Gone in 60 seconds ..

Aurelius

Quarter past three in the day. Two young kids in the back of the car, the baby asleep.
Collecting our son from after school care. Location, A main street in Galway city.
My wife pulls her car up outside the building, slightly up on the footpath so as to not hinder any vehicles that may need to pass by.
Never more than a few meters from the car, my wife rings the doorbell, collects my son and goes back to the car.
No more than 60 seconds pass by.

A garda car driving down the street stops and informs my wife that she is parked illegally.
She apologises profusely and mentions she was picking up her son from after school car and was only there for literally 1 minute.
She heeds the warning the Guards gave her and we discuss that night how it is an major inconvenience to have to
A) find parking in a busy city centre and
take the smaller kids out of the car (especially when asleep) to walk down and collect our son, when stopping outside the building, not obstructing others mind, takes a mere minute!
Nevertheless, we are law abiding citizens so if that is what has to be done, so be it.

Therefore we were both absolutely dumbfounded when my wife received a letter in the post yesterday, with a €40 fixed charge offence for parking on a footway!
After giving the warning, the guard proceeded to take down my wife licence plate and fill out the necessary paperwork to charge her.

Seriously, a young baby asleep in the back of the car, parked out of the way so that both pedestrians and other vehicles could get by..
But the big thing for me is .. She was there for 60 seconds ... 60 seconds

As I said, we're both law abiding citizens, so there fine was paid this morning. At the end of the day what the hell can you do about it ?

So I guess people of Galway beware if you need to run in somewhere for 60 seconds there is a Garda out there ready to pounce ..
Or maybe he was having a bad day and decided to punish a young mother collecting her son from afterschool..

So what remains is to ask a question .. Has anyone else in Galway received any such fines recently ?
I drive around the city a lot, and anyone else who does also can tell you there are plenty of other parking offences happening in the city every day ..

Xiney

Parking on the footpath is illegal.

I'm glad they're finally starting to enforce it.

JohnCleary

GF got a fine when picking up dry-cleaning, i'd say again she was literly 60 seconds in the place (She parked in a P&D but didn't buy a ticket since she was right outside)

She got a ticket. D'ya know what she did? She paid it and got over it because she was in the wrong (However petty it may have been)

Suck it up, your wife parked illegally.

If it's that much of a problem, move your children to another school/creche/whatever - If you're willing to make such a post about your wife getting a fine for illegal parking, you should have researched parking etc. before putting your children into a city centre school.

I'm not sticking up for the Gardai, but at the end of the day what your wife did was illegal, regardless of how long she did it for. Let me put it into context for you; If someone had raped someone, wouldn't you like to see them punished for it? (I'm taking it you'd say 'yes') - Now, what if you caught the raper and he said "But I only stuck it in for 60 seconds" - Well, wouldn't you still think he should be punished for committing the act?

Relevant

What about all the other mothers/fathers collecting their children from the same school who couldnt get past because your wife was vlocking the footpath and road with her car

majiktripp

Xiney wrote: »

Parking on the footpath is illegal.

I'm glad they're finally starting to enforce it.

So why aren't they fining all the taxi's who park well down beyond the taxi rank outside St. Pats School every day, practically all the way down to Mill St. Garda station some nights. And most of the time there not actually moving, just parked. I'd fuc*ing love to park my car on the bridge there for a whole day so they'd have to pull out passed me and go around for a change. And yet the cops will happily enough walk passed them all and not say a goddamn word to them.

Xiney

I don't know. I agree they should be fining them, though.

snubbleste

eh john that analogy is just plain wrong and misplaced!

Thanks for telling us OP, I sympathise a small bit, but you know what, people will still park on footpaths until the regulations are enforced.
I'm delighted to see that the Gardai are finally living up to their word and cracking down on this

Webbs

JohnCleary wrote: »

GF got a fine when picking up dry-cleaning, i'd say again she was literly 60 seconds in the place (She parked in a P&D but didn't buy a ticket since she was right outside)

She got a ticket. D'ya know what she did? She paid it and got over it because she was in the wrong (However petty it may have been)

Suck it up, your wife parked illegally.

