wrote online. “Until consequences are increased, these people will not decrease unsafe behaviour,” another wrote. The road where the teen was caught speeding has been known for various other incidences of speeding and dangerous driving. “Cumberland Highway Patrol officers will continue to actively target Campbell Hill Rd for speeding and dangerous driving offences given a recent spate of high-speed detections on this section of road,” police said. Images: 7News

Legal

Little-known road rule that could cost you hundreds

An urgent warning has been issued for Aussie motorists over a little-known road rule that could cost you a $704 fine. While many are aware of the hefty fine that comes with driving an unregistered vehicle, not a lot of people know that in New South Wales it is illegal to park an unregistered car on a road or a road related area for more than 15 days after the vehicle's registration has expired. If you get caught, you could be fined $704 and up to 20 penalty units. Penalties vary between jurisdictions, but motorists can be fined almost as heavily as driving an unregistered car. Another little-known road rule that could land you in big trouble is waving out a car window. According to Budget Direct, both the passenger and driver could face a fine of $337 and a loss of three demerit points if they are caught doing the simple act. "Even winding down the window and stretching your arm outside to cool down could also get you in trouble," Budget Direct said. "According to all state and territories' driving regulations, it is illegal for any part of your body to be outside a moving vehicle at any time." Image: Shutterstock

Legal

"Ruined our trip": Mum shell-shocked by $130k fine

A mother has been slapped with a hefty fine after her children were caught in a seemingly innocent act while on a beach holiday. Charlotte Russ took her five kids on a trip to Pismo Beach in California, where her children started enthusiastically collecting what they thought were ordinary seashells. "My kids they thought they were collecting seashells, but they were actually collecting clams, 72 to be exact," Russ told local news outlet <a href="https://abc7.com/post/fresno-woman-fined-88k-after-kids-collect-clams/14859295/" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noreferrer noopener">ABC 7</a>. Clamming is highly regulated in California, meaning if you don't have a fishing license, you cannot catch the small sea creatures. She received a citation right there on the beach and was later notified she has to pay close to $89,000, or $133,000 AUD, for her kids' seemingly innocent treasure hunt. "It made me really sad and depressed, and it kind of ruined our trip," said Russ. Department of Fish and Wildlife's Lieutenant Matthew Gil defended the fine, saying there are rules in place for a reason. "The reason we got it we have these regulations is because we have to let them get to 4 and a half inches so they can spawn so they can have they can have offspring every year, and they have juvenile clams," said Lt. Gil. Russ said her kids have learned their lesson, saying, "They know now at the beach don't touch anything, but they know now what a clam is, compared to what a seashell is now, I've had to explain that to them." The mother was able to plead her case with a San Luis Obispo County Judge, who reduced her fine to $500 dollars, and after she "won" her case, Russ got a shellfish tattoo to commemorate the incident. "It was definitely one expensive trip to Pismo, unforgettable," said Russ. Image credits: ABC 7

Travel Trouble

"What a joke": Backlash over new strict speed limit

Melbourne residents have lashed out at a local council over the controversial decision to reduce the speed limit on bust roads. Every street in Fitzroy and Collingwood, except state-managed roads such as major thoroughfares, are now under the new strict speed limit of a mere 30 kilometres an hour, which has been enforced by the Yarra City Council. Thoroughfares that are currently exempt from the 30km/h limit include Johnston Street, Nicholson Street, Hoddle Street, Alexandra Parade and Victoria Parade, although the council is working hard to bring the speed limits on these major roads down to 40km/h or 60km/h. Yarra City Council Mayor, Edward Crossland, said there is clear evidence that reducing speed limits will lessen the number of road accidents and save lives. “We want to make our streets safer and better places for people of all ages and abilities whether you are walking, wheeling, cycling or driving. 30km can have a huge benefit and we know there is a lot of support for this initiative across our community,” he said. “Research shows that a person walking is at least twice as likely to be killed by a driver travelling at 40km than at 30km and that safer speed limits in urban areas has minimal impact on travel time." The council first began trialling the 30km/h speed limit in 2018 in northern parts of Fitzroy and Collingwood, and brought the number of crashes down by 52 percent over the first 12 months. Despite the evidence that reduced speeds help the community at large, not everyone is impressed by the change, with social media users claiming the lower speed limit will “never be enforced”. Another claimed, “When the police commissioner comes out and says it’s ridiculous and nobody will follow the limits then yeah, fair to say it won’t be enforced.” In 2023, Victorian Police chief commissioner Shane Patton, told ABC radio that changing the speed limit to 30km/h was “not the answer”. “I think no one’s going to obey it. It’s ridiculous,” he said. Social media users have branded the change an attempt at “revenue raising”, with one commenter saying: “Just another way to nab us with fines! All about the revenue.” “What a joke,” another person said, while one claimed people might as well start pushing their cars if the speed limit is so low. However, there are also those that have praised the council’s decision, branding it a “great initiative”. “Great news! More traffic calming please,” one person said. Image credits: Shutterstock

