Man sees red over parking bay dilemma

Mr Richard Cockburn, who stated he was fined once for parking illegally said, “I agree there must be laws which we must abide by, but when the legal system makes profit of a bad situation I am pretty sure the public has a right to find a better solution. Every weekend now there is a horde of officers with ticket books to write fines for illegal parking.”

He was referring to the Johannesburg Metropolitan Police Department (JMPD) officers targeting motorists in Derrick Avenue.

Mr Cockburn referred to the recently painted red lines, to prevent people from parking in certain areas, as “the only new services which have been applied to Derrick Avenue and a money making parameter”.

“The potholes, rest of the road signs and refuse left on Derrick Avenue have not been attended to,” he said.

He also referred to an incident in which he indicated to an officer that a vehicle was parked in a parking bay with white lines, meaning that a fine should not be issued, however he was informed that the parking bay was on a pavement.

“I also indicated that there are no signs saying no parking. The officer then informed me it was not a JMPD designated parking. I queried how the public is supposed to differentiate which is a JMPD parking? I was asked why I parked on the opposite side of the road. I replied that no parking was available. If there was an open parking there I would have been fined.

“I informed him that sadly we do get protection and services in my country and are putting ourselves and property at risk if we park two blocks away. Somehow the officer moved the conversation to ‘this is a democratic country’. I was informed that ‘we must return to our countries’. As a civil servant, is a traffic officer allowed this manner of conduct? I pay thousands in tax every month. That pays for public services. I want my money back,” said Mr Cockburn.

He said people who can respect enforcing the law should be employed. “If there is reasonable doubt to the parking allocation, surely no parking signs and a bit of paint should be used before illegally fining citizens,” he said.

Ms Bertha Peters-Scheepers, from the JRA, said lines along Derrick Avenue and Lionel Street were painted on February 23. She said RM12 lines were painted to improve safety and mobility along key corridors. “The red line is a regulatory RM12 ‘no stopping line’ and as per the act, no vehicle is permitted to stop next to a red RM12 line. This includes parking a vehicle. No signs are needed to be present to enforce the ‘no stopping’ rule,” said Ms Peters-Scheepers.

Commenting on Mr Cockburn’s statements about the “money making parameter” and that potholes and road signs are left unattended to, Ms Peters-Scheepers said, “This is the opinion of the writer. Red lines are painted where mobility or safety is affected as a result of vehicles stopping. The road signs are in order and a JRA investigator will be sent to assess the condition of the road and ensure remedial action where necessary.”

The spokesperson for the JMPD, Chief Superintendent Wayne Minnaar, said he requested the Johannesburg Roads Agency (JRA) paint angle parking bays onto the side of Derrick Avenue to help create parking to give more space for motorists to drive through.

“Offenders can then apply for fines to be cancelled, but only once the JRA is in agreement to the angle parking and after the lines are painted,” he said.

@JoziReporter