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Hong Kong drivers caught in surprise police blitz complain over ‘unfair’ fines … despite being illegally parked

Week-long, city-wide crackdown on illegal parking begins

Drivers in Central blackspots were caught out on Wednesday as ¬police launched a week-long, ¬city-wide crackdown on illegal parking.

Those expecting the leniency they were accustomed to were in for a surprise; they ended up complaining that the operation was “unfair”, as police enforced HK$320 fines only minutes after the drivers parked their vehicles ¬illegally, and without warning.

While traffic police swooped on blackspots, the uphill battle against illegal parking was evident as it was back to business as usual when the officers moved on.

A Filipino professional driver was one of those given a ticket for waiting for his boss in a restricted area on Lyndhurst Terrace at around 1pm.

The driver, 56, who refused to give his name, said he had parked there almost every day for the past few years as his boss would have lunch nearby.

“[This is] the first time I have got a ticket in this area. I have worked as a driver in Hong Kong for 20 years,” he said, adding that he was unaware of the police ¬operation, which was announced last week, and questioned whether he had even broken the law.

“This is an open area. There is no sign. Suddenly they came and gave me a ticket … no warning,” he said.

He said the officer, who spoke in Cantonese – a language the driver was not fluent in – would only tell him “it is ticketing time”.

Police have vowed to be tough during the seven-day operation.

Their focus is on double-parking and stopping in restricted zones.

Central and Kowloon Tong – notorious for traffic congestion as a result of illegal parking – were among areas targeted on Wednesday.

A local woman was given a ticket for double parking at noon on the same road in Central where the Filipino driver was caught out.

“I am not familiar with this area,” she said.

“I parked here for just two minutes to pick up some stuff for my kids. Then I got a ticket.”

The officer involved told the woman “even one minute would not work”, as her car was blocking others from turning.

On Wellington Street, the Post saw an officer take only two minutes to ticket a white BMW.

In Yau Ma Tei, a 57-year-old driver and his 44-year-old passenger were arrested for disorder in a public place after they were allegedly uncooperative and yelled at the police officer who fined them for illegal parking.

The driver, surnamed Lam, parked his car outside 3 Waterloo Road.

But in Kowloon City, another notorious blackspot, drivers ¬defied the crackdown with rampant double and triple parking.
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Source URL: http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/law-crime/article/1961561/hong-kong-drivers-caught-surprise-police-blitz-complain