City Centre Parking

zubair

Hi folks, I'm potentially taking a new job based in the city centre, 99% sure I'll be taking the job. It's on Burgh quay so just off O'Connell bridge, but the parking situation is blurry at the moment. Does anyone know of any cheap underground parking options in this area, where I could rent a space long term? How dodgy is street parking if I max out the security precautions, heavy duty chain, GPS tracker, alarm and so on.

There are push bike racks just outside the office which is handy and that would mean I can park and walk straight in, but how risky is this? Are most thefts in the area opportunistic?

newmember2

You could park it not far away at Pearse St Garda Station? Main thing would be decent lock in a well lit public place that's under camera surveillance.

GBX

Outside Pearse Street Garda station would be my suggestion as well. Ive used the motorbike parking on Princes St beside the GPO but wouldnt be confident leaving a bike there all day.

goblin59

I've parked in city center a few times before, I'd do a quick look around first to find somewhere thats a busy street and has a camera facing to the spot you want to lock the bike too.
I use an Abus lock and chain combo to secure the bike to something as well. Both my lock and bike are alarmed too

zubair

goblin59 wrote: »

I've parked in city center a few times before, I'd do a quick look around first to find somewhere thats a busy street and has a camera facing to the spot you want to lock the bike too.
I use an Abus lock and chain combo to secure the bike to something as well. Both my lock and bike are alarmed too

I've parked on the street on plenty of occasions in the past going shopping or whatever. But I guess my concern is parking in the same spot everyday and being targeted, I suppose I might not have much of a choice and a good lock and alarm etc. are my only options.

Can anyone recommend a good alarm, one that's recognized by insurers would be preferred, I think I'd like a proximity sensor on it.

Goose81

zubair wrote: »

I've parked on the street on plenty of occasions in the past going shopping or whatever. But I guess my concern is parking in the same spot everyday and being targeted, I suppose I might not have much of a choice and a good lock and alarm etc. are my only options.

Can anyone recommend a good alarm, one that's recognized by insurers would be preferred, I think I'd like a proximity sensor on it.

Im pretty sure on bikes the only alarms recognise by insurers are factory.

If you do go aftermarket and you can find one that insurers will recognise then it will have to be fitted by an approved installer. I would imagine for a decent one and fitting you would get no change out of 500 quid tbh

Do they not have an underground car park that they would let you park it?

zubair

No, they don't seem to have underground parking which I'm well used to at this stage. It'll be a good while till I need to go to the office so not something I should really be worrying about now, but it is at the front of my mind.

raven41

Having parked in the city centre for years (I used to park at South King st, just down from the Gaiety), apart from the advice about the locks/alarm etc, for me the most important thing is to use a bike your not precious about, ie a commuter. Going to go all judgmental and non pc here, but anywhere near a drug rehab place (one in Abbey St iirc) is bad news im afraid, and anywhere near OConnell bridge is not good.
Lots of junkies hang about on the tramp shelf (liffey boardwalk) and its environs.
You could be lucky but just for the record I have had a top box broken into and a lid stolen, side panels swiped off my bike and various bodily fluids (I dont want to think of their origins) deposited on my saddle.
Wouldnt dream of leaving a nice shiny "good" bike locked in Dublin city centre and walking away. I used a tatty 1990 Suzuki Gs500 btw...

zubair

raven41 wrote: »

Having parked in the city centre for years (I used to park at South King st, just down from the Gaiety), apart from the advice about the locks/alarm etc, for me the most important thing is to use a bike your not precious about, ie a commuter. Going to go all judgmental and non pc here, but anywhere near a drug rehab place (one in Abbey St iirc) is bad news im afraid, and anywhere near OConnell bridge is not good.
Lots of junkies hang about on the tramp shelf (liffey boardwalk) and its environs.
You could be lucky but just for the record I have had a top box broken into and a lid stolen, side panels swiped off my bike and various bodily fluids (I dont want to think of their origins) deposited on my saddle.
Wouldnt dream of leaving a nice shiny "good" bike locked in Dublin city centre and walking away. I used a tatty 1990 Suzuki Gs500 btw...

Thanks for the insight, you've escalated my anxiety LOL!

H_Lime

I'm yrs outa Dublin but even back then I wouldn't park anything nice outa sight for extended periods.
Even if they can't take it it will be valdalised or something robbed off it. That or some cyclist will fook his bike up against yer shiny akra.
I see a beater in your future.

Just as an aside I remember being a newb and discovered for the first time that a fella on a bike had looped his lock into mine. Great idea!

GBX

Where will you be travelling in from Zubair ?

zubair

GBX wrote: »

Where will you be travelling in from Zubair ?

Heading in from Newbridge.

Don't think I could hack being on a beater. Ugh. If nothing else I can park right at the door and there's a bicycle rack there, the tracker alerts me if the bike moves so I can be in sight of it pretty quickly if alerted, its a busy spot and it won't be left overnight. Might have to throw a cover on it too, so it doesn't get "bodily fluids" on it.

Hotblack Desiato

Just as a counterexample to others here, some years back I was assigned to an office in O'Connel St for 6 months or so, had a CBR6 which was only 2 years old at the time. I parked it all day every day chained to the same pole in the median and never had any problem whatsoever.

Plenty of older cheap bikes which would be suitable for a long commute, I'm thinking more ZZR1100 than GS500 here :pac:

zubair

Hotblack Desiato wrote: »

Just as a counterexample to others here, some years back I was assigned to an office in O'Connel St for 6 months or so, had a CBR6 which was only 2 years old at the time. I parked it all day every day chained to the same pole in the median and never had any problem whatsoever.

Plenty of older cheap bikes which would be suitable for a long commute, I'm thinking more ZZR1100 than GS500 here :pac:

Would like to hear more of these experiences haha

newmember2

Had an FJR parked on the taxi rank traffic island in front of Trinity on College Green with only the steering lock on it everyday when I worked there. Loads of cameras and the place was crawling with taxi drivers all day.