A scooter driver’s decision to park in a beachside car space has divided a coastal town, after he was told it was illegal to park on the grass.
A terse handwritten note was left on Diane Lawrence’s Honda Dio during a morning visit to Shelly Beach in Port Macquarie on the New South Wales mid-north coast.
“This morning a note was left on my scooter in Shelly Beach between 6.20 and 6.50am asking me not to use the car space,” he told a private Facebook group on New Year’s Eve.
‘I had always used common sense and parked my bike on the grass until a member of the public wrote to the council complaining about it being parked there.
“The ranger has said that we should not park on the grass and that we should only park in the parking spaces.”
The motorcycle owner said she would prefer to park on the grass and not take up a car spot, as her two-wheeled Honda is only 1.8 meters long, or less than half the length of even a small Toyota. Corolla with hatchback.
Regional beaches north of Sydney fill with visitors during the school summer holidays.
Parking lots that are normally half empty on weekends are often full to overflowing during the week in December and January.
A scooter driver’s decision to park in a beachside car space has divided a coastal town after he was told it was illegal to park on grass.
“If you are the author of this note, please speak to the council,” he said.
‘I am at Shelly Beach every morning and am happy to chat about the experience if you wish rather than leaving a note, although it should be noted that I pay my registration to be on the road as a vehicle and had tried to be courteous and attentive to the parking spaces. Thank you very much for your time.’
Ms Lawrence received a lot of support, with one woman pointing out there would be legal problems if she parked on the grass.
“You’re right, it’s a legal requirement to park in a parking spot,” he said.
“If someone trips over your bike, you can be held responsible.”
Another woman noted that she paid registration and therefore “has permission to park in a car spot,” while another supporter was furious with the author of that note.
“You pay registration and you have a license,” he said. ‘You have earned the right to use that parking lot. Whoever wrote the note knows how to suck eggs.
Another woman lamented that a scooter driver received complaints no matter what he did.
A short handwritten note was left on Diane Lawrence’s two-wheeled transport during a morning visit to Shelly Beach in Port Macquarie on the central New South Wales north coast.
“My God, you can’t win, hey,” he said.
A member of the Facebook group pointed out that you should park in the car space to avoid a fine.
“Park where legally permitted: in a parking lot,” he said.
‘Why should you risk a fine for parking illegally?’
It also had a message about the negativity of the whistleblower’s note.
‘To the author of the note: why bother someone who has done nothing wrong? “Maybe you should calm down and not cause pain when it’s not necessary,” he said.
‘I’m sorry that you obviously see the negative and only worry about yourself.
“I hope you too have a wonderful day and reflect on how you might inspire caring and kindness instead of selfishness and negativity.”
Regional beaches north of Sydney are packed with visitors during the school summer holidays (pictured, Shelly Beach in Port Macquarie during a quieter time of year)
One man suggested that car owners were the ones entitled rather than those who drove a motorcycle.
“You said it kindly. Unfortunately, the note shows the ignorance that some drivers have regarding motorcycles,” he said.
A fellow motorcyclist noted that, as a car driver, he often became furious when he saw something with two wheels taking up all the space in the car.
“I ride my bike and try to never take up car space if I can,” he said.
‘I hate when I go to park my car that is five meters long and almost two meters wide, when I see a bicycle taking up all that space, it is annoying.
“You’re damned if you do and damned if you don’t.”
Another man who was on the scooter owner’s side described the note’s author as Karen, a derogatory term for an entitled woman.
“Karen is alive and well in Port these days,” he said.
Port Macquarie Hastings Council has dedicated parking for motorcycles in the town centre, but not on popular beaches, but its website is vague about where small scooters should be parked in the absence of dedicated spaces.
Daily Mail Australia contacted the council for a response.