Legal

Motorist fined $387 for "handling wallet" while driving

A motorist has collapsed after receiving a fine for $387, in which the fine claims he was holding his phone while driving. Sydney man Husni Tarmizi opened the infringement notice with his 62-year-old dad on Tuesday and admitted he was both "surprised" and "panicked" by the fine, leaving Husni to pick his father up off the floor after he collapsed from shock. Husni was confused by the fine, which also cost his dad 10 demerit points, as his father is rarely on his phone, and decided to take a closer look at the image captured by the mobile detection camera. "I went to the computer and downloaded the image and I could see clearly that it's a wallet [in his hand], you can see his phone is in the cradle," he told <a href="https://au.news.yahoo.com/driver-fined-387-and-cops-10-demerit-points-for-handling-wallet-while-driving-073557336.html" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Yahoo News</a>. "In his left hand you can see the wallet and his right hand he's holding a $50 bill." Husni continued, "He was quite panicked, especially with the 10 demerit points... and I was scared a bit because he has a heart condition." The 62-year-old man said he recalls holding onto his wallet and the $50 note to pay for petrol over the Easter long weekend, which explains the hefty loss of demerit points. Tarmizi confirmed he has already appealed the infringement and is awaiting a response after people urged him to dispute it. "I've also written an appeal, it's called a review request, we'll see how that goes," he said. "For the older generation where they don't understand the technologies and stuff, it's scary." Image credits: Husni Tarmizi

Legal

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

Legal

Woolies faces up to $10b fine after pleading guilty to 1000 charges

In what seems like a cascade of misfortune for Woolworths, the retail giant has found itself embroiled in yet another controversy. A week fraught with bad press took a turn for the worse when outgoing CEO Brad Banducci <a href="https://www.oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/last-chance-mr-banducci-woolies-ceo-threatened-with-jail-time" target="_blank" rel="noopener">faced the threat of jail time</a> for his refusal to address questions in a Senate inquiry probing supermarket price gouging. Now, the company is grappling with the repercussions of admitting to underpaying over a thousand former Victorian employees for their long service leave entitlements. The admission, made in a Melbourne court, revealed that Woolworths fell short in compensating at least 1,235 former workers, amounting to a staggering $1.24 million in underpayments spanning from November 2018 to January 2023. While some employees were owed only modest sums, others were deprived of significant entitlements, with figures reaching up to $12,000 in the most severe cases. The Melbourne Magistrates' Court learned that Woolworths, alongside its related company Woolstar, breached Victoria's Long Service Leave Act on a startling 1,227 occasions. The revelation came to light during an internal audit of the company's IT systems, prompting Woolworths to self-report the discrepancies to Victoria's Wage Inspectorate. Woolworths' barrister, Saul Holt KC, highlighted the company's commitment to rectifying the situation, after discovering the discrepancies during an audit of its IT systems and self-reporting it to Victoria's Wage Inspectorate. "That's just the right thing to do," he said. However, the gravity of the breaches places Woolworths at risk of facing a potentially astronomical fine, with a theoretical maximum exceeding $10.25 billion. While such a penalty could spell financial catastrophe for many, including a corporate behemoth like Woolworths, legal experts suggest that a more realistic figure would be capped at approximately $480,000, in line with typical penalties in Victorian magistrates courts. The magistrate presiding over the case, Nahrain Warda, has deferred her decision until Wednesday, April 24, leaving Woolworths in a state of uncertainty. In addition to the impending financial penalty, Kathleen Crennan, representing the Wage Inspectorate of Victoria, advocated for Woolworths to be convicted, denouncing the underpayments as inexcusable. "There's really no excuse for this to have happened in the first place," she said. In the face of mounting legal challenges and public scrutiny, Woolworths' reputation as an employer is under scrutiny. Despite assertions of being an "exemplary employer", founded on principles dating back to 1924, the company's track record is marred by repeated instances of underpayment scandals. As Woolworths awaits the magistrate's verdict and braces for the fallout from its legal battles, the spectre of underpayment casts a long shadow over the company's corporate governance and raises broader questions about accountability within the retail industry. Images: Woolworths

