More Obnoxious parking - ***READ FIRST POST BEFORE POSTING***

Iwannahurl

VERYinterested wrote: »

They are both official branch cars, with the siren lights up on the dash, all the radio equipment inside. What they do is park their private cars in the official spaces and abandon the official ones all over Harcourt Street in Coach Parks, double yellows, taxi ranks, footpaths. I'm surprised the operators of the Luas don't object because, honestly, the parking is disgraceful.

I regularly see Garda cars speed up Harcourt Street on the Luas tracks, heading back to base (wrong way up one way street). There is plenty of legal parking available in the area. A lot of disused offices in the area. No excuse for the laziness tbh.

Perhaps it's because they ask themselves the question "who's going to do anything about it?"

That's a retort I often get from obnoxious parkers in general.

Seth Brundle

JustinOval wrote: »

http://www.yfrog.com/gyvreocj

FG are using a UK registered car for canvassing?

Satanta

Classic

Outside a shopping centre with loads of empty parking spaces.

kiddums

Satanta wrote: »

Classic

Outside a shopping centre with loads of empty parking spaces.

I know that shopping center, its lethal for that. People park there no matter how empty the car park is.

I saw 3 traffic corp cars there one day when they were doing some sort of recrutiment drive.

Hogzy

Satanta wrote: »

Classic

Outside a shopping centre with loads of empty parking spaces.

Did you ever think that maybe they would pick up a prisoner inside the shopping center. Then if they came back to the car in a parking space and someone had parked right next to them it would be a balls to try get a handcuffed prisoner into the car and you might risk having him run away and do something stupid. Its just making their lives easier.

Id rather see a guard do something like this than have a prisoners handcuffs rub up against my door when i park next to a garda car. :rolleyes:

kiddums

Hogzy wrote: »

Did you ever think that maybe they would pick up a prisoner inside the shopping center. Then if they came back to the car in a parking space and someone had parked right next to them it would be a balls to try get a handcuffed prisoner into the car and you might risk having him run away and do something stupid. Its just making their lives easier.

Id rather see a guard do something like this than have a prisoners handcuffs rub up against my door when i park next to a garda car. :rolleyes:

I've seen them there quite a bit and they're usually in the shop buying stuff for lunch rather than doing any work.
I've also been told by a Guard in the town that they try and always use the van to pick up prisoners.

Satanta

Hogzy wrote: »

Did you ever think that maybe they would pick up a prisoner inside the shopping center. Then if they came back to the car in a parking space and someone had parked right next to them it would be a balls to try get a handcuffed prisoner into the car and you might risk having him run away and do something stupid. Its just making their lives easier.

Id rather see a guard do something like this than have a prisoners handcuffs rub up against my door when i park next to a garda car. :rolleyes:

Actually seen them getting out of the car and wandering inside. Then I took the pic in amusement. Seen them then at the Deli counter in tesco. I think they took a couple of pieces of fried chicken as prisoners :pac::pac::pac:

Hogzy

Satanta wrote: »

Actually seen them getting out of the car and wandering inside. Then I took the pic in amusement. Seen them then at the Deli counter in tesco. I think they took a couple of pieces of fried chicken as prisoners :pac::pac::pac:

Well in that case there is no excuse. But do you get where i am coming from?

Iwannahurl

Hogzy wrote: »

Well in that case there is no excuse. But do you get where i am coming from?

Prison? :);)

Anan1

Hogzy wrote: »

Well in that case there is no excuse. But do you get where i am coming from?

I'd imagine we're all understanding of the Gardaí parking on double yellows etc where there's a good reason - that, after all, is why we allow them to do it legally. What rightly gets up peoples noses is being inconvenienced/endangered for the personal convenience of individual Gardaí.

neilthefunkeone

Carrickmines underground... parked right on the pedestrian lane and crossing...

phill106

Satanta wrote: »

I think they took a couple of pieces of fried chicken as prisoners :pac::pac::pac:

You have the right to remain delicous! Anything you say will be drowned out by my tummy. You have the right to fill my belly, if you cannot fill my belly, another piece of chicken will be appointed to follow you.

