Clamping

The Bollox

I'm not sure yet. I thought there was going to be a SU meeting today, but I haven't recieved any confirmation. Last week, before the protest, we were told the man in charge (can't think of his name) wanted to talk to us, and see if he could strike a comprimise. We collectivly decided to wait and meet him AFTER the protest, saying he gave us very little notice.

My guess would be that when we meet with him he will drop the clamping charge by about €20 (the same cost it is anywhere else) and say he will make sure the other spaces are put in. IMHO this would have been done anyway, and he's just trying to seem like a nice guy or whatever.

When I know you'll know

The Bollox

okay, I am just back from the meeting (I recived a text about 5 mins after posting the last post). the story is there's going to be another protest tomorrow, from half 10 to half 11. we are looking to get as many prople out tomorrow as possible. We feel there will be much more people interested as now the whole college KNOWS clamping is an issue.

there should be reps calling to your classes from half 9 onwards telling you what's going on. Hopefully this will really strike a nerve with the college and let them know we are pissed off. Also a good number of lecturers know the score and are willing to back us up this time.

So I urge you all to join us on the picket line tomorrow.

vinnieq

Bans for Spelling mistakes on a free Website? And you're going nuts about clamping?
Check out your own spelling first:

"...but to park werever we can find a space..."

(wherever)

"...if he could strike a comprimise. We collectivly decided to wait"

(compromise & collectively)

"...back from the meeting (I recived a text..."

(Do i have to?)

Rudolph Claus

vinnieq wrote:

Bans for Spelling mistakes on a free Website? And you're going nuts about clamping?
Check out your own spelling first:

"...but to park werever we can find a space..."

(wherever)

"...if he could strike a comprimise. We collectivly decided to wait"

(compromise & collectively)

"...back from the meeting (I recived a text..."

(Do i have to?)

Did you just drop in to tell us that? Ì think you`ll find most people would rather read a post in English with a couple minor spelling mistakes than try to read a txt written one. If every post was in txt style you, wouldnt be long giving out.

I think tomorrows protest is a great idea, i was out Monday while i could, but a 1hr protest will get more of a crowd and more notice than the dribbling numbers you`d expect on a full day, especially a monday. Ive an exam from 11-1 tomorrow though. I wonder should we have an hours protest every day and that will be embarrassing for the college?

We need to make it clear to the lad in charge(Hey Marts, Is his name Dennis Cummins?) that we want the clampers out until the new spaces are built. It is not reasonable to bring in such an extreme clamping practice overnight.

Did any of ye see the garda notice referring to the towing of cars from Hoey`s lane and a reclaim fee of E200. And the residents of the local housing estates are looking to get a scheme for resident stickers for their cars and non-residents will be towed. So you cant park in the college and you cant park outside the college.

The Bollox

vinnieq wrote:

Bans for Spelling mistakes on a free Website? And you're going nuts about clamping?
Check out your own spelling first:

"...but to park werever we can find a space..."

(wherever)

"...if he could strike a comprimise. We collectivly decided to wait"

(compromise & collectively)

"...back from the meeting (I recived a text..."

(Do i have to?)

like Nuttzy said, I don't care about spelling mistakes, I care about people using txt spk.

unfortunatly, due to my inability to hear my alarm this morning (God damn alcohol) I missed the protest, were there many people there?

Atomic Pineapple

Well i live in college heights and the situation is a joke there, theres cars parked everywhere at peak times, if ya meet a car ya have to reverse or wait till they reverse, the situation is terrible, what is the college at forcing that on residental people?

some people in rockfield cant even park outside there own homes.

hopefully the protesting and the residental anger will give the campaign against clamping a more of a boost, its starting to spiral out of control a bit.

did the gardai tow any cars away yet?

i wasnt in college till 1 so missed it as well

Rudolph Claus

There was a massive turnout of what must have been 250+ people. I was amaze3d by the crowds that turned out. Looks like folk finally copped how extreme the clamping is due to the ignorance of the college to not recognise some "unofficial" spots as official until the new carpark is built. There were photographers there today too and they had to stand up on the wall to take pictures of the crowd. They shut over the main gates and there were people from right outside the walls on both sides and in behind the gates, definitely 250 or even 300people. 1 lad had a megafone which was class, some people were starting to head off when rain lookd to get worse but he called them back and they came back.

They`re calling for us to re-group in the same numbers tomorrow morning at 9 because Rte news will be down and they need the numbers to bck them up obviously. I believe we were mentioned on the Gerry Ryan show or something? lmFm had us on their news anyway.

I was talking to the woman in the students union later on and she said if we keep this up we`ll be on our way for some results, but we NEED to get tomorrows protest in the same numbers as todays. My class will all be out anyway

More press releases...

DUNDALK I.T. CLAMPING SPREE “MUST URGENTLY HALT” – USI

8 February 2007

The Union of Students in Ireland (USI) has called on management at Dundalk Institute of Technology to urgently stop clamping commuter students following a second day of protests.