Legal

Homeowner fined just $667 over fire that killed six people

A homeowner has been slapped with a fine for smoke alarm failure after a house fire killed six people. The 61-year-old woman has been forced to pay just $667 for failing to install legally required and compliant smoke alarms, after a father and his five children died in the property due to a deadly house fire. Donna Rose Beadel was the owner of the home on Russell Island where Wayne Godinet, 34, and his five sons were residing in August 2023. The house was engulfed in flames, also destroying two neighbouring homes and leaving several people needing treatment for minor burns and smoke inhalation, while the children's mother Samantha Stephenson, and another woman survived the blaze. Cleveland magistrate Deborah Vasta handed down the maximum fine of $667.25 to Ms Beadel for failing to comply with smoke alarm legislation, saying, "It seems a pittance, however it's not for me to comment on the laws." "It's absolutely no excuse that she failed to keep abreast of the laws required of an investment property owner in having the premises legally wired with smoke detectors after January 2022," Vasta said. The fine comes just weeks after the children's grandmother claimed her daughter had "begged" their landlord to <a href="https://oversixty.com.au/finance/legal/major-claim-in-investigation-into-deadly-house-fire-that-killed-five-children" target="_blank" rel="noopener">fix</a> the smoke alarms in the house. When Ms Beadel was charged for her involvement in the tragedy, Rebecca Stephenson claimed that her daughter had spoken to the landlord about updating the smoke alarms in the property just one week before the fire. Image credits: Nine

Legal

Surprising move after top cop busted for speeding

Victoria Police found themselves facing embarrassment recently when one of their top-ranking officers, Glenn Weir, was caught speeding. Weir, who serves as Victoria’s Road Policing Assistant Commissioner, was captured by a hidden speed camera in an undercover police car on February 29, traveling at 58km/h in a 50km/h zone. What makes this incident particularly noteworthy is not just the fact that a high-ranking police officer was caught breaking the law, but also the response Weir himself has taken. Despite being eligible to have the charge downgraded to a warning due to his clean driving record, Weir has chosen to accept the consequences – a $337 fine and a single demerit point penalty. In a statement addressing the incident, Weir expressed remorse and took full responsibility for his actions. He acknowledged the severity of the mistake, especially given his position as an advocate for road safety throughout his career. "I take full responsibility for this error and am mortified it has occurred," Weir said. "I’ve spent my entire career advocating for road safety and this incident proves nobody is immune from making a mistake on the road." Weir’s willingness to own up to his mistake sets an important example for accountability, not just within the police force but for all members of society. Moreover, his case underscores the importance of adhering to speed limits, with Victoria Police having long advocated for the correlation between speeding and road accidents. According to their data, speed is one of the leading causes of car crashes in the state, with the rise in the state’s road toll by almost 12% February 2023 to February 2024 further highlighting the urgency of addressing speeding and other reckless driving behaviours. Weir’s decision to accept the consequences of his actions demonstrates integrity and a commitment to upholding the principles of road safety. Image: 7 News

