Dubious parking 'hack' near hospital leaves Aussies in disbelief
Motorists were left bemused by the bizarre move – but it's not the trick they might think it is.
An Aussie motorist’s parking "hack" near a busy hospital has shocked many online and left others bemused by the driver's "larrikin" spirit.
A Melbourne resident who had arrived to visit a relative at Monash Health in Clayton and had circled the block a few times looking for a parking spot snapped a photo when they came across a surprising sight two streets back from the hospital.
The photo, which was shared on social media, shows a white Volkswagen Golf parked on a street behind a No Standing sign. But it’s what’s missing from the photo that has really set tongues wagging online.
The car’s number plate was nowhere to be seen.
The woman who took the photo said the car had not been there the first time she passed the spot.
“If the car owner’s intention was to avoid a parking ticket by removing the plate, kudos to them for their creativity,” the woman told Yahoo News Australia. “There is a bit of larrikin in all of us that wants to see the underdog triumph.”
But instead of being “annoyed or irritated” by the parking fail, which occurred on the corner of Fregon Road and Murray Street — and within a few minutes walk of Clayton police station — the other driver was understanding.
“There is a multi-level car park at the hospital but the cost adds up very quickly if you are a frequent visitor,” she said. “I work on the premise of: 'What If?'
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“Therefore, what if the driver wanted to visit someone at Monash Health, but the only way to park close by and avoid a fine was to remove their number plate? Perhaps the vin on their dashboard was also obscured, like l have experienced with a couple of taxi drivers hiding the meter with a dirty, grotty tissue.
“Having a family member that is seriously unwell gives you perspective, so the parking infringement is low on my list of priorities. Also, l don't know the person's personal circumstances as to why they parked illegally with no number plate visible."
Many others online congratulated the driver on their sneaky move.
“Great idea for next time — remove your number plates and they can’t book you,” one person wrote, sarcastically.
But others were quick to shut it down. “I’m sure it’s a great hack until you need to get a lift to the impound yard to pick up your car that got towed away,” someone said. “If a cop spots it without plates it will cop a fine all the same,” another commented. Yet another said that when the car got towed the driver would have a tough time relocating it again due to the plates being missing.
So is it illegal?
Speaking to Yahoo News Australia, the Monash Mayor Nicky Luo said the driver would have been in big trouble if they were spotted.
“‘No stopping’ parking zones ensure the safe movement of people using our roads roads," Ms Luo said. "If a parking enforcement officer had seen this car parked in this spot, a fine would have been issued.”
While it is unclear if the driver had been driving without number plates or had removed them intentionally because they had parked somewhere they were not supposed to it doesn't really matter in the eyes of the law because both are illegal.
It is illegal in all Australian states to be driving a vehicle without a licence plate and most also fine drivers if their licence plate is dirty, obscured or otherwise illegible.
In Victoria the fine is $110 for driving with an obscured licence plate, while in NSW it's much higher at $464.
The Vic Roads website says that to "ensure that vehicles used on our roads are identified, all registered vehicles, or vehicles operating on club permits, rally permits or 'trade plates' must display number plates".
"All number plates displayed on vehicles must be clearly visible from a distance of 20 metres," the website says.
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