"Hellish Struggle": Car Drivers Endure Ghostly Parking Violations
A Parisian driver named Jean is grappling with the confiscation of nearly 400 euros allegedly for unpaid parking tickets he maintains he never received. This development has left Jean, a 62-year-old temporary worker living in a Parisian HLM, struggling to prove his innocence and secure a refund.
As reported by Le Parisien, the French authorities are demanding three increased post-staying fines, amounting to 400 euros, dated July 31, 2023, and September 25, despite Jean's car having been torched on June 30. The car, an Opel Vectra, was destroyed on September 12, meaning it would have been impossible for parking fines to be issued on the stated dates.
Ariana Bobetic, Jean's lawyer, expresses her bewilderment, stating, "It's Kafkaesque!" Other residents, like Marie, have also experienced similar situations, with 200 euros being seized from her account for two increased post-staying fines from 2021, even though she claims she never received any such notifications.
This issue seems to be more widespread than isolated incidents, as the number of appeals against such fines has reportedly doubled since 2018. Last year, the court processed over 146,000 out of 201,000 requests, although the proportion of rejections remains unclear.
It's essential to note that bank seizures for unpaid fines, including parking fines, can occur if the fines remain unpaid and the authorities take legal action. However, administrative errors, lack of transparency, or unjustified fines can sometimes lead to unwarranted bank seizures. French authorities typically seize bank accounts as a last resort, following legal procedures to enforce compliance with legal obligations.
- In the current scenario, the French authorities have mistakenly labeled Jean, a Parisian resident, for unpaid sports fines, despite the alleged unpaid parking tickets being the issue.
- Similar to Jean's case, the label of owing fines was incorrectly placed on Marie, a resident, who claims she never received notifications for the fines that were seized from her account.
