Bikes Parked on Wide Pavements (in Dublin) Now Being Ticketed

Hocus Focus

There have been quite a few threads on here over the years about the ins and outs of bike parking in Dublin, both on- and off-street, and regarding on-street parking, the concensus seems to be that you could park at the two official places; Burgh Quay and North Princes St., and that apart from that everything is a "grey area". The trouble is that due to the high incidence of motorbike theft, most of us want to park our bikes where we can see them. Parking in an on-street car parking space is illegal. Parking on a pavement in such a way as to cause an obstruction is illegal, but a blind eye is turned to bikes parked on wide pavements where they do not cause an obstruction, i.e. a person in a wheelchair could get past.

A friend of mine has been parking his bike in sight of where he works, on the big triangle of pavement at the top of of South William St., where it meets Stephen St/ Mercer St. There are normally a few bikes parked there, not causing any problems for pedestrians, and the other day they all received tickets. I'm wondering if anybody else has had their bike ticketed in this way, or if anybody knows of any new official policy regarding bike parking?

muddle84

Parking in an on street car parking space is illegal.

Is that true? Why would that be illegal?

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036099#Comment_124036099

It is true and it's illegal because Dublin Cities Parking Bye Laws make parking a motorcycle pay and display bay illegal.

@Hocus Focus I saw a thread on Reddit about this. Has it happened more than once?

muddle84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036169#Comment_124036169

I can't find anything about this on the Dublin City Council website. Do you have a link to these By Laws?

CH3OH

I believe this is the link

https://www.dublincity.ie/sites/default/files/2024-05/sealed-copy-of-the-2024-bye-laws-eng.pdf

Cienciano

That's annoying. I wonder Bambinos complained as they get a lot of people gathering outside? The end of King Street is another option. Literally nowhere to park. Go to other countries and rows of bikes are parked on wide streets.

I'd imagine it's illegal to park in a parking bay because a displayed ticket can be easily removed.

Hotblack Desiato

Sounds like "new Garda syndrome". Happened to me nearly 30 years ago in Store St, the couriers used to park on the same (big) traffic island and they got done too. Only ever happened once though.

Cyclingtourist

Given the high density of pedestrian traffic in Dublin city centre parking on the pavement and thinking it's okay if you leave space enough for a wheelchair isn't an excuse. This applies to non-motorised bikes (sadly a declining breed) as well.

muddle84

That's nuts! Thanks! I did not know that! Is that the same way in other cities and towns in Ireland?

Vestiapx

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036333#Comment_124036333

Maybe in the old dsys but i park my car by app can i park my bike by app

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036392#Comment_124036392

The problem is that there are only 2 legal places to park a motorcycle in Dublin city. Not everyone who uses a motorbike to get into Dublin city needs to go to the O'Connell street area, but they are the only legal places to park. So you either park illegally on the path or drive or get onto the already overcrowded public transport.

muddle84

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124038636#Comment_124038636

You can park in the private car parks and multistories too. There really should be more on street parking for bikes though!

Cienciano

I'd be very surprised if this was a thing across Dublin now, I reckon just this one spot for whatever reason

Hotblack Desiato

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124036392#Comment_124036392

So are you calling for all bicycle stands in the city to be removed?

Cyclingtourist

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124039192#Comment_124039192

No I'm not, don't know what gave you that idea.

Bicycle stands are installed by DCC for the use of pedal cyclists. Any bicycles locked to poles etc. are always a potential obstruction to pedestrians and I've no objection to their removal

Hotblack Desiato

Ah. Just on the wind up then. The LAST thing any motorcyclist wants is to park where their bike is in the way because that greatly increases the chance of it getting knocked over, accidentally or otherwise.

Goldengirl

Passed two lads shooting up in a doorway centre of city street today .

Would you not think that AGS would have more to be doing than ticketing motorcycles that are parked leaving plenty of space ?

Is that what ordinary people are paying their taxes expecting ?

Sir Galahad

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124040487#Comment_124040487

The tickets issued that I've seen were not issued by Gardai. They were from DCC. I asked a mate in RPU and he's not aware of any campaign against bikes.

JohnDoe2025

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124040629#Comment_124040629

It was probably a nearby business that complained then. One of them might have been refusing to pay rates because of a "problem" they had with motorbikes parking.