Motorbike blocking access to services

drunkmonkey

MadsL

jmayo

drunkmonkey wrote: »

Read the meter when the bikes gone. If your in fear of your house blowing up I'd start packing the bags.
Seriously though talk to the bike owner in person and tell him it's preventing your meter being read and would he mind locking it somewhere else.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

I don't think there's a safety issue, maybe with the welfare of the bike but not your own personal safety that's a nonsense excuse to make a complaint.
If there is an issue reading the meters will the ESB not do something about it? Can you not just read them in the 10% window.

drunkmonkey wrote: »

All we need now is some cider and things should really explode..

Seriously though folks no point bashing each other, if anyone is to be bashed it should be the "noob" with his tale of woe about exploding motorbikes that never leave home.

If I didn't know better i'd say the bike is probably haunted with puffy's ghost.

Let me guess you are a bike owner who lieks to leave their bike locked up under cover ?

Why should the OP have to accomodate the bike owner by looking for the 10% time window when the bike is gone to read their meter or switch off their gas ?

I just love the way some people, particularly Irish people, seem to think the ones being inconvenienced should fooking bend over and accommodate those doing the inconveniencing. :mad:
No wonder this country is fooked and the likes of Germany, Finland etc are not in the same sh**.

So far the OP is the one being given the grief here when they are in the bloody right.

And looking at the picture and the OP's story, there is a possible safety issue since the OP does not have access to their gas point.
Now I bet if you were one of the other residents, you would be the first one on complaining if all the gas to every resident had to be shut off, because one inconsiderate eejit had decided to lock his bike so that one single meter could not be accessed.

BTW leeomurchu would you mind going over to Politics and having a word with some of the mods over there for me.

mikemac1

Pug2013 wrote: »

After uploading picture now

Attachment not found.

It is rightly in the way there and should be moved

But then we'll have another thread complaining if the bike takes up a full car parking space
And some Nissan Micra driver will probably try to squeeze into the space too!

The owner will find somewhere better but it will still probably be on the footpath in the estate if they can find an anchor like a railing

Leave a bike out in a car park space and the rain cover will be a sail in heavy wind and knock it over

And the boyos will be around with a Transit van, lift it in and be gone in under 2 minutes

So OP while the bike was in the way you can see why they they are not going to park it out in the open with the cars

drunkmonkey

jmayo wrote: »

Let me guess

I'd stick to the facts in future because your guessing skills are up there with flying pigs and exploding motorbikes.

Pawwed Rig

I am assuming that it is his own front door he is parked in front of as it looks like a town house set up more than an apartment block as such with shared entrances. If so then a quick chat with him asking him to park on the other side of the path would seem to be the logical solution as this would leave adequate space to open and close the meters.

Leaving the bike running beside a meter box is not a safety issue. Neither is partially blocking his own access path as some posters seem to think.
Calling the Guards or a fire officer about it is absurd as I would be shocked if they even bothered to talk to the bike owner never mind the fact that there is little they can do as it is on private land.

Does anyone here honestly believe that in the event of a gas leak where someone desperately had to open one of the doors (assuming there is a shutoff valve in there) that they would not be able to move the bike? They are not that heavy to lift even if chained.

So the safety brigade can stand down. Nothing to see here:D

corkimp

OP - Like others have said - talk to the biker face to face. Better then letters, and you can voice your concerns and also hear his.
You did mention he has a garden at the back of the house - is there access to it for him to possibly put the bike in there? or is only access to it through house? Or possibly somewhere where with permissions a Wall anchor can be fitted for him to chain/secure it and is reasonably visible (to him) and sheltered?
yes I can understand it can be an inconvenience, but I do suggest chatting to him directly. If that fails then you tried. Then go for advise from property management or whatnot.
Let us know how it goes.

smellslikeshoes

djimi wrote: »

How is it any less likely to get stolen where it is currently parked (unless its bolted to the wall, which I very much doubt)? I doubt a potential thief is going to care that its right beside the front door...

Having almost had my bike robbed when it was parked against the wall of a house I lived in a few years ago I can vouch for the fact that it won't stop them trying to take it. The difference is because it was parked right under my bedroom window I was woken up, they heard me coming down the stairs and ran for it.