Legal

Police share wild seatbelt pic after fining driver for bizarre DIY fix

A driver has copped a $387 fine over their bizarre seatbelt fix during a random stationary test at Richmond in Sydney's northwest. A photo shared by NSW Police Traffic and Highway Patrol showed the shocking state of the driver's seatbelt, which was tattered and held together by duct tape. The police department have warned other drivers to make sure their seatbelts are in good condition, otherwise they too might cop a fine and demerit points. "Seatbelts help to save lives, except for this one...." they wrote in a Facebook post on Wednesday. "Hawkesbury Highway Patrol were recently conducting random stationary testing on Londonderry Road at Richmond when they spoke with a driver about his seatbelt. "Not only was the seatbelt not being worn, an inspection of the seatbelt found it to be dangerously defective," they added. "He was issued a defect notice and infringement in the amount of $387 and three demerit points. Please ensure your seatbelts don't look like this." <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2024/03/SeatbeltNSWPolice.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Many commenters were baffled as to how the vehicle passed the eSafety check, also known as a pink slip inspection, which is required for vehicles over five years old in NSW to be deemed roadworthy. "And who passed the Pink Slip? That’s where I’d be heading," one wrote. "I wonder who did the rego check on this vehicle," another added. "How does it even get to that stage," a third questioned, while others agreed that the seatbelt was no longer safe. Images: Getty / Traffic and Highway Patrol Command, NSW Police Force

Legal

"Unfair" parking fines could soon be a thing of the past

In recent years, road users in one Australian state have found themselves at the receiving end of unwelcome surprises in their mailboxes. An experimental parking fine process, initiated with the aim of streamlining administrative procedures, has instead garnered significant backlash from unsuspecting motorists. However, relief seems to be on the horizon as the New South Wales Government steps in to rectify the situation. The issue revolves around the introduction of ticketless parking fines, a system that was implemented with the intention of simplifying the issuance of penalties for parking violations. Under this scheme, parking officers could send details of fines directly to Revenue NSW, which would then dispatch infringement notices either by post or through the Service NSW app. However, what was meant to be a simple and streamlined modernisation effort has led to a surge in revenue from fines and a subsequent erosion of trust in the system. Concerns about the fairness and transparency of ticketless fines have been mounting, prompting action from the NSW government. Reports indicate that Finance Minister Courtney Houssos has written to all 128 local councils in the state, urging them to halt further adoption of the ticketless parking fine system. Instead, councils have been instructed to revert to traditional ticketing methods and ensure that drivers are promptly made aware of fines at the time of the offence. The move comes in response to a range of issues highlighted by critics of the ticketless system. One major concern is the lack of immediate notification, which diminishes the deterrent effect of fines and makes it difficult for motorists to contest them effectively. Without receiving timely notification, drivers may struggle to gather evidence or address issues such as inadequate signage, hidden signs, or other circumstances that could warrant a review of the fine. Organisations like the National Roads and Motorists' Association (NRMA) have been vocal opponents of the ticketless scheme, labelling it as "unfair" and criticising its impact on transparency. According to NRMA spokesperson Peter Khoury, the system reduces the ability of drivers to contest fines, thereby undermining their rights and contributing to a loss of community trust in the administration of fines. The NSW government's intervention signals a recognition of these concerns and a commitment to restoring confidence in the fines system. By prioritising immediate notification for drivers, authorities aim to address the shortcomings of the ticketless parking fine process. The decision to reverse the experimental system comes amid staggering revenue figures, with nearly $140 million generated from ticketless fines in 2023 alone. While the financial gains may be substantial, they come at the expense of public trust and fairness, prompting a much-needed course correction. As Minister Houssos asserts, providing immediate notification to drivers is not only the right thing to do but also a crucial step towards rebuilding community trust. By ensuring that drivers are promptly informed of fines and have the opportunity to contest them, authorities can strike a balance between effective enforcement and procedural fairness in managing parking violations. As road users await the reinstatement of traditional ticketing methods, they can take solace in the prospect of a fairer and more transparent fines system in the future. Images: City of Sydney

Legal

War in Ukraine affected wellbeing worldwide, but people’s speed of recovery depended on their personality

