Request to all who drive over xmas! ---All who drive should read this!---

FranknFurter

Having just spent almost 30 mins navigating through a packed car-park, in one of dublins bigger shopping centers in the dark, in an electric wheelchair, (I do not drive a car), and having personally seen 5 people (Who do NOT use wheelchairs), take up every wheelchair assigned parking space.

Then having to drop myself and my electric wheelchair (€5500 of sensitive hydraulics and electronics) down 2 7" kerbs onto a main road, again in the dark, because some clever dumbass's decided to park *on* the path.
And having taken 90 mins (In the freezing cold darkness in a bad area) to get home, (normally a 10-15 minute trip).

I ask, and PLEAD with all of you who drive...
PLEASE, PLEASE KEEP (PATH) RAMPS CLEAR BY NOT PARKING ON OR ON-FRONT OF THEM AND BLOCKING THEM.


ALSO, PLEASE LEAVE WHEELCHAIR ALLOCATED PARKING SPACES FOR THOSE WHO THEY WERE INTENDED FOR.


I often wonder if drivers realise, they are creating a highly dangerous situation for any wheelchair user trying to use a path, if you are parked blocking a ramp, this means the wheelchair user will have to go down a 6"+ step, usually unassisted, which is very very dangerous.

I am at the point where I am seriously considering getting some stickers printed up, the kind that are *really* hard to remove, and placing them on the paintwork of these vehicles. Saying somthing like - "I am an ignorant fu<ker who loves to block disabled access"..... and I am serious, I did it in London, I will do it here.

(For anyone who reads this and decides not to take it seriously, I warn you, next time, I wont be asking or pleading, from here on Im *doing*.
If it is me who your car blocks, I will be carrying keys, and I WILL use them.
If it costs me to get *my* hydraulics fixed, it will cost you more for a new paint job damnit)......

I dunno, maybe a mod might make this a sticky.....

(BTW- Taking reg numbers to the garda, or reporting to the store or security, is about as effective as an ashtray on a motorbike).

robo

FranknFurter wrote:

ALSO, PLEASE LEAVE WHEELCHAIR ALLOCATED PARKING SPACES FOR THOSE WHO THEY WERE INTENDED FOR.

These type of people should be fined!!! It is a disgrace...like how many spaces are there in the car parks...1000's and how many of them 1000's are reaserved for disabled car?? A very small number...so can't see why people feel the need to use them!!

FranknFurter wrote:

I am at the point where I am seriously considering getting some stickers printed up, the kind that are *really* hard to remove, and placing them on the paintwork of these vehicles.

If you need a hand with the stickers...gimme a shout, I will gladly help!

FranknFurter wrote:

(For anyone who reads this and decides not to take it seriously, I warn you, if it is me who your car blocks, I will be carrying keys)......

FranknFurter, I totally agree with you, it is sickening to see people park where ever the hell they want with no consideration for other car park users, pedestrians, anyone...they don't seem to give a fúk where they park once they park and go and do their shopping!
Sorry to hear about the crap that you had to endure just to get around!!

gonker

i agree franknfurter. I am not in a wheelchair thankfully I am a mammy who had to push buggies past gobs***es who park their car on paths causing me to have to walk on the road with my child. I also worked with a girl who was physically disabled (not in a wheelchair but could have been) she felt bad about parking in a disabled parking zone as she said other people needed it more and to see perfectly able people using wheelchair parking spaces is really annoying. I have often commented passing by people getting out of cars in these spaces as they get out and walk perfectly " A MIRACLE YOU CAN WALK" I am waiting for a thump someday :rolleyes:

Seanie M

Frankenfurter, I agree with your motives for using the stickers... and I would absolutely love to see that happen, I really would!

I am astounded by the Irish drivers I.Q. in this country. It amazes me how the roads and streets infrastructure is maintained at all, and how do half the dim wits get licenses is beyond comprehension. Not being able to read a sign with a nice big wheelchair, or even a red X is one thing, but to hog a FOOT path for 3/4's of a car is another thing...

I think the majority of Irish drivers suck really...


Seanie.

Capt'n Midnight

What punishment should there be for those who park in disabled spaces ?

