Bloody Australians...

[Sniper]

(Poor guy)

One-Armed Man Fined For Taking Too Long To Unload Luggage At Airport

02/06/2006

AUSTRALIA-- A one-armed man who took too long to unload luggage at Melbourne airport was given a parking ticket.
Now the airport authority has threatened to take him to court if he doesn't pay the fine.

Stephen McKenzie-McHarg was told by an airport parking officer he could park in a bus zone to help his family with their bags if he was quick. But while his motor was still running, and he was struggling with the luggage, another parking inspector wrote him a ticket.

"I've been without an arm since I was 21. (Now) I'm 54 and used to physical work, but I knew I was in trouble," he said this week. "I said to the first inspector, 'I've travelled five hours from the country and I've got two women to pick up with six big suitcases'. The head man said, 'Be quick'." "I wasn't 30 seconds, but the next little fella threw the book at me."

Mr McKenzie-McHarg said the car was never out of his sight while he helped with his wife and daughter's bags. His family had just returned from America.

"He's saying, 'Get going, get going'. I said, 'Why don't you give me a hand?' Then he said, 'I'm going to book you'."

Mr McKenzie-McHarg wrote a letter challenging the $66 fine, but without success. Melbourne airport then threatened to take him to court. Mr McKenzie-McHarg has vowed to fight his case in court.

"I'm fighting it on principle. I feel very much discriminated against," he said. "Australians are supposed to be compassionate, helpful people and the ones I know are. I'd like them to apologise and change their ways. Next time the fellow might have just one leg."

The fine fiasco follows outrage over Qantas's treatment of disabled passengers wanting to use their wheelchairs outside terminals. Melbourne airport spokeswoman Brooke Lord said a strict policy was necessary because of terrorism fears and Federal Government requirements. Their legal department was looking at Mr McKenzie-McHarg's case, but she could not say whether the charges would be pursued.

The incident occurred on June 1 last year.

Mr McKenzie-McHarg has hired a solicitor but is in a legal limbo after receiving contradictory advice from the airport on whether the fine is being taken to court.

[Swoop]

Un-be-freaking-leiveable!!!
Hasn't left the vicinity of the vehicle AND the engine is still running.

Luckily he has one good arm to SMACK THE F*CKER IN THE HEAD WITH!!!

[far queue]

That'll cost him an arm and a leg if it goes to court - then he'll really be fucked.

[terbang]

Seems like such an armless thing to book im over.

[yungatart]

Lets just hope that karma does its stuff and the ticket writer ends up with a disability too, then he'll know how difficult life can be

[NotaGoth]

How pathetically sad is that. And no one had the decency to lend him a hand either. (nope not cracking a sick joke when I say that)

[onearmedbandit]

I wouldn't need a hand nor would I expect special excemptions either. The rules are there for all, frankly I'd be embarrassed of the media attention over it all. Maybe the warden was an arsehole, who knows but I think the whole thing is over-rated.

[scumdog]

I wouldn't need a hand nor would I expect special excemptions either. The rules are there for all, frankly I'd be embarrassed of the media attention over it all. Maybe the warden was an arsehole, who knows but I think the whole thing is over-rated.

Bling for you OAB, I suspect there is more to this story than meets the eye, if it was THAT simple you would have expected a philanthropic member of the public would have offered to pay the fine while the case was fought out.

[Big Dave]

>>but is in a legal limbo<<

Lucky he has both legs then.

[SPman]

Maybe the warden was an arsehole, who knows

MAYBE...?????

They ARE arseholes!

[thealmightytaco]

Tits McGee, they're gonna burn in eternal hellfire.

Parking wardens that is.

[Brian d marge]

To be honest I wouldnt be suprised, When we went to Phillip Island Gp the people there were fantastic , Couldnt be more friendly
BUT I swear I will never fly Quantas EVER if I can help it . they are rude, BLAah Blah Just plain good old fashioned crap service.

We dont know the facts here , He might be a dick just trying it on , or actually may have been genuine, But I do know one thing, if I was the traffic warden I would have helped him with his suitcase(s)

Stephen

[erik]

It's irrelevant that he's only got one arm.

The only issue here that I can see is the first parking warden said he could park there, while the second one disagreed and ticketed him.

[Coyote]

BUT I swear I will never fly Quantas EVER if I can help it . they are rude, BLAah Blah Just plain good old fashioned crap service.

And they're the only airline company that hasn't had a fatal crash, so they're about due

[Big Dave]

EVER if I can help it . they are rude, BLAah Blah Just plain good old fashioned crap service.

You haven't tried eating the food on Air NZ lately then?
It's just embarassing.

You are the sort of person that rubs people up the wrong way sometimes too?