Best way to deal with people who illegally park in disabled spaces?

pgj2015 · 06-05-2022 10:08pm #1

This is more the disabled spaces you get in supermarkets, because as far as im aware, you cant even get a ticket or be clamped for parking illegally in disabled spaces. Im not disabled but it really annoys me when I see lazy inconsiderate asses illegally parking in these spaces. something needs to be done about this because there are a lot of selfish morons out their who only think of themselves. The supermarkets dont want to upset customers by dealing with this issue, spineless of them I know.

06-05-2022 10:11pm

I think you're allowed kick off the passenger wing mirror

pgj2015 · 06-05-2022 10:12pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026143#Comment_119026143

You should be allowed.

06-05-2022 10:12pm

Pack em off to the donbas

Atlantic Dawn · 06-05-2022 10:31pm

An announcement over the PA system in the supermaket saying could the owner of the Blue Make/Model car not displaying any disabled pass whatsoever on it parked in a disabled space move as they behaving like an inconsiderate bellend might help. Play it 5 times, there would be a crowd gathering outside to see who get in to it. Any speed they gained ditching it there would be lost in the shame going to move it.

pgj2015 · 06-05-2022 10:36pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026229#Comment_119026229

That might work if it wasn't so common, like say you have 8 disabled spaces, usually you will have 6 people in them that shouldn't be there. If you left a notice under their wipers, what would be a good thing to say?

pgj2015 · 06-05-2022 10:49pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026246#Comment_119026246

I suppose in Ireland you can basically just do what you want.

pgj2015 · 06-05-2022 10:50pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026250#Comment_119026250

Accidents happen.

alan partridge aha · 06-05-2022 10:52pm

Far too many disabled parking spaces at my local Tesco. They are never even 1/4 full. Probably something to do with planning.

Strumms · 07-05-2022 1:47am

Most shopping centre's at peak time have no spare accessible / wheelchair spots.

what are utterly pointless are those parent and child parking spaces… installed just to please the, ohh look ‘I have kids’ brigade.

id rather see extra spaces available for those who need them as opposed to those who can’t be arsed or find it’s a bit of an inconvenience with kids. No way of dealing, shops have no authority and Gardai have bigger fish to fry…. Although a blitz once or twice a year might not hurt…get it in public domain.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 5:24am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026297#Comment_119026297

How full is the rest of the car park? How full would you expect the tiny number of accessible bays to be to make you feel better?

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244793/best-way-to-deal-with-people-who-illegally-park-in-disabled-spaces

The best way to deal with it is to call people out to their face as they leave or return to the car. You’d want to be sure of your facts. Start out nice and polite “Excuse me, did you realise…” and escalate from there. Make a show of them basically.

They will think twice about doing it next time.

wildwillow · 07-05-2022 5:53am

Parent and child spaces make sense as they are wide enough to open the door wide enought to remove the child without bashing the neighbouring car. Being near the entrance makes it safer than having children walking behind parked cars.

pgj2015 · 07-05-2022 7:11am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026552#Comment_119026552

The sort of people who park in disabled spaces illegally would likely eat the head off you if you confronted them. If I was disabled I would be hounding the Gardai to hand out tickets at the supermarkets, and if I was a Garda, I would pop down there when I got a chance.

would traffic wardens also have the authority to give tickets in supermarkets?

DarkJager21 · 07-05-2022 7:17am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026552#Comment_119026552

Yeah that's a pretty good way to get yourself hurt, those people have no shame and they won't just stand there letting you make "a show" of them.

sam t smith · 07-05-2022 7:25am

Mobile car crusher.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 7:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026673#Comment_119026673

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026683#Comment_119026683

99% of people who abuse parking bays will be mortified if called out. You just need to be sure that you can handle the other 1%.

893bet · 07-05-2022 7:53am

Them stickers that are really hard to remove from the side window work. I got a few of them before and it takes an age to get them off.

phonypony · 07-05-2022 7:54am

Find them and disable them, problem solved.

Gregor Samsa · 07-05-2022 7:58am

Sever their spines.

Provides both a deterrent and a punishment, and a means to allow offenders a legitimate reason to use the space in the future.

