I got a $100 ticket for parking on a double line near Hurley’s supermarket entrance door. I am handicapped and try to park as close as I can to where I am going, as the dedicated handicapped parking is a good distance away at Hurley’s. I am of the opinion that the ticket is invalid simply because the RCIPS has no jurisdiction over private roads and property, only over public roads. Can you kindly confirm if my opinion is correct and, if it is, how to get the ticket invalidated?


Auntie’s answer: I am afraid the law is not on your side. A previous column covered a similar question though I do not believe the person asking the question was disabled (see Parking by double yellow lines).

For clarity, I will go over the points of the Traffic Law that are relevant to your question and which confirm that the carpark at Hurley’s is not considered private.

The law defines a public place as “a place to which the public has access – (a) as of right, without payment; (b) upon payment; or (c) upon invitation, express or implied, and includes commercial property to which persons attending for commercial purposes are allowed access by the owner of those premises, upon payment of a fee or not”.

Additionally, under the law a road “means a public place where a vehicle may be driven or parked and such areas adjacent to that place as may be prescribed”.

With those two points in mind, parking by double yellow lines at Hurley’s would be an offence, no matter where along those lines you parked. The only exception is: “A person may park a goods vehicle along yellow lines for a period of up to fifteen minutes for the purpose of loading or unloading the vehicle, except in an area set aside for disabled parking or where there is a sign prohibiting the loading and unloading of a vehicle.”

Therefore, the police do indeed have jurisdiction and the ticket you were issued is valid.

The law mentioned in this column can be found on the CNS Library