If it's that much of a problem, move your children to another school/creche/whatever - If you're willing to make such a post about your wife getting a fine for illegal parking, you should have researched parking etc. before putting your children into a city centre school.

I'm not sticking up for the Gardai, but at the end of the day what your wife did was illegal, regardless of how long she did it for. Let me put it into context for you; If someone had raped someone, wouldn't you like to see them punished for it? (I'm taking it you'd say 'yes') - Now, what if you caught the raper and he said "But I only stuck it in for 60 seconds" - Well, wouldn't you still think he should be punished for committing the act?

Not really a very good analogy there John, a bit OTT!!

Mind you I do agree with you with the rest of your post, surely that is all the Gardai hear from people is 'I was only here for a minute' whether it was true or not.

To the original OP - The pavements are there for a purpose to provide a safe environment for people to walk on, it only takes a second for someone to walk out onto the road because a car is on the pavement and get knocked down so if your wife was there for 60seconds then a lot can happen in that time!!

bushy...

Aurelius wrote: »

Quarter past three in the day. Two young kids in the back of the car, the baby asleep.
Collecting our son from after school care. Location, A main street in Galway city.
My wife pulls her car up outside the building, slightly up on the footpath so as to not hinder any vehicles that may need to pass by.
Never more than a few meters from the car, my wife rings the doorbell,

---

(alternate ending)
had to go in for a few seconds she swears and the car was stolen ! Guy driving got a fright when the kids screamed and hit a pole. ( i wouldn't wish it on anyone btw )

Realistic . Why ? Lad i know parked his car one evening , said he just had his hand on the hotel door and heard the car cranking over ( spark disabled so it would crank over, boxer engine so a bit distinctive and he might hear it )

Aurelius

Ye're right .. although using the example of rape is a bit extreme ..

Are they finally enforcing it ??
The question I was asking is was this random or is it something that others in Galway are experiencing ??

Is it being enforced now in Galway because the Ocean Race is coming up and in a months time it'll be forgotten about again ..

Too many laws and not enough enforcement of them.

As for other mothers/fathers collecting kids.. I did mention there was plently of room for both pedestrians and other vehicles could get by..

Aurelius

bushy... wrote: »

had to go in for a few seconds she swears and the car was stolen ! Guy driving got a fright when the kids screamed and hit a pole.

Realistic . Why ? Lad i know parked his car one evening , said he just had his hand on the hotel door and heard the car cranking over ( spark disabled so it would crank over, boxer engine so a bit distinctive and he might hear it )

Didn't go in anywhere.. Collected at the door, Car never out of sight.

Xiney

Parking illegally may save your wife a lot of time.

It may also cost her some money every now and then, in the form of fines.

So you have to ask yourself, is the time worth the fine? Or are the fines getting to be more than the time saved is worth?



Also, things are illegal for reasons. Pedestrians may be able to get by, but what about prams and wheelchairs?

Aurelius

Webbs wrote: »

Not really a very good analogy there John, a bit OTT!!

Mind you I do agree with you with the rest of your post, surely that is all the Gardai hear from people is 'I was only here for a minute' whether it was true or not.

To the original OP - The pavements are there for a purpose to provide a safe environment for people to walk on, it only takes a second for someone to walk out onto the road because a car is on the pavement and get knocked down so if your wife was there for 60seconds then a lot can happen in that time!!

Very true I'm sure they do hear that all the time .. but in this case it was for 60 seconds and there was plenty of room for even a buggy to get by on the path. She's not driving a hummer !

leninbenjamin

As a cyclist/pedestrian i hate people like your wife. I've been in a fair few dangerous situations when i turn a corner and find a car parked like that, neither on the footpath nor on the road, cars going by on the outside boxing me in, and the kerb preventing me going up on the path safely to avoid the damn parked car...

i know it's a pain in the arse having to go a fair distance to park elsewhere for such a short period, but there's a reason for those laws...

biko

Yeah I park illegally too sometimes when I think I can get away with it, but if I'm fined I just pay.

ukgalwaymcguire

welcome to 2009
cctv tickets are common in the uk, maybe they have come here too from what you say?

