Hey everyone! Hoping to get some local advice on this topic.

Earlier today I parked my rental car at one of the Mercado in Cascais. When I got to the parking space, a lady was directing cars to park as the place was quite full. She asked for money after that, I obliged a few € knowing she was probably homeless.

After I parked, I looked around and no meter/P sign. I also looked at the cars around me to see if they put parking ticket, but none did. I assumed it was free.

After coming back from lunch, I received a ticket. When I looked at the cars around me, there were at least 5 who also had a ticket on the shield. I would like to know if it’s possible to appeal on the grounds that there was no sign? See attached photo.

I walked around and later found a sign and meter 200m away which looked like different carpark. I have no intentions on flouting the law over a few euros. Just feeling a little down that this has happened.

Any advice is appreciated! I will leave Portugal in a few days (outside of EU). Asked some locals and had mixed replies. Back home (very strict country) they do read our appeals on a case by case basis.

36 comments

  5. [https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7023502,-9.4209241,3a,75y,309.68h,88.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svi_mfpMi47Drynn0bCQkmw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192](https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7023502,-9.4209241,3a,75y,309.68h,88.52t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svi_mfpMi47Drynn0bCQkmw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192)

    ​

    Since you pass that point, you are in parking payment zone.

    The notification of the rent-car will be much higher than the ticket, in the conditions that u did not read, there will be a value for that. And latter on, they will charge that value to the credit card that u used as deposit.

  6. Isn’t that the parking lot for the market? There used to be a parking meter there, with a sign for sure. A bit over to the left of where you took the picture. About the tickets, a lot of people use parking apps that don’t require a physical ticket.

  8. Rental company will send you the ticket or take it from your deposit (not sure how that works).

    Signage over there is horrible, if you look to the left from the place where you took the photo you’ll see the machine to pay for the parking.

  9. I’d definitely pay the fine, rental car companies can charge you more than that if they end up receiving the fine.

  11. First – stop give money to parking hobos, it’s stupid practice. If you not paid this ticket – police will send fine to cars owner – your rental car company, they will charge your account for fine processing (usually ~20-40€) and provide your contact data to police, next police will re-send this ticket to you.

  12. “I assumed it was free.”

    That was your mistake and it’s coming out of your pocket regardless, that’s all, no point trying to appeal, it won’t be worth your time.

    Depending on the rental company, that’s what you should worry about, they don’t go easy on fines.

    To be honest you shouldn’t just “assume” stuff if you don’t know the area

  14. That’s cascais market parking. There are 3 parking meters around and also now you can pay with an app so thats why you didn’t see others have a paper. Go to Loja do Cascais in the centre and pay. Keep proof of payment for at least 2 years! Trust me on that one

  18. Don’t assume anything on the basis that you are entitled to do whatever you want.

    Just pay the fine.

    Also, if you like Portugal, contribute.

  25. You shouldn’t use other people’s tickets in windshields as your basis. Where I live there’s a lot of parking you can do through an app and there is never a ticket.

  28. Portanto estrangeiro que não vê o parquímetro leva uma multa de 30€ e reclama…

    30€ … não são 500€ .. são 30€… mas não … vamos protestar e dizer que não vimos o parquímetro (que se forem ao google maps está a 5 [metros](https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7024217,-9.4222339,3a,75y,268.85h,82.32t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s2YDlrjOKsU8XAwhaBjtiZQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=pt-PT) de onde ele tirou a foto).

    Enfim… olha manda e-mail para o primeiro ministro a pedir para ele te pagar a multa… haja [noção](https://www.google.com/maps/@38.7023502,-9.4209241,3a,15.1y,319.66h,93.16t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1svi_mfpMi47Drynn0bCQkmw!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?hl=pt-PT)…

  30. Portugal: Não mete a descrição da infração em Inglês, mas a informação sobre o pagamento não falta.

  32. The signaling and park meter are there, and they fined you the very lower value. You can appeal, but it will cost you much more and you will lose and pay a higher fine. I recommend you to pay and keep the receipt for 2 years. There are almost no free parking in Portugal, on the big cities. Cascais, Lisboa and Sintra are very very strict on this, they will fine you after some 15~20min.

  33. I’m not local but here in Portugal its pay first and complain after. You shoud had taked a foto of the spot to complain if its even possible to complain.
    I hope you liked to stay here in Portugal.

Leave a Reply