LK KID

victor I'm gonna send puffy over to you for deleting my posts.i also own a red Ducati so watch out.

drunkmonkey

Puffy paid the price yo. You know, he got the wrath. Rest in peace Puffy.

jimgoose

Frankly, I am outraged by all the outrageous outrage at this outrage. Down with this sort of thing. :eek:

Bored of Force v4

Bussies for the lot of ye...car focus ferrari brmmmm brmmm:D

kkhornet

jimgoose wrote: »

Frankly, I am outraged by all the outrageous outrage at this outrage. Down with this sort of thing. :eek:

Careful Now

rccaulfield

If the bikes there hes in-ask him to move it to shut off valve/take reading,if bikes not there take the reading. Did i miss somethin?

rdubz

Any luck with the motorcycle being moved elsewhere?

rdubz

Pawwed Rig wrote: »

I am assuming that it is his own front door he is parked in front of as it looks like a town house set up more than an apartment block as such with shared entrances. If so then a quick chat with him asking him to park on the other side of the path would seem to be the logical solution as this would leave adequate space to open and close the meters.

Leaving the bike running beside a meter box is not a safety issue. Neither is partially blocking his own access path as some posters seem to think.
Calling the Guards or a fire officer about it is absurd as I would be shocked if they even bothered to talk to the bike owner never mind the fact that there is little they can do as it is on private land.

Does anyone here honestly believe that in the event of a gas leak where someone desperately had to open one of the doors (assuming there is a shutoff valve in there) that they would not be able to move the bike? They are not that heavy to lift even if chained.

So the safety brigade can stand down. Nothing to see here:D

I think the Fire Service and HSA would dispute your last comment.If that's the case that its easily moved we might as well block emergency exit doors with cardboard boxes,there easily moved aren't they?Where does this stop.Do you like to give emergency services more work to do which could cost someone their life while they're trying to move a motorcycle to gain access to the gas cut off?

RATM

rdubz wrote: »

I think the Fire Service and HSA would dispute your last comment.If that's the case that its easily moved we might as well block emergency exit doors with cardboard boxes,there easily moved aren't they?Where does this stop.Do you like to give emergency services more work to do which could cost someone their life while they're trying to move a motorcycle to gain access to the gas cut off?

Ah jaysis :rolleyes: The same fire brigade who carry cutting equipment that can cut a cars engine in half if it has to ? Goog jesus it is is motorbike, all they would have to do it make sure it is in neutral and roll it backwards- bike don't have handbrakes like cars do so it is easily moved. Failing that it is easily lifted- trust me I've had my bike lifted into the back of a van as a method of theft- if the average scumbag can work that one out I am 100% certain the lads in the fire brigade can.

This whole thread is a farce, the OP should have just had a word with the guy to begin with rather than getting the mgmt co. to issue threats. Most bikers are really sound and laid back people and can be reasoned with rationally. Thing is he is trying to protect his bike in the best way possible so what he is doing is understandable (even if against a house rule).

This whole problem stems from the fact that developers of apartments generally never thought of motorbikers or cyclists in their designs. A lot of complexes I know have no bike sheds whatsoever. So if someone parks a bike on a footpath then all hell breaks loose.

I've personally have had my motorbike stolen twice from outside my apartment. Both times cost me in excess of €1000 in repairs and a lot of unnecessary heartache and inconvenience. The mgmt co. do not have an electronic gate or CCTV and anyone can just walk into the complex. So now they are on notice to be sued if my bike gets nicked for the third occasion as I've informed them by solicitors letter of the problem and also given them the chance to rectify it by installing an electronic gate and CCTV. They have decided to do neither which is their pejorative but I'm reliably informed that I have a slam dunk legal win if it happens again as I've given them the opportunity to sort the problem out and they chose not to, thus neglecting their legal duty of care, something a judge will take very seriously. If it does happen it'll mean higher management fees for all my neighbours and nobody wants that but nobody wants to live in fear of their property being stolen on a consistent basis either. Cars have been broken into too so it isn't just me who stands to gain if their hand is forced into installing a gate and CCTV, its the entire complex.

