Pay & display rip-off

forumfiend

So I had to do a quick errand in town this morning. Being the good citizen I am, I parked in a pay & display car park and stuck a euro in the ticket machine thinking it would cover the few minutes I would be gone. Dang machine refused to give me a ticket, said the minimum fee is €2.60. Is that a rip-off or what?

kippy

It probably is but there are all variety of pay and display around town.
Some are what you were actually looking for. Stick in 50 cent for 20 minutes or something like that.
Others are minimum fee but that fee would cover a few hours or even the full day (dyke road for example for a full day)

Its a pain in the hole as a lot of these differing zones are scattered all over town and you wont necessarily know what type you are in till you park up and get out.

Mike...

You were prob using the carpark on Mill Street, Next time your there have a look at all the cars with no tickets and a ST. Pauls Credit Union book in the window, I think this practice is very unfair.

snubbleste

Mike... wrote: »

You were prob using the carpark on Mill Street, Next time your there have a look at all the cars with no tickets and a ST. Pauls Credit Union book in the window, I think this practice is very unfair.

or even that silver car that's parked on a double yellow line outside the Galway Arms Inn daily. That car never seems to get a ticket/clamped/towed for some reason..

kippy

Mike... wrote: »

You were prob using the carpark on Mill Street, Next time your there have a look at all the cars with no tickets and a ST. Pauls Credit Union book in the window, I think this practice is very unfair.

What exactly is that about?

biko

Ìt's Garda cars

Mike...

Magnus wrote: »

Ìt's Garda cars

Privately owned cars actually.....should be subject to the same law as the rest of us

kippy

Mike... wrote: »

Privately owned cars actually.....should be subject to the same law as the rest of us

Are you saying that because they have a St Pauls credit union book on them they get free parking?
I still amn't getting this.........

Mike...

kippy wrote: »

Are you saying that because they have a St Pauls credit union book on them they get free parking?
I still amn't getting this.........

The books have a Garda badge on them and the clampers won't touch them

JohnCleary

Mike... wrote: »

The books have a Garda badge on them and the clampers won't touch them

/me whispers off to join St. Paul's Credit Union....

biko

It's St Paul's Garda Credit Union I'd be surprised if it's in any way sanctioned, prob just the wardens being nice. Every job has its perks.

Mike...

Magnus wrote: »

It's St Paul's Garda Credit Union I'd be surprised if it's in any way sanctioned, prob just the wardens being nice. Every job has its perks.

wardens being nice :eek:

Still though it is annoying how it seems to be the most expensive carpark with a minimum spend and this is allowed go on....

I pay my taxes etc etc and get no special perks

forumfiend

Mike... wrote: »

You were prob using the carpark on Mill Street, Next time your there have a look at all the cars with no tickets and a ST. Pauls Credit Union book in the window, I think this practice is very unfair.

You're right, that's where I was.

<rant>
To be honest, I don't begrudge the guards their free parking. What bugs me is the idea of a minimum charge for the rest of us, I think it is yet one more example of the intolerant way the various authorities in this glorious republic of ours interfere with how the average Joe Soap goes about even the most trivial of everyday tasks. Meanwhile the banks, property developers, builders, politicians etc... :mad:
</rant>

snubbleste

forumfiend wrote: »

You're right, that's where I was.
<rant>
To be honest, I don't begrudge the guards their free parking. What bugs me is the idea of a minimum charge for the rest of us, I think it is yet one more example of the intolerant way the various authorities in this glorious republic of ours interfere with how the average Joe Soap goes about even the most trivial of everyday tasks. Meanwhile the banks, property developers, builders, politicians etc... :mad:
</rant>

So you don't mind that other private citizens get free parking in the same car-park that you have to pay a minimum charge?

JohnCleary

snubbleste wrote: »

So you don't mind that other private citizens get free parking in the same car-park that you have to pay a minimum charge?

Dude, there's perks to every job, get over it

Madame Razz

On parking actually, they've made the loading bay on Eglinton street applicable Mon to Sat 8am to 11am ONLY. A recent change and the wardens are catching people out on it every day.

Might be something to keep in mind.

I think what the city council are charging for parking these days is a disgrace, and whatever about there being a premium rate in the city centre, why do they charge the same for parking all over the city, including Salthill

Why can't they zone the parking and charge accordingly?? If they can mange this in other cities like Cork and dublin and in provincial towns like Tralee I really don't see why they can't follow suit here.

Apart from the fact that they are complete **** of course:rolleyes:

forumfiend

snubbleste wrote: »

So you don't mind that other private citizens get free parking in the same car-park that you have to pay a minimum charge?

Not in the slightest (that's a classic example of Irish begrudgery btw )

Good luck to the people who get free parking, I say. It's not because of them I have to pay a minimum charge, it's because some gob****e in City Hall decided this is how it would be.

galah

have the council actually realised that this kind of lark is also keeping away tourists? Or don't they care?