<a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luke-smillie-7502">Luke Smillie</a>, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> The war in Ukraine has had impacts around the world. <a href="https://mitsloan.mit.edu/ideas-made-to-matter/ripple-effects-russia-ukraine-war-test-global-economies">Supply chains</a> have been disrupted, the <a href="https://news.un.org/pages/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/GCRG_2nd-Brief_Jun8_2022_FINAL.pdf?utm_source=United+Nations&utm_medium=Brief&utm_campaign=Global+Crisis+Response">cost of living</a> has soared and we’ve seen the <a href="https://www.unhcr.org/hk/en/73141-ukraine-fastest-growing-refugee-crisis-in-europe-since-wwii.html">fastest-growing refugee crisis since World War II</a>. All of these are in addition to the devastating humanitarian and economic impacts within Ukraine. Our international team was conducting a global study on wellbeing in the lead up to and after the Russian invasion. This provided a unique opportunity to examine the psychological impact of the outbreak of war. As we explain in a new study published in <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-024-44693-6">Nature Communications</a>, we learned the toll on people’s wellbeing was evident across nations, not just <a href="https://ijmhs.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13033-023-00598-3">in Ukraine</a>. These effects appear to have been temporary – at least for the average person. But people with certain psychological vulnerabilities struggled to recover from the shock of the war. <h2>Tracking wellbeing during the outbreak of war</h2> People who took part in our study completed a rigorous “<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2773515/">experience-sampling</a>” protocol. Specifically, we asked them to report their momentary wellbeing four times per day for a whole month. Data collection began in October 2021 and continued throughout 2022. So we had been tracking wellbeing around the world during the weeks surrounding the outbreak of war in February 2022. We also collected measures of personality, along with various sociodemographic variables (including age, gender, political views). This enabled us to assess whether different people responded differently to the crisis. We could also compare these effects across countries. Our analyses focused primarily on 1,341 participants living in 17 European countries, excluding Ukraine itself (44,894 experience-sampling reports in total). We also expanded these analyses to capture the experiences of 1,735 people living in 43 countries around the world (54,851 experience-sampling reports) – including in Australia. <h2>A global dip in wellbeing</h2> On February 24 2022, the day Russia invaded Ukraine, there was a sharp decline in wellbeing around the world. There was no decline in the month leading up to the outbreak of war, suggesting the change in wellbeing was not already occurring for some other reason. However, there was a gradual increase in wellbeing during the month after the Russian invasion, suggestive of a “return to baseline” effect. Such effects are commonly reported in psychological research: situations and events that impact our wellbeing often (<a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/237535630_Adaptation_and_the_Set-Point_Model_of_Subjective_Well-BeingDoes_Happiness_Change_After_Major_Life_Events">though not always</a>) do so <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/7062343_Beyond_the_Hedonic_Treadmill_Revising_the_Adaptation_Theory_of_Well-Being">temporarily</a>. Unsurprisingly, people in Europe experienced a sharper dip in wellbeing compared to people living elsewhere around the world. Presumably the war was much more salient for those closest to the conflict, compared to those living on an entirely different continent. Interestingly, day-to-day fluctuations in wellbeing mirrored the salience of the war on social media as events unfolded. Specifically, wellbeing was lower on days when there were more tweets mentioning Ukraine on Twitter/X. Our results indicate that, on average, it took around two months for people to return to their baseline levels of wellbeing after the invasion. <h2>Different people, different recoveries</h2> There are <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/31944795/">strong links</a> between our wellbeing and our individual personalities. However, the dip in wellbeing following the Russian invasion was fairly uniform across individuals. None of the individual factors assessed in our study, including personality and sociodemographic factors, predicted people’s response to the outbreak of war. On the other hand, personality did play a role in how quickly people recovered. Individual differences in people’s recovery were linked to a personality trait called “stability”. Stability is a broad dimension of personality that combines low neuroticism with high agreeableness and conscientiousness (three traits from the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/social-sciences/big-five">Big Five</a> personality framework). Stability is so named because it reflects the stability of one’s overall psychological functioning. This can be illustrated by breaking stability down into its three components: <ol> <li> low neuroticism describes <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/full/10.1073/pnas.2212154120">emotional stability</a>. People low in this trait experience less intense negative emotions such as anxiety, fear or anger, in response to negative events </li> <li> high agreeableness describes <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2018-63285-010">social stability</a>. People high in this trait are generally more cooperative, kind, and motivated to maintain social harmony </li> <li> high conscientiousness describes <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2023.112331">motivational stability</a>. People high in this trait show more effective patterns of goal-directed self-regulation. </li> </ol> So, our data show that people with less stable personalities fared worse in terms of recovering from the impact the war in Ukraine had on wellbeing. In a supplementary analysis, we found the effect of stability was driven specifically by neuroticism and agreeableness. The fact that people higher in neuroticism recovered more slowly accords with a wealth of research linking this trait with <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10573882/">coping difficulties</a> and <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5428182/">poor mental health</a>. These effects of personality on recovery were stronger than those of sociodemographic factors, such as age, gender or political views, which were not statistically significant. Overall, our findings suggest that people with certain psychological vulnerabilities will often struggle to recover from the shock of global events such as the outbreak of war in Ukraine.<img style="border: none !important; box-shadow: none !important; margin: 0 !important; max-height: 1px !important; max-width: 1px !important; min-height: 1px !important; min-width: 1px !important; opacity: 0 !important; outline: none !important; padding: 0 !important;" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224147/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /> <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/luke-smillie-7502">Luke Smillie</a>, Professor in Personality Psychology, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/the-university-of-melbourne-722">The University of Melbourne</a> Image credits: Getty Images This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/war-in-ukraine-affected-wellbeing-worldwide-but-peoples-speed-of-recovery-depended-on-their-personality-224147">original article</a>.

