A local resident who claims her neighbour commits a little-known parking violation almost every day has decided to take matters into her own hands. Australians are divided on whether they support her actions.
The New South Wales woman explained that her neighbour’s car was often parked too close to a fire hydrant just below the curb, which is marked with a spray-painted “H” outside her Newcastle home. She said her rubbish bins were also usually blocked by the car every week.
“It’s illegal to park within 3 feet of a fire hydrant (which is clearly marked on the curb and street), but every Thursday this moron parks in front of my garbage cans,” she wrote on social media. “Tonight I had to put my yellow can on his tailgate.”
Drivers must expect high fines for little-known parking violations
In Australia, it is illegal to park within one metre of a fire hydrant. This rule is designed to ensure access to the fire hydrant should emergency services or other authorised persons request it. Drivers in NSW face a fine of $136 or a maximum of $2,200 if they fail to comply.
In South Australia, the same offence can result in a fine of $198, while in Queensland the fine is $120.
Danny Gorog, CEO and founder of Snap Send Solve, told Yahoo News, “Hydrants are a critical part of urban infrastructure and our shared spaces” and that’s why we should obey the rules of the road.
“It is important that everyone in the community works together to ensure that fire hydrants and emergency exits are always clear and accessible to protect each other in the event of an emergency,” he said.
“The one-meter rule is intended to give the fire department enough space to maneuver around a hydrant and connect their equipment efficiently.”
Australians disagree over waste disposal law
After she shared her dilemma online, many agreed that it is indeed illegal to park in front of fire hydrant access points, but others questioned why she felt the need to go to so much trouble, claiming she was more of a “nuisance” because she didn’t want her neighbor to park in front of her house.
“The street in front of your house is not yours,” said one Australian woman, while another admitted that her own family had probably committed the offence. “I have a fire hydrant in my front garden. There is always a car parked in front of it,” she wrote.
Snap Send Solves is an app that allows Australians to report problems in their neighbourhood to authorities. A parking violation like this is a prime example of what residents can use the app for, Gorog told Yahoo.
“When snappers report a problem, the system automatically notifies the relevant local authorities so they can take action based on the geographic location of the image,” he explained.
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