Taxi drivers hogging car parking at McDonalds and Circle K Dublin Airport

deravarra

After dropping off friends at T2 early this morning, I figured I should get myself a coffee at Circle for the return journey. Headed in the entrance, only to find no parking spaces available. Went around, and then managed to find a spot in McDonalds (shouldn't have, but no option - and I would be quick).

As I was walking towards Circle K, I noticed that most of the occupied spaces were taken up by Taxis - drivers inside as well.

Now, these taxi drivers are preventing customers from parking in Circle K. Idea should be you get your purchase, and once back in the car, move on. These drivers seem to think that they can just take all available spaces to avoid paying for parking when it's clear that they are waiting for a fare. Not on in my view. Perhaps they should be told to let customers park there and not hog a parking space.

callaway92

If the car park security doesn’t move them on then there’s nothing you can do unfortunately

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264448#Comment_119264448

I suppose it would be too much to expect taxi drivers see that they are stopping business coming McDonalds and Circle K's way...

Perhaps next time I'll just park in a taxi rank and walk down and back. See how they react when the shoe's on the other foot!

Gumbo

Maybe they bought their coffee and were drinking it in their car 🤷‍♂️

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264512#Comment_119264512

And preventing other customers parking and shopping? Not really a good enough excuse. More like just not wanting to pay parking elsewhere.

spurious

They were clamping there for a while pre-pandemic.

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264555#Comment_119264555

Perhaps they need to start doing it again. Not sure why Circle K are not doing anything

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264560#Comment_119264560

Careful what you wish for.

If the clampers saw you parking in McDonalds and going to Circle K they would have done you.

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264586#Comment_119264586

Perhaps if the taxi drivers didn't hog the car parking spaces in Circle K, I wouldn't have to. Perhaps I will send a message to the operators of that store and let them know that they are losing customers because of lack of available parking spaces. I do hope those taxi drivers are buying a whole load more than a cheap coffee for them to sit in a car for any length of time.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264621#Comment_119264621

Definitely if they weren't there you would have got a parking space in the right car park.

However my warning was genuine, the clampers are paid to clamp anyone parking in the wrong part of the car park.

Motorists beware.

Just as an aside the taxi drivers are probably regular customers.

Economics101

The DAA operates an elaborate taxi permit system. Details here: https://www.dublinairport.com/docs/default-source/taxis/2019-taxi-operations-manual.pdf?sfvrsn=d10f9260_2

I know that they have to have some means of regulating to ensure a steady supply of taxis to meet demand, but the scheme seems to be over-elaborate. We already have a regulatory scheme for taxis; why does the DAA operate what appears to be largely a duplicate scheme?

Could this elaborate scheme be related to taxis using Circle K and McDonald's?

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264560#Comment_119264560

They won’t clamp with someone sitting in the car either. it’s a car park, the cars were parked, the very essence of its requirement.

Also, it was McDonalds that were clamping too. People parking in McD’s and going to Cirkle K as per what you done.

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119265891#Comment_119265891

car park for those using the retail outlets. not to remain camped after buying a coffee. Off with them elsewhere so customers can use said facilities.

Gumbo

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119266012#Comment_119266012

Retail outlet?

it’s a garage. They obviously are customers if there sitting there drinking tea.

Spook_ie

Ah you know what it's like, you go to a 24 hour garage, get your fuel, go to pay at the window ( not talking Circle K at the airport where the shop doors are open ) and your stuck behind a queue of people buying Cheezy whatsit's and a bag of crisps, oh and can I have a bottle of 7Up and while you're there a packet of Rizla and a small loaf, oh and I need a litre of milk. Stopping customers from paying for their fuel and making the attendentant walk a marathon. The nerve of people to use a 24 hour garage as a retail shop instead of going shopping earlier!

Strumms

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264560#Comment_119264560

Probably because they are getting 400 euros plus a day in revenue from taxi drivers buying tea, coffee, soft drinks, newspapers, snacks sambos, etc….maybe fuel too depending on how expensive it is…

400 quid a day on average is about 146,000 a year in revenue …. Which I’m thinking is probably a conservative guesstimate …

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119267476#Comment_119267476

Garages sell fuel only. Garages have retail outlets attached. This one has a retail outlet which does food.

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269092#Comment_119269092

Then make it a taxi only place. Seeing that there was mostly taxis at the place ...

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269017#Comment_119269017

apples and oranges. but at least you got that rant out of your system

olestoepoke

It'll get worse when they introduce a drop off/pick up fee (currently 5 pound sterling in Heathrow). People will drop off and wait for people at the McDonalds and Circle K rather than pay the levy. It's an easy walk down.

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119269950#Comment_119269950

Eh, no they won’t. Most people are happy to pay through the nose for coffee and pastries and pints at the airport. They’re not going to drag their luggage and themselves up to the terminal from a McDonalds going on holidays, for the sake of a fiver.

Citrus_8

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264621#Comment_119264621

You sound childish... Blaming others for your own false taking up McDonald's car park - seriously? If you don't care, then why do you expect other to be responsible? If you want fairness, you shouldn't have parked there but just keep going to another service station. And you can complain to Circle K as much as you want - they make business the way they want to.

MAULBROOK

I thought they only let grown ups Drive.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119278422#Comment_119278422

Fair point, can't see family of four heading for annual 2 weeks dragging bags and buggies from McDonalds to save €5.

However, regular travelers getting dropped off with just carry on bag might consider it an option.

standardg60

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119264697#Comment_119264697

Completely agree with this

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119286051#Comment_119286051

You sound like a taxi driver... and perhaps you want this a taxi only service station. It's as close to that as possible. I'd say I am not the only one with this issue - and while I did park in mcdonalds, there were at least 2 dozen taxis between mcdonalds and circle k which were never left from before I arrived to after I left. I "hogged" that car space for all of 5 minutes. If the taxi drivers had done the right/decent thing, I wouldn't have even noticed.

deravarra

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119286082#Comment_119286082

They do. They give the kids the taxi plates

Murph_D

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119286105#Comment_119286105

Nope. Regular travelers ie business travellers aren’t spending their own money and unless they are working for McDonalds are unlikely to do the old bag drag thing. Maybe they odd young person traveller type, but that’s a tiny part of the market. Anyway there is no drop off pick up fee so this is not a real argument at Tue moment.

elperello

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119287007#Comment_119287007

Point taken, the system for charging is not in place yet.

Therefore we are both just speculating whether it will result in people being dropped off at other locations around the airport.

Only time will tell.

Murph_D

No, you’re speculating. I am just trying to rein your speculation in with some observations. 😁

Flinty997

Was in the airport a few weeks back. had a bit of time to kill before picking someone up. Was going to pick up a snack and kill some time. But as the OP said there was no parking, at McD or the Petrol Station. Drove around a while and there was never spaces. I could even have topped with fuel. But again seemed busy and expensive.

They neither want or need our business. Avoid is my opinion.