Win/win, everyone’s happy.

eviltimeban · 07-05-2022 10:02am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026519#Comment_119026519

Yes, because people have kids just to show off the fact that they have kids. 🙄

If you've ever had to wrestle two small kids out of a car, sticking one in a trolley seat and pleading with the other one not to walk out on front of oncoming cars, you'd appreciate the space being a bit wider and being a bit closer to the store. And no I couldn't have left them at home, or left them alone in the car.

I posted on this point MANY years ago - while it's not illegal to wrongly park in these bays, they are the rule of the shop. Much like the "10 items or less" aisle is a rule of the shop. Would someone rock up to that aisle with a full trolley and demand to be served? If they did they'd be asked to move to another aisle. The shop enforces the rules.

It should be the same for the carpark - during Christmastime they usually have attendants in the car park to ease congestion, so perhaps that's a solution, have a staff member fulltime monitoring who parks where.

freshpopcorn · 07-05-2022 10:05am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026742#Comment_119026742

I'd say it would be closer to 40% most people who do it don't care and just say sorry and drive away and laugh at the person that called them out.

freshpopcorn · 07-05-2022 10:09am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026673#Comment_119026673

I don't think Gardai or traffic wardens can do much in supermarkets carparks when it comes to parking.

If they could you'd occasionally get one popping into a supermarket carpark to fill an afternoon.

freshpopcorn · 07-05-2022 10:13am

My local Lidl was recently redeveloped there's a few wheelchair spaces and they seem to be used fairly correctly.

I think what helps is.

The regular carpaking spaces are decent size and there's a gap between to allow for doors/etc.

The Mighty Quinn · 07-05-2022 10:16am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026297#Comment_119026297

5% of spaces must be accessible spaces in any new developments since 2010. So in many of the large places, such as Tesco in Wexford Town, hundreds of spaces means way too many accessible parking spots.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 11:48am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027228#Comment_119027228

Why is 5% way too much? Between 12% to 18% of the population have a disability of one form or another, depending on how you count it.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 11:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027187#Comment_119027187

Do you think they’ll still be laughing if they get called out every time, maybe twice on each trip? It is anti social behaviour, make it socially unacceptable.

Mad_maxx · 07-05-2022 11:49am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058244793/best-way-to-deal-with-people-who-illegally-park-in-disabled-spaces

there are far too many disabled spaces outside super markets or public buildings relative to the percentage of the population who are actually disabled , its rare to see half of them occupied

Mad_maxx · 07-05-2022 11:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026297#Comment_119026297

just a reflection of how political correctness has completely smothered society , create a vastly disproportionate number of disabled spaces just to " show how much we care " , good PR for either Tesco or the local authority office

Ive parked in disabled spaces and il do it again , a genuinely disabled person can park in the other three empty spaces beside my vehicle , im not playing WOKE ball

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 11:51am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027607#Comment_119027607

Have you looked at the actual percentages involved at all?

What percentage of car parking is normally occupied? Presumably all the car parks I use have way too many spaces because I often see empty spaces, right?

Do you find yourself getting exhausted by the walk from the second row of the car park, or what’s your problem?

freshpopcorn · 07-05-2022 11:52am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027605#Comment_119027605

I know people who park in these spaces illegally and also uses there relatives badges. They've being called out on it and they just call the person who did it an oddball.

LunaLoo · 07-05-2022 11:55am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026519#Comment_119026519

Parent and child spaces are there to allow extra room to get car seats in and out with ease as car door needs to be fully opened. I've been caught out with newborn in car seat and arrived back to find car parked well over line making it impossible to get the baby back in the car.

07-05-2022 12:02pm

I suppose they could move them to the furthest corner of the car-park, well away from the entrance. That way they'll always be free. Simples.

Ginger83 · 07-05-2022 12:05pm

An aldi local to us puts a staff member's car in a disabled space and clamps it to deter others.

It wasnt me123 · 07-05-2022 12:15pm

Its not illegal to park in a marked disabled / children space in a private carpark, like a supermarket.

