Coonagh Cross Tescos special needs parking.

A.mechanic

I'm sitting in my car here at Tescos in Limerick in Coonagh Cross. I can see all the special needs parking spaces from where I'm parked and they are all full.

Only 2 or 3 of the cars as far as I can see have disabled parking badges on them and only one of them as far as I could see is a driver who has the badge issued to them. The other 2 drivers looked to be fairly well able which leads me to believe the badges ae issued to someone they drive around but are not with them today.

So what do people think is worse? Drivers without badges parking in disabled spaces or those who have a badge on the car, belong to someone else, but don't need it when that person isn't with them?

colm_mcm

Half the car park is wheelchair parking. Coonagh is especially bad for bad parking, there's almost always cars parked in front of the doorway.
Far as I know, that's a private car park so there's no legal obligation to not park there.

Obviously abuse of badges is worse, but there's zero enforcement in Coonagh either way.

Cabaal

If people could park on the bloody checkouts they would, people are just incredibly lazy and ignorant

Atlantic Dawn

What's a special needs parking space?

colm_mcm

You can't say handicap or disabled AFAIK.

Atlantic Dawn

colm_mcm wrote: »

You can't say handicap or disabled AFAIK.

Someone would want to tell the government who dish out the term :cool:...

Penalties for misusing disabled parking spaces

Local authorities around the country operate a strong policy of enforcement regarding spaces reserved for people with disabilities. A fixed charge parking fine of €80 will be issued to drivers without a valid European Parking Card who park their cars in disabled parking spaces. In areas where clamping is in operation (Dublin, Cork and Galway), cars parked illegally in these spaces will be clamped and the fee for release will be €80 or more.

http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/traffic_and_parking/parking_facilities_for_people_with_disabilities.html

Tin Roofer

colm_mcm wrote: »

You can't say handicap or disabled AFAIK.

Health and safety gone mad.

Kablamo!

To be fair, not all disabilities are visible to the eye. My father suffered from COPD, and as a result tired easily and couldn't walk long distances. He was issued a disabled pass and one day some ignorant woman in a car park had a go at him for "not being disabled". Left him very shaken afterwards.

Miike

A.mechanic wrote: »

I'm sitting in my car here at Tescos in Limerick in Coonagh Cross. I can see all the special needs parking spaces from where I'm parked and they are all full.

Only 2 or 3 of the cars as far as I can see have disabled parking badges on them and only one of them as far as I could see is a driver who has the badge issued to them. The other 2 drivers looked to be fairly well able which leads me to believe the badges ae issued to someone they drive around but are not with them today.

So what do people think is worse? Drivers without badges parking in disabled spaces or those who have a badge on the car, belong to someone else, but don't need it when that person isn't with them?

Wind your neck back in and keep out of other peoples affairs. You can't always see someones disability.

On the latter... I think you're worse. You're not just ignorant, you put your self on a soap box so others can hear how ignorant you are.

colm_mcm wrote: »

Half the car park is wheelchair parking. Coonagh is especially bad for bad parking, there's almost always cars parked in front of the doorway.
Far as I know, that's a private car park so there's no legal obligation to not park there.

Obviously abuse of badges is worse, but there's zero enforcement in Coonagh either way.

Legally the only thing Coonagh can do is clamp, which costs them money.
It's not illegal to park in a disabled parking space without a permit that's on private property, it's only illegal on a public road as appropriately marked. Disabled parking spaces on private property are a courtesy extended by the proprietor and non-enforceable.

Knine

Miike wrote: »

Wind your neck back in and keep out of other peoples affairs. You can't always see someones disability.

On the latter... I think you're worse. You're not just ignorant, you put your self on a soap box so others can hear how ignorant you are.



Legally the only thing Coonagh can do is clamp, which costs them money.
It's not illegal to park in a disabled parking space without a permit that's on private property, it's only illegal on a public road as appropriately marked. Disabled parking spaces on private property are a courtesy extended by the proprietor and non-enforceable.

Oh I have seen the Garda enforce it in my local Tesco. They regularly check that people have permits.

For anyone moaning about abuse of permits - there is a number on each permit that you can use to report the individual.

But you have no idea if a pass is being abused or not for example yesterday I left my daughter who is disabled with a friend in Blanch S.C. while I dropped someone else off elsewhere. I then drove back to the centre & into a disabled bay & jumped out of my car not a bother on me. People could have been making assumptions of Permit Abuse about me. I was collecting my daughter.

A.mechanic

@mike
Looks like we've found one offender.

The only reason I took notice is because my niece is disabled and last week my brother couldn't get a parking space in town where he needed it because they where all taken and most not by badge holders.

Knine

A.mechanic wrote: »

@mike
Looks like we've found one offender..

Which offender would that be?

Miike

Knine wrote: »

Which offender would that be?

They're suggesting I park in disabled spots because I asked them wind their neck in.

A.mechanic

Knine wrote:

Which offender would that be?

@Knine
Miike, not you.
Didn't realise how it looked until I read the posts in sequence

GM228

A.mechanic wrote: »

The other 2 drivers looked to be fairly well able which leads me to believe the badges ae issued to someone they drive around but are not with them today

Just because someone may look well does not mean they arn't entitled to a permit, it's also entirely possible they were parking there to pick up someone to whom the permit applies which is also perfectly legal.

colm_mcm wrote: »

You can't say handicap or disabled AFAIK.

