No more bike parking in O'Connell St.

Hotblack Desiato

These signs have gone up in O'Connell St. in Dublin in the last few days:



:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

The median on O'Connell St has been a traditional motorbike parking area for decades. Now they want us all to use Princes St. beside the GPO, where there's space for a half dozen bikes if you're lucky because it's usually crammed with bicycles and An Post vans.

How the hell does this fit in with Dublin City Council's stated policy of encouraging alternatives to car commuting?

OfflerCrocGod

Why?

madrab

WTF!!!!??!?!?

im all confused, are the signs on all of oconnell street? or just at a few points?

he he bring a big lock into town and wrap it around something big, then see what happens

KTRIC

Bunch of bloody retards, I'm not parking my nice bike on Princes St with all the vans milling up and down. I've been parking bikes on the median on O'Connell St for 5 years now and never had any problems because the bikes are out in the open for everyone to see. If we start putting them in a side street it will make it easier for someone to damage them or rob them un-noticed.

Borzoi

OfflerCrocGod wrote:

Why?

At a guess, because the Corpo are spending millions on O'Connell St to make it into an attractive civic amenity, rather than a free bike park. Why should there be free parking at all for any roaduser?

the_syco

Borzoi wrote:

Why should there be free parking at all for any roaduser?

Because the pra7s want us to cycle, and not drive into town...

KTRIC

I'd beyond p!ssed about this, I'm f*cking fuming. What the f*ck am I going to do when I go into town.

Anyone else want to give me bad news today ??

Wake up this morning - cat is sick on the floor
On the way to work - Petrol gone up to 121.9
Get into work - No parking in my favorite spot in town.


WHAT'S NEXT ?? I'm waiting for a call from my boss to tell me to collect my P45.

What a sh!tty day

madrab

K-TRIC wrote:

I'd beyond p!ssed about this, I'm f*cking fuming. What the f*ck am I going to do when I go into town.

Anyone else want to give me bad news today ??

Wake up this morning - cat is sick on the floor
On the way to work - Petrol gone up to 121.9
Get into work - No parking in my favorite spot in town.


WHAT'S NEXT ?? I'm waiting for a call from my boss to tell me to collect my P45.

What a sh!tty day

*Hug*

Hotblack Desiato

Borzoi wrote:

Why should there be free parking at all for any roaduser?

Are you including bicycles in that, and if not, why?

Motorcycle parking takes up far less space than car parking, it would be very easy for the council to make sufficient provision but they simply can't be bothered.

Proper motorcycle parking is a big factor in tempting commuters out of their cars, as the experience of many UK cities and towns shows.

What little parking is provided here is generally all but useless, as it's not designed properly, often leaves bikes open to damage from cars parking nearby, usually provides little or no security, and is open to abuse by cars and bicycles taking up the space intended for motorcycles.

KTRIC

I like to know how they are going to police this new rule. If someone parks their 500lb bike there and puts a stonking great Magnum lock on it how are the going to remove it without doing damage to the bike. To the best of my knowledge there isn't a clamp that can be used on bikes.

murphaph

I assume they'll hit the chain with an angle grinder and lift the bike onto the lorry much the same as a car. The motorbike/scooter is the forgotten alternaive to car commuting. They are small, economical enough in traffic and are quick to accelerate thereby keeping the traffic moving. This doesn't fit in with the 'bikes are dangerous' mantra so don't expect motorcycle commuting to be promoted anytime soon. I never drove into town when I drove a car amd now that I have a m-bike, I still take the train. I realise I'm lucky enough to live within a reasonable distance of a station though!

Can motorbikes be parked in regular car parks and if so, do they charge the same as a car?

secret_squirrel

murphaph wrote:

I assume they'll hit the chain with an angle grinder

Are they allowed to damage your property like that? A good bike chain could cost around €100.


Could we not chain our bikes to the poles these new signs are on?

Dub13

It was taken the look off the street,I even seen some clown locking his bike to one of the new trees.

KTRIC

murphaph wrote:

Can motorbikes be parked in regular car parks and if so, do they charge the same as a car?

Yes bikes can use normal parking spaces, but this can be quiet dangerous. If you park in a space that has an occupied space on either side your bike cannot be seen until the last moment if someone trys to park in your space because they can't see the bike behind the cars. I have seen one or two bikes knocked over this way.

Krusty_Clown

...and car drivers don't appreciate motorcyclists parking in 'car' spaces...
References previous debates on the subject in the motors board..

Yeah, it's quite dissapointing... With regard to the 'attractiveness' of O'Connell street, aren't they trying to promote a cafe culture in metropolitan areas? Wouldn't a few aethetically pleasing bikes add to the cafe culture theme?

saobh_ie

I saw a bike chained to one of those signs on Thursday night, and half a dozen chained to the trees, but weren't bikes chained to the old trees and everything else on the street previously?

The facility in that side street by the Arcade is all but useless. I wouldn't park in there. Far too dangerous.

I don't see the problem with the bikes on O'Connell street, are they going to stop bicycles too? Nope.

I'd love to see them shift a bike anyway, being offical types they wouldn't have the same skills and the thiefs and I'd imagine it would take them a few minutes work with an angle grinder while the bikes alarm goes bloody nuts and the owners of the fifty other bikes come over and start asking them who they are, WTF they're doing...

"Sorry lads, somebodys taken the keys to your van."

"I think they're in the drain." *shrug*

hehe, stuff like this just pisse's me off.

I'm going to make some stickers for that sign, hehe.

"FREE MOTORCYCLE PARKING"

Kazujo

It's rediculous that they are removing parking like that that does not cause any obstructions to foot paths or roads. Most of the bikes park insections that people don't really walk on.

Why don't the corpo provide motorcycle specific parking in some of the multi stories in town I wouldn't mind paying for a space in there, provided they don't try to charge the same as for a car space.

dawballz

So how's the banning working out?
Where are you all parking(for those of you who would have parked on O'Connell st.)?
Is there still bikes parking there?
Someone said there was above, but any more?

KTRIC

Myself and the missus had a scout around today on O'Connell St and there are still loads of bikes parked there. Over on Princes St (now official bike park) there is only about 15 meters of park space set aside for bikes right beside the phone boxes at the junction of the street and it is full of junk left over from the paving works that was done on O'Connell St. Also the now official motorbike park is full of bicycles and there is space enough for 2 scooters at the most.

I'm going to take some pictures of this and submit them to the City Council. If you are in the city center any time soon take a look at the section of the street that has been put aside for the motorbikes, it's an absolute discrace.

On adverage I'd say there are about 30-40 motorbikes (including scooters) parked on O'connell st. every saturday (busiest day I think) and I really don't see how they are going to get shoehorned into the little space on Princes St. that has been put aside.

Sorry if I'm rambling, I'm still very angry about this. :mad:

saobh_ie

Actually that's a good point. All very well talking about this here, but we really need to write to the council. It will probably also be ineffective but generally they write replies.

Now who to write to...

http://www.dublincity.ie/your_council/councillors/

None of them are actually my councillors so I'll just have to write to them all. =]

I'll draft a letter during the week expressing my concerns and see what happens.

faceman

Although we could be bold and lock our bikes on the street anyway, we will still probably get a poxy ticket in the post! Anyone know any other decent spots to park in town?