Search Q&A
Is this parking fine justified - bona fide?
This morning I arrived at my car to see 2 policemen standing there. It was concerning the parking of my car. Arrantly the space was reserved. They pointed out the small signs to me. When I arrived yesterday eve, the space was full of parked cars and the signs had disappeared between the cars. It took the last one parking space, and counted myself lucky....
Anyway when I arrived at my car, one of the police men asked for my ID. He wrote my name on a list. There were already about 8 names on it already, whilst there were 2-3 cars left parked in that space. He then told me that he already had phoned the towing company. I did not see the towing truck and also not one arriving. He said I had to pay for that, plus another fine on top .... I find it strange, I have no proof that he phoned the towing company, if the truck arrives it can only tow one car at a time and there were still cars there to be towed away. So basically he will have about 10 people at least on his list paying for maybe 1 or 2 towing trucks which cost around 100 euro per go. The profit will be 800 euro (!). On top of that the individual fines from the police...
Is this correct????
no, but this is belgium and there are plenty of incorrect things going on that drive everyone crazy. and nobody seems to give a toss
a friend had her car damaged by the towing company, the police "s'en fous" and the towing company hung up the phone anytime my friend tries to reason with them. By the way they put those magic signs 'do not park' around the corner where drivers could not see them. how clever is that?
You say yourself "the signs had disappeared between the cars". So they had it covered.
If you have "protection juridique" insurance, call your insurance company and see if you have a case and can use it. Otherwise pay up - it should eventually catch up with you, with all sorts of extras. You might get away with not paying - the courts can be so inefficient that things like this never get enforced, but it is a gamble, and an expensive one if you lose it.
Advice would be, illegally parked car = possible police fine. Simple as.
If the Police say they called a tow truck but later cancelled but there are costs to pay, then you are responsible for those costs. Difficult to contest this
"I have no proof that he phoned the towing company"
No you don't, but he does.
Once they've called the tow trucks, they have to pay them, even if they turn up and you have already removed your car.
Just because you didn't see the truck doesn't give you a get out clause.
Unfortunately, your only defense is to claim that the "no parking" signs were not visible, or not present when you parked, and that you parked in what you assumed was a legal space. However, in order to contest the fine, you have to pay it first.
No, they don't call 11 x, they call one time - and yes, when the garagiste is activated, we have to pay. End of story + Lesson learned.
I always look around my parking space since years after leaving my car to avoid these kinds of surprises .
Plus I remember quite well, when we had renovation works ongoing some years ago, about 5 x reservations and often not only for one truck. It was a pain in the ass in our narrow street and the police always called promptly the towing companies on our demand. Did y ou know it was 'only' for one truck?
Just be careful at mid-month or end of month arriving due to movers - but it could have been also works (roof, facade...)
