Bikes locked to railings beside my car causing damage

fret_wimp2 · 13-07-2015 8:59pm #1

the apartment block i live in has an underground carpark and assigned parking.
My car parking spot has a railing on one side of it.
People lock their bikes to this railing, despite actual bike racks being provided about 15 metres away in the same car park.

These bikes occasionally fall against my car and will sooner or later cause expensive damage.

I have emailed the management company and they said they will issue a note on their next notification circulation in a month or two.

Now i know what will happen is they will either forget to add this to the notification, or people will just ignore it.

Do i have any other options, i.e. is it a safety/insurance concern that bikes are locked against a railing, potentially blocking a walkway instead of being put in the assigned racks?

Del2005 · 13-07-2015 9:06pm

I'm sure the fire officer for your area would be interested in an apartment block with blocked access, especially when they can't be sure it's built to spec. Get back onto your MC and say that the bikes are a hazard.

If someone's bike damages your car you chase the bike owner for damages. Not much you can do it they don't offer to pay for repairs though, as it would require you taking a civil case and even if you win it can still cost you to get any money.

fret_wimp2 · 15-07-2015 12:31pm

Update:

I left a polite note on the bikes. Just said that one had damaged my car already and to prevent it happening again would they mind using the bike rack around the corner.

All the bikes are now gone, except for the lady who told me she wouldnt move her bike.
Nice that if you just talk to some people they can see sense and not see everything as a challenge or someone trying to get one up on them. Pitty about others.

So mailed the management company and let them know. They said they would clean out the bike racks in the next 2 weeks, notes left on all bikes. remove any that were not claimed. And do the same for bikes on the railings.

Lets see if they are good to their word.

MarkAnthony · 15-07-2015 12:39pm

There's always one.

athtrasna · 15-07-2015 12:58pm

Encouraging vandalism of any kind or interference with personal property is contrary to our charter.

fret_wimp2 · 15-07-2015 1:55pm

athtrasna wrote: »

Encouraging vandalism of any kind or interference with personal property is contrary to our charter.

Who encouraged vandalism or interference?

athtrasna · 15-07-2015 1:56pm

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

Who encouraged vandalism or interference?

Posts have been deleted

endacl · 15-07-2015 1:56pm

fret_wimp2 wrote: »

Who encouraged vandalism or interference?

I did.

MarkAnthony · 15-07-2015 2:15pm

Me too - I'm naughty. To be fair the OPs note was a much better idea than mine and apologies to the mods for having to clear up.

MayoAreMagic · 15-07-2015 2:46pm

Id be of the thinking of leaving them a thank you note. A good turn that is appreciated is more likely to become a permanent thing. No harm for the stubborn lady to see it either

fret_wimp2 · 15-07-2015 2:49pm

MayoAreMagic wrote: »

Id be of the thinking of leaving them a thank you note. A good turn that is appreciated is more likely to become a permanent thing. No harm for the stubborn lady to see it either

Thats a good idea.

Il check and see if they are parked on the bike rack now.
Stubborn lady doesnt go near the bike rack so she wont see the thank you notes.

zl1whqvjs75cdy · 15-07-2015 2:50pm

Can you park flush against the railing to prevent a bike getting in beside you? Good progress so far though.

fret_wimp2 · 15-07-2015 2:52pm

donkeyoaty0099 wrote: »

Can you park flush against the railing to prevent a bike getting in beside you? Good progress so far though.

No, unfortunately not. The railing is there to ensure theres space between the last car and the wall for people to get out by the cars.
I could park right up to the railing, but she will just lock the bike on the other side of the railing. It can still fall through the gaps in the railing against the car.

That and either i or my better half could not get out, whoever is on the side of the car thats parked right up against the railing!

seamus · 15-07-2015 2:57pm

There's a small maintenance problem with this, where you get new tenants who may not realise they can't put their bikes there.

One thing you could suggest to the management company is to get a large piece of perspex to attach the railings beside your car. This would prevent people locking their bikes to the railings without looking crap or needing any maintenance. You could even tell them you'll pay for it yourself, shouldn't be more than €100 for a 2m length of clear plastic.

fret_wimp2 · 15-07-2015 3:13pm

seamus wrote: »

There's a small maintenance problem with this, where you get new tenants who may not realise they can't put their bikes there.

One thing you could suggest to the management company is to get a large piece of perspex to attach the railings beside your car. This would prevent people locking their bikes to the railings without looking crap or needing any maintenance. You could even tell them you'll pay for it yourself, shouldn't be more than €100 for a 2m length of clear plastic.

Management company seem to need to call a board meeting if so much as a bulb in the car park needs changing, funds seem to be locked up tight needs signoff from a lot of people so although to a reasonable person 100 quid is not that much in the grand scheme, it would never get approved.

Also, they dead against anything that changes the apartment block from its stock configuration.

They are 95% of the reason that i will never buy an apartment in Ireland as i once i leave this block i dont want to have to deal with a management company again.

fret_wimp2 · 20-07-2015 2:10pm

all the bikes are gone!

I guess the lady saw that her bike was the only one left on that railing and decided to move it as it was now very obvious!

Bikes locked to railings beside my car causing damage

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