Parking on a footpath

silverharp

what exactly is the rule here, clampers I think clamped a few cars on our road for parking one wheel up on a footpath. All the residents have their own drives but our road is near the local shops so you get alot of floating traffic parking on the street.
I'm 50/50 on it, as a pedestrian its a pain to have to share the path with a car, on the otherhand it makes driving down the road a little easier.
Then there are some roads like the beach road in sandymount where every car parks up on the footpath. Are they risking over eger clampers?
it seems a very hit and miss rule

markpb

Parking on a footpath is never allowed (s35.2.d). Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin.

I don't know how anyone can defend it. A car on the footpath completely obstructs disabled people, seriously hinders parents with prams and grannies with granny trolleys and forces pedestrians onto the road where they're not very visible to oncoming cars. If there's no space to park, don't park there (not aimed at you OP, just a general rant).

Hagar

Luckily clamping a car in this position solves the problem completely. It immediately frees up the footpath and make things safer all round. :rolleyes:

silverharp

markpb wrote: »

Parking on a footpath is never allowed (s35.2.d). Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin.

I don't know how anyone can defend it. A car on the footpath completely obstructs disabled people, seriously hinders parents with prams and grannies with granny trolleys and forces pedestrians onto the road where they're not very visible to oncoming cars. If there's no space to park, don't park there (not aimed at you OP, just a general rant).

I agree with you, when the kids were in a buggy some guys were complete idiots in how they parked and I'm sure on a few occassions when junior was on a bike he tried to cycle around cars by going out on the road.

markpb

Hagar wrote: »

Luckily clamping a car in this position solves the problem completely. It immediately frees up the footpath and make things safer all round. :rolleyes:

Dublin clampers also have tow-trucks to remove cars from clearways. The same should be done for people on footpaths, double yellows, etc except I suspect there isn't place enough in Santry for all the cars that would end up there.

ardmacha

when junior was on a bike he tried to cycle around cars by going out on the road.

Cycling on the footpath is illegal so people who wish to do it can hardly criticise other people. Perhaps you refer to people parking on cycle paths?

silverharp

ardmacha wrote: »

Cycling on the footpath is illegal so people who wish to do it can hardly criticise other people. Perhaps you refer to people parking on cycle paths?

talking about a 3 year old at the time

cbreeze

markpb wrote: »

Parking on a footpath is never allowed (s35.2.d). Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin.

I don't know how anyone can defend it. A car on the footpath completely obstructs disabled people, seriously hinders parents with prams and grannies with granny trolleys and forces pedestrians onto the road where they're not very visible to oncoming cars. If there's no space to park, don't park there (not aimed at you OP, just a general rant).

Plus there is the risk of damage to the cars from people trying to squeeze past with sharp objects in their hands!!;)

Cookie_Monster

Silverharp2 wrote: »

talking about a 3 year old at the time

so?

Age is an excuse to break the law?

Mr. Presentable

Hah! I was pushing my child in a buggy a few years ago and saw a car pull onto the footpath perpendicularly, forcing me onto the road. I observed where she went (pizza shop) phoned them and reported her to the manager. She was a delivery person, came out, called me a cnut (which I am, so no biggie there) and informed me that as it was "after 6pm I am allowed park on the footpath".

People are, in various proportions, inconsiderate and ignorant.

Gitb1

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

so?

Age is an excuse to break the law?

Would you let your 3 year old cycle up and down a road or on the safety of the pavement?

Del2005

markpb wrote: »

Dublin clampers also have tow-trucks to remove cars from clearways. The same should be done for people on footpaths, double yellows, etc except I suspect there isn't place enough in Santry for all the cars that would end up there.

What they usually do if a car is causing an obstruction is lift it and drop it on a side road with a nice clamp attached.

Gitb1 wrote: »

Would you let your 3 year old cycle up and down a road or on the safety of the pavement?

Bring them to a save place. A footpath is not for cycling or cars, the hints in the name.

