Car parked in cycle lane

531

On a spin today I had to go onto the road as a guy had just parked a car on the cycle lane. I took his reg. no. and have a photo. An expletive or two were also exchanged. Is it worth reporting and sending details to Gardai? They surely have enough info to issue a ticket, but would they? or at least would they have a word with the owner, get him to produce documents etc?

mal1

You will need an Access database if you start taking the reg of every car in a bike lane around Dublin. I just move onto the road safety and continue on my journey.

Into The Blue

Could have been an emergency stop.. you managed to get around it ok, so just put it behind you..

it's not like you go around looking for things to be annoyed about, or you'd constantly be laying out the expletives to strangers.

Zyzz

Squirt one of those energy gels on their windscreen wipers..

Disclaimer: Please dispose of gel wrapper correctly after use.

MOD NOTE: Big happy smiley face because it is only a joke

Into The Blue

Zyzz wrote: »

Squirt one of those energy gels on their windscreen wipers..

Disclaimer: Please dispose of gel wrapper correctly after use.

Would that not end up in the car being in the cycle lane even longer to clear that shıt of the windscreen?

Eamonnator

Before a Garda issues a ticket, he has to have evidence, that an offence has been committed. So, if he has not witnessed the offence himself, he will have to take a statement from you. If he then issues a ticket, and the fine is not paid, you will have to go to court to prove the offence. Likewise, with the documents, since the garda has not seen the car, he will be relying on you to prove that the car was in a public place, before, he can demand production of Driving Licence, insurance etc.
I sincerely hope, that no member of An Garda Siochana has the time to follow up on your complaint.

Zyzz

Into The Blue wrote: »

Would that not end up in the car being in the cycle lane even longer to clear that shıt of the windscreen?

Assuming it's not raining they'll drive off without realising..

Hypothetically speaking of course.

CardinalJ

If you've enough time/energy to go to the bother of getting a guy fined for parking in the cycle lane, you should have cycled a bit longer.

Yes, he's probably wrong, but do you really care enough?

Into The Blue

Zyzz wrote: »

Assuming it's not raining they'll drive off without realising..

Hypothetically speaking of course.

And be blinded at speed when he goes to use the wipers?
Have you done that to someone?

CramCycle

Into The Blue wrote: »

And be blinded at speed when he goes to use the wipers?
Have you done that to someone?

Well he shouldn't be speeding but that point aside, I believe he was joking, gels are expensive and Zyzz doesn't have time to stop when trying to keep his world record number of KOMs earned in Dublin intact.

Hmmzis

Just don't use cycle lanes, they're crap and full of cars anyway.

Into The Blue

CramCycle wrote: »

Well he shouldn't be speeding but that point aside, I believe he was joking, gels are expensive and Zyzz doesn't have time to stop when trying to keep his world record number of KOMs earned in Dublin intact.

I said at speed, not speeding. Nothing to say he was joking either.
But ye seem to know what each other mean between the lines, so I'll bow out now, as I can only respond to what's posted.

531

Thanks for the replies, I was peeved at the time, more by his attitude. I live in the country and don't actually use cycle lanes that often (we don't have many!). I feel better now, thanks!

It seems cars parking in cycle lanes is much more common in Dublin than I thought.

As an aside, can only the Gardai access details of owners of vehicles (and I don't suppose they'd give them out)?

CramCycle

Into The Blue wrote: »

I said at speed, not speeding. Nothing to say he was joking either.
But ye seem to know what each other mean between the lines, so I'll bow out now, as I can only respond to what's posted.

Fair enough, I thought it was obvious he was joking as it would be awkward and a waste of a gel. If your ever on Strava in Dublin you will soon learn that Zyzz only stops for legal and safety reasons, the rest of the time you will see his name at the top of any segment 24 hours after you get to the top or create it.

Being a pedant it would not blind the road user, it would obstruct their view but not to a point that if they were driving safely that they could not react in time to either stop or clean the window, bit like bird sh1t.

Eamonnator

531 wrote: »

Thanks for the replies, I was peeved at the time, more by his attitude. I live in the country and don't actually use cycle lanes that often (we don't have many!). I feel better now, thanks!

It seems cars parking in cycle lanes is much more common in Dublin than I thought.

As an aside, can only the Gardai access details of owners of vehicles (and I don't suppose they'd give them out)?

An Garda Siochana, the NCT people, Car manufacturers( for safety recalls) County Councils and City corporations(for parking offences etc.) can access ownership details. I'm sure, there are others, but can't think of any, at the moment.
These details are protected by Data Protection Act.

cdaly_

531 wrote: »

As an aside, can only the Gardai access details of owners of vehicles (and I don't suppose they'd give them out)?

They'll give info if you're involved in a collision and end up injured/damaged. Otherwise no.

Zyzz

Into The Blue wrote: »

And be blinded at speed when he goes to use the wipers?
Have you done that to someone?

You must be new here.

NamelessPhil

It depends on what time the car was parked in the cycle lane. Many cycle lanes have information plates indicating their times of operation. Outside of those times, they may be used for parking depending on the location. Ranelagh village is a good example.

OP you are not legally obliged to use a cycle track unless it is a contra-flow cycle track or in a pedestrianised area.

nc19

531 wrote: »

On a spin today I had to go onto the road as a guy had just parked a car on the cycle lane. I took his reg. no. and have a photo. An expletive or two were also exchanged. Is it worth reporting and sending details to Gardai? They surely have enough info to issue a ticket, but would they? or at least would they have a word with the owner, get him to produce documents etc?

Cyclist speaking-

go around the car and get on with your life...........simple


/pointlessthread

531

nc19 wrote: »

Cyclist speaking-

go around the car and get on with your life...........simple


/pointlessthread

I take your point, I may be overreacting.

However, going around it meant I was in the bus lane, that's for buses (don't bus drivers like to remind cyclists of that?) or on the road which was a dual carriageway where cars travel quickly. The cycle lane was put there for a reason and the reason is not for cars to park on it.

Wishbone Ash

531 wrote: »

... The cycle lane was put there for a reason and the reason is....

....as a token gesture by council council/local authority so that they can feel good about themselves and boast about the amount of cycle tracks they have provided in their area. (Whether they are useful/effective seems irrelevant).

Tenzor07

You'll eventually see that Irish "cycle-lanes" are not worth the cost of the paint used!

magicbastarder

i cycle past ballymun garda station regularly, in both directions. there's rarely, if ever, a clear cycle lane there. i assume it's gardai parking outside the station, and directly opposite the road are a couple of fast food places, which people park outside, and it is never policed.

cdaly_

Wishbone Ash wrote: »

....as a token gesture by council council/local authority so that they can feel good about themselves and boast about the amount of cycle tracks they have provided in their area. (Whether they are useful/effective seems irrelevant).

But mostly because EU road-building grants require a certain amount of bike lane to be installed...

bazermc

magicbastarder wrote: »

i cycle past ballymun garda station regularly, in both directions. there's rarely, if ever, a clear cycle lane there. i assume it's gardai parking outside the station, and directly opposite the road are a couple of fast food places, which people park outside, and it is never policed.

If the Gardai don't see any issue with themselves parking in the cycle lane, you can see why the rest of the country doesn't care.