boat trailers, boat ramps and parking enforcement officers

[morspeed 1]

Well , not sure if this is the right forum but here goes..

 

So, I have always suspected the parking enforcement officers were only in uniform cause they were not brave enough to be soldiers and not smart enough to pass the police exams.

 

My experience over the last 12 months at the Half Moon bay boat ramp has confirmed this belief.

 

12 months ago i come back to ramp to find a ticket on vehicle for "failing to display a wof" on trailer.....

 

Fairly incensed about this ticket , I wrote a fairly derogatory letter to Parking fines admin explaining the WOF label is on the drawbar ( a fairly common practice on Boat trailers)where it has always been and perhaps your staff need to stop picking on soft targets and start thinking outside the square.

 

The ticket was cancelled via a letter back to me tersely explaining , "there was a mistake".

 

More recently I come back to boat ramp and find a ticket on vehicle for "failing to display Registration label in prescribed manner" ...joy, another $200 ticket to fight.

 

So again I write a letter explaining the Reg label is adjacent to the Wof label on the drawbar. where it has always been. And indeed it was located in this position when the trailer went thru VTNZ two weeks ago, the Wof inspector viewed the location of reg label and passed the trailer with a brand new WOF. Therefore how can a vehicle get a wof if reg not displayed in "prescribed manner" and perhaps they should take this up with the VTNZ.

 

I also informed them the LTSA website states that the "Registration label must be located near to the number plate" and this is all the info on the issue on the official LTSA website . Therefore it can be argued that as my reg label is 1.8 metres from the number plate (on the mudguard) this can be regarded as "near".

 

So I asked them to please clarify the issue to me so I can do the right thing in the future and avoid having continually defend my position. I also asked them that if my labels were located on number plate would they pay for the ongoing replacement of labels due to salt water immersion/ sun etc..

 

I get terse letter back yesterday stating in a nut shell " your comments have been considered, the ticket has been cancelled but if we find the trailer back at the boat ramp we will issue another ticket for the same offense".

 

They have made no offers of advice and no comment on LTSA/ VTNZ issue and I am really in the dark as to what is law or not?.

[Murky 1]

Setting aside the wider implications, how about a couple of cheap paper signs in various places on the trailer:

 

Attention [ignorant] Parking Officers, please see drawbar for WOF and registration label.

 

OK, so maybe the ignorant bit wouldn't help the situation...

[Rangi1 51]

Is the trailer parked on private property or on the public street? If on private property surely they have no right to ticket it.

[Marshy 30]

What Prats... What about those of us with Speed boats that have light boards with the number plate on and all the other details, How often once the boat is in the water do you put the light board back on? It normally goes in the boot of the car while trailer is parked up?

[morspeed 1]

Yeah Murky, I got a few choice signs i would like to give the wardens, but they are sneaky bastards...I am sure they turn up at the trailer park midday when they know there's little chance of confrontation cause everybodies on the water till late afternoon.

 

@Rangi1...its a good point...I always thought the Half moon bay marina complex and its trailer parking was private property or at least not the property of the council.

 

@ Marshy...you are dead right...a mate turns up regular down there drops his dinghy in the water, puts the lightboard in the boot and has never had a ticket.

[Murky 1]

I seem to recall there was a Fair Go episode a few months back about the way parking officers were operating in shopping malls (i.e. also private) and the question of their right to:

 

- ensure that other shoppers were not disadvantaged by vehicles remaining past their allocated time, parking in disabled spaces etc

 

- have their say on whether they believe parked vehicles had the correct amount of tread on their tyres etc.

 

As usual on important matters, I can't remember the outcome! I think the parking officers had the legal right but got the Fair Go finger wagged at them a bit.

[wheels 543]

I don't think legally they should be allowed to make calls of WOF issues. Not just any mechanic can issue a WOF. The Mech has to be trained and accredited to do so, so why should a Warden with no clue whatsover, let alone proper mechanical training, let alone to WOF standard, be able to make a call on whether a vehicle is upto standard or not.

 

I had a similar issue with a trailer. The plate and WOF and Rego were on the right hand mudgaurd. The Warden didn't look around the trailer. She was in the middle of writing the ticket when I turned up. I showed her the plate and she continued to write the ticket and give it to me. Apparently they can't cross it out or screw it up or something. So I had to write in to get off the ticket. I saw red and tolled her what I thought. I felt rather bad afterwards. But if she had of done her job properly and actually looked.

[smithy09 50]

Jeeze Wheels. I would have been furious. I would have insisted she sorted it out right there and then. Why should you have to waste your time over HER mistake???? That is rediculous. Trouble is, if you did nothing the debt collectors would be after you.. No that is just silly, and they need to change that. If you can point out your legitimate warrant and rego there and then, then surely it should be up to the warden to sort it out?? That is nothing short of harrasment.

I also agree that they should have nothing to do with WOF and Rego at all, and CERTAINLY not wof issues like tyres. Out of their skill set which is pretty damn limited...

[wheels 543]

Hehe, arrr yeah I got furious alright. I was on a trial of some new meds at the time and they were not working well at all. I lost my temper. The most angry I think I had ever been. I called her things I would not have normally said to anyone. Afterwards when I calmed down I drove around the street to see if could find her and apologise. But I couldn't find her. Which was probably a good thing as she might have thought I was coming for a second go at her. I really did feel real bad though.