Eurochild

leninbenjamin wrote: »

As a cyclist/pedestrian i hate people like your wife. I've been in a fair few dangerous situations when i turn a corner and find a car parked like that, neither on the footpath nor on the road, cars going by on the outside boxing me in, and the kerb preventing me going up on the path safely to avoid the damn parked car...

I have to agree, its highly dangerous for cyclists, who seem to always be at the back of the queue for consideration from other road users. I was cycling in a cycle lane yesterday and someone (I presume the council) had put signs up to warn of an oil spill on the road - they put the signs up across the cycle lane completely blocking it. :rolleyes:

I don't know what it is with people collecting their kids anyhows, I live next door to a child minder and its happened me loads of times that I've arrived home and been unable to get into my own driveway because there is a car parked across it from someone collecting a child. Does a sense of entitlement come free with a a baby or what?

padi89

Aurelius wrote: »

Two young kids in the back of the car, the baby asleep.

And thats an excuse? WTF? You think you have special privileges because you have kids?

Aurelius wrote: »

take the smaller kids out of the car (especially when asleep) to walk down and collect our son, when stopping outside the building, not obstructing others mind, takes a mere minute!

Kids Asleep LOL, where are you pulling these excuses out of :rolleyes:

Aurelius wrote: »

Nevertheless, we are law abiding citizens

Aurelius wrote: »

As I said, we're both law abiding citizens

No your not, your wife parked illegally and thought she would get away with it, using your kids as an excuse is rubbish.

DeadSkin

JohnCleary wrote: »

GF got a fine when picking up dry-cleaning, i'd say again she was literly 60 seconds in the place (She parked in a P&D but didn't buy a ticket since she was right outside)

She got a ticket. D'ya know what she did? She paid it and got over it because she was in the wrong (However petty it may have been)

Suck it up, your wife parked illegally.

If it's that much of a problem, move your children to another school/creche/whatever - If you're willing to make such a post about your wife getting a fine for illegal parking, you should have researched parking etc. before putting your children into a city centre school.

I'm not sticking up for the Gardai, but at the end of the day what your wife did was illegal, regardless of how long she did it for. Let me put it into context for you; If someone had raped someone, wouldn't you like to see them punished for it? (I'm taking it you'd say 'yes') - Now, what if you caught the raper and he said "But I only stuck it in for 60 seconds" - Well, wouldn't you still think he should be punished for committing the act?

Oh man, context??? Get a sense of realism dude.

padi89

Eurochild wrote: »

Does a sense of entitlement come free with a a baby or what?

Yes it does and you get a free "Baby on Board" sticker so you get special treatment from every other other road user.

kodute

JohnCleary wrote: »

If someone had raped someone, wouldn't you like to see them punished for it? (I'm taking it you'd say 'yes') - Now, what if you caught the raper and he said "But I only stuck it in for 60 seconds" - Well, wouldn't you still think he should be punished for committing the act?

Holy crap dude...Get some perspective! Would a rapist be given a €40 fine and be told on his way... :rolleyes:

Magnus wrote: »

Yeah I park illegally too sometimes when I think I can get away with it, but if I'm fined I just pay.

Yeah ditto, if you get away with it 20 times @ €2 a time then there is the cost of the fine covered!

Aurelius

padi89 wrote: »

And thats an excuse? WTF? You think you have special privileges because you have kids?


Kids Asleep LOL, where are you pulling these excuses out of :rolleyes:



No your not, your wife parked illegally and thought she would get away with it, using your kids as an excuse is rubbish.

Totally entitled to special privilages! A full list of them given in the pamplets when you have a baby in UCHG.. Did you not get them ? Not sure if parking illegally is one of them - Must check.

Seriously though.. Question was if other people in the city were getting fines for illegal parking cos I know this is not a rare case.

