Do the 'lock hard' men still operate in Dublin?

Atlantic Dawn · 01-03-2020 04:44PM #1

Been a while since I parked in Dublin City Centre off peak, do the lock hard men still operate? I remember it back in the day it was pure intimidation, place a cap on your head and a newspaper in your hand controlling the free parking spaces and looking for a 'tip' from motorists. It was like something you would see in a Mafia region of Southern Italy, operating in full view of authorities.

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0108/758711-the-lock-hard-men/

passatman86 · 01-03-2020 04:46PM

Chap at dalymount done it for years not sure if he's still about

Deep Thought · 01-03-2020 04:48PM

Atlantic Dawn wrote: »

Been a while since I parked in Dublin City Centre off peak, do the lock hard men still operate? I remember it back in the day it was pure intimidation, place a cap on your head and a newspaper in your hand controlling the free parking spaces and looking for a 'tip' from motorists. It was like something you would see in a Mafia region of Southern Italy, operating in full view of authorities.

https://www.rte.ie/archives/2016/0108/758711-the-lock-hard-men/

Man in cap: mind your car for you ?
Me: no thanks, I have in the car for that
Man in cap: Does your dog put out fires?
Me: here’s a fiver

pablo128 · 01-03-2020 04:51PM

Man in cap: Are you not tipping me?
Me: Why would I?
Man in cap: What if your car gets broken into?
Me: If my car gets broken into today, you won't be here tomorrow or ever again.

Rotunda hospital in the 90s.

mikemac2 · 01-03-2020 04:52PM

The Halfway House on the Navan Road have an elderly chap with a peaked cap like those in the videos. An old Telecom Eireann phonebox for whatever he wants to store.

I'm sure he works for them, maybe gets a carvary dinner and a few pints for directing the cars outside. Not like those extortion boyos on the public street

Leg End Reject · 01-03-2020 05:05PM

Everyone was so well spoken in that clip apart from the lock hard men. I haven't seen them in years, they used to be outside hospitals before pay parking became the norm at them.

v638sg7k1a92bx · 01-03-2020 05:12PM

Leg End Reject wrote: »

Everyone was so well spoken in that clip apart from the lock hard men. I haven't seen them in years, they used to be outside hospitals before pay parking became the norm at them.

Delusions of grandeur among country folk who came up to the big smoke. Even rte was riddled with them, civil service also filled positions with country people over Dubs.

Leg End Reject · 01-03-2020 05:14PM

Armani Nice Prism wrote: »

Delusions of grandeur among country folk who came up to the big smoke. Even rte was riddled with them, civil service also filled positions with country people over Dubs.

It sounds more like the authentic D4 type accent than culchie, before the American twang and Dort affectation became prominent.

Still waters · 01-03-2020 05:17PM

I wonder where the reporter is now

01-03-2020 05:25PM

You have to wait until the last 10 seconds to hear them say “lock hard”.

suicide_circus · 01-03-2020 06:30PM

jayzus i cant believe those scumbags got away with that kind of extortion

is_that_so · 01-03-2020 06:32PM

suicide_circus wrote: »

jayzus i cant believe those scumbags got away with that kind of extortion

They were harmless enough and you knew what they were up to!

Leg End Reject · 01-03-2020 06:34PM

Vita nova wrote: »

Those are fairly neutral Irish accents they could be from anywhere in Ireland and btw most people from outside Dublin don't have a "culchie" accent, just like most people from Dublin don't have a "skanger" accent.

I'm not a Dub so I'm not insulting a culchie accent, but most of us can be placed by our accent.

suicide_circus · 01-03-2020 06:39PM

is_that_so wrote: »

They were harmless enough and you knew what they were up to!

gougers

jippo nolan · 01-03-2020 07:08PM

mikemac2 wrote: »

The Halfway House on the Navan Road have an elderly chap with a peaked cap like those in the videos. An old Telecom Eireann phonebox for whatever he wants to store.

I'm sure he works for them, maybe gets a carvary dinner and a few pints for directing the cars outside. Not like those extortion boyos on the public street

He’s not elderly!

Redneck Reject71 · 01-03-2020 07:16PM

That video was funny. Loved how they were scrambling and coming up with all sorts of excuses, once they knew there was a camera.

anewme · 01-03-2020 07:18PM

NewbridgeIR wrote: »

You have to wait until the last 10 seconds to hear them say “lock hard”.