Mind

Driver fined over "six-second stop"

A driver has been fined $387 for making "six-second stop" at what he thought was a 15-minute parking zone, and now he is fuming as he believes he is a victim of a cash grab. Sydney resident Michael was dropping off his partner in a quiet street on Darling Harbour and was shocked to receive a hefty fine and two demerit points for his quick drop-off. Revenue NSW reportedly told him that he had stopped within 10 metres after a crossing, which was a "serious" safety risk. Michael said that he was unaware he needed to pull in and believed he was allowed to stop where he did, as he was adjacent to the parking bay. "It's a flawed set up with the crossing being so close to the 15-minute parking," Michael told Yahoo News Australia. "If I was a metre over in the vacant bay I would have avoided the fine. But the signage is just not clear.. and that bay itself is within 10 metres of the crossing, so how does that work?" The photos supplied by Revenue NSW, all time-stamped 8:23am, showed Michael's vehicle in different positions of the Zollner Circuit, which he has argued is not sufficient evidence to prove that he stopped. The photos also showed no visible pedestrians, other than Michael's partner who had just gotten out of the car, and Michael argued that he was allowed to stop since there was the 15-minute parking sign. While Darling Harbour is located in the City of Sydney LGA, the area is managed by government-run Place Management NSW. "It is an offence to stop on or near a pedestrian crossing," a spokesperson stressed. Michael questioned why there was no leniency, with such a large fine particularly amid a cost-of-living crisis, but it is reportedly because those who clearly breach road laws would not be granted any. "There's no one around and I was there for six seconds... it just feels like someone was having a bad day and waiting to make a name for themselves," Michael argued. Images: Yahoo News Australia.

Legal

Woman riding e-bike hit with almost $3k in fines

A woman has been slapped with multiple fines while taking her child to school on an e-bike. The 42-year-old woman was travelling in Liverpool, in Sydney's south-west, on the motorised bicycle when she was pulled over by police. According to the Traffic and Highway Patrol Command Facebook page, police said the woman had been pulled over for not complying with a number of road rules, including riding an unregistered and uninsured motor vehicle, not having the correct licence, and carrying a passenger under eight years old on the bike without using a sidecar. Police allege that the child was only five-years-old and was riding on the back of the bike. "Police would like to remind the community that these E-Bikes are considered motor vehicles in the state of New South Wales and are required to comply with all ADR (Australian Design Rules)," police wrote on Facebook. "They need to be road registered, display official number plates issued by Service NSW and the rider must hold a Class R driver licence and wear the correct protective helmet as per AS/NZS 1698." The woman's fines for the multiple offences added up to $2,575. The Facebook post was flooded with comments, as people shared their own stories of how dangerous e-bikes and e-scooters can be. Another commenter simply remarked, "That's an expensive school trip." Image credits: NSW Police