But you could put a big yellow sticker across the windscreen asking them to refrain from parking there unless showing the disabled badges or baby car seats in their vehicles.

Sometimes a disability is not visable and may not qualify for a badge but they would benefit from being closer to a shop, like MS etc. Lets not judge but I like the sticker - if you have to spend 5 mins getting it off before you can leave, you won't be in a hurry to do it again.

In relation to kids space, what did anyone over 50 do when they were driving their small ones to a shop? Sometimes its easier to park away from the crush to get more space for your kids and trolley - stop being so prescious, lots of us had children without having to have a designated parking spot.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 12:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027658#Comment_119027658

Are you suggesting seriously that people with disabilities, many of which would be mobility disabilities, are the ones who should be left with the longest journey across the car park?

fryup · 07-05-2022 12:21pm

leave a traffic cone on the roof or bonnet

*just make sure you cover your face whilst doing it - cctv and all that

07-05-2022 12:21pm

Clamp and fine, would be my solution, with a release fee that would be enough to make your eyes water, so it would not be worth taking a chance of being caught in a disability bay without displaying a badge for "just five minutes to run into the bank!"

Also, badges can be checked. There is a photograph of the person the badge is assigned to on the card - if that person is not driving or a passenger in the car, then the car should not be parked in a disabilty space. This is another frequent abuse of disability parking badge - using a family member's badge when they are not with you.

Liffey Valley is abysmal for supervising their disability spots - they're either full of people just popping into get a starbucks, or blocked by people parking with their hazards on, while someone runs in to get a starbucks or to use the ATMs at the main door.

But what infuriates me more, is when someone allows builders skips to be placed in a disabled parking bay. Yes, McDonalds Belgard Road and Lidl, Tallaght village - I am looking at both of you.

And don't get me started on the Just Eat / Deliveroo drivers occupying disability spots while picking up orders.

Blanchardstown Retail Park are the only place I've seen regularly checking for badges. I parked there one day and not five minutes later saw a clamper / car park security checking for my badge. The person parking beside me must not have been displaying a badge, as they were clamped.

I once saw a driver in a company van parked longwise across two disability bays in Citywest shopping centre while nomming on a burger as a woman parked opposite was trying to manage in an ordinary space with a child in a wheelchair. I reported him to his company who at least took it seriously.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 12:26pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027709#Comment_119027709

The “what did anyone over 50 do” isn’t a great argument. People over 50 grew up without smartphones but I bet you don’t avoid smartphones on that basis.

Keeping the journey for those herding a few kids across the car park as short as possible is sensible for everyone.

AndrewJRenko · 07-05-2022 12:27pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027737#Comment_119027737

The older security gent at Tesco Roselawn in Blanch used to be very effective at checking passes too.

07-05-2022 12:35pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027760#Comment_119027760

I used to shop in Roselawn at the start of the pandemic before LV started doing Click and Collect.

There is a traffic warden who patrols the main street in Tallaght Village who you don't want to mess with. He is a bit of a legend.

sam t smith · 07-05-2022 12:40pm

Glad to see that no has suggested slashing tyres, which would be a criminal offence.

07-05-2022 12:43pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027709#Comment_119027709

Most carparks, including private ones, will have signs up clearly stating that disability parking spaces are for the use of badge holders only, and that badges must be displayed.

While I accept what you're saying that some disabilities are invisible (mine is) it still stands that if someone does not qualify for a disability parking badge, they should not be parking in a space designated for disability parking badge holders.

07-05-2022 1:07pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119027669#Comment_119027669

There is an Aldi local to me where the manager always parks in one of the disability spaces.

Strumms · 07-05-2022 1:09pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119026565#Comment_119026565

If you cannot remove a child from a car without dinging the neighbouring vehicles… just have the child in a pushchair or stroller if it cannot be relied upon not to walk under a car….

too many times I’ve seen and the case of one supermarket by the coast in Dublin that I go to… looking at the overhead on google maps there looks like there are the same number of parent and child spots as accessible spots… 8 each…. Lots of spaces where the IGK brigade can unload their children and if in the mood, suitably oversee their transit safely from the car to the shop which will never be more then a few meters….always free parking