TJJP

Iwannahurl wrote: »

If the former, was the Harcourt Street Garda HQ planned/constructed/occupied without provision of sufficient parking for Garda vehicles?

100% agree, proper parking facilities should be provided. If not why not, and why should a free for all (well not all, but for those with a 'special dispensation') be allowed to flourish thereby putting the general public in danger? As Micheál Martin keeps saying (albeit in a different context. ‘Who guards the guards’?). Harcourt Street and the ‘bus gate’ at college green are a disgrace and a case in point. ‘Mere mortal’ motorists are given the run around so as to facilitate a general abandonment of cars outside Pearse Street. This defeats the raison d'être of the bus gate and suggests that proper emergency service parking facilities are simply not available.

vandriver

A twofold obnoxious parker!Both on the disabled bay and the walkway 'http://flic.kr/p/9g6rZa

Anan1

TJJP wrote: »

100% agree, proper parking facilities should be provided. If not why not, and why should a free for all (well not all, but for those with a 'special dispensation') be allowed to flourish thereby putting the general public in danger? As Micheál Martin keeps saying (albeit in a different context. ‘Who guards the guards’?). Harcourt Street and the ‘bus gate’ at college green are a disgrace and a case in point. ‘Mere mortal’ motorists are given the run around so as to facilitate a general abandonment of cars outside Pearse Street. This defeats the raison d'être of the bus gate and suggests that proper emergency service parking facilities are simply not available.

Is it the case that proper parking facilities for official Garda vehicles are provided, but that these are being used by private cars? If so, is this legal?

CharlieCroker

Just from experience, parking is cruel around a lot of city centre stations. They were built or redeveloped at a time when it wasn't as big an issue. Main offenders that spring to mind are store st, pearse st (the worst), the bridewell, fitz st.

The courts building on parkgate st though is inexcusable. A brand new building that took no account of gardai attending and thus giving them nowhere to park properly.

VERYinterested

The total hypocrisy of the situation is demonstrated this morning on Harcourt Street. In the Coach Park/Loading Bay/Taxi Rank on the left hand side of Harcourt Street there are about twenty cars parked illegally and only one of them is clamped.

In some instances there are cars double parked and are actually on the road blocking through traffic and forcing it onto the Luas tracks. As I work on Harcourt Street I see this regularly, the one car clamped that obviously belongs to someone that isn't a Guard.

VERYinterested

I just took a couple of pics in the area that demonstrates above point: this is Stable Lane off Harcourt Street, I think it's ten cars all parked on the pavement/double yellow lines. Common denominator? All missing insurance discs which must be code to the clampers - this is a Guard's car. Some of them are Official Garda cars, some are private cars belonging to Gardai. It's comforting to know the next time you receive penalty points and a fine for going 5kph over the speed limit on a Sunday morning on a dual carriageway that the Gardai don't give a sh1te about where they park!

VERYinterested

This photo demonstrates how tight it is when a Luas wants to get down Harcourt Street due to the double parking on the Coach Park/Loading Bay/Taxi Rank. None of the cars in this shot are moving, they are all double parked. Apologies for the quality of the shots, my phone lets in dust and the cover is not removable.

VERYinterested

Last one! These two taxis and the Mondeo have to go on to the Luas tracks to overtake the double parked cars, bear in mind, the Luas will come from over your right shoulder, you may not see it as you overtake the parked cars. Who's fault will an accident be? The illegally parked cars will be long gone when an investigation begins.

Victor

CharlieCroker wrote: »

The courts building on parkgate st though is inexcusable. A brand new building that took no account of gardai attending and thus giving them nowhere to park properly.

Garda HQ is quite close with plenty of parking and its not as if the courts aren't served by public transport - Heuston station, Luas, many Bus Eireann routes from the south and west and the following Dublin Bus routes.

