Suggested locations for free parking near coca cola bike racks

Mfor

Hi all

I'm looking for some advice on which bike racks to park beside in order to cycle into town. I am coming from Knocknacarra and working in town so want to drive some of the way and then cycle. I am considering parking in Westside and cycling from the new coca cola bikes parked there at Seamus Quirke road. Does anyone know what is the situation with parking at the library or church in Westside. Has anyone ever been clamped there and/or is it safe? Another alternative would be Father Burke road and parking somewhere near there that is free parking and cycling in from there on the coca cola bikes.

Thanks for any advice.

J.pilkington

Appreciate I’m not answering what you asked but my advice would be to buy a fold away bike which fits in your car boot. It adds great flexibility in terms of available parking and avoids the challenges of both no bikes being available at your departing station and no space at your destination station.

Mfor

Thanks Pilkington I might look into this as I considered getting one previously in the past. Do you know are there often instances where there are no bikes left or no spaces left at destination, are people finding this? I'm not currently utilizing this service so would like to know what people are experiencing. Also, any recommend a scooter over a fold up bike and why? Looking at this option also.

what_traffic

Always bikes at any of the bikeshare stations when I use them, download the bikeshare.ie app - tells you exactly no of stands available and bikes at any of the stations. Usage has certainly grown since they added the new stations.

Fold up is a good suggestion, can bring onto local bus and in boot of a taxi as well. If buying try and get a Brompton - they hold there value for years.

Rather than a scooter, an electric bike would be cheaper to buy and run.
Would get you up the hill to KnocknaCarra and helps with cycling into the wind.

Mfor

Thanks what traffic

Grassey

Knocknacarra to Westside is 3-4km? You'd do that on a bike in ~10 mins. Probably a lot faster than driving the same distance. Would you consider just using the BTW scheme and getting a bike (manual or electric). It'd probably speed up the entire commute into town?

Mfor

Thanks Grassey but dropping off kids and work clothes in the mix are not conducive to cycling all the way

Grassey

Work clothes can be handled fine in a pannier - kids don't fit in there quite so well.... :P

Mfor

Just back to my original query, is it ok to park in the Westside library or church carparks and/or is it safe?

ronnie3585

I’ve been using the service for about a year and I find it disappointing and frustrating. I would not have the confidence in the service to rely on it for a daily commute. I use the service 3-4 times a week and it’s rare that I get complete trip (out and back) without an issue. The most common issues I find are:

1. The docking stations don’t work – there will be loads of bikes available but the terminal doesn’t work, I’m repeatedly told this is a LAN issue but it still persists;
2. There aren’t any bikes at the docking stations; and
3. The bike has a flat tyre/damage and when you re-dock it doesn’t recognise it.

I’ve lost count of the amount of times I’ve phoned their customer support, but very little changes. Maybe I’m unlucky with the stations that I use (town, Newcastle, NUIG) but the problems seem to be never ending. I only use it now when I have a backup, i.e. the car or can walk, there’s no way I’d trust it for anything more.

If I were you I'd do as suggested above, buy a Brompton and throw it in the boot.

Mfor

Thanks Ronnie, that's most helpful. I was hoping to use it initially until I bought a fold up but if it's that unreliable it might not be worth it. Hopefully, they'll improve the service as more use it with the addition of the new stations. The stations were very limited previously but at least there are more now. They really could do with some out Salthill way also, there only seems to be stations at and near Claddagh.

ronnie3585

Mfor wrote: »

Thanks Ronnie, that's most helpful. I was hoping to use it initially until I bought a fold up but if it's that unreliable it might not be worth it. Hopefully, they'll improve the service as more use it with the addition of the new stations. The stations were very limited previously but at least there are more now. They really could do with some out Salthill way also, there only seems to be stations at and near Claddagh.

Yeah, a large station in Salthill would make a lot of sense and would get a lot of use. Even more so in Knocknacarra. The closest are the ones outside the GTI on Fr Griffin Road and Raven's Terrace.

The service has improved in my view, but it is still too unreliable to use it with any great confidence. That being said, one needs to keep in mind that it's a virtually free service.

Mfor

I agree but as you say you get what you pay for. With the lack of transport facilities in the city though, you'd hope that this might help if the service was working properly.

what_traffic

Mfor wrote: »

Just back to my original query, is it ok to park in the Westside library or church carparks and/or is it safe?

Church carpark is on private grounds. There is a gate on it, not always open. Westside library has limited parking - it it is a busy area with library, resource centre and the odd UCHG visitor.

what_traffic

ronnie3585 wrote: »

The service has improved in my view, but it is still too unreliable to use it with any great confidence. That being said, one needs to keep in mind that it's a virtually free service.

Do you notice that when there is heavy rains the reliablity of the terminals seems to be an issue?

ronnie3585

what_traffic wrote: »

Do you notice that when there is heavy rains the reliablity of the terminals seems to be an issue?

Can’t say that I have, but I’ll keep it in mind and see if I can see an effect.