rdubz

I merely pointed out the H+S aspect of things as I worked in the sector.The OP also stated that it was locked to the path 90% of the time,so not easily moved as you said.My main point on this thread was to clarify to all that Yes it is a H+S issue and there's no disputing that.Emergency Services don't take kindly to this sort of blatant disregard for safety,there is a cut off there for a reason and it should not be blocked,end of.
I wonder would the biker have an issue if the ES/FB push the bike on the ground as they could not move it due to being locked down,therefore causing damage.
Not all FB's carry emergency cutting equipment.
Not anti-bike,and I understand the issue of them being stolen but its still no excuse to be in violation of H+S,it shows very little respect for those who someday might have to help you out (hopefully not ).

jd

RATM wrote: »

The mgmt co. do not have an electronic gate or CCTV and anyone can just walk into the complex. So now they are on notice to be sued if my bike gets nicked for the third occasion as I've informed them by solicitors letter of the problem and also given them the chance to rectify it by installing an electronic gate and CCTV. ..
If it does happen it'll mean higher management fees for all my neighbours and nobody wants that but nobody wants to live in fear of their property being stolen on a consistent basis either..

2 points about this
1: It costs money to install CCTV. We paid an additional 150 euros a year over the course of 5 years to fit out the complex properly. It may not be easy to get owners (the OMC) to agree to this sort of capital expenditure these days.

2: I know in Fingal it's nearly impossible for apartment complexes to get planning permission for electronic gates. It stated in FCC's development plan that they are not to be encouraged as they discourage "social inclusion". I'm not sure what the policy is in other local authority areas.

djimi

RATM wrote: »

Ah jaysis :rolleyes: The same fire brigade who carry cutting equipment that can cut a cars engine in half if it has to ? Goog jesus it is is motorbike, all they would have to do it make sure it is in neutral and roll it backwards- bike don't have handbrakes like cars do so it is easily moved. Failing that it is easily lifted- trust me I've had my bike lifted into the back of a van as a method of theft- if the average scumbag can work that one out I am 100% certain the lads in the fire brigade can.

In fairness if you are dealing with an emergency that requires access to something like a gas shutoff valve then Id not want to see the emergency services delayed for even a few seconds, regardless of how easy it might be to remove the obsticle (and by the looks of the pic that the OP posted it wouldnt just take a couple of seconds to move the bike). I dont care what the reasoning behind it, nothing should ever be parked over any kind of safety shutoffs or anything that is required by teh emergency services.

RATM

jd wrote: »

2 points about this
1: It costs money to install CCTV. We paid an additional 150 euros a year over the course of 5 years to fit out the complex properly. It may not be easy to get owners (the OMC) to agree to this sort of capital expenditure these days.

2: I know in Fingal it's nearly impossible for apartment complexes to get planning permission for electronic gates. It stated in FCC's development plan that they are not to be encouraged as they discourage "social inclusion". I'm not sure what the policy is in other local authority areas.

haha that's a joke- "social inclusion" -in other words giving thieves carte blanche to come into apartment complexes unheeded, steal cars and bikes and then have nothing to stop them driving them out of there. I'm not claiming an electronic gate to be a 100% solution but a thief would prefer steal from a complex that doesn't have one than one that does.

Regards CCTV, yeah for sure I know it is far from cheap to install. But in my mind CCTV these days is no longer a luxury, it is essential- not only from a deterring theft point of view but also just general safety- things like assaults, sexual assaults, car accidents where kids get run over, burglaries etc the list goes on are all easier resolved when there is CCTV present.

The first question the Gardai ask anyone after a burglary is whether or not there is CCTV, mainly because they know if there is then there is a much higher chance that they'll get a prosecution. If there isn't most Gardai will tell you there is nothing much else they can do, except advise you to "be vigilant" . What happens then is that the burglar gets away with it and the chances of your place (or a neighbours) being burgled again rises substantially because they now know that the complex is an easy touch. CCTV deters them thinking it is an easy touch and they therefore will seek out places that don't have it.

deandean

Give the biker a break!

Reading the meters is the ESBs and BGE's concern, not yours.

There are no safety issues with where that bike is parked. Firemen would move it in 10 seconds if they had to.

RATM

djimi wrote: »

In fairness if you are dealing with an emergency that requires access to something like a gas shutoff valve then Id not want to see the emergency services delayed for even a few seconds, regardless of how easy it might be to remove the obsticle (and by the looks of the pic that the OP posted it wouldnt just take a couple of seconds to move the bike). I dont care what the reasoning behind it, nothing should ever be parked over any kind of safety shutoffs or anything that is required by teh emergency services.