They are officially titled "Disabled Person Parking Bays"

Miike wrote: »

It's not illegal to park in a disabled parking space without a permit that's on private property, it's only illegal on a public road as appropriately marked. Disabled parking spaces on private property are a courtesy extended by the proprietor and non-enforceable.

You are incorrect, if a disabled persons bay is provided and once it carries the white painted wheelchair symbol it is then illegal to park in any bay weather on public or private property and this is enforceable by the Gardaí in private car parks.

Unlike most other parking restrictions enforceability is not dependent on being in a location under the control of a local authority.

mountai

Miike

---

you sound lke a really thoughtful caring person !!

Miike

GM228 wrote: »

You are incorrect, if a disabled persons bay is provided and once it carries the white painted wheelchair symbol it is then illegal to park in any bay weather on public or private property and this is enforceable by the Gardaí in private car parks.

"Private car park operators are responsible for policing the use of designated disabled parking bays in their own car parks and cars parked illegally in these bays may be clamped. Fees for release will vary depending on the operator. Gardai and traffic wardens will not issue tickets for cars illegally parked in disabled parking spaces in a private car park." Source: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/traffic_and_parking/parking_facilities_for_people_with_disabilities.html

or alternatively Contravention of Certain Provisions of Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997. Part 4.

mountai wrote: »

Miike

---

you sound lke a really thoughtful caring person !!

Thanks.

Henry Ford III

Parking at Coonagh Cross is a bit of a free for all. It's a massive car park but I see folks park on double yellow lines, on the pedestrian crossing, and incorrectly in spaces reserved for the disabled simply so that they wouldn't have to walk an extra couple of yards.

Whatever about illegality it's the height of ignorance.

Miike

Henry Ford III wrote: »

Parking at Coonagh Cross is a bit of a free for all. It's a massive car park but I see folks park on double yellow lines, on the pedestrian crossing, and incorrectly in spaces reserved for the disabled simply so that they wouldn't have to walk an extra couple of yards.

Whatever about illegality it's the height of ignorance.

Couldn't agree more. The crowd who park right outside the door are worse than the crowd who park in the disabled spots.

Marhay70

GM228 wrote: »

You are incorrect, if a disabled persons bay is provided and once it carries the white painted wheelchair symbol it is then illegal to park in any bay weather on public or private property and this is enforceable by the Gardaí in private car parks.

Unlike most other parking restrictions enforceability is not dependent on being in a location under the control of a local authority.

Not sure you're right there. After all you can learn to drive with no tax. insurance or licence once you're on private property so if the Gardaí can't do anything about that I can't see them bothering about parking.
Come to think of it, I can't remember the last time I saw a Garda enforcing parking laws even on the public road. I watched in a busy Provincial town as a bus held up traffic for ten minutes by stopping in the middle of the main street, the reason being that there were cars illegally parked in the bus bay. A Garda stood not ten yards away watching the whole thing and never bothered her head to intervene.

MarkR

Parking isn't a disaster in Coonagh, there's loads of spaces for all there. There's also a ridiculous amount of lazy arses who would drive up the milk aisle if they could. If you've got a badge, great, use the disabled parking spots.

People parking outside the door are a danger, and should be towed / stickered, or perhaps peed on.

I like where they put the parent and child spots there actually. Far enough away to spite the lazy that don't need it, and still only a moment from the door. Actually, the whole car park is < 2 minutes from the door, but that's people for you. Bastard outer shell, with bastard filling. :-)

GM228

Miike wrote: »

"Private car park operators are responsible for policing the use of designated disabled parking bays in their own car parks and cars parked illegally in these bays may be clamped. Fees for release will vary depending on the operator. Gardai and traffic wardens will not issue tickets for cars illegally parked in disabled parking spaces in a private car park." Source: http://www.citizensinformation.ie/en/travel_and_recreation/traffic_and_parking/parking_facilities_for_people_with_disabilities.html

CI don't always get things right, they are not a source of law, I have seen Gardaí issue tickets in the past in private carparks and legislation does not restrict the prohibition to public place or public road etc. Generally the Gardaí don't get involved in this but they do have the power to do so if they wish.

Miike wrote: »

or alternatively Contravention of Certain Provisions of Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations, 1997. Part 4.

There are no "Contravention of Certain Provisions of Road Traffic (Traffic and Parking) Regulations 1997", but I assume you are referring to part 4 of SCH 1 of the Roads Act 2002 which carries that title, if so why do you mention it because the Roads Act 2002 has nothing to do with disabled bays.

Marhay70 wrote: »

Not sure you're right there. After all you can learn to drive with no tax. insurance or licence once you're on private property, so if the Gardaí can't do anything about that I can't se

Well that depends, some private property carparks are public places such as supermarket carparks for example, you can't do it there with no tax etc.

As I mentioned previously disabled bays are treated differently to other parking restrictions. Take parking on a footway for example, it's illegal on any road which is under the control of an authority as the regulation specifically is in relation to parkin on a public road which is a road under the responsibility of an authority. As such it's not illegal on a private road, but disabled bays don't carry that restriction.

Marhay70

GM228 wrote: »

Well that depends, some private property carparks are public places such as supermarket carparks for example, you can't do it there with no tac etc.

This is an extremely grey area, as is most land law. Supermarket car parks may be public places but whether they are public roads is not clear. For instance, I know of a case where a lady fell in a supermarket car park and initiated a claim for her injuries, the claim was taken against the supermarket owners rather than the local authority which would have been the case were it a public road. On the opposite side, I was witness to Gardaí stop, search and arrest a suspect for road traffic offences, on a garage forecourt . Both cases went to court and both were proven. Food for thought.