Fined for parking in his own driveway

A resident in the old Vesturbær neighborhood of Reykjavík says he’s had enough after being repeatedly fined for parking in his own private driveway. Despite the space being clearly on his property, the Parking Fund has declined to cancel the tickets.

“This is getting ridiculous,” says Borgar Þór Þórisson, who lives in the historic district. “They charge for parking until nine every evening — it’s gotten to the point where you can’t even have guests over anymore.”

Þórisson received his most recent fine on Monday for parking in his marked spot outside his home. He’s filed for a reconsideration, and based on photographs of the incident, he insists his car was well within the boundaries.

“My wife and I could’ve gotten top marks for that parking job,” he jokes.

System issues, no Answers

Þórisson’s frustrations have been exacerbated by a lack of response from the city to his appeal. The Parking Fund recently began using a vehicle equipped with license plate-scanning cameras to patrol paid parking zones in Reykjavík. After scanning, a Parking Fund employee checks whether a parking fee has been paid — and if not, a fine is issued.

In early April, Kristín Þórdís Ragnarsdóttir, a Parking Fund specialist, acknowledged in an interview with mbl.is that there were still “glitches in the new system”, and advised residents to appeal incorrect fines.

But for Þórisson, that advice has so far led nowhere.

“I’ve followed all the instructions, submitted everything, and still no response,” he says. “I’m just trying to park in my own driveway.”