Trip Hazard

So I got this letter from the City threatening to fine me $5000 and $500 every day from the 12th May for non-compliance if I didn't prune my trees and remove trip hazards from the front verge.
I thought that was a little bit of an over reaction.

I've been trying to kill the grass for a couple years now, and rather than spray, lay out carpet. The letter came about 10 days ago; I've been using it as a book mark. Saturday night I thought I'd open it thinking it was a rates notice.

So I tried to explain to the guy from the city who came to check if I had complied why I thought it was an overreaction. But how do you explain powerlessness to the system oppressing you?

My front verge stands out like the proverbial. Every other verge in my street - or the whole suburb, really - is flat mowed grass. Spencer Park.  The carpet and bricks and pallets have been there for a couple years now. If you haven't and can't see it, not to be insensitive, just a friendly bit of advice, get a dog. For the sighted public, the general response is to avoid the area by walking on the road or the other side of the street. It's a deviation of about fifteen meters. Therefore, it isn't a trip hazard. I mean - a house isn't a driving hazard, is it? You see it, so you don't go there. 

By the way, there is a perfectly good footpath on the other side of the road. Your sighted friends should suggest to you that would be a safer place to walk.