'I'm being punished for being responsible': Man who slept in his ute because he was too drunk to drive slams council for giving him a $200 parking fine
- Man who chose to sleep in his car because he was too drunk received $200 fine
- Glen Wallace was drinking with friends and found himself 'over the limit' at 4am
- He decided it would be safer for him to sleep in his car than to drive home drunk
- Mr Wallace woke up to find a $200 freedom camping fine on his windscreen
- He slammed council and said things like this could encourage drink driving
A man who chose to sleep in his car because he was too drunk to drive has slammed the local council for giving him a $200 freedom camping fine.
Glen Wallace went drinking with friends in Queenstown on March 21, but decided it would be safer if he didn't drive home after returning to his car intoxicated at 4am.
Rather than breaking the law and driving while over the limit, Mr Wallace chose to sleep in ute which was parked in Rees Street.
Glen Wallace (pictured right) went drinking with friends in central Queenstown on March 21 and when he got back to his car at 4am, decided it would be safer if he didn't drive home
Mr Wallace woke up a few hours later to find a $200 freedom camping fine on his windscreen, the NZ Herald reported.
Freedom Camping is a popular activity where people put up tents or camp out in vehicles in areas not designated for camping, with local by-laws restricting it in certain areas.
He asked Queenstown Lakes District Council if they could drop the fine given he was a resident of 16 years and wasn't 'freedom camping', but they said a 'blanket rule' applied to the breach and he'd have to pay.
Mr Wallace paid the fine but said if he'd known the rules he would've paid $80 for a taxi or looked into staying at a backpackers.
'I'm trying to be responsible here, but I'm being punished for it,' he said.
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'I don't mind that I got the ticket - that's fair enough - but I thought some common sense would prevail.'
Mr Wallace has since slammed the council and said things like this could encourage people to drink and drive.
He said it was common for people to drink more than they planned and find themselves stuck without a way to get home, arguing it made sense to allow leniency for local residents who slept in their cars overnight.
Rather than defying the law and driving while over the limit, Mr Wallace chose to sleep in ute which was parked in Rees Street in Queenstown (pictured, stock image)
Council regulatory manager Anthony Hall said discretion was used for people found to be sleeping in cars in 'special circumstances'.
However, he said council believed not wanting to pay for a taxi home wasn't a 'special circumstance'.
'We encourage people who want to drink, to do so responsibly and always make plans to get home safely,' Mr Hall said.
Daily Mail Australia has contacted Queenstown Lakes District Council for comment.
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