Scores of students have already been clamped since a parking ban introduced three days ago ushered in a punitive “clamping spree” by Institute authorities.

Students with immobilised vehicles face a fine of €100 to have the clamp removed.

USI President Colm Hamrogue said: “The parking ban is wholly unreasonable – and the release fines are neither proportionate nor appropriate in an educational setting.

“Students at Dundalk Institute of Technology depend on their cars as a lifeline. Among the protesters are many mature students with young children and students who travel long distances and cannot use alternate means of transportation.”

DKIT Students’ Union President, Niall Callery, said: “The level of anger among the student body has escalated and emotions are running high.

“DKIT management has shown blithe disregard for the real and practical needs of its students. Authorities have also turned a deaf ear to local residents, justly concerned about the impact this parking crackdown could have on everyone who lives in Dundalk.

“As well as an end to clamping, we are also calling on the policy makers and decision takers to conduct an evaluation of the public transport needs of students attending DKIT.

“They must find practical solutions that don’t involve penalising students who commute.”


ENDS

MDTyKe

Hmm

Well, from what I've read, under Irish Law the maximum fine for clamping is €90. I noticed it on citizens information and I think on one of the CoCo sites.

Point being, isn't what they're doing illegal then?

--

In regards to the spaces beside the Coffee Dock, there's no double yellow lines, so isn't it actually LEGAL to park there? I don't see a NO PARKING sign either. I say we give them a lawsuit!!!


Matt

event

what are they going to do about the 25% of students that live within 2 miles of the college yet drive to the college?

Atomic Pineapple

true event, its a joke the amount of people that do/did drive up to the college from college heights, rockfield, and college manor, i mean i know its cold but sure a 5 - 10 min walk is not too much to ask?

event

there is even a bus around dundalk that can take you sure, im think there is one that goes along the point road, through the redbarns road and through bay estate

those people should not be driving, they can walk or use a bike

i at least hope they car share

Rudolph Claus

I see the lecturers had their own little protest today. Seemed to be a decent number of them out and about.

Are these protests having any effect at all as of yet?

On a similar note, apparently E10,000 was collected in the 1st week of clamping? Was in the dundalk paper, this true?

And did ye see the sign around the college stating Dkit management **** get E50 and Clamping fags get E40 out of the E90 breakdown. Why isnt the windmill carpark opened yet for fooks sake? Whats the reasoning behind this carpark being blocked off when we`re short of space. Absolutely laughable the whole situation is. They havent even applied for planning permission yet so how will any new carpark be ready for this coming September, more fobbing off i suspect.

deathray 4000

for anyone interested there will be an open forum at 12.30 tomorrow in the whittaker for anyone to discuss the car parking situation.

Rudolph Claus

I attended, you`d seriously have to wonder about the brains of this board of management.

Anyway, nothing much has changed but i learned the following things:

1 - Apparently they got planning permission for the 150 new spots a couple weeks ago.

2 - The clamping fee is going to be reduced to E60, 40 for clampers 20 for Dkit which they said would be put into the hardship fund, at which point a lecturer lad got up and said the hardship doesnt need money from this crap as its funded by the EU something or other and that any money should go towards new building work. Surely, commom sense would have it go towards any new parking but the mind boggles after listening to that bord of management numpty`s.

3 - The college accept there are some places which hould be made "official parking places", a whole 30places to be exact :rolleyes: and these will be marked out soon.

4 - The college still refuse to allow the back of the coffee dock as parking stating that "road" is a footpath and blah blah blah. Cars can park either side of the road and thee is still ample room for a fire engine to get past if needs be, but try telling the board numpty members that.

5 - The college is obsessed with health and safety but yet dont want to know about the health and safety issues t`heir little clamping operation is creating such as people speeding down the motorway, then flying around the college and racing into carparking spaces. 1 lecturer i think it was brought this point up very well and said its only a matter of time before someone is fatally injured either by crashing into another car on the surrounding roads, in the surrounding housing estates or even the mowing down of a pedestrian within the campus grounds.

6 - The college director is obsessed with Renewable energy and said them 2 words that much i thought i was attending a discussion on a sustainable environment. :rolleyes: Yet he drives to college everyday in a Jaguar apparently and stated in response to a person that put this ti him that they wanted to change the behaviour of a "proportion" of people. Ie: students should get buses while lecturers are so important they get cars and free parking. Haha, that was genuinely funny.

7 - There is no common sense on the board of management.

Atomic Pineapple

sounds like a pile of s**t alright, does he realise that bus transport is incredibly poor to the college?

and a good point about pedestrians being put at more risk now, i dont know about the college it self but defenitly in the surrounding estates the situtation is alot more dangerous walking around now and with cars all over the place theres bound to be a few accidents soon