If I were driving into Galway as a tourist, and saw those parking prices, I'd make my stay as quick as possible, not spending much money at all, and then keep on moving to another, friendlier town.

And even as a resident - I'd rather go and use the shopping centers on the outskirts and free parking, than trek into town and pay myself stupid.

I also think the minimum charge is a joke - wouldn't they make even MORE money out of people who think they ony need 10 minutes, pay accordingly, and then take longer, overstaying the ticket?

Sometimes you wonder...

Mrs OBumble

Magnus wrote: »

It's St Paul's Garda Credit Union I'd be surprised if it's in any way sanctioned, prob just the wardens being nice. Every job has its perks.

Sheesh! I've just had another "this country is *(^^&" moments!

Do the guards also turn a blind eye to driving or tax-disc offences by the clampers?

In a civilized country, police management would put a swift stop to practices like this, because they encourage corrupt behaviour from their staff.

Saying that this is ok because "every job has its perks" is like saying that it was ok for city-councillors and officials to accept brown envelopes to make planning applications "flow" more smoothly.

Folks working anywhere in the justice system (police, judges, etc) should be the last ones to be getting underhanded perks like this.

... /rant

Returning to the topic: I believe (but can't quote any official document), that council policy is to price parking to reduce traffic congestion. As far as I can see, this has two consequences:

• keeping the prices high to make bus-fares attractive, and
  
• preferring you to park in longer "chunks".

For example, they'd rather than you park in, say, Augustine St to drop off your library book, pay for an hour's parking and use the other 55 minutes to walk up to the County-council office and pay your motor tax, rather than park in two separate ten-minute chunks in each area, and drive between them.

As for tourists, I'm not sure that we want them driving in town at all. Far better if they caught the bus, or a taxi. or went on an organised tour.

galah

As for tourists, I'm not sure that we want them driving in town at all. Far better if they caught the bus, or a taxi. or went on an organised tour.

I fully agree. If we had proper park&ride facilities, non-rip-off taxis, and proper sign-posting.
I don't think residents of estates on the outskirts would like to have tourists parking in their area and catch a bus (provided they can find one, considering the non-existant timetables and directions).

gandroid

I agree that the rates charged for parking in Galway city are disgraceful and have been for years. I am always surprised more people don't complain about it. Compared to other cities/towns of a similar size €2.60 per hour is a rip-off...no other way to describe it....it has been increasing steadily for the last 8+ years...way above inflation. I remember before the changeover to the Euro it was 80p to a quid for an hour...but since then some of the increases have been crazy and frequent. It also gives the private car parks an excuse to increase their prices everytime the council does.

It is an easy revenue stream for the council seeing as they are broke - mainly from exempting builders from paying rates before building houses (contrary to policy in other local authorities) ...money which they will now probably never recoup. This city/county council is a disgrace in my opinion...anyway, I don't mean to go off topic.

Rylan

Half the F£%$ing machines don't work anyway when you try to put your money in. Have to walk 1/4 mile then to get to the next one.

Robbo

gandroid wrote: »

I agree that the rates charged for parking in Galway city are disgraceful and have been for years. I am always surprised more people don't complain about it. Compared to other cities/towns of a similar size €2.60 per hour is a rip-off...no other way to describe it....it has been increasing steadily for the last 8+ years...way above inflation. I remember before the changeover to the Euro it was 80p to a quid for an hour...but since then some of the increases have been crazy and frequent. It also gives the private car parks an excuse to increase their prices everytime the council does.

I'm not sure what the current rate is up there but in March, on street parking was more expensive in Galway than in Ballsbridge or St Stephen's Green.

I recently parked in town on Eyre Street and the machine was out of order. I felt like the chap who wedged the machine up with chewing gum should have received some civic honour...

gandroid

I'm not sure what the current rate is up there but in March, on street parking was more expensive in Galway than in Ballsbridge or St Stephen's Green.

My point exactly!! These places are in considered exclusive/central Dublin city. There should be no comparison to a city the size of Galway and especially to areas like Newcastle or Salthill. Even €2 per hour is a rip-off in my opinion and a minimum of €1.30 is ridiculous...

Greaney

Right, I've posted this on a good value thread, but maybe this thread is more appropriate...

I was just stopping into the post office on Fr. Griffin road (Cresent court) and I decided to use thier underground carpark. It's free for the first hour and only €1 per hour after that, I arrived a minuet after the hour was up and it was still free. It's within the disc parking area of the city so that makes it hands down, the cheapest parking in Galway!!! Per hour that is

You can't say fairer than that.

Mrs OBumble

galah wrote: »

I don't think residents of estates on the outskirts would like to have tourists parking in their area and catch a bus (provided they can find one, considering the non-existant timetables and directions).

Why not?

I'm sure the guy who owns the cafe in the shops in Roscam (for example) would be delighted if more tourists came to his area. 'Tis a low stress 15 minute bus ride to town from there, with departures every 15 minutes too.

And I'm doing my best to get maps, timetables etc into places where tourists might run in to them!