Sour Grapes: Parking Fees And Fines

This issue’s most awesome letter!

Just a few thoughts from your recent article in Grapevine on car parking charges in your country…..as from a long time motoring correspondent for the London offices of Associated Newspapers and a car visitor to your country last week!

If there’s one thing that puts any visitor off touring a new country by car is not so much the actual rental of the vehicle but the cost of parking.

I have been fortunate in a working capacity for over 40 years driven and parked in countries all over the world from the Americas to the Far East to Australia and of course all too frequently everywhere over Europe.

But judging by my experiences last week across Iceland it must rate as the most expensive and inconsiderate place for car parking charges anywhere I have been…I couldn’t believe it that even in the most remote parts of the country you simply couldn’t get away from having to pay for car parking…even if for a few minutes. In one instance there was a so-called parking warden sitting in an unmarked pick up truck just clocking drivers coming briefly before leaving.

The charges are ridiculous and whilst it’s expected in the more urban/city area where one expects to pay, as for example anywhere in the UK, charging punters in the most remote parts of your country is absolutely crazy.

Little wonder such charges are clearly putting off visitors coming to what is a beautiful country – who is in charge of all this because it’s doing your country more harm than good and clearly your president or whoever should take action and sort it out!

It seemed that many of the car parks too are run by private outfits and charge what they like ….it wouldn’t be so bad either if some of the car parking machines actually worked!

Of course any motorists like myself visiting your country will find out when they get back home that they have incurred extra charges on their credit card they probably knew nothing about. That’s a bit of a rude awakening and will clearly put many people off from visiting Iceland which is a shame.

I would suggest someone, somewhere in authority, gets to grips with this before it becomes a major headache in attracting tourists to your fine country.

Yes, we in the UK have to pay for parking in many of the tourist hot spots in places like Devon and Cornwall but they are far more reasonable and also well signposted, marked out and have machines that work!

An added insult to visitors like myself is also that lack of facilities at most of the car park particularly when you have had to pay for what I call ‘over the odds’ for the pleasure.

Anyway rant over from a frustrated tourist!

David Ward

Dear David:

We just received a parking fine in your name to our office mailbox. Please send us an envelope with unmarked 500 pounds sterling to Hafnarstræti 15, 101 Reykjavík.

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