Ennis woman gets 6 month driving ban for parking in disabled spot

AugustusMinimus

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/judge-gets-tough-on-illegal-parking-231321.html

OK. She got the ban subsequently for not paying the original €80 fine, but I see this as a significant victory for those of us who actually respect disable parking spots.

A 6 month ban and a cheque to be written for €850 to boot. This woman will never do it again.

Vojera

While I absolutely do not agree with parking in disabled spaces without a permit, a six month ban is a bit much, especially considering all the other things bad drivers do without a ban.

Anan1

I also think parking in a disabled spot is despicable behaviour, but IMO a 6 month ban is way over the top.

Kenny Logins

6 months for not paying the fine..

colm_mcm

An article wouldn't be an article without Conor Faughnan sticking his oar on...

AugustusMinimus

Anan1 wrote: »

I also think parking in a disabled spot is despicable behaviour, but IMO a 6 month ban is way over the top.

The 6 month ban came after the woman refused to pay the original €80 fine.

She didn't even show up in court or even have a solicitor there to represent her.

AugustusMinimus

colm_mcm wrote: »

An article wouldn't be an article without Conor Faughnan sticking his oar on...

The man comes across as utterly clueless every time I hear him on the radio.

Anan1

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

The 6 month ban came after the woman refused to pay the original €80 fine.

She didn't even show up in court or even have a solicitor there to represent her.

And the punishment for that should of course be greater than the original fine. If she'd got, say, a €500 fine then I'd call that fair. Of course if she didn't pay that fine then things would have to escalate further, perhaps ultimately to the ban. But straight from an unpaid ticket to a driving ban is way out of proportion, IMO at least.

Naraka

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/judge-gets-tough-on-illegal-parking-231321.html

OK. She got the ban subsequently for not paying the original €80 fine, but I see this as a significant victory for those of us who actually respect disable parking spots.

A 6 month ban and a cheque to be written for €850 to boot. This woman will never do it again.

Rightly so. Firstly, she had the nerve to park in a disabled parking space. Secondly, she completely undermined the whole situation by not paying the fine or turning up in court.

vandriver

If only the same rules applied to shopping centres where most of the ignorant and selfish parking in disabled spots is done.

Minister

Vojera wrote: »

While I absolutely do not agree with parking in disabled spaces without a permit, a six month ban is a bit much, especially considering all the other things bad drivers do without a ban.

I disagree with you as I remember when my late mam was ill selfish people blocked the disabled bays which made life even more difficult. The 'just a sec' excuse does not wash. It is people being selfish and if more penalties such as this were applied then the spaces would be there for those who really need them.

On a side issue, has anyone ever noticed the amount of able bodied - though usually youngish and fat - people that block disabled spots at supermarkets etc. I have, on occasion, notified management who have requested the offender to move. Fair play for once Tesco1

Kenny Logins

Minister wrote: »

On a side issue, has anyone ever noticed the amount of able bodied - though usually youngish and fat - people that block disabled spots at supermarkets etc. I have, on occasion, notified management who have requested the offender to move. Fair play for once Tesco1

Yeah, some of them are on here.

Kenny Logins

Oops forgot this - :pac:

Vojera

Minister wrote: »

I disagree with you as I remember when my late mam was ill selfish people blocked the disabled bays which made life even more difficult. The 'just a sec' excuse does not wash. It is people being selfish and if more penalties such as this were applied then the spaces would be there for those who really need them.

I agree that there is no excuse for parking in a disabled spot and I understand how important it is to have those spaces, both because they're wider to allow easier access and because they're closer. But it just seems to me that when some judges have trouble giving out bans for drink driving that this is a bit ott. There doesn't seem to be any consistency at all.

AugustusMinimus

Never knew we had people on here defending illegally parking in shopping centre disable spots.

I seem to remember a thread where people said they'd happily park in the parent and child ones without having a child with them.

Yakuza

Kenny Logins wrote: »

Oops forgot this - :pac:

You can edit your posts

colm_mcm

Parent/child spaces and disabled spaces completely different things to be fair.