Make them eligible.

robo

Capt'n Midnight wrote:

What punishment should there be for those who park in disabled spaces ?

Make them eligible.

Penalty points...doubt that would make a difference cos it is not making a difference with people who speed. A high fine and name published in the press!! I would be mortified if my name was in the paper for parking illegally in a disabled persons car space!!! Humiliate these saddos!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

Gordon

Would taking a picture of the offending car and number plate and giving it the coppers be better than just giving the licence plate to the coppers?

Actually, come to think of it - is it actually illegal to park in these places as surely supermarket car parks are land owned by the supermarket, hence it can only be up to the supermarket to stop this? Or am I wrong?

Lump

I'd agree with you gordon...

John

alleepally

Well said Franknfurter and it's a disgrace you had go through that....

I cannot stand seeing people park in reserved spaces who don't need them. I've never been brave enough to say it to anyone when I see them do it but after reading your post I WILL...

The shopping centre is wholly responsible for the issue and out of interest I went to Oasis to see what the situation is with spaces owned by local authorities (pasted below)... No wonder the majority don't care - on the spot fine of 19 Euro???

Oh, and if you do get those stickers made PLEASE let me know as well so I can carry them on me.

---

Penalties for misusing disabled parking spaces

"Local authorities around the country operate a strong policy of enforcement regarding spaces reserved for people with disabilities. "On the spot" parking fines of 19 euro will be issued to drivers without a valid European Parking Card who park their cars in disabled parking spaces. In areas where clamping is in operation (Dublin, Cork and Galway), cars parked illegally in these spaces will be clamped and the fee for release will be 80 euro.

Private car park operators are responsible for policing the use of designated disabled parking bays in their own car parks and cars parked illegally in these bays may be clamped. Fees for release will vary depending on the operator. Gardai and traffic wardens will not issue tickets for cars illegally parked in disabled parking spaces in a private car park.

Each accessible parking space is designated as reserved by a vertically mounted or suspended sign showing the symbol of accessibility. "

helpdogscat

FranknFurter wrote:

For anyone who reads this and decides not to take it seriously, I warn you, next time, I wont be asking or pleading, from here on Im doing If it is me who your car blocks, I will be carrying keys, and I WILL use them.

being disabled doesn't give you carte blanche to be a vigilante, I would consider vandalism to be a bigger problem than miss-use of parking spaces, if you see someone miss-using a space the best thing would be to take it to the proper authorities and not damage private property, everyone has a gripe about something and if we all decided causing harm to those who perpetrated whatever it was angered us well it would be a pretty crazy world

stuey

helpdogscat is right in a way but I can fully understand why FranknFurter is so p*ssed off. He has every right to be. What is the legal stance on parking in disabled parking spots. Is it the gardai or the owner of the shop/carpark.

What i think should be done is that every car park of a certain size should be made by a legal requirement to have a disabled parking spot(s). Gardai should have the authority to fine\tow\issue penalty points on the spot. No clamping should be allowed in a disabled parking space. I saw this the other day and it boggled my mind. It solved little imo as the space was still not available to a person who really needed it.

I think it would be a good idea if one could take a picture of an offender and take to there local station but can you imagine the problems that creates. People could do it to anybody. It would cause more trouble than good. It would act as a good deterrent but I’m unsure if it will work

I think best solution is no arguing. Tow the vehicle and heavy fine or court. U would like to put some of these people into a wheelchair for a week (or a day) and see how long day last

FranknFurter

helpdogscat wrote:

being disabled doesn't give you carte blanche to be a vigilante, I would consider vandalism to be a bigger problem than miss-use of parking spaces, if you see someone miss-using a space the best thing would be to take it to the proper authorities and not damage private property, everyone has a gripe about something and if we all decided causing harm to those who perpetrated whatever it was angered us well it would be a pretty crazy world

Im not talking about vandalism, im talking about what I call "aggressive behaviour modification for idiots when a effective legal system does not exist"

Going to police, security, managment has NO EFFECT! Try it yourself if you dont believe me, report one, go back the next day, I guarentee there will be two to replace that one.

As for damaging private property as you call it, frankly, I respond by saying "Fu<k 'Em!"

