Paul Camilleri, Valletta
Punished for parking within white lines
The parking bays in Valletta are colour coded in three colours, namely green (for residents, 24 hours a day), blue (for residents and visitors from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., and for residents only from 7 p.m. to 8 a.m.) and white (for all, residents and visitors alike, 24 hours a day).
Last night, at 9.15 p.m. a warden issued my car, which is rented, with a contravention ticket stating that only residents are allowed to park in St Ursula Street after 7 p.m., even though the parking bays are marked in white.
The warden pointed out that recently a small nondescript sign had been put up at the entrance to St Ursula Street corner with St Christopher Street, indicating that only residents are allowed to park there after 7 p.m. Why this confusion?
Why is it that where all other parking bays in Valletta are clearly colour coded, a mere, nondescript, barely noticeable (only noticeable if pointed out to you after being issued with a ticket) sign is deemed to overrule the default regulations as indicated by the colour coding of parking bays in the rest of Valletta?
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Ludwig Flask
Sep 21st 2010, 09:03
Mr Camilleri, several years ago I was fined by a warden because my car was wrongly parked somewhere in Valletta. Ironically, at the time and date I got the contravention ticket I was abroad. During the hearing of my case I specified I was abroad, and even showed my passport as evidence, but still was forced to pay half the fine else I would have had to pay double the original fine. Considering I had to take leave for the hearing actually I paid more than the original fine anyway!
T Camilleri
Sep 21st 2010, 11:07
Ludwig Flask you should have appealed and sued the warden. You could never be fined if there was no contravention and it was illegal for the commissioner to fine you.
Paul Borg
Sep 20th 2010, 15:32
Take photos of sign and go to the local council before you receive the summons. Talk to Etienne or Mayor Alexei. Rules in Valletta change every day.......ridiculous
Frank Galea
Sep 20th 2010, 12:36
My advice to Mr. Camilleri is to contest the fine with the Petitons Board. Explain everything in detail and your case should be accepted because this is not the way how to treat motorists, who after all pay the same amount as the residents to Transport Malta when they pay the road licence. My question to the Mayor and the Valletta Local Council is: why are you still enforcing the residential parking scheme when you are well aware that there is a Lawsuit pending before the Civil Court, Case 1118/09, which was instituted by Joseph and Victoria Borg vs. the Prime Minister, the Transport Minister and Transport Malta? This is sheer arrogance and abuse of power! Why all this persecution of small cars and no action taken against heavy vehicles, comprising buses which emit carbon monoxide, construction vehicles and other similar "kings of the road"? Isn't this pure dsicrimination? I await earnestly answers from the competent authorities!
Ramon Casha
Sep 20th 2010, 15:26
My personal experience with the petitions board was that it doesn't work. I had to attend a tribunal - which tossed out the case immediately - but only after I had spent almost 6 hours waiting there. I actually lost more money getting justice done than the amount of the fine itself. To me it's the principle that counts, but many people can't afford that. What if it's a self-employed person who has to close shop for an entire afternoon to attend a sitting? They have no choice but to pay fines that they know are completely unjustified - possibly even fraudulent - or else lose even more money.
Albert Scerri
Sep 21st 2010, 16:58
You probably make it worse for yourself if you take up the matter with the Petitions Board. Been there, done that. When the commissioner read from his notes that I'd been through the Petitions Board, he just smirked and still fined me.
B Sant
Sep 20th 2010, 11:55
it shows the low iq that traffic enforcers have . In a more civilised country they would placed a warden to pinpoint that you cannot park there
But no.... They are unable to pinpoint drivers driving on the outer lane, they are accomodative to businessees where they allow triple parking on either side, they do not know that a car should stop on a stop sign, and that some cars drive with the white lines just in the middle of their car.
Parking traps are more easy to get and fine!!!!
D.Zammit
Sep 20th 2010, 10:58
why don't u say a big thank you for the Mayor and the ADT who put the sign.
C Agius
Sep 20th 2010, 10:57
The bird trappers are over and done with - now it is the speed cameras ( 60kmh) the wardensand most new Government public Authorities are allowed to do human trapping.
Ramon Casha
Sep 20th 2010, 10:42
It's just the latest way to turn a profit.
Joseph Cauchi
Sep 20th 2010, 10:23
@ Mr. Paul Camilleri,
It is very simple!
It’s called a TRAP.
JC.