JHMEG

Del2005 wrote: »

Bring them to a save place. A footpath is not for cycling or cars, the hints in the name.

3 year old? On a trike? Where do you suggest? Mondello?

Del2005

JHMEG wrote: »

3 year old? On a trike? Where do you suggest? Mondello?

Not my problem where you bring them, they're your children not mine. But you can't come onto a thread complaining about cars parking illegally on footpaths and not expect the same response for cycling on a footpath.

scatterpillar

Gitb1 wrote: »

Would you let your 3 year old cycle up and down a road or on the safety of the pavement?

Neither.

But mostly because a three year old cycling either on the road or on the footpath is in danger of scratching the fúck out of the side of my legally parked car. In which case, their life is in more danger than it would be from any moving vehicles on the road.

Hagar

Del2005 wrote: »

What they usually do if a car is causing an obstruction is lift it and drop it on a side road with a nice clamp attached.

I've never seen that happen IRL. If there was handy parking on a side road that didn't cause obstruction wouldn't someone park there?

marious

"Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin."

And what do Gardai enforce? Catching people for speeding - the easiest possible solution, absolutely nothing else

Paparazzo

markpb wrote: »

Parking on a footpath is never allowed (s35.2.d). Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin.

I don't know how anyone can defend it. A car on the footpath completely obstructs disabled people, seriously hinders parents with prams and grannies with granny trolleys and forces pedestrians onto the road where they're not very visible to oncoming cars. If there's no space to park, don't park there (not aimed at you OP, just a general rant).

What about very wide footpaths where there's plenty of room? 2 wheels up on the path isn't that bad most of the time

silverharp

Took these this morning all within about 3 minutes of each other. I've lived and worked in other cities in Europe and if there is a particular traffic rule, one would know not to second guess it. Not here obviously:rolleyes:

marious

it is like that all over the shop but why? because nobody is prosecuting these drivers:mad:. Set today 1 penalty point and 80 euro release fee for being clamped for that and they'll disappear in a blink of an eye

robinph

marious wrote: »

"Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin."

And what do Gardai enforce? Catching people for speeding - the easiest possible solution, absolutely nothing else

What could possibly be easier than walking down the street and issuing a ticket to each car parked on the footpath?

marious

robinph wrote: »

What could possibly be easier than walking down the street and issuing a ticket to each car parked on the footpath?

maybe write an email to them and ask? looks like they treat these kind of offences harmless. God only knows:(

Del2005

If they don't enforce parking rules around schools then there's no chance of then doing it where there is less risk.

Del2005

Hagar wrote: »

I've never seen that happen IRL. If there was handy parking on a side road that didn't cause obstruction wouldn't someone park there?

It was on the radio. They don't clamp them on the good roads.

markpb

robinph wrote: »

What could possibly be easier than walking down the street and issuing a ticket to each car parked on the footpath?

Almost every time I've spoken to the Gardai (not often, I might add), I've been told they don't deal with parking enforcement anymore because DCC awarded the contract for that to DSPS. DCC say that DSPS do leave the city centre but DSPS call centre staff have told me they don't.

Paparazzo wrote: »

What about very wide footpaths where there's plenty of room? 2 wheels up on the path isn't that bad most of the time

I'm not a complete nazi If there is space to move a wheelchair past the car and the wide footpath isn't actually a combination of footpath and cycle lane, I don't care. Most of the time though (that isn't true as Silverharp2's larger than life sized photos show) and people completely block the footpath.

JMSE

Dont go over the top people. Parking on the path isnt so serious. If theres room for people to pass by on the path, I empathise with the driver who has parked on the path, its been me, I've done it. Our roads and paths in this country of medieval towns werent designed for what we've put on them. Even the cars in those pics probably taken around Rathmines or Terenure or similar suburb arent doin much wrong. The house was built without a vehicular entrance so the cars get left outside, theres no room on the road but theres room for half a car and the other half goes on the path, no big deal. Maybe the path is too wide lads.
And primary school cyclists should be allowed cycle on the path coz its way too dangerous on the roads for those kids.
And

McSpud

markpb wrote: »

Parking on a footpath is never allowed (s35.2.d). Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin.