BTW - babies do tend to fall asleep in the car. That's a tip that might be needed sometime in the future when it's 3am, you need to get some sleep for that important meeting in the morning and the baby is screaming the house down. Sometimes when the baby is asleep you DO NOT want to take it from the car and wake it up. I'm guessing parents will only understand that.

snubbleste

Aurelius wrote: »

..Seriously though.. Question was if other people in the city were getting fines for illegal parking cos I know this is not a rare case.

I think they are, people made representations to the Superintendent in May 2008 and he said that they would take the matter more seriously and he also gave a commitment to eradicate illegal parking in galway 'by this time next year' (may 2009) but nobody believed him. Seriously as other posters mentioned, look around next time you are out & about, cars parked everywhere in breach of regulations.
In addition the city council & an garda have given warnings around the VOR

DD67

I wish they gave out tickets as quickly to people driving around with phones stuck to there ears, but then i suppose that would mean they would have to actually exit their squad car to get your details. :rolleyes:

LadyMayBelle

I used to work with people who use wheelchairs and seriously, people like your wife made my life hell, as because they parked up on the footpath, it would be impossible to get by! Even if it was just a bit...used to make my blood boil, as it's difficult to reverse, get off the path and onto the road, bypass the car and then back up on the path again. I'm sure the same goes for people pushing buggies...

On topic, I do know of other people who have gotten fines for things like this, and rightly so IMO

galah

I wish they gave out tickets as quickly to people driving around with phones stuck to there ears

Or people breaking red lights. Or using a roundabout incorrectly. Or pulling out in front of you, ignoring "Yield" signs. Or parking in yellow boxes. Or parking with 'hazard lights on while just poppoing into the shop'. Or parking too close to a corner. Or any other stupidity Galway drivers are famous for.

peanuthead

padi89 wrote: »

No your not, your wife parked illegally

Jaysus, okay so technically parking on a footpath is illegal, but can you all stop saying it? Or at least stop going on about it with such a tone of conviction. FFS, his wife parked somewhere she shouldn't have, but she's not a fcukin criminal. And they did pay the fine and get on with it, so whats the problem??

Anyone else out there care to admit that when they got a fine they knew they deserved that even just for a second they were a bit pissed off? I doubt anyone who gets a fine for parking ILLEGALLY (God, what an awful crime!!!!) just laughs to themselves, says "Oops! Got caught this time, haha!" then goes off to pay the fine, and never mentions it again.

Jaysus padi89, gtf over it. Just because the wife parked up the footpath, doesn't mean that her and her husband aren't law abiding citizens, wtf would you do if you ever came across a real criminal????

Aurelius

LadyPennyworth wrote: »

I used to work with people who use wheelchairs and seriously, people like your wife made my life hell, as because they parked up on the footpath, it would be impossible to get by! Even if it was just a bit...used to make my blood boil, as it's difficult to reverse, get off the path and onto the road, bypass the car and then back up on the path again. I'm sure the same goes for people pushing buggies...

On topic, I do know of other people who have gotten fines for things like this, and rightly so IMO

Let me say as a person whose mother was in a wheelchair and who pushes the kids in the buggy I see where you're coming from but again I stress.. There was enough room for people/buggies/wheelchairs to get by! And again.. gone in 60 seconds.. It is a large footpath !

skelliser

here, you parked illegally, you got caught, get over it

Aurelius

peanuthead wrote: »

Jaysus, okay so technically parking on a footpath is illegal, but can you all stop saying it? Or at least stop going on about it with such a tone of conviction. FFS, his wife parked somewhere she shouldn't have, but she's not a fcukin criminal. And they did pay the fine and get on with it, so whats the problem??

Anyone else out there care to admit that when they got a fine they knew they deserved that even just for a second they were a bit pissed off? I doubt anyone who gets a fine for parking ILLEGALLY (God, what an awful crime!!!!) just laughs to themselves, says "Oops! Got caught this time, haha!" then goes off to pay the fine, and never mentions it again.