I agree- nothing should block anything that has an emergency shut off valve in it. The person who owns that bike should park it on the right hand side of the footpath away from the wall rather than the left.

But I still maintain that the bike would be relatively easy to move- even with a lock on it- it is not hard to lift the front wheel of a bike and swivel it around. Of course no delay to the emergency services is paramount but also remember these are trained professionals who are used to showing up at unfamiliar properties and sussing out all the obstacles that lay before them and surmounting them- it is just part of what they do.

If we're going to descend into a debate on how every second counts and X event wouldn't have happened if Y action was taken and so on ad infintum then one could easily point to the plethora of ignorant drivers who don't get out of the way of fire brigades or ambulances until they're right up their arse- if we want to save seconds then the seconds they waste in getting to the scene of an accident are far more likely to have bigger consequences than a motorbike than only needs to be rolled forward a meter or swiveled around half a meter.

Anyway the OP never got back to us so we can only presume the problem got sorted out to their satisfaction

professore

djimi wrote: »

Report bike to management company; it should not be parked on a footpath. Let them deal with it.

Is that a door behind the bike? If so then it looks like its doing a great job of blocking access to/from the building. Could be a serious safety hazard in the case of a fire etc...

That's not a footpath. That's a border. Could he not park it on the other side (assuming there are no meters there?)

RATM

rdubz wrote: »

I merely pointed out the H+S aspect of things as I worked in the sector.The OP also stated that it was locked to the path 90% of the time,so not easily moved as you said. .

Incorrect. There are several ways to lock a motorbike. If it is locked to the foot path then the only way that could be achieved is to use a ground anchor in conjunction with a chain. Most motorbike security chains are a minimum of 1 meter in length (my own one is 2.5m). So there is slack in the chain which permits it to be moved. It is nigh on impossible that there would be no slack in the chain as you can generally only fit the chain through the ground anchor once only. But even if that was the case that there was no slack and the bike couldn't be moved forward or back by more than the distance required well then it is a matter of lifting up the tyre that does not have the chain around it and pivoting the bike. Bikes are not as heavy as cars and one person alone could easily lift one 2 or 3 feet without assistance. I am not being contradictory here, I am merely relating my 7 years experience of all things motorbike related and since I've had my own one stolen twice I know only too well how ground anchors work as I own one myself.

As for the fire brigade throwing the bike to the ground in an emergency and damaging it then I would suspect the fire brigade would be liable for the cost of repair. Why? Because there is no sign on the meter saying it is not to be blocked- if there were then tough cookie for the biker but there isn't and that would be the deciding factor a judge would have to consider- was the person forewarned of the danger/consequences and chose to ignore it ? In law you can't just make the assumption that the biker knew what he was doing was wrong - he could easily (and correctly) claim that if the meter is such an important safety device then why was it not labelled as such? Were the management company being negligent ? Why didn't the local fire officer insist on all meters being labelled as needing emergency access ? You can't just assume that people know this because it not not patently obvious whether it is a ESB meter or a gas one.

I don't disagree that it is a H&S issue but I don't agree that it is as big as one as the OP would like to make out. Pedantic is a word that comes to mind when looking at this whole scenario and I've no doubt in my mind that there are tons of gas meters up and down the country that are blocked by compost bins, coal bunkers, wheelie bins, etc and the fire brigade have yet to have a problem accessing them.

jd

RATM wrote: »

Regards CCTV, yeah for sure I know it is far from cheap to install. But in my mind CCTV these days is no longer a luxury, it is essential- not only from a deterring theft point of view but also just general safety- things like assaults, sexual assaults, car accidents where kids get run over, burglaries etc the list goes on are all easier resolved when there is CCTV present.

And i completely agree!
Others don't
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056707059

RATM

jd wrote: »

And i completely agree!
Others don't
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056707059

Interesting thread that. I might have agreed with having no CCTV during my idealistic teenage years when the State was out to get me in that all encompassing Big Brother style

But nowadays I'll gladly give up a tiny percentage of my privacy rights in exchange for better security where I live- my safety and that of my car and motorbike is more important to me than any potential privacy issue and I'd imagine that is the way most people would see it these days....

LK KID

RATM wrote: »

Ah jaysis :rolleyes:

This whole thread is a farce

haha got it in one