A controversial parking hack performed by a couple on Australia's Gold Coast has sparked a fierce national debate, dividing social media users between those who see it as a stroke of genius and others who condemn it as a dangerous and entitled act.
The Viral Beach Car Park Stunt
On Tuesday, Gold Coast residents Bonnie and Kodi filmed themselves at a carpark at Coolangatta beach. In a now-viral TikTok video, they were seen covering a continuous yellow line with sand, effectively obscuring the road marking. The clip was captioned 'What yellow line?', with Bonnie adding in the video that 'It actually worked'.
In Queensland, parking on a continuous yellow line carries a significant penalty of $333. The couple managed to leave their vehicle in the spot for nearly two hours and avoided receiving a fine.
Public Reaction: From Praise to Outrage
The online reaction was swift and polarised. Many viewers applauded the couple's ingenuity, particularly those frustrated by chronic parking shortages at popular Australian beaches.
'Honestly genius, the amount of times I can never find a park in Australia,' one person wrote. Another commented, 'Entrepreneur right there.' A local resident added, 'I live right near this beach and may I say… That's genius Sir. The parking is awful.' One user even related it to their own experience, stating, 'I wish I knew this before my $65 beach parking ticket while I was literally VOLUNTEERING.'
However, a significant portion of respondents slammed the stunt as irresponsible. Critics were quick to point out that yellow lines are painted for important safety and access reasons. 'I'm sure that was a yellow line for no reason. Probably not safety or emergencies or anything like that,' one sceptical user remarked. Another noted, 'It's obviously a "no parking" zone if no other cars are there and its curved. A parking enforcement officer will know.' A major concern raised was that the parked car could potentially block access for emergency vehicles.
Sunrise Appearance and ADHD Defence
The video amassed almost 20 million views, leading 27-year-old Kodi to appear on Channel Seven's Sunrise programme on Wednesday. During the interview, he credited his and his girlfriend's 'real bad ADHD' for the impulsive idea.
He explained the motivation, saying, 'She didn't want to walk that far, she's a bit of a princess, so she goes "Nope, get on the yellow line, let's do it, we'll work out a way around it".' When the show's hosts questioned whether he thought the hack would catch on, Kodi joked that he was considering selling cups of sand for $5.
The incident highlights a common tension between public order regulations and individual ingenuity, set against the backdrop of Australia's competitive beach parking culture. While the couple avoided a financial penalty this time, the strong backlash serves as a reminder that such shortcuts can have consequences beyond a simple fine.
