Australians are no stranger to bizarre laws and heavy fines – but one state appears to cop it more than most.
New South Wales residents have been quick to share their outrage after being handed heavy fines for minor infractions.
From pouring liquid on to grass to driving too slowly, Daily Mail Australia looks back at some of the more bizarre laws heavily enforced by authorities over the past year.
Busy city commuters were given a rude shock earlier this year when police were seen waiting for them at popular intersections in Wynyard.
Sydneysiders were fined for taking off across the road without the blessing of a pedestrian light earlier this year (pictured)
Workers who took off without the blessing of the pedestrian light were given a $72 fine.
While an appeal may have gotten them off the hook, current NSW law stated their fine would have increased to $2,200 if they lost in court – leaving the option undesirable.
Later that month, a tourist was subjected to the wrath of petty council rangers.
Matthew Banks, from Western Australia, was travelling near Byron Bay in his van, when a coffee stop proved to be more expensive than first thought.
Matthew Banks (pictured) was fined after pouring some spoiled coffee on the grass
Friends of the Western Australian had made coffee using ingredients inside the car, which had been vacant for a week as Mr Banks underwent knee surgery.
He was issued a $450 fine (pictured) for ‘aggravated littering’ by rangers he claims flicked through a book of by-laws to find something to ticket him for
Unfortunately, the milk had been spoiled, leaving the batch of coffee was undrinkable.
Mr Banks and his friends poured the liquid on to some nearby grass to get rid of it, but were spotted by rangers from the local council, who fined him $450 for ‘aggravated littering’.
He told Daily Mail Australia earlier this year a family picnicking in the same area had seen rangers flick through a book of local laws before one cried out ‘we got him!’.
In September, Tim Agius drove in the right-hand lane for about 1.5km down the Pacific Highway between Port Macquarie and Coff Harbour in NSW.
A NSW Police officer spotted the man and chased after him, at one point reaching a speed of 220km/h – just to hand him a fine.
For his short jaunt in the right-hand lane, Mr Agius was fined $325 and told he would lose three points off his licence because of his actions.
Outraged, the man took his fine to court, where a judge found the police officer had been overzealous in his attempt to catch the man.
Reviewing the dashcam footage, the Magistrate scrapped the demerit point portion of the fine and capped it at $200.
A policeman zoomed along a highway at 220km/h in desperate pursuit of a driver who was simply driving in the right hand lane
On Thursday, a young motorcycle rider was given a $300 fine for incorrect placement of his helmet.
The 20-year-old man was pulled over near Sydney’s CBD just after 3pm by police, who noticed his helmet was on backwards.
He told officers he was trying to avoid putting the strap on a pimple that had taken residence on his face.
Police fined him $319, and issued three demerit points to the man when he was caught on Elizabeth Street in Surry Hills.
This motorcycle rider was pulled over and fined $319 for wearing his helmet upside down