(Possible) illegal parking

jim

Registered User
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I was parked this eve at tbe entrance to bus aras for 5 mins, i was waiting to collect someone. I didnt think i was parked illegally although perhaps i was.
Strange thing happened - a thorntons bin lorry parked alongside me and the guy in the passenger seat took a photo of me, waved and smiled at me and they drove off.
I can only assume that they must have took my photo as well as my reg plate if i was parked illegally or was impeding them.
Can the general public take a photo of an illegally parked vehicle and send to gardai for them to issue a penalty?
Any advice etc would be most welcome.
 
Anybody in a public place can photograph anything else in a public place. I frequently photograph cars, vans, trucks, buses, taxis illegally parked (double yellow lines, hatched areas, disabled parking bays, too close to corners) and report them to the local authority. I also photograph and report vehicles with "For "Sale" signs on them on the public highway and utility vehicles, delivery vans parked in the hatched areas near pedestrian crossings or blocking dished pavements needed by wheelchair users or by parents with children in push-chairs. I photograph and report adults cycling on footpaths, cars, trucks, and buses parked on and blocking footpaths and so on.

Keeping your eyes open and reading signs and observing road markings is all you need do to check whether you're parked legally or otherwise.
 
I have seen a notice on my waste collection companies website saying, please keep access open as truck could not get in today. They posted a photo of the road blocked by badly parked cars. I guess it is a good way of stopping complaints of non-collection. Could be a similar situation.
 
Anybody in a public place can photograph anything else in a public place. I frequently photograph cars, vans, trucks, buses, taxis illegally parked (double yellow lines, hatched areas, disabled parking bays, too close to corners) and report them to the local authority. I also photograph and report vehicles with "For "Sale" signs on them on the public highway and utility vehicles, delivery vans parked in the hatched areas near pedestrian crossings or blocking dished pavements needed by wheelchair users or by parents with children in push-chairs. I photograph and report adults cycling on footpaths, cars, trucks, and buses parked on and blocking footpaths and so on.

Keeping your eyes open and reading signs and observing road markings is all you need do to check whether you're parked legally or otherwise.

Has anything ever come of all these complaints that you are aware of?

On one hand I say fair play but on the other I think why in the name of god would you bother
 
I agree Easel and i would ask Matgpac the same question. In some ways fair play but whilst i know that there isnt anythibg stopping anyone from photographing stuff like this - what becomes of it or what can become of it?

@paulgee - i hear you, but i wasnt even blocking them they were able to get in and out. I was just parked very close to the edge of the kerb and strictly speaking was illegally parked. Becasue i was in the car though i could have moved had i being prompted to. Was only sitting there for 5 mins. Im expecting now to get a fine in the post in a few weeks!
 
Take a look on Google Maps to identify where you were parked, Street View should allow you see the road markings / signs in that area to confirm whether you were parked legally or not.

However, the Gardai will do absolutely nothing should the Thornton's employee submit a complaint. A third party photograph is insufficient evidence.

If you want to push it further, submit a query and a GDPR request to Thorntons. Your face and number plate are protected under the legislation and regardless of being in a public place, they or their employees are not allowed to capture such information / process it without your consent. There is a 'domestic' exception to GDPR where photos or videos captured in public places are not covered, but going beyond personal use to use your data for other purposes isn't allowed.
 
I agree Easel and i would ask Matgpac the same question. In some ways fair play but whilst i know that there isnt anythibg stopping anyone from photographing stuff like this - what becomes of it or what can become of it?

@paulgee - i hear you, but i wasnt even blocking them they were able to get in and out. I was just parked very close to the edge of the kerb and strictly speaking was illegally parked. Becasue i was in the car though i could have moved had i being prompted to. Was only sitting there for 5 mins. Im expecting now to get a fine in the post in a few weeks!

The likelihood of getting a fine for this is absolutely zero.
 
Anybody in a public place can photograph anything else in a public place. I frequently photograph cars, vans, trucks, buses, taxis illegally parked (double yellow lines, hatched areas, disabled parking bays, too close to corners) and report them to the local authority.

I doubt this makes much difference.

The only time I do this is when a vehicle is clearly marked as belonging to a company with a retail presence. The driver often gets in trouble with management, especially if you suggest that next stop is social media.


AGS has very little interest in traffic enforcement. This is why Ireland needs a transport police, but this is for a different thread.
 
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Why? because I despise the actions of lazy, selfish drivers who inconvenience others and abuse facilities not designed or designated for them. This activity is bullying.

Parking on footpaths may cause them to crack, creating trip hazards or damaging conduit running beneath them. The biggest dangers occur when parking on footpaths causes pedestrians, people in wheelchairs, on crutches or parents with buggies or small ambulatory children to divert into traffic on the carriageway to pass the illegally parked vehicles. This can be classified as dangerous parking and carries a maximum of 5 points on a licence plus fines.

I report them to the Guards in the hopes that warnings/fines will modify uncaring behaviour.

When liveried vehicles park illegally, I send the photographs to the corporate entity concerned either by email and/or their FB page asking that they speak with their drivers. If they occupy disabled driving bays, I ask that they consider making a contribution the Irish Wheelchair Association or some related charity. If they fail to respond I pass the information to the Gardai.

What happens as a consequence I don't know, but
Gardai have seized cars parked illegally in blue bays and fines and penalties including 3 months' off the road have been issued in Limerick City and Dublin.

I find it worrying that the "get a life", "have you nothing better to do with your time" attitude I experience from uncaring drivers should appear in here. I've been threatened, assaulted, spat on by a travelller who was subsequently jailed for drunk driving and I've raised a few quid for charity.

Why bother? Well, I see it as worthwhile and not too many others seem motivated to do it. I also transport sick and injured animals to vets and care centres, help rehome dogs from public pounds and am an anti-greyhound industry activist. Get a life, have I nothing better to do with my time? Disappointing attitudes but not in the least bit surprising.
 
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Reactions: jim
Why? because I despise the actions of lazy, selfish drivers who inconvenience others and abuse facilities not designed or designated for them. This activity is bullying.

Parking on footpaths may cause them to crack, creating trip hazards or damaging conduit running beneath them. The biggest dangers occur when parking on footpaths causes pedestrians, people in wheelchairs, on crutches or parents with buggies or small ambulatory children to divert into traffic on the carriageway to pass the illegally parked vehicles. This can be classified as dangerous parking and carries a maximum of 5 points on a licence plus fines.

I report them to the Guards in the hopes that warnings/fines will modify uncaring behaviour.

When liveried vehicles park illegally, I send the photographs to the corporate entity concerned either by email and/or their FB page asking that they speak with their drivers. If they occupy disabled driving bays, I ask that they consider making a contribution the Irish Wheelchair Association or some related charity. If they fail to respond I pass the information to the Gardai.

What happens as a consequence I don't know, but
Gardai have seized cars parked illegally in blue bays and fines and penalties including 3 months' off the road have been issued in Limerick City and Dublin.

I find it worrying that the "get a life", "have you nothing better to do with your time" attitude I experience from uncaring drivers should appear in here. I've been threatened, assaulted, spat on by a travelller who was subsequently jailed for drunk driving and I've raised a few quid for charity.

Why bother? Well, I see it as worthwhile and not too many others seem motivated to do it. I also transport sick and injured animals to vets and care centres, help rehome dogs from public pounds and am an anti-greyhound industry activist. Get a life, have I nothing better to do with my time? Disappointing attitudes but not in the least bit surprising.

The people of Gotham never really appreciated Batman either. Just the price of being a hero I suppose....
 
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