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Hospitalized man fined €614 after his car was towed for illegal parking
A retired member of the French Republican Guard, Patrick Nicolle, has lost his appeal against a fine for illegal parking, despite being hospitalized at the time and unable to move his vehicle.
The Carcassonne Police Court rejected his request to overturn the €35 fine, which came in addition to €579.49 in towing and storage fees, bringing the total to €614.
The case highlights the strict enforcement of parking laws in France, even under exceptional medical circumstances.
In March, Nicolle was admitted to intensive care in Carcassonne for about two weeks. After leaving the hospital, he required regular dialysis sessions, lasting four hours, three times a week. On his doctor’s advice, he stopped driving for safety reasons.
Meanwhile, his Mercedes remained parked on Allée de Cassieu, in the city center of Castelnaudary (Aude), for several weeks. Under local regulations, a vehicle cannot stay parked in the same spot for more than seven days.
Municipal police officers eventually noticed the prolonged parking, issued a fine, and had the vehicle towed.
“I understand the law, but I would have appreciated a bit of leniency,” Nicolle told the local newspaper L’Indépendant, adding that the officers “knew him well” and could have called before proceeding.
Nicolle now hopes his case will serve as a warning to other drivers about the potential costs of overstaying the legal parking limit. “It might help others avoid the same mistake,” he said.
