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You have to keep your wits about you when parking your car, as many Councils use "Traffic Areas" to regulate on-street parking in their CBD and inner city suburbs. The parking regulations for these areas are on large signs on the boundaries and in some streets within the area, but may not be visible once you are within the area.

You also need to know what is going on in the world of sport as some Traffic Areas have specific restrictions during certain events. For example, Parking at the Gabba during major events is restricted to 15 minutes, unless signs state otherwise. In the Lang Park Traffic Area, on every match day at Suncorp Stadium, a five-minute parking time limit restriction applies inside the designated Traffic Area in all unsigned streets from 12 noon to 10pm. There is a $50 fine for exceeding the time limits. The signs for the Gabba Traffic Area state that there is a two-hour parking time limit in the Gabba Traffic Area, unless signs state otherwise.

In Brisbane, the disgruntled parker can put their complaint in a statutory declaration to the Local Laws Unit of the BCC who will look at the area and the signage and consider overriding the fine. The next step is to go to the Magistrates Court and lodge an appeal that will be decided by a Magistrate on the merits of each case.

In Maroochy Shire, parking is regulated using yellow edge lines (which indicate no stopping), signs on posts or signs painted on the roadway which advise of parking restrictions applicable in that location. Parking is not permitted on footpaths, median strips, bikeways or nature strips, but there are not always signs to indicate this. Fines range from $20 for exceeding time on off-street parking to $100 for parking in a disabled parking area without a permit.

A disgruntled parker in Maroochy Shire has 28 days from the date of issue of the fine to make a written appeal and the Council will review the decision to issue the notice. In the last year Maroochy Shire has issued 2908 parking fines and out of 1420 appeals, about half (731) were accepted. Alternatively, you notifying the Council that you elect (within 28 days) to have the matter heard in court. The Council may then commence proceedings in the Magistrates Court.

Caloundra Shire also uses traditional signage methods to regulate parking. If you don't believe that signage is clear, you can call Caloundra City Council on 1300 650 112. The fines in Caloundra range between $10 for cars parked in a spot where the meter has expired to $50 for parking in a disabled car park. If you get a parking notice in Caloundra, you have 28 days to either pay the fine or notify the council that you elect to have a court hearing. If you make this election, the Council may commence a prosecution against you in the Magistrates Court. If you were not the driver of the car, or if the car had been stolen or sold, you can make a statutory declaration to that effect. If you disagree with the notice, for example because the signage was unclear, you can write to the Council within 28 days and it will consider excusing the notice.