AugustusMinimus

colm_mcm wrote: »

Parent/child spaces and disabled spaces completely different things to be fair.

Not too sure if they are in shopping centres as there's no law governing their usage in private car parks.

Both spaces are not intended for use by single able bodied people. Its people's morals which make them different in this situation.

Anan1

Minister wrote: »

I disagree with you as I remember when my late mam was ill selfish people blocked the disabled bays which made life even more difficult. The 'just a sec' excuse does not wash. It is people being selfish and if more penalties such as this were applied then the spaces would be there for those who really need them.

I don't think we need more draconian penalties, just better enforcement of the existing ones. People don't park in disabled bays because they feel that they can afford the €80 ticket, they do it because they think that they won't get caught. And they're usually right.

Fred Swanson

This post has been deleted.

Minister

Fred Swanson wrote: »

This post has been deleted.

You are probably correct - which is a sad reflection on this country's moral/judicial consciousness.

pinkstars

She should not have done this, there is no way no matter what I would park in a disabled spot.

The ban is far too severe though....

Vojera

AugustusMinimus wrote: »

Never knew we had people on here defending illegally parking in shopping centre disable spots.

Ah now, that's a bit hyperbolic. No one said that. Just that the punishment seems way out of proportion to the crime.

Anan1

Minister wrote: »

You are probably correct - which is a sad reflection on this country's moral/judicial conscious.

Draconian penalties are a knee-jerk reaction. They serve to make you feel better, rather than addressing the problem.

nosedive

'Parent/child spaces and disabled spaces completely different things to be fair.'

I don't agree - whuile priority should be given to disbled spaces and parent and child spaces may be seen as a courtesy it still enrages me when i pull into a car park and all parent and child spaces are occupied by people travelling alone. it's the sheer ignorance and me fein attitude of it that gets me. It's not the proximity to the door that really matters - think about it - what's the thing the sets disabled and parent and child spaces apart from a standard space???

When you figure it out my response will be - yes, it is NEEDED otherwise need to take up 2 spaces elsewhere.

Please just be a little more considerate people - we're all here for the same reason.

Drexel

nosedive wrote: »

'Parent/child spaces and disabled spaces completely different things to be fair.'

I don't agree - whuile priority should be given to disbled spaces and parent and child spaces may be seen as a courtesy it still enrages me when i pull into a car park and all parent and child spaces are occupied by people travelling alone. it's the sheer ignorance and me fein attitude of it that gets me. It's not the proximity to the door that really matters - think about it - what's the thing the sets disabled and parent and child spaces apart from a standard space???

When you figure it out my response will be - yes, it is NEEDED otherwise need to take up 2 spaces elsewhere.

Please just be a little more considerate people - we're all here for the same reason.

I'd never park in a disabled spot but parent and child spots are far game I think. Why would you need two spots if you have kids?? Everyone managed just fine before parent and child spots came along

jimgoose

She should have taken her original beating and handed over the €80. There is such a thing as asking for it, and she obviously angered the judge with what he no doubt saw as a completely cavalier attitude to the whole thing.

mathepac

colm_mcm wrote: »

An article wouldn't be an article without Conor Faughnan sticking his oar on...

With Conor commenting she must have been driving a Zodiac. :rolleyes:

justsomebloke

Are family spaces not provided by companies in their private car parks. Surely they can put some spaces aside for a certain demographic if they want given it's their land. If people don't like that fact they provide familiy spaces would it not be better to vote with their 'feet' and drive to a different establishment

mathepac

Naraka wrote: »

... Secondly, she completely undermined the whole situation by not paying the fine or turning up in court.

I agree. Judges take a dim view of of people who ignore court orders and fail to responds to a summons, hence the ban and hefty fine.

nosedive

Parent and child spots are needed to get kids (especially younger ones in a carry cot) in and out of the car - parents need the extra width to open doors fully in order to strap kids in. There's no mystery to it.

Yes, people got along fine before these spaces came along but they're an improvement on things gone by - you seem happy to use them as yet another excuse for antagonising your fellow man - but I'm sure you don't see it that way - thanks for your consideration though