Jaysus padi89, gtf over it. Just because the wife parked up the footpath, doesn't mean that her and her husband aren't law abiding citizens, wtf would you do if you ever came across a real criminal????

Tnx peanuthead !

AdamantApproach

JohnCleary wrote: »

GF got a fine when picking up dry-cleaning, i'd say again she was literly 60 seconds in the place (She parked in a P&D but didn't buy a ticket since she was right outside)

She got a ticket. D'ya know what she did? She paid it and got over it because she was in the wrong (However petty it may have been)

Your bird should not have paid this. There is a five minute grace period in all p&d parking spaces.

Asmodean

Yeah she was wrong but unfortunately some people love to climb up onto their high horse when they have a chance to belittle other people. You'd swear your wife was after murdering someone! And I'm sure if some people on here were caught doing something illegal the excuses would be flying from their mouths too

cornbb

I can see the OP's point, I'd be pissed too if I got fined for illegally parking for 60 seconds when there are so many other ills in the world. But at the same time I'd realise that I was chancing it, I got caught, suck it up and move on. Ranting about it on the internet isn't going to win much sympathy. And I'd agree that illegal parking is a major nuisance in the city.

KevR

I know your wife half-parked on a wide footpath and wasn't really causing an obstruction to road users or footpath users and that she wasn't there long but, to be honest, the Gardai can't start making exceptions for anyone in any situation or other people wil no doubt start taking the piss and parking places where they do block traffic and/or the footpath.

If they start making exceptions they may aswell not bother enforcing it at all. They have to be very strict about it for it to deter people from parking illegally.

I do wish they would clamp down on taxi drivers in Eyre Square and on O'Brien's Bridge though. The ones that park illegally are badly disrupting the flow of trafffic around town. (But to be fair, there isn't enough taxi rank space and the City Council should really address this).

AdamantApproach

The Garda should have told her that he was issuing a fine. Cnut.

padi89

peanuthead wrote: »

Jaysus padi89, gtf over it.

Your telling me to get over it?:D That's the advice the OP should be getting.If he admitted his wife was in the wrong but felt hard done by fair enough but it's the piss poor generic excuses that i find pathetic.

snubbleste

Very topical issue..

Fri 22nd May 2009
A new pedestrian rights group is calling on the City Council and Gardaí to "walk the walk" regarding illegal parking on footpaths in the city.
Cosáin, the Community Road Safety Action and Information Network was set up recently to protect and promote pedestrians right to safety. It says footpath parking is a chronic problem in the city and forces parents with buggies and people using wheelchairs out onto the road.

irisheddie85

On the actual op question, I think they have started to crack down on parking in the past few weeks in galway.
The wardens are out after 6.30 and on sundays. never used to see this. But the enforcement is a bit dodgey as i know of 2 tickets that were given to people parked in loading bays after hours. Both delivery drivers parked outside restaurants they work in.
I have no problem paying tickets when i actually deserved them. But if the wardens are changing the rules that is not fair on anyone.

toxick

had a few parking tickets myself, remember one time i parked in town at 6:45, got back to the car around 8:30 to find a ticket on it saying no valid p&d ticket.. and says ticket was issued at 6:15. a total 30 mins befor i parked there. went up to city hall complained and got the ticket thrown out.

however OP your wife was parking illegal, even with the child in the back, find a proper place to park, and bring the child with her to collect the other child.

she was in the wrong and she got hte ticket.

gary82

Xiney wrote: »

Parking on the footpath is illegal.

I'm glad they're finally starting to enforce it.

Definately +1

Cars moving in slow traffic in Galway won't even stop to let you cross, the least they can do is stay off our footpaths. I know a guy on a wheelchair and you can imagine his annoyance at cars pulling up "just for a sec".

majiktripp wrote: »

So why aren't they fining all the taxi's who park well down beyond the taxi rank outside St. Pats School every day, practically all the way down to Mill St. Garda station some nights. And most of the time there not actually moving, just parked.

Good point!! Especially when it's right next to Millstreet Garda station!!!

Robbo

Ah, parental solipsism. Why park safely and legally when you can get right to the door and do your bit for childhood obesity?

