A new " money trap " is being set to snare innocent motorists who only want to find a buyer for the car they are driving. Huge numbers of motorists either write on the window glass - or attach a small sign - offering the vehicle for a price and showing a contact phone number.
Park that car in the wrong place - and you could find yourself in court, facing a massive new fine !
Residents around Sydney's Kings Cross have long faced a problem. Backpackers whose stay in this country is ending use the streets as a central market to dispose of the vehicles they have been using. Literally hundreds of cars, utes - and particularly camper vans line the streets in what has become a de facto market. They are careful to swap places to comply with the parking time restrictions, but they remain all day and deny parking for those wishing to visit nearby shops - and cause problems for residents parking.
Kings Cross council is opening a new car exchange market on council land. This will be open 9 am to 4 pm daily - and for the first three months it will be free. To force backpackers to use it and free up the streets, the council will enforce a little used by-law that is tucked away in the fine print that governs council jurisdictions.
All forms of commercial activity are expressly barred in the streets - unless they have council approval. In addition, it is an offence to display an advertising sign, unless this also has council approval.
The council rangers will be merciless in swooping on any car displaying a " For Sale " sign as part of their campaign to force backpackers to comply. From the point of view of the law, displaying such a sign is an invitation to conduct a commercial transaction - and in addition - the sign is illegal advertising if it has not had prior permission from council.
So - beware - if you are planning a visit to the delights of Kings Cross - and you are hoping to attract a buyer for your car by displaying such a sign. That could be a very costly mistake.
No comments:
Post a Comment