A trip to a hospital emergency department ended with an unexpected parking ticket for an ambulance. This was the incident reported by the ambulance crew that transported a patient to a private hospital in Alicante on a Thursday.
A mobile UVI ambulance, clearly identifiable, stood on the pavement at Padre Arrupe street intersecting with Denia street. The patient’s condition required a short stabilization period before transfer, and the crew prepared to move the patient into the hospital, an operation that took about thirty minutes to complete.
Local authorities issued a 60 euro fine on the grounds that the ambulance was parked on the pavement in front of a hospital that did not have a designated emergency stopping area for medical vehicles.
As the vehicle began to depart from the hospital, the driver noticed in the rear view mirror that the police had issued the penalty for parking on the pavement. Alicante Local Police confirmed the sanction.
The health organization quickly expressed its position on social networks, noting the mayor of the city, Luis Barcala, and pointing out that the hospital where the transfer occurred does not feature a dedicated emergency stopping zone for medical traffic.
People close to the driver explained that to avoid disrupting a busy road, the carrier chose to keep the vehicle on the pavement because the area around the hospital is densely populated and allows traffic to flow without interruption.
After the incident, the driver submitted a request to the City Council to overturn the fine, but the appeal was not successful. Those close to the driver suggested that the action was driven by a medical emergency, which could argue against a parking violation as stated by the Local Police. The driver reportedly paid the fine and planned to challenge it further through an appeal process.
three vehicles
Local police sources indicated that a motorcycle officer patrolling near the hospital filed a complaint after witnessing the scene. Three vehicles were observed blocking the curb at the pedestrian crossing: a delivery van, a car, and an ambulance. According to the sources, a deputy penalized the three individuals for occupying a space that hindered access for wheelchairs or strollers.
The authorities also outlined the rights of those who receive sanctions and noted the ambulance driver’s justification for the stop. The incident has sparked discussion about how emergency responses should be managed when emergency routes are not clearly available in crowded urban centers.