My friggin chair got damaged to the tune of approx 3 months waiting time and about 350 euros because of somone, they will damnwell pay one way or the other, and if the only thing they understand is somone giving back what *they* cause, then its gotta be done!

And Im damnwell gonna do it, im gonna get these stickers printed and send them to anyone who wants them, I'm taking this public, time these ignorant dumbasses got a taste of their own medicine.

The majority of people are sickened by this, maybe if the majority are given a way of voicing that without having the inconvenience of queueing up at a customer service desk for half a damned hour, somthing might happen.
Stickers, I think, would be the ideal way to do this, I will send rolls to anyone who wants them, and will use them.

I fully intend sourcing a reasonably priced printing company tomorrow, any reccomendations?

Lump

Well when you get fined/arrested for criminal damage don't say you weren't warned.


John

Deadwing

Just on a side note, as another example of pure irish ignorance, has anyone else noticed the way Irish people in town have absolutely no concept of what a BUS QUEUE is. Noone botheres standing in the line once it gets too long, they just think "ah feck it, its too long, i dont want to be all the way down the end, ill just hang around near the top". Then when the bus comes all these idiots pile in toward the bus who werent even in the queue, jam the doors, shove thier way in, and even if youre at the head of the queue, still barrel past you. Sorry, but its been bugging me ever since i got a job and had to commute home from work in the evenings.
Franknfurter, sorry to hear about those idiots parking in disabled zones, its truly bloody ignorant.

Lump

Deadwing wrote:

Just on a side note, as another example of pure irish ignorance, has anyone else noticed the way Irish people in town have absolutely no concept of what a BUS QUEUE is. Noone botheres standing in the line once it gets too long, they just think "ah feck it, its too long, i dont want to be all the way down the end, ill just hang around near the top". Then when the bus comes all these idiots pile in toward the bus who werent even in the queue, jam the doors, shove thier way in, and even if youre at the head of the queue, still barrel past you. Sorry, but its been bugging me ever since i got a job and had to commute home from work in the evenings.
Franknfurter, sorry to hear about those idiots parking in disabled zones, its truly bloody ignorant.

Do you ever say anything to them? In London you always get people piling into an already full tube... it's amazing the looks you get when you shout abuse at people!

John

seamus

Lump wrote:

Do you ever say anything to them? In London you always get people piling into an already full tube... it's amazing the looks you get when you shout abuse at people!

John

The most annoying thing about the London tube is people waiting for a jammed tube at one of the big stations (say Victoria), then piling on as soon as the doors open, without waiting for people to get off. There are so many people waiting to get off, that it takes twice as long to load the train because these morons can't help but pile on.

Still, I'd take it over Dublin's system any day

FranknFurter, I'd say that's a complete pisser. The only time I'd ever parked my car (when I had it) in a disabled spot was a certain carpark, late at night when there was nothing open except the ATM, and no other vehicles in the car park. I never really "parked" it either. Just pretty much abandoned it close to the machine and hopped out for 30 seconds

People are really bad for it though, particularly people driving big cars and jeeps. In Liffey Valley, there are a few spaces for motorbikes, and I wouldn't park my bike there anyway, but every time I drive by, without fail there's a jeep squeezed across 4 space designed for bikes :rolleyes:

The sad thing about Liffey Valley is that everyone piles up to park close to the door, when there are plenty of space 100m further away.

Dingatron

I agree with you totally FranknFurter although the unfortunate thing about this kind of person is that they just don't give a f**k. It's all about manners and respect which have been on a downward slope for quite sometime. I've tackled people before over bad parking, blocking people in etc. and I have never got so much as an apology off them.

Hagar

I sympathise with Franknfurter and the plight of all disabled people.
If the rest of us can make life even a little easier for them we should.

Taking out your anger in the way you describe is vandalism however.
You don't have the right to damage anybody's property.
If you rang the authorities and they did come I cannot picture a Garda keying a car as a resonable punishment.

