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The trouble with parking

parking rangers

If you live in one of Australia’s major cities, you probably have trouble with parking. At Sydney Airport, you can pay the highest rates per hour in the world. Sydney and Brisbane parking, of all kinds, is the third and fifth most expensive in the world. Some of us don’t want to pay at all to park. But did you know parking rangers are least likely to work on Fridays?

Airport parking costs a lot

Many people complain about the cost of parking at Sydney Airport and would rather hover illegally in nearby streets than pay. Unfortunately, hourly rates are the highest in the world. It costs $17.92 per hour in Sydney compared to $11.02 per hour in New York, according to Fixter. The airport website says it is cheaper to pre-book a space online.

Meanwhile, The Parkopedia 2019 Global Parking Index claims Australia’s daily parking rates are the most expensive in the world. Hong Kong beats us, when considering purchasing power.

Short-term parking is costly

The 2019 Index found Australia is also the costliest country for short-term, 2-hour off-street parking. Drivers have to spend around $US15.65 for 2 hours, an 8.5% increase on 2017. Second is the US at $US9.68 and New Zealand at $US8.16.

Even when parking in Sydney is free – a rare thing – it is usually time limited. Drivers must rush around in 15 minutes or half an hour to get everything done before the parking rangers arrive. They have to check for chalk marks on the tyres, re-park in another zone, or just hope for the best.

What about parking rangers?

Research by Financial Review found all days are not equal when it comes to parking rangers. For example, they are least likely to work on Fridays. Melburnians are most likely to get booked on a Thursday, when most of the city’s rangers are working. While weekends could be lucrative for booking visitors who overstay their spaces, only 35% of the nation’s rangers work on Saturdays and 25% on Sundays.

Sydney has the highest number of parking rangers – 69 and counting. However, the way other drivers park can be almost as annoying as parking fines.

The worst parking habits

Probably the worst parking habit is having to park in a congested city in the first place. Here are some more irritating parking habits:

  • Taking up more than one space by parking lazily
  • Parking right at the edge of a designated space
  • Making it impossible for someone else to get out
  • Parking across a driveway or footpath
  • Blocking the traffic by waiting for a parking spot
  • Using a disabled space illegally.

Meanwhile we waste 14 hours per year just looking for parking. Who would do it?

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Corrina Baird

Writer and Researcher, greenslips.com.au

Corrina used to lend her car to her kids and discovered what Ls, Ps and demerits mean for greenslips. After 20 years in financial services and over 8 years with greenslips.com.au, she’s an expert in the NSW CTP scheme. Read more about Corrina

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