[smithy09 50]

I wouldn't if I were you (feel bad). Wasted emotion on her sort. Gotta wonder how they do the job though. So much abuse and negative emotion towards them, nothing positive, unless you are some kind of sadist..

[rigger 47]

http://www.nzta.govt.nz/resources/virm- ... 1-v4a1.pdf

 

Quoted from the Vehicle Inspection Requirements Manual (VIRM). Introduction Page 3-23

3.8.2 Completing and affixing the WOF label

 

Affixing the label

 

The Wof label must be affixed by the inspector or a delegated employee of the inspecting organisation in one of the following positions

 

for a trailer, on the back of the vehicle near the registration plate, or on the right hand side of the vehicle at the rear, or if this is impracticable, in a position where it can readily be seen.

 

http://www.legislation.co.nz/regulation ... #DLM201165

10 Display of licences (other than trade licences)

(1) This clause applies to licences to use motor vehicles but does not apply to trade licences.

 

(2) A licence issued for a vehicle shall be displayed as follows:

 

(a) if the vehicle is a motorcycle, moped, tractor, or trailer, the licence must be affixed—

 

(i) to the registration plate on the right-hand side; or

 

(ii) to the vehicle, immediately below or as close as is practicable to the registration plate:

 

( [Revoked]

 

© if the vehicle is not a motorcycle, moped, tractor, or trailer, and is fitted with a windscreen, the licence must be displayed on the inside of the windscreen, as close as is practicable to the bottom right-hand corner of the windscreen (when viewed from the outside and front of the vehicle):

 

(d) [Revoked]

 

(e) if the vehicle is not a motorcycle, moped, tractor, or trailer, and is not fitted with a windscreen, the licence must be affixed to the back of the vehicle, as close as is practicable to the registration plate.

 

(3)

 

I have heard it suggested getting them laminated to reduce the risk of water damage but frankly if they cannot cope with water then the next best option is a practical solution of mounting them in a better place.

Perhaps a permanent label telling the numbty where to look (and why) would be a good practical solution.

[tuffyluffy 76]

Jeeze Wheels. I would have been furious. I would have insisted she sorted it out right there and then. Why should you have to waste your time over HER mistake???? That is rediculous. Trouble is, if you did nothing the debt collectors would be after you.

 

In instances like this ive sent them an invoice (with late payment terms and penalties) for my time.

 

Chasing the debt can be fun and sometimes profitable, and it really screws them up

[Deep Purple 512]

f**king ridiculous. Last time I took my fizz boat for a warrant I found the mechanic had put it on the windscreen of the boat! In the past our family always used lightboards with number plate attached that would be in the boot when not on the boat. It is simply revenue gathering. Run the bastards over if you get a chance.

[morspeed 1]

Rigger, thanks for clearing that up, I couldn't find that info online and the parking admin seemed unwilling to inform me of correct protocol.

 

Basically put the wof any where thats practical and the reg is supposed to on plate.

 

The reg's are a plastic label so they would probably be ok getting wet, not sure but i will give it a go and see how it holds up.

 

I can see why they can't tear up up ticket once printed cause it would leave them wide open for bribes to tear em up..but it is a clever twist on revenue collection...basically issue as many as you can regardless of whether the vehicle is correctly displaying labels and trust that there will always be people who do not get around to arguing the case and then you can stick em for penalties after the 28 day period for contesting the fine has elasped.

[Guest]

Parking Wardens used to pick on us dinghy sailors at Takapuna...

 

There is a sign there stating: "No parking, except with boat trailer attached."

 

The Wardens decided that since what we were using to tow our boats around were registered as "domestic trailers" that we were not allowed to park there. I think the Warden(s) in question have had a telling off, as don't do it any more.

[Marshy 30]

Just out of curiosity when i was down at the boat today at BBYC i did a quick car park walk around. Out of the 18 boat trailers i counted, only 6 had their lights and number plate/ registration mounted on the actual trailer, and i saw a lot with the light boards in the back of the cars, and a few with the registrations nearer to the front of the trailer.

 

Fair to say if the warden spent half as long as i did (which was only 2 minutes walking around) he/she would realise the trailers were from boats that were on the water and not to be a f*cktard and issue tickets...

[morspeed 1]

Yea well, unfortunately, these guys have been picking on the BBYC car park for years. Plenty of trailers have been issued tickets down there.

 

They mostly seem to show up on particularly nice weekends when the car park is packed with trailers.

 

Sneaky buggers too, i take a walk down to the ramp most weekends for a little entertainment and am yet to see one of these ticket writers in the flesh.

[rich2 0]

f**king ridiculous. Last time I took my fizz boat for a warrant I found the mechanic had put it on the windscreen of the boat! In the past our family always used lightboards with number plate attached that would be in the boot when not on the boat. It is simply revenue gathering. Run the bastards over if you get a chance.

 

 

F**King Gold.....

[Marshy 30]

Thought it was pretty funny today when i drive down at around 10am, they have coned off one entrance to the boatramp car park and there are wet paint signs, turns out they thought it was a good idea to do road line painting sunday morning on a glamour boating day! Dorks...