Also how would you feel if you damaged a car in a disabled spot which did actually belong to a disabled person but the "disabled sticker/card" was not visible from your viewpoint?

daveg

Some time back afair on 2fm they sent out a reporter to ask some of the numnuts why they were parking in a disabled parking space when they were, clearly not, disabled. Some of the responses were beyond ridiculous. For instance one women, at a bank, claimed she was calling in for her husband, who was disabled. She said that as she was calling to the bank, for her disabled husband, it was totally ok for her to park in a disabled space. As my father is in a wheelchair this is one of my pet hates. I remember an advertising campaign sometime back asking "is this the only time you would swop places with a disabled person". Was a very good angle I thought.

seamus

Perhaps it would be feasible to operate some kind of barriers or posts on disabled spaces. There could be a transmitter - exactly like Easy Pass (however that works), so when a disabled person drives up, the post(s) is automatically lowered, and when they drive off, the post is raised again. Basically means that any car parked in a disabled space has a right to be there - very little enforcement needs to be done.

We get the added benefit that if anyone takes advantage of the post being down immediately after a disabled person pulls out/drives by, they'll get a shock when the post rises again and brings their car with it

(Moving to Commuting)

Fudger

Totally agree with you FranknFurter. Absolute disgrace, people who park in disabled places unjustly should be completely ashamed of themselves. On a side note; its not as if irish people are the most fit, ideal weight people these days, walking from one side of a car park to another wouldn't do most people any harm and for them be thankful they have the ability to do so.

stuey

I think that your sticker Idea is a great one. Go do it. Instead of keying there car and maybe getting got, you could just cover the car in those b*stard stickers

BrianD

While DCC claim to have 89% compliance on people pying for their parking, I think that the time has come to improve peoples parking. It seems that the Garda have abandoned (as usual) any supervision of parking and it's time that fines were handed out for the following:

Not parking in the direction of travel (results in dangerous U-turns)

Not parking within the designated parking space

Parking in a disabled access spot without a permit

Parking so part of the car protrudes over the pavement - this must be very annoying for visually impaired pedestrians and wheelchair users to find the rear end of a Merc complete with two bar protruding to to a metre over the path

They could start an enforcement campaign with fines and then move onto clamping. Cars in wheelchair spaces should be clamped but the downside that it may delay the space being available to a genuine user. Once clamped some people leave their car their for the duration of the day.

weehamster

FranknFurter is 100% right

It is not right for anyone to give out to him unless you have a real understanding of what life is like being dependant on a wheelchair to get around.

I wish that everyone could, for 1 week, tie their legs together, not use them and try to carry out their daily routine in a wheelchair. Getting up in the morning, going to the bathroom, have a shower, eating breakfast, commuting to work (that’s if you had work), trying to get into buildings, going shopping, crossing the street etc...

This I'm sad to say that this would be the only way to show people a glimpse into how life is like being dependant on a wheelchair.

The only thing is after the week is up, you can get up and walk around again...

Think people!

:mad:

Gandhi

weehamster wrote:

FranknFurter is 100% right

It is not right for anyone to give out to him unless you have a real understanding of what life is like being dependant on a wheelchair to get around.

I wish that everyone could, for 1 week, tie their legs together, not use them and try to carry out their daily routine in a wheelchair. Getting up in the morning, going to the bathroom, have a shower, eating breakfast, commuting to work (that’s if you had work), trying to get into buildings, going shopping, crossing the street etc...

This I'm sad to say that this would be the only way to show people a glimpse into how life is like being dependant on a wheelchair.

The only thing is after the week is up, you can get up and walk around again...

Think people!

:mad:

Not a bad idea. I remember years back (early eighties probably) in Cork they had the Lord Mayor and the Chief of the Gardai in Cork walk around the city centre blindfolded for a few hours. They both vowed to seriously crack down on people parking on the footpath afterwards.

Do any carparks ever use private towing companies back home? Over here (the States) it is usually a private company assigned to tow and store the cars, at the car owners expense. The cars are towed fairly lively as the people towing them are making their money based on how many they tow. Signs on the car park give the phone number for the towing company.

I know the Gardai, Corporation etc. might be sluggish about towing, but once the free market gets involved, it could clear up the problem fairly quickly.

sliabh

I can't agree with keying the cars, but the idea of taking photographs seems like a good one.

