Todd Treweek said he had received about 10 tickets for parking too close to a fire hydrant and partially over a yellow line on the street in front of his house, since buying it about two years ago.
Often no other parks were available on the narrow and congested cul-de-sac when he finished late shifts as a chef, Mr Treweek said.
‘‘I'm disappointed with what the [Dunedin City] Council are doing with this part of town,'' he said.
‘‘Do they think it is hurting people? It's not hurting anyone. All it's hurting is my pocket.''
The latest ticket was placed on his vehicle's windscreen at 7.39am on April 1.
Mr Treweek could not understand why parking wardens could not come and speak to him about the problem, rather than issuing a ticket.
‘‘I'm not obstructing the footpath,'' he said.
‘‘It's really nonsense. I just want to be left alone. I work hard like everybody else. It's just so frustrating.''
Mr Treweek had rung the council to discuss the tickets, but said he found staff condescending and their approach unhelpful.
‘‘I said: ‘Where do you want me to park? In South Rd?' and he said: ‘If that's what you have to do to stop breaking the law'.''
His house was at the far end of the street, and parking in the next closest parking space would mean walking about 500m late at night.
He was also concerned about parking his vehicle so far from his house when thefts from cars were a regular occurrence in Caversham, he said.
‘‘I said: ‘Can you guys not just come up and talk to me about it' and they said: ‘No, you are breaking the law'.''
Mr Treweek estimated his tickets had totalled more than $1000 since moving into the street.
Council parking services team leader Daphne Griffen said council wardens would continue issuing tickets as long as Mr Treweek continued to park illegally.
‘‘The law is quite clear,'' she said.
The council often received complaints from residents in Mr Treweek's street about parking issues, she said.
‘‘We are required to respond to all complaints or requests for service."
Ms Griffen said wardens would not enter private property to discuss issues with residents.
She invited Mr Treweek to call her to discuss any health or mobility issues which might prevent him from parking further away or writing a letter of explanation when he was issued a ticket.
‘‘Unfortunately, other than that I can't suggest anything else,'' she said.
[This article has been amended since its initial publication- Online ODT]