Route Description
25 Merrion Sq. Towards Lucan (Dodsboro)
25a Merrion Sq. Towards Lucan (Esker Church)
25b From Merrion Sq. Towards Adamstown Rail Station
25x Lucan Towards UCD Belfield
26 From Merrion Sq. Towards Palmerstown (Cemetery)
51d Hawkins St./Waterloo Rd. Towards Clondalkin
51x Dunawley to UCD Belfield
66 Merrion Sq. Towards Maynooth
66a From Merrion Sq. Towards Leixlip (Captain’s Hill)
66b From Merrion Sq.Towards Leixlip (Castletown)
66x From Maynooth Towards UCD Belfield
67 Merrion Sq. Towards Maynooth
67x Celbridge (Salesian College) Towards UCD Belfield
69x Hawkins Street Towards Rathcoole
79/a Aston Quay to Spiddal Park / Park West (79a)
90 Heuston Station to International Financial Services Centre
145 From Heuston Rail Station towards Kilmacanogue
748 From Heuston Rail Station Towards Dublin Airport

Anan1

CharlieCroker wrote: »

Just from experience, parking is cruel around a lot of city centre stations. They were built or redeveloped at a time when it wasn't as big an issue. Main offenders that spring to mind are store st, pearse st (the worst), the bridewell, fitz st.

The courts building on parkgate st though is inexcusable. A brand new building that took no account of gardai attending and thus giving them nowhere to park properly.

Is the problem that there aren't enough spaces for official cars, or are Gardaí using these official spaces for their personal cars?

VERYinterested

Official spaces are being used for their own private cars. Then the road is being used to park official vehicles. When I was taking my photos earlier I could see them all parked in the 'Official' spots. A lot of Fiestas and Starlets. I even saw a female Garda in her local GAA tracksuit top getting a fella to jump start her car earlier as it occupied the official spots.

Anan1

VERYinterested wrote: »

Official spaces are being used for their own private cars. Then the road is being used to park official vehicles. When I was taking my photos earlier I could see them all parked in the 'Official' spots. A lot of Fiestas and Starlets. I even saw a female Garda in her local GAA tracksuit top getting a fella to jump start her car earlier as it occupied the official spots.

Wouldn't that be a case for the Garda Ombudsman?

VERYinterested

I sent them a mail but it was rejected as they said there was no evidence. I was never asked if I had any evidence. So I have sent the latest shots to back up my complaint. I also mailed them to Veolia who run the Luas to see if they had a problem or any complaints from their drivers, far better a complaint from them than me.

VERYinterested

Victor wrote: »

Garda HQ is quite close with plenty of parking and its not as if the courts aren't served by public transport - Heuston station, Luas, many Bus Eireann routes from the south and west and the following Dublin Bus routes.

Don't they travel free once in uniform or in possession of id. I used to see a lot of Guards going to court using the Luas Green line a few years back but they are not so noticeable anymore.

Iwannahurl

VERYinterested wrote: »

I sent them a mail but it was rejected as they said there was no evidence. I was never asked if I had any evidence. So I have sent the latest shots to back up my complaint. I also mailed them to Veolia who run the Luas to see if they had a problem or any complaints from their drivers, far better a complaint from them than me.

If contacting the GSOC again, you might wish to quote from the Garda Inspectorate's report on traffic policing and related matters (Roads Policing Review and Recommendations, page 19):

Police officers operating Garda vehicles must provide a positive example for other road users and management should develop policies to ensure such is the case. In non-emergency situations, police officers should fully comply with the rules of the road in the operation of vehicles, observing speed limits, traffic signals and refraining from the use of mobile phones while driving.

The Inspectorate has also stated that the same principles should apply to parking. I would suggest that you Cc: the Inspectorate also, though they have no role in disciplinary matters AFAIK.

I have no experience of making complaints to the GSOC. However, I think it may not be possible to make a general complaint about AGS policy or lack of it. They might expect you to file a complaint, and/or submit evidence, about each and every case of obnoxious parking by AGS officers!

I believe that there is scope in the Garda Siochana Act 2005 to address policy issues through the Minister for Justice.

GhostInTheRuins

Here's a couple from the underground carpark in Ashbourne. This is really obnoxious because the car park was absolutely jammed, and even if you wanted to park beside these two you couldn't because of the big pillars between every two spaces.

E39MSport

I'd manage to Squeeze the corolla in beside that bimmer so he wouldn't be able to get out. If of course I was that way minded. I'd certainly give it plenty of thought.

Abelloid

Ch-ching.

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