And what better place to put them but on the internet? Anyone care to donate some web space for pictures of these selfish idiots' cars to go up?

I am pretty sure as well car registration information is in the public domain. You can request this from the Department of the Environment, so put a name to the car.

FranknFurter

Theres an idea for the SSF!

A sponsored crip-a-thon!

Iv seen this done before, and each and every time it was turned into a comedy farce. Maybe the SSF could do it properly, get celebs to agree and all profits to SSF! lolol

To yall who are saying stuff like "you have no right to vandalise", you are 100% missing the point, which is, *they* dont either but that hasnt stopped them. And a 19 euro fine is ridiculous, and insulting.
My chair is now damaged to the tune of 350 euros, a sum I have no hope of being able to pay for months, and even then, Id have to sacrifice things like, oh say FOOD, and its not covered by the EHB or any insurance, mainly because whats damaged is not classed a "restrictive feature" of the chair.

Whats damaged is the chairs ability to raise me 6 foot into the air so I can look somone in the eye when I speak to them, so I can reach the top shelves in shops etc etc as-nauseum.

So, you tell me why, somone should get away with taking your ability to reach a shelf, kitchen cabinet, fuse box, change a light bulb etc.......

you tell me that, and then tell me you are prepared to be tied to a chair with your arms tied by your sides and not want to kick the **** outa those who caused it!

Because, unless you can tell me that you would be prepared to take no action when tied like that, you have no right to tell me I am not "reacting appropiately"

And BTW, if I was arrested I would'nt care, ever see a wheelchair accessible prison?

If you really think its all unnecessary, you tell me what you think would work, but before you do, remember, going to the guards achieves nothing, going to security achieves nothing, going to managers of premises achives nothing, been there, done all that for years, and have the ****ed up chair to prove it!

Do you know, Blanchardstown used to have a towing scheme, but they stopped it, why? you ask?... well I have it from a reliable source that it was stopped due to the amount of customers who complained to center managment.
I complain to center managment, I dont even get to speak to a manager who promises to contact me and of course never does.

Look, it is NOT a matter of legality, never has been and probably never will be, it is a matter of educating those who dont drive yet, and making the ones who do and dont care, learn the lesson in ways *they* will be disabled by.

FranknFurter

If somone can help build a site, I'll gladly take the pictures.
But bringing them to the guards, well, they may as well be pictures of flowers... "aww isnt that terrible, if we can spare the manpower we will have a word with the managers"..... I wont hold my breath....

frodi

BrianD wrote:

They could start an enforcement campaign with fines and then move onto clamping. Cars in wheelchair spaces should be clamped but the downside that it may delay the space being available to a genuine user. Once clamped some people leave their car their for the duration of the day.

Never mind clamping, it should be a tow away just like parking on a clearway. This frees up the spot straight away, the miscreant then has to pay €80 to be unclamped if he/she can find their car wherever the clampers left it.

As for private car parks how about aq group of diabled drivers blocking the drop off zone say at the front enterence of Blanchardstown SC. Get a few reporters on hand and embarrass the centre owners into doing something (clamp/tow away/sticker/keying) of offending cars. Or am I just too bolshie?

Imposter

Why not park right up next to the wrongly parked car? Don't allow them to get out. Make sure your disabled sign is clearly displyed in your car. Then when they want ot leave they can't and although you may be illegally parked they don't seem to care anyway! No real prosecutable damage done and you've got your point across while only blocking half a roadway.

Gordon

frodi wrote:

Never mind clamping, it should be a tow away just like parking on a clearway. This frees up the spot straight away, the miscreant then has to pay €80 to be unclamped if he/she can find their car wherever the clampers left it.

As for private car parks how about aq group of diabled drivers blocking the drop off zone say at the front enterence of Blanchardstown SC. Get a few reporters on hand and embarrass the centre owners into doing something (clamp/tow away/sticker/keying) of offending cars. Or am I just too bolshie?

No I think that's a great idea. There could be a special 4 hour vigil by any sympathetic supporters. Maybe some posters on this thread could help out by forming a small protest on the car park grounds - only on the disabled spaces. It should get some interest going from onlookers too and maybe some reporters would stick their noses in.

