Car Park Rage

Welcome to The Lounge for another week!  Thanks for stopping by. 

The Lounge will be stationed here at my blog for the foreseeable future.

Get comfy.

This week we’re all about The Open Letter

A letter that is addressed to a particular person or organisation but nonetheless, publicised for the whole world to see.  I love them hard!

 

 

An Open Letter to Australian National Car Parks

(Do you know the bastards?)

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From time to time I visit Aldi where the nappies, wipes and tissues are very cheap and excellent quality.  My hairdresser is also opposite Aldi, so I use the parking lot for that too.

 

 

The other week, I was booked in at the hairdresser and as usual, used the Aldi car park.  I dutifully purchased my ticket and walked over to the salon.  Fifty-five minutes later, I walked back to renew my ticket for a further two hours, (my hairdresser cannot multitask).

 

 

When I finally finished at the salon, I had an hour to spare, so looking a bit glam, I went to Aldi to buy my nappies and wipes. When I returned to my car, there was an $88 fine stuck rudely to my window.

 

 

Now, this is not the first time I’ve had a fine from your organisation.

 

The very first time a fine arrived was via mail, A YEAR AND A HALF after I’d sold my car!

The second time, your dumb machine was broken so I couldn’t obtain your stupid display ticket.

And the third time I was fined was when our local Woolies gave you the rights to manage their car park overnight and I didn’t even realise until I almost collected the Indian guy who was trying to shove a ticket under my wiper blade AS I WAS REVERSING OUT OF THE CAR SPACE!!

 

Coincidentally, you’ve also booked both my parents with the same surprise car park management takeover.

 

 

I hate your dodgy company.

I hate having to waste time writing letters to your company.

I hate the fact that you issue penalty notices as you call them, and then badger people with your debt collection letters.

I hate that your ‘fines’ are technically illegal yet still, you get away with harassing naive citizens.

 

 

This is from the NSW Fair Trading website:

Private car park operators do not issue fines, however may issue payment notices for ‘breach of contract’ stating that when a consumer enters a car park they agree to the terms and conditions stated on signage. Private car parks do not always have a boom gate operating; meaning consumers must find the ticket machine, purchase a ticket and place it visibly in the front windscreen.

 

Contract?  Terms and conditions?

 

Who has time to stand there and read fine print on a sign when they’re rushing in to buy ham for tomorrow’s lunches?

 

 

I’m posting today in hope of helping anyone who has been ‘fined’ by your company.

 

 

I urge readers to take the time to look specifically here at NSW Fair Trading, here at this awesome guy’s website, and here where there is a response letter proforma that will help anyone who needs it.

 

 

In the past, I wrote letters to get out of the ‘fine’ but this time I won’t be doing that.  The likelihood of being sued for $88 is very low.

 

 

I’m willing to bet that your ‘parking cop’ saw me heading into the hairdresser and raced over to ‘book me’ without even checking my dashboard.

 

You are unconscionable.

 

 

I fucking hate your thieving company.

 

…

 

 

Have you been done by this crowd?  Or similar?  

 

 

Link up your Open Letter here.

 

Robo X