Should be zero tolerance enforcement. Lets be honest parking enforcement is very badly enforced unless easy money to making in disc parking zones. There is too much parking on corners & other dangerous locations.

OldmanMondeo

Put the shoe on the other foot, people walking in the middle of the road, it happens a lot and us drivers hate it "becasue it is a danger to themsleves". While parking on the footpath is not a danger to the car driver it is a dangfer to people who are forced to walk on the road because of stupid parking.

As some one already pointed out, the clue is in the name, FOOTPATH, not CARPARK/FOOTPATH.

markpb

JMSE wrote: »

The house was built without a vehicular entrance so the cars get left outside, theres no room on the road but theres room for half a car and the other half goes on the path, no big deal.

The difference here is that the person buying the house had a choice to buy a house without a parking space. The person in the wheelchair who can't get past the car on the footpath had no choice in the matter. The pedestrian who has to walk in the middle of the road and gets hit by the car had no choice.

Just because something is accepted and generally done doesn't make it acceptable or right. If there is insufficient parking outside your house you can a) change the layout of your garden, b) request that the council provide parking (if like you said that the footpath is too wide, c) park elsewhere (parking is not a right and plenty of people, particularly in apartments have no parking), d) don't buy a car if you're house has no parking or finally e) don't buy a house with no parking. Breaking the law repeatedly is no solution. If the Gardai decide tomorrow that they will ticket every car that car parks on the footpath, what are those residents going to do?

plissken

scatterpillar wrote: »

Neither.

But mostly because a three year old cycling either on the road or on the footpath is in danger of scratching the fúck out of the side of my legally parked car. In which case, their life is in more danger than it would be from any moving vehicles on the road.

I've seen some petty posts left on Boards over the years, but yours I found more pathethic than any other. Threatening violence on a three year old... you seriously need to grow up.


And for all those condemning the idea of a three year old using a footpath to cycle on, can you all say without any equivocation that as a child you yourself did'nt do the same. I know I certainly can't.

Jip

plissken wrote: »

I've seen some petty posts left on Boards over the years, but yours I found more pathethic than any other. Threatening violence on a three year old... you seriously need to grow up.


And for all those condemning the idea of a three year old using a footpath to cycle on, can you all say without any equivocation that as a child you yourself did'nt do the same. I know I certainly can't.

Absolutely, it's pretty sad indeed.

plissken

Cookie_Monster wrote: »

so?

Age is an excuse to break the law?

The minimum age of criminal responsibility in Ireland is twelve years old, so the posters three year old child did not in fact break any law.

Hagar

Yes they did, they just can not be held accountable for it. Subtle difference.

plissken

Hagar wrote: »

Yes they did, they just can not be held accountable for it. Subtle difference.

No they did'nt.

In the eyes of the law a policy of Conclusive presumption comes into effect, which clearly states a child under the age of twelve cannot be accepted to understand the nature of law, in other words they are deemed incapable of doing wrong.

So once again the posters three year old child did in effect commit no crime legally speaking, and morally speaking? Well if you believe a three year old should be forced onto a public roadway with two tonne vehicles, all to save you the inconvenience of having to step around them should they have the gaul to use the footpath... I'm afraid your idea of morality and my own are too dissimilar to even go into.

Hagar

A debate for another thread.

Cookie_Monster

plissken wrote: »

Well if you believe a three year old should be forced onto a public roadway with two tonne vehicles, all to save you the inconvenience of having to step around them should they have the gaul to use the footpath....

sure they need to get used to it

plissken

Hagar wrote: »

A debate for another thread.

This thread is about parking on footpaths. A poster came on and mentioned how his own three year old child uses the footpath the cycle on, for which many posters berated him over.

