Gold Coast fitness star Ashy Bines is on a self-imposed social media blackout in an attempt to deal with the avalanche of vitriol she’s received after revealing she often parks her Range Rover in disabled parking spots.
Bines was caught out after uploading a video to YouTube that showed her parking in a disabled spot outside her Gold Coast gym, the Ashy Bines Transformation Centre.
The 28-minute video has since been edited down to 18-minutes, with the incriminating parking scenes deleted, the Courier Mail reports.
Bines then added fuel to the fire with a Snapchat video in which she attempted to justify her actions.
‘When no-one’s used that car park for three years and we have no members with any disabilities, then I do use that car park sometimes,’ Bines said. ‘They are there 24/7… I know that it does look bad in some way but I hope you guys can hear my side of the story.’
‘Sometimes I do use it and I do apologise if I have offended anyone, but I wanted my loyal followers to see my side,’ she continues. ‘There’s always that five per cent to comment, judge, criticize and jump down my throat at everything.’
What Bines doesn’t seem to realise, is that parking in disabled parking spots without a permit is illegal. In addition, commenters have noted that the carpark isn’t purely for Bines’ gym, but also for a number of other shops and businesses, including a chemist and physiotherapy practice.
Since her ill-advised Snapchat apology, a spokesperson for Bines has told the Courier Mail that the fitness influencer ‘is the first to acknowledge when she has made a mistake. She is truly remorseful for her actions and devastated that she has offended and let down others.’
The Gold Coast Bulletin notes that Bines, who usually posts content to her social platforms multiple times a day, has been silent all day, bar ‘a promotional video which went up on her Instagram story this morning before being quickly deleted.’