Council's backflip after driver slapped with $117 fine: 'So sorry'
A driver's note on a broken-down car was left with the best intentions but unfortunately still resulted in a fine being issued by the local council.
The car was parked on a side street in Newtown, in Sydney's Inner West, with a note that read "battery died when I got home at 3am".
"Getting a jump today," the note continued. "I am so sorry".
Despite the note, the driver was still issued a $117 fine for stopping in a no parking zone. The sign near the car read no parking from 5am to 10am on Mondays, due to it being rubbish collection day.
$117 is the minimum fine a driver can receive if caught in a no stop or no parking zone in New South Wales. The maximum is $275 for those caught stopping at a road with a continuous yellow edge or disobeying a no-stopping sign.
Council backflips on parking ticket
One local resident told Yahoo News Australia they believe the driver should have arranged to have had their car moved.
"If they had broken down on a highway would they have left it there?" they asked.
However Inner West Council told Yahoo they are withdrawing the fine.
"While the vehicle was in a No Parking Zone in a narrow laneway, affecting neighbourhood amenity and impacting on services such as bin collection, upon reviewing the offence, it is apparent there was a note on the windscreen," a spokesperson said.
"Council is withdrawing the penalty and apologises for any inconvenience."
Woman fined $275 after breaking down
It's not the first time Sydney drivers have been slapped with hefty fines when their vehicles have broken down.
Last month, a woman in Sydney's east was fined $275 when her car broke down on a residential street in a no-stopping zone.
Sydney woman cops $275 fine after car breaks down in no-stopping zone
Sydney council roasted over 'confusing' mix of speed limit signs
Although the driver left a note on her car when it broke down on a Friday afternoon explaining why the car was in a no-stopping zone, she was still fined for the parking space, despite being advised to wait until Monday to get her car towed.
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