My response to these replies was that his child did not in fact break any law and therefore technically free to use the footpath to cycle on. Your reply was that the child did break the law but because of age cannot be held accountable. I once more replied to tell you how this was incorrect. My posts were both relevant to the thread and in my opinion brought to conclusion.

Hagar theres no need for you to reply to this post and Silverharp2 take no heed of anyone who pontificates about your child using the footpath to cycle, as its the safest place for them all other factors become an irrelevance.

PCPhoto

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone

who here can honestly put up their hand and say that in their entire driving lives they have not once parked on a footpath ?

I've seen the clampers put a yellow boot on a car parked on a footpath which is at least 2 cars wide (will try dig out the pic)..... place is outside the Four Courts...gardai park there every day and never get clamped but if ordinary joe does it then clamp clamp clampity clamp clamp clamp.

JimsAlterEgo

is the situation where is a grass section between the path and the roads considered the same?

markpb

JimsAlterEgo wrote: »

is the situation where is a grass section between the path and the roads considered the same?

A friend of mine was ticketed by Gardai in Blackrock for parking on the grass so I guess they consider it part of the footpath.

Mr. Presentable

JimsAlterEgo wrote: »

is the situation where is a grass section between the path and the roads considered the same?

If it's kerbed it is part of the footpath.

PCPhoto

plissken wrote: »

This thread is about parking on footpaths.
True
A poster came on and mentioned how his own three year old child uses the footpath the cycle on, for which many posters berated him over.
Half true - posters expressed their opinions on the matter instead of having a go at the poster

Hagar theres no need for you to reply to this post and Silverharp2 take no heed of anyone who pontificates about your child using the footpath to cycle, as its the safest place for them all other factors become an irrelevance.
Not true - the safest place for a child to cycle is in a park with a designated cycle path

my own personal opinion on the cycling on a footpath is that cyclists shouldnt do it and this should be part of learning to cycle - similarly with driving/parking.....if we learn to do it properly and actually follow the rules then everything will go smoothly.

far too many bad cyclists and bad drivers out there who simply are ignorant of the rules....I'm guilty of occasionally parking in a clearway and parking on a footpath - even if it is rare I still do it.

Rules need to be enforced rigidly instead of every now and again - in order to get people to change their ways..... unfortunately in this country we have too many rules and exceptions to the rules (loopholes for the wealthy and those well connected to the rule makers)

PCPhoto

rules need to be enforced.... and attitudes need to be changed..... even the clampers break the law.

Cant seem to embed the image properly

Hagar

LOL at the driver hiding his face.

PCPhoto

funny thing is .... they know my car !!! (I've been clamped a lot !!)

never for parking on a footpath...or clearway ....always for not paying the parking fee and staying more than 30mins in a loading bay (I dont see the point in paying the fee when it would cost €30 for the day ...if I survive 3 days without getting clamped...bonus - its been over 6months since my last clamp...so I figure I'm well up)

also the actual clampers have made comments to me on occasion which I've kept note of ..... indicating that they know me (or my car) ....and on occasion threatening to clamp straight away (when I came over seconds before they would have clamped me and got into the car...it was in a loading bay more than 30mins - but as I said above...its difficult to stick to 30mins if you get caught in a conversation.)

Del2005

plissken wrote: »

This thread is about parking on footpaths. A poster came on and mentioned how his own three year old child uses the footpath the cycle on, for which many posters berated him over.

My response to these replies was that his child did not in fact break any law and therefore technically free to use the footpath to cycle on. Your reply was that the child did break the law but because of age cannot be held accountable. I once more replied to tell you how this was incorrect. My posts were both relevant to the thread and in my opinion brought to conclusion.

Hagar theres no need for you to reply to this post and Silverharp2 take no heed of anyone who pontificates about your child using the footpath to cycle, as its the safest place for them all other factors become an irrelevance.

A FOOTPATH is the safest place for a child on a bike A park or anyplace where vehicular traffic can't access is.

