Why you SHOULDN'T fight 'unfair' parking fines: Furious driver's attempt to beat ranger's ticket ends in disaster as judge TRIPLES the penalty
- Fan Sun was fined $100 for parking on a nature strip on the Gold Coast last year
- He contested the fine because he claimed officials said he could park there
- A year after he began fighting it, he gave in and pleaded guilty to end the matter
- With the original $100, he paid a $99.50 filing fee, and the $125.80 offender fee
A driver who tried to fight a parking ticket walked away with a fine over three times the cost of the original penalty.
Fan Sun was stung $100 during the Commonwealth Games last year for parking on the nature strip outside the Surfside Buslines Molendinar depot on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Gold Coast Bulletin reported.
The father took the matter to Southport Magistrates Court.
The court heard parking officers found Sun's black Mercedes on the nature strip outside the bus depot at about 9.45am on April 5, 2018.
A man who tried to fight a parking ticket in court walked away with a fine over three times bigger than the original ticket
The council's solicitor Nick Hatcher said parking officers arrived in the area after Surfside Busline made a complaint, and explained the car was parked on the nature strip between the fence and the bitumen.
'It's obviously unsuitable to park there,' he said.
Officials took photos and issued a parking ticket.
But Mr Sun said he worked for Surfside Buslines and he was told to park there, and used that reason to challenge the fine.
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'During the Commonwealth Games period it was very busy. We had security directing we can park there,' he said.
A year after contesting the fine, Mr Sun gave up and pleaded guilty to stopping on a nature strip.
He told the court he had been off work due to a back injury, and that his partner was pregnant.
The council's solicitor Nick Hatcher said parking officers arrived in the area after Surfside Busline made a complaint, and explained the car was parked on the nature strip between the fence and the bitumen (stock image)
Magistrate Kay Philipson fined Sun the $100 ticket amount.
She also ordered him pay the council’s $99.50 filing fee.
Anyone who takes a fine to court and is found guilty has to also pay the offender levy of $125.80, which means Mr Sun will now pay a $325.30 for a ticket which was only $100.
No convictions were recorded.