Legal

"It's just not fair": Driver slams council for misleading parking fine

A furious motorist has taken aim at a Sydney council's parking solution that resulted in an "outrageous" and "unjustified" fine. Ben drives to the Campbelltown train station in South West Sydney every day for his workday commute, and has recently been forced to find alternative parking plans due to a major disruption. A multi-deck carpark is being built near the station to accommodate the influx of traffic, but while the site is under construction, a makeshift parking lot has been set up. While the new car park will add 500 parking bays when completed, residents have claimed the council has drastically reduced the number of spaces in the meantime. Ben told <a href="https://www.9news.com.au/national/sydney-parking-rules-drivers-outrage-over-tiny-detail-in-parking-fine/4cfe4d45-c311-4587-b68a-fc1d017675fc" target="_blank" rel="noopener">9news.com.au</a> parking had become "a nightmare" since the temporary lot opened, leaving many motorists with no option but to park along the fence line. It's this act that saw Ben receive a $129 parking fine in the mail. He was outraged when he was issued a fine on February 9th for "not stand vehicle in a marked parking space" when he had no other parking option. "They've advertised that the temporary car park is the same amount of spaces lost during the construction, which is severely incorrect," he said. "I can only assume they are fining loads of drivers as that space along the fence line is always full of cars parked the same as mine was." Along with the fine itself, ticket inspectors supplied Ben a photo of a wordy and confusing sign located near the entrance to the lot, which only added to his frustration with the local council. He said while there were no marked bays along the fence line, signage was not clear enough to indicate to drivers they weren't allowed to park there. "I mean it's just not fair. It's a temporary gravel parking lot," he said. "They've created this mess and now they are targeting innocent commuters fighting to just leave their car somewhere to catch public transport into work." A spokesperson for Campbelltown City Council told Nine News they understood the construction of the new car park would "create some disruption". "A temporary 113-space parking lot has been opened adjacent to the existing parking lot in order to offset some of the parking loss," they said. The council was "actively monitoring and reviewing the current parking and signage arrangements as well as community feedback, to identify any further improvements that could be made and inform any additional community notification required". "While this review takes place, vehicles will only be fined where a safety risk to both other vehicles and/or pedestrians is identified," the spokesperson said. Image credits: Nine News

Legal

"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine

A pensioner from New South Wales has disputed a fine he was issued for using his phone while driving, despite never owning a phone. Frank Singh, 77, was captured on a mobile phone detection camera while driving on the Pacific Motorway last September, and was issued a fine for $362. Mr Singh has refused to pay the fine, claiming that he was holding his wallet when the image was captured. He also claims to have never owned a mobile phone or a computer in his life, wondering how the camera made such a mistake. The senior man decided to appeal and take Revenue NSW to court, despite the risk of paying thousands in legal fees if he lost the case. "Looks like I'm guilty on it, but I'm not," he told A Current Affair. "I thought, what the bloody hell is this all about, I don't own a mobile phone. I've never used a mobile phone. What a load of s***." When questioned what the item could be, he said, "I think it could be my wallet." While Mr Singh admitted he can't specifically remember what he was doing at the time, he believes he was possibly placing his wallet on the passenger seat after paying for fuel. Unfortunately, the review of the fine was rejected and Frank was ordered to pay the $362, but he has not given up. "Then I thought stuff youse, I'm not guilty, I don't own a bloody phone," he said. While preparing to appeal the fine once more, Revenue NSW revoked the fine after issuing a letter to Mr Singh saying he would not be required in court following an investigation by the government body. "We have decided to cancel the fine," the letter read. "You little bloody beauty, how good's that," Mr Singh said on hearing the news, before planning to celebrate the win with a beer at his local pub. Image credits: A Current Affair