Regardless of whether they are breaking any laws or can be done for breaking the law. If they get hit by a vehicle then no one is right, a young child on a bike can be hidden by a lot of street furniture and may not be able to stop themselves in time if when they come to a junction. Why do parents think it's everyone else's job to keep little Jonny safe and not theirs, a child a on bike isn't safe on a footpath no matter what they may think?

Theta

markpb wrote: »

Parking on a footpath is never allowed (s35.2.d). Unfortunately it's not enforced by the Gardai and rarely enforced by the clampers in Dublin.

Unless the path is privately owned and I know of one exact case. In fact I park my car there all the time!

plissken

Del2005 wrote: »

A FOOTPATH is the safest place for a child on a bike A park or anyplace where vehicular traffic can't access is.

And how do you suggest these children get to said parks if their parents are unfortunate enough not to own a car (a common occurance these days) Should they just not be allowed to cyle at all, surely a three or four year old cycling on a footpath whilst supervised bears little inconvenience to any of its other users?

Del2005 wrote: »

Regardless of whether they are breaking any laws or can be done for breaking the law. If they get hit by a vehicle then no one is right, a young child on a bike can be hidden by a lot of street furniture and may not be able to stop themselves in time if when they come to a junction.

And a bikeless child is any different? If a child runs or cycles in front of your car and you dont stop in time you will be deemed negligent as ultimately it was your own observance that failed, no judge would see any different.

Del2005 wrote: »

Why do parents think it's everyone else's job to keep little Jonny safe and not theirs, a child a on bike isn't safe on a footpath no matter what they may think?

I don't believe anyone said or implied that though I will say that carefully supervised, a footpath is relatively safe for a three or four year old cycling at the same pace as their gaurdian. I should perhaps point out that I am talking about quiet footpaths in suburban areas and not busy inner cities.

JMSE

Silverharp2 wrote: »

Look what happened to the guy in the wheelchair, shouldnt have been on the road

ripcord

Hi all,

I live in a block of apartments beside a renault dealership. We have an underground carpark with a slip road that leads up to the footpath at the front of the apartment block.

As you come up the slip road, the renault dealership has parked an old white van entirley on the footpath on your left hand side. They are using it as a sign for people driving past. However, when we drive out of our apartment, it blocks our view of the traffic coming from the left completely. We have to pull out onto the road to see whats coming from the left. It's dangerous - and someone coming out of the apartments almost hit a cyclist coming from the left (albeit the cyclist was on the footpath!)

Their forecourt is beside the footpath, but the van is so far out that it's not actually on their forecourt anymore!

I asked a young guy in there today to sort it out. He didn't seem to know much about it, but he said he'd move it back. However, I have a feeling that it will be back out there in a couple of days.

I'm fairly sure it should be off the footpath completely. If I keep asking them about it, and they keep moving it out, what are my options? Call clampers? Call the guards? Call Bill Cullen???

Thanks for any advice!

Anan1

ripcord wrote: »

Hi all,

I live in a block of apartments beside a renault dealership. We have an underground carpark with a slip road that leads up to the footpath at the front of the apartment block.

As you come up the slip road, the renault dealership has parked an old white van entirley on the footpath on your left hand side. They are using it as a sign for people driving past. However, when we drive out of our apartment, it blocks our view of the traffic coming from the left completely. We have to pull out onto the road to see whats coming from the left. It's dangerous - and someone coming out of the apartments almost hit a cyclist coming from the left (albeit the cyclist was on the footpath!)

Their forecourt is beside the footpath, but the van is so far out that it's not actually on their forecourt anymore!

I asked a young guy in there today to sort it out. He didn't seem to know much about it, but he said he'd move it back. However, I have a feeling that it will be back out there in a couple of days.

I'm fairly sure it should be off the footpath completely. If I keep asking them about it, and they keep moving it out, what are my options? Call clampers? Call the guards? Call Bill Cullen???

Thanks for any advice!

Please read the charter and don't resurrect old threads. Start a new one if you like.