Seriously, it's something to consider, look at the coverage that Fathers 4 Justice get by staging (albeit larger) protests.

garthv

I am at the point where I am seriously considering getting some stickers printed up, the kind that are *really* hard to remove, and placing them on the paintwork of these vehicles. Saying somthing like - "I am an ignorant fu<ker who loves to block disabled access"..... and I am serious, I did it in London, I will do it here.

do it!
it will teach em a lesson

robo

Gordon wrote:

No I think that's a great idea. There could be a special 4 hour vigil by any sympathetic supporters. Maybe some posters on this thread could help out by forming a small protest on the car park grounds - only on the disabled spaces. It should get some interest going from onlookers too and maybe some reporters would stick their noses in.

Seriously, it's something to consider, look at the coverage that Fathers 4 Justice get by staging (albeit larger) protests.

I would definitely be on for that.

All we would have to do is meet in town and go betwen Arnotts, Ilac centre and Jervis St car parks. I am sure on the weekends leading up to Christmas there would be plenty who will park in the reserved spaces.
But love the idea of the cars being towed away...imagine coming out and your car is gone...I know it would scare the cr@p outta me! Clamping is too mild for this kind of thing!

Keep this going...and FranknFurter great topic...you have our bloods boiling!

alleepally

For stickers, all that's needed is some of the large laser labels

http://www.vikingdirect.ie/(so0ybj3x1e3fz0454gyndj45)/catalogsku.aspx?id=l7167

or the 2 per sheet variety

I'll buy them - someone design a label and I'll print them up as well.....

FranknFurter

well, this is the one iv been trying to get printed......


feel free to use that if you want, iv had a crazy day ringing around about getting chair repaired cheaper, aint had a chance to phone any printers for a quote, but by all means, if your offering, please do.

Hagar

I think this thread has passed the bounds of debate, self expression and ranting.
It is now in the realms of conspiracy to commit a criminal offence - vandalism.
I call on a mod to close this thread.

frodi

Hagar wrote:

I think this thread has passed the bounds of debate, self expression and ranting.
It is now in the realms of conspiracy to commit a criminal offence - vandalism.
I call on a mod to close this thread.

Don't get so het up. Apart from some earlier calls to key cars now the consensus is to sticker gob****e drivers. No lasting damage, a bit of a clean up and wounded pride. A few minutes taking a sticker off your windscreen is nothing compared to a custom wheelchair out of full action for a couple of months.

Any journalists out there who might be reading this thread care to throw in their two cents worth.

sliabh

Technically stickering windscreens could also be illegal. I think it's defined as interfering with a vehicle. The various groups that do it at the moment are on dodgy ground.

And overstickering a window can't really be condoned. The driver may not be able to get it off so they could be left unable to drive the car in a safe fashion.

That's why I would advocate the name (or photograph) and shame approach instead.

Hagar

I'm with Sliabh on this one.
Christ that was hard to say.

Gandhi

Ever seen those bumper stickers that some environmental groups stick on SUVs? They have stuff like:
"I'm changing the climate! Ask me how!"
and
"I don't care about the air!"

Something like that could work here, along the lines of "name and shame". The offending driver would be tooling around for weeks with a bumper sticker saying "I'd rather be blocking a wheelchair ramp", or something more creative than that, until they notice it.

There is no permanent damage, no obstruction of view. Just hurt feelings...

FranknFurter

Ok,
Well, it would seem I'm not the only one pissed off by this, after posting about this on several boards and sites, in one day, my inbox had 18 (!) mails from like-minded irish people!

So, I have decided to do *this* for now -> http://whistleblower.friendpages.com

Its not flashy, very very basic in fact, but its functional I think.
Im not fluent in web design and my knowledge of HTML is limited to a few basic tags, so tis the best I can do really, till i do me sum of that readin and learnin stuff, lol

The basic idea is, lots of people have digital cameras these days, and there are a lot of small an cheap ones on the market for a few quid.

Basically, what Im gonna be askin is for people to keep their camera in their cars or bags for a while and take a pic when they see a car blocking a pathway / ramp.

Then e-mail me the pic, and Ill post it on the site!
Simple, but effective (I think?)