Legal

Woman sparks debate after copping $116 fine for "absurd" rule

Shakira Coldwell, 21, has sparked debate online after copping a $116 parking fine for an "absurd" rule she claims she didn't even know existed. The Aussie woman took to TikTok to share her confusion, and asked if anyone else was aware of the rule. “Was I the only one that didn’t know you can get a parking fine for parking nose in, like the front of your car goes in first instead of backing into a car park?” she asked. She then asked whether the rule was only enforced in Noosa, saying that she was "pretty sure" you could park in any way as long as you stay between the lines. Coldwell then shared a photo of how she parked her car when she received the fine and said that she was “clearly” within the parking lines but hadn’t backed into her space like the car next to her. “Does that not just seem a bit absurd, a bit bizarre?” she said. She also said that she was only just made aware of the fine, as she had been travelling, which means that she may be copping even bigger fees as her payment was now overdue. “I’ve asked a couple of people about this and they literally had no idea that rule even existed. Like, I’m within the lines, it doesn’t matter how I’m parked,” she continued. According to the Brisbane City Council website, failing to park as indicated by an angle parking sign will result in a $116 fine, but Coldwell claims that she didn't see any signs. “So I am a bit confused. Is this just Noosa rule or does everyone know this because I literally did not know this was a rule. And low key $116 for a parking fine that's a bit absurd, given I was within the lines,” she said. Many commenters were quick to inform her that it was actually a common parking rule that wasn't restricted to Noosa. “As someone who lives in Noosa I can 100% guarantee there was a sign saying you had to back in,” one person wrote. “Being within the lines literally has nothing to do with it lol,” another said. A few others said that parking the wrong way in angled spots can make it “dangerous” when backing out into traffic, with one commenter claiming “everyone knows this”. However, a few others were just as baffled as the 21-year-old. “I’d be challenging that. I have never heard of it and there should definitely be signs so if you can go and check the signage,” one said. “Never heard of this before I wouldn’t pay it tell them where to go,” another wrote. According to the <a href="https://www.noosa.qld.gov.au/community/local-laws/parking-regulations" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Noosa Council website</a>, rear-in angle parking is enforced in certain areas to “ensure a safer parking experience for everyone in the area," and to prevent cars from crossing into oncoming traffic as they try to exit the parking bay. Images: TikTok

Legal

Retiree threatened with $200,000 fine over home egg business

A Queensland retiree has insisted that he will continue to sell eggs from the chooks in his backyard despite authorities threatening him with a fine up to $200,000. Murray Koina said that when he first received the email about his business he thought it was a scam and ignored it. It wasn't until they pushed for him to stop that he immediately realised things were getting serious. "They said it was a health issue, someone could get poisoned by an egg," Murray told Today show hosts Karl Stefanovic and Sarah Abo. "Well my mother grew eggs from when I was a baby and we've eaten them and given them away and sold them and I don't think anyone's died yet - and I'm 73." Murray added that he could get a licence to avoid the fine and continue his little business, but that costs $630 upfront and then around $450 every year to renew it, so it's just not worth it. "I sell around a dozen cartons a week at $4 a dozen so that wouldn't make sense," he said. "I can't say what I really feel about it, but I'm really, you know, p---ed off." Image: Today

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Woman's fake parking fines divides internet

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"Ruined our trip": Mum shell-shocked by $130k fine

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Motorist fined $387 for "handling wallet" while driving

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Driver fined over "six-second stop"

Woman riding e-bike hit with almost $3k in fines

"It's just not fair": Driver slams council for misleading parking fine

"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine

Woman sparks debate after copping $116 fine for "absurd" rule

Retiree threatened with $200,000 fine over home egg business

Our Partners

News

Shop

Catalogues

Newspaper

Contests

Entertainment

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Property

Compare

Games

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Woman's fake parking fines divides internet

Ranger's confrontation with mum sparks debate

Teen slapped with massive fine over "unsafe manoeuvre"

Little-known road rule that could cost you hundreds

"Ruined our trip": Mum shell-shocked by $130k fine

"What a joke": Backlash over new strict speed limit

Motorist fined $387 for "handling wallet" while driving

Woman fined after paid car park gets set up around her parked vehicle

Woolies faces up to $10b fine after pleading guilty to 1000 charges

Homeowner fined just $667 over fire that killed six people

Surprising move after top cop busted for speeding

Police share wild seatbelt pic after fining driver for bizarre DIY fix

"Unfair" parking fines could soon be a thing of the past

War in Ukraine affected wellbeing worldwide, but people’s speed of recovery depended on their personality

Driver fined over "six-second stop"

Woman riding e-bike hit with almost $3k in fines

"It's just not fair": Driver slams council for misleading parking fine

"Stuff youse": Pensioner who's never owned a phone fights mobile detection camera fine

Woman sparks debate after copping $116 fine for "absurd" rule

Retiree threatened with $200,000 fine over home egg business

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