NSW warns motorists reserving parking bays on foot could face $94 fine
Transport for NSW has warned motorists that standing in an empty parking bay to reserve it for someone else can lead to a fine. The practice, often seen in busy shopping centre and beach car parks, may breach pedestrian rules if it creates a traffic hazard or unreasonably obstructs drivers or other pedestrians.
Under NSW Road Rule 236, the fine can be $94. Penalties differ elsewhere in Australia: the article lists $209 in Victoria, $100 in Western Australia, $69 in Queensland, $63 in South Australia, $53.25 in Tasmania and $218 in the ACT. Transport for NSW describes the tactic as unsafe, while social media responses included support for the rule and questions about what drivers should do when a space is blocked.
In short
- Reserving a parking bay by standing in it may be an offence in NSW.
- The NSW fine can reach $94.
- Penalties vary across Australian states and territories.
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The case for
Applying the rule can help keep car parks safe and accessible: a person standing in a bay may obstruct vehicles or pedestrians and create pressure for drivers to manoeuvre around them. Enforcing it also supports fair access to spaces, so one motorist cannot claim a public bay for someone who has not yet arrived.
The case against
A strict or broad application could penalise people in situations where they are trying to manage a crowded car park without creating a real hazard or obstruction. The rule may also feel uneven if drivers have no clear, safe way to handle a space being informally held, suggesting enforcement should focus on demonstrable risks and obstruction.
Explained simply
In New South Wales, road rules cover pedestrians as well as people driving. One rule makes it an offence to walk on a road in a way that creates a traffic hazard or unreasonably obstructs vehicles or other pedestrians.
Transport for NSW says standing in a parking bay to hold it for another driver may break that rule, particularly in busy car parks. The amount of the fine varies across Australia, as road rules and penalties differ between states and territories.
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Originally published by Daily Mail as “Aussies warned over ‘really annoying’ habit of standing in parking spots to save them for someone else: How much you could be fined”.