My advice to you is suck it up and have her pay the fine. You were in the wrong and you were caught. It's €40, not 6 months hard labour in Achill Island.

inisboffin

I would say yeah, glad they're enforcing it. If I was the OP I would feel out of joint even though I was in the wrong, mainly because of the CONSISTENT lack of enforcement in other places. O'Brien Bridge pisses me off, but for some reason, the one that gets me most is the one or 2 cars that are SO often parked on Dominic St, near the shop and the Chinese, opposite the venue 'formerly known as Taylor's '. Buggies on the road constantly. My mate had his guitar clipped by a car as you CAN'T EFFIN GET BY on the already small footpath.
And the other side of the road is the lovely bouncers from various establishments. One in particular I've observed outside the RD, seeming to delight in standing in the middle of the footpath, arms folded, thus making (mostly women) have to walk around them on the road.
If he needs his power that badly....

JohnCleary

Robbo wrote: »

6 months hard labour in Achill Island.

Is it a bad thing that i'd actually enjoy that??

Melty

i find it funny the way pedestrians and motorists are referred to as almost two completely different species - like you can only be one or the other!

as a pedestrian AND a motorist i say - screw 'em all

Xiney

Robbo wrote: »

solipsism

OT

I should become a librarian. I loves me some words.

GerardKeating

DD67 wrote: »

I wish they gave out tickets as quickly to people driving around with phones stuck to there ears, but then i suppose that would mean they would have to actually exit their squad car to get your details. :rolleyes:

Actually they don't, just bang the reg number into a computer and instant ticket...

bigeasyeah

Ah yes the old "I broke the law but it was only for a little while so I should get off scot free" arguement.
Lets apply this logic to another offence shall we? Lets say a young man involved in a spot of fisticuffs.
"Sorry Garda I only punched him the face for a few seconds,can I go home now?"
You broke the law and got caught.Stop whinging.

JohnCleary

bigeasyeah wrote: »

Ah yes the old "I broke the law but it was only for a little while so I should get off scot free" arguement.
Lets apply this logic to another offence shall we? Lets say a young man involved in a spot of fisticuffs.
"Sorry Garda I only punched him the face for a few seconds,can I go home now?"
You broke the law and got caught.Stop whinging.

In fairness after re-reading the OP, I don't think he was whinging, he was just wondering if it happened to anyone else. He said he paid the fine almost immediately.

JohnCleary

GerardKeating wrote: »

Actually they don't, just bang the reg number into a computer and instant ticket...

Are you certain about that? Thought they'd have to be appraoched.

For instance, Ireland has an ANPR system (well, it's being pulled again as it's a huge flop - DB's only updating something like once every few months instead of live) on some Gardai cars so if they see you're out of tax, they pull you rather than just issuing a fine.

Infact I don't see how just entering the reg number to fine someone for being on the phone would work at all as there's a huge chance the person driving may not be the owner of the car. Infact it's a totally stupid idea, so wouldn't be surprised if it WAS what the Gardai were doing :pac:

BENDYBINN

JohnCleary wrote: »

GF got a fine when picking up dry-cleaning, i'd say again she was literly 60 seconds in the place (She parked in a P&D but didn't buy a ticket since she was right outside)

She got a ticket. D'ya know what she did? She paid it and got over it because she was in the wrong (However petty it may have been)

Suck it up, your wife parked illegally.

If it's that much of a problem, move your children to another school/creche/whatever - If you're willing to make such a post about your wife getting a fine for illegal parking, you should have researched parking etc. before putting your children into a city centre school.

I'm not sticking up for the Gardai, but at the end of the day what your wife did was illegal, regardless of how long she did it for. Let me put it into context for you; If someone had raped someone, wouldn't you like to see them punished for it? (I'm taking it you'd say 'yes') - Now, what if you caught the raper and he said "But I only stuck it in for 60 seconds" - Well, wouldn't you still think he should be punished for committing the act?

Is this the stupidest post of all time on boards?

biko

What, yours?