And for those of you who say "what about if you post a pic of somones car when they *are* entitled to park there"..... its simple really, I will happilly take the pic down if contacted, if they dont contact then it cant be bothering them can it.

Its the lesser of two evils imho, and tbh, I think most disabled drivers that I know would agree it would be worthwhile.

Anyways, if anyone has any ideas about how to "polish" the site or idea, please feel free to say

And, as far as publiciity goes, I will be contacting some old friends in the media when its up and running properly, but feel free to link to it from wherever you want, any and all assistance is greatfully appreciated!

Gordon

Gandhi wrote:

Ever seen those bumper stickers that some environmental groups stick on SUVs? They have stuff like:
"I'm changing the climate! Ask me how!"
and
"I don't care about the air!"

Something like that could work here, along the lines of "name and shame". The offending driver would be tooling around for weeks with a bumper sticker saying "I'd rather be blocking a wheelchair ramp", or something more creative than that, until they notice it.

There is no permanent damage, no obstruction of view. Just hurt feelings...

Thats a great idea!

frodi

Good site, very good use of "limited web design" Better than some of the "professional" ones I've seen. I'll keep my camera handy.
As for the sticker how about "I'm an ignorant (insert prefered expletive here) who parks in diabled parking spots"

Short and simple.

Victor

OK folks tone down the vigilante talk.

Blocking a car in doesn't really help anyone as they are legally entitled to use reasonable force to extract their car.

Now as to whether FranknFurter can use the excuse to extract his wheelchair is another matter.

If you see a vehicle obstructing an accessible space on a public road in the city, it's and instant clamp and slated for removal. Be aware that if you do use a wheelchair or otherwise have a genuine case for using such a space that you keep your permit up to date.

Healio

In areas where clamping is in operation (Dublin, Cork and Galway), cars parked illegally in these spaces will be clamped and the fee for release will be 80 euro.

how does that help if the car is clamped in the disabled space??

Victor

Healio wrote:

how does that help if the car is clamped in the disabled space??

It makes the illegal parker less likely to park there is future. These car would be moved to the top of the list for removal.

Healio

ye but they are still in the way.

FranknFurter

The thing is, the wheelchair association (i think) are still the body responsible for handing out the wheelchair passenger / driver stickers.

There is a train of thought, that says that disabled or not, no sticker - no park.

TBH I subscribe to that, if you need it, you will make sure you get it.

Otherwise the sticker system becomes pointless, anyone can say "oh Im just dropping my mother in here and she uses a wheelchair", and no one has any right to make them prove it.

No-Sticker - no park, simple.

In theory.

And Victor, the thing is mate, when a car is parked in a wheelchair allocated space, no matter where, 90% of the time the towing / ticketing does not happen, and if you dont believe that, stand at the main door of the mill shopping center in clondalkin for 10 mins, or the cinema entrance of liffey valley shopping center for 10 mins.

In fact, as I said earlier, Blanchardstown Shopping center actually *had* a towing policy in place, signs at each wheelchair space that couldnt be missed, and they stopped doing it, and the signs are no longer there.

And, Iv just heard from a friend that (an if true, it sickens me) there are scans of wheelchair stickers available online and via file-sharing that can be printed by anyone and used.

MrPudding

Frankenfurter, I think keying someones car, no matter how much of an asshole they are is WRONG.

However, if you were forced on to the road to pass their car and then due to a fear of being hit by another car you *accidentially* drove too close to the asshole car thereby putting a scratch along the side of his car with a piece of exposed metal from your wheelchair. Well. That would be different, thats an accident isn't it?

Last year at Christmas The Dunnes at Cornelscourt had a guy stickering cars, he had the really nice really sticky signs. He put them on the drivers side window.

I find if you complain to the that owns the space, telling them an able bodied person is parked in it, they will usually take action. When they get over the shock of someone complaining that is.

MrP

Victor

FranknFurter wrote:

And, Iv just heard from a friend that (an if true, it sickens me) there are scans of wheelchair stickers available online and via file-sharing that can be printed by anyone and used.

Clampers are aware of this and will also check for car modifications.

frodi

5:50pm 57 live on radio 1 has just taken up this issue