Ahh stop, I'm in knots laughing here. It was brilliant. And the reporter like he was covering a huge expose.

Cant believe that was 1991.

Loved when Naked Camera PJ Gallagher had a character modelled on the lock hards complete with cap and rolled up newspaper.

Ultrflat · 01-03-2020 07:31PM

When ever my old man was parking near the illac in the 80s and 90s he'd park by the attendants, they'd watch his car and he'd come back to a car apposed a one with a smashed windows. The local parking attendants new his car knew most of knew him by name. He did the same at football matches when he was a kid he grew up a stones throw away from Goodasin park and watched over cars during foot ball matches. Truthfully I'd trust a lad who wants to earn money keeping an eye on my car then a security guard in a booth.

Naked Lepper · 01-03-2020 07:37PM

mikemac2 wrote: »

The Halfway House on the Navan Road have an elderly chap with a peaked cap like those in the videos. An old Telecom Eireann phonebox for whatever he wants to store.

I'm sure he works for them, maybe gets a carvary dinner and a few pints for directing the cars outside. Not like those extortion boyos on the public street

youre on the money there
he is an alcho

pablo128 · 01-03-2020 08:31PM

Naked Lepper wrote: »

youre on the money there
he is an alcho

That's all any of them were. Middle aged alcos trying to intimidate people. Laughable when you think of it.

anewme · 01-03-2020 08:33PM

pablo128 wrote: »

That's all any of them were. Middle aged alcos trying to intimidate people. Laughable when you think of it.

That's why I'm laughing at yer man chasing them in the film like he's tracked down a mafia godfather.

As my Dad used to say "sure you"d bate him with your Mickey."

L1011 · 01-03-2020 08:35PM

Once on-street parking went pay people weren't willing to pay twice and they died out in a very short period of time

Don't get the lads trying to 'wash' windscreens with canal water anymore either as it happens. Every car had washers in that era too so I presume it was just less and less people willing to pay them.

Terrontress · 01-03-2020 08:38PM

It just shows that there was a perceived value in parking in town, the council weren’t taking it and those guys stepped in to lift the money. Pay and display appears and they disappear.

I was in Tbilisi last year and the same setup was going on over there, hat and rolled up paper directing in to spaces. I’m not sure if there was the same threat of menace as I can’t speak Georgian.

PCeeeee · 01-03-2020 08:38PM

anewme wrote: »

That's why I'm laughing at yer man chasing them in the film like he's tracked down a mafia godfather.

As my Dad used to say "sure you"d bate him with your Mickey."

Hard to bate them when they were no where to be seen when you got back

S. Goodspeed · 01-03-2020 08:41PM

Armani Nice Prism wrote: »

Delusions of grandeur among country folk who came up to the big smoke. Even rte was riddled with them, civil service also filled positions with country people over Dubs.

Bring well spoken equates to having delusions of grandeur? Jaysus we really are a begrudging bunch of ****

Terrontress · 01-03-2020 08:43PM

L1011 wrote: »

Once on-street parking went pay people weren't willing to pay twice and they died out in a very short period of time

Don't get the lads trying to 'wash' windscreens with canal water anymore either as it happens. Every car had washers in that era too so I presume it was just less and less people willing to pay them.

I just said the same thing as you but, looking at the video again, are they parking meters at 50 seconds in?

anewme · 01-03-2020 08:44PM

PCeeeee wrote: »

Hard to bate them when they were no where to be seen when you got back

Lol.

But why would anyone give them money in the first place?

PCeeeee · 01-03-2020 08:48PM

anewme wrote: »

Lol.

But why would anyone give them money in the first place?

Ah. Cos I was young and foolish and wasn't sure maybe.

Redneck Reject71 · 01-03-2020 08:52PM

In Mexico we had something similar. One would be in the tourist spots. Someone would take a photo of tourists the demand money for the picture. Another very seedy one is a gang would send out a young kid to target tourists. Saying their family member was injured and would they help. Only to lure them in a side ally to be robbed by gangs who was in waiting.

L1011 · 01-03-2020 08:54PM

Terrontress wrote: »

I just said the same thing as you but, looking at the video again, are they parking meters at 50 seconds in?

Would have been peak time only back then, video is night - so probably out of action.

whisky_galore · 01-03-2020 09:01PM

The vacuum left by the 'lock hard' men is filled by 'any spare change' men.

Do the 'lock hard' men still operate in Dublin?

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