Just another reason why meter maids are among the scum of the earth

And just think - these are the guys who want to become police officers.

Dead driver gets parking ticket

http://www.heraldsun.news.com.au/common/story_page/0,5478,6884134%255E661,00.html

A MAN lay dead in his car while a parking inspector slapped a fine on his windscreen.

A Stonnington Council officer fined a dead man $50 for parking in a clearway on Toorak Rd.
A man in his 20s, identified only as "Robbie", was slumped in the front seat of his green Holden Gemini after dying of a suspected drug overdose on Wednesday morning.

Witnesses yesterday branded the incident callous and low.

But Stonnington Council said the officer had made an unfortunate mistake and offered its condolences to the man's family.

Police began preparing a brief of evidence for the coroner as the man's grieving parents left flowers at the scene.

"Robbie, we love you and always will – Mum and Dad," an attached card read.

Direct Security Services released footage to the Herald Sun from one of its two cameras that monitor Toorak Rd.

The footage shows the dead man stopping outside an art store at 6.45pm on Tuesday. The Gemini, parked in a loading zone that becomes a clearway at 7am, remained there overnight.

At 7.12am, a parking inspector, employed by contractor Tenix, approached the car and peered through the passenger-side window.

He then moved to the driver's window and again looked into the car.

The officer then filled out an infringement notice, placed it on the windscreen and walked away.

Ambulance officers were called to Toorak Rd, between Caroline St and Ralston St, at 7.55am.

They estimated the man had been dead for at least six hours.

Direct Security Services managing director James Cooper said he was sickened by the apparent lack of compassion.

"(The officer) could have raised the alarm. Who knows, (the motorist) could have been alive," he said.

Stonnington spokesman Stephen Sabbatucci said the parking officer was distressed by the event and had been offered counselling.

"The parking officer honestly believed the person in the car was intoxicated and sleeping it off," he said.

"Had the officer believed there was any threat of injury or harm to the man, he would have contacted police and ambulance immediately."

Mr Sabbatucci said the officer had tapped on the window and tried to speak to the man, but left a penalty notice when he would not stir.

"Our experience has shown that if officers are assertive in waking drivers asleep in illegally parked vehicles, aggressive confrontations can result," he said.

Stonnington said it was reviewing operational procedures with Tenix.

Other inner-city councils said they encouraged parking officers to show compassion.

Melbourne Council spokesman Cr Kevin Chamberlin said the officers' main role was to make motorists comply with laws.

"If there was somebody in a vehicle that had breached regulations or laws, they would approach the person and ask them to move on or correct the situation," he said.

"If somebody was unwell they would immediately contact the duty office, who would arrange for emergency vehicles to attend."

Port Phillip Council spokesman said parking inspectors had previously saved lives.

"In the past decade there have probably been four people subject to drug overdoses who parking officers have found and revived," he said.

"If we think they are asleep we do tend to try to wake them up."

1/ Anyone who drives a Holden Gemini deserves a ticket.
2/Druggies are stupid,they deserve tickets even if they are dead.
3/Australians can't drive for shit and deserve tickets.The Australian press love to put the case in favour of the 'little guy' even a loser like this one.


Next time you drive into town to grab some shopping,go to the bank,see the doctor,whatever....remember that if it wasn't for parking wardens,every space in town would be occupied by the cars of town-centre workers too lazy to walk a block or two,and every arterial route into town would be clogged with parked cars left by those who are too lazy or stupid to realise that other folk might need to get past.

If you don't like parking enforcement staff,park legally.

I park legally. However, that does not invalidate that meter maids = bottom feeders.

Well,maybe,but at least they're working for a living.Would you rather pay them welfare?:wink:

Good counter point. :tongue:

I'd get rid of the scumbags that tow "illegally" parked cars before the meter maids that are just the messengers, if you will.

Agreed.Anyone who sits in a tow truck all day,watching a private car park and waiting for people to park there,only to tow them away without attempting to ask not to park there,is lower than snake shit.

Originally posted by taranaki
..away without attempting to ask not to park there,is lower than snake shit.

That's pretty low....:)

Do worms crap??? I would like to know. Because that would be lower than snake shit.....assuming the worm was underground at the time.

And the guy was doing his job, at least he knocked on the window first. Shit maybe he just wanted to let the guy continue on in his nap......a decidedly very long nap.

My blood pressure goes up just THINKING about parking wardens.

I will not go down this track, I will just end up typing 10 pages of hate.