public servant cheapies ... ?

mr_wowtrousers said :

Obviously in the ACT it is to make the numbers when the inspectors are on the clock as the place behind Rydges in New Acton (where I was fined) turns into a literal car park at night from wed-thurs. Cars parked 3-4 deep there and not a ticket to be seen. After 4:51 I guess it’s not illegal . . .

I wouldn’t park there at anytime. My friends got tickets for parking there at 8.30 on a Friday night, and there were cars with tickets on a Sunday a few weeks ago.

As a previous user of the Blackall St carpark I can give a greater insight into what’s happened here.

-The carpark was closed on Monday 2nd August for a proposed 2 week period for some maintenance/new line markings etc.
-The carpark was actually closed for 7 weeks before re-opening!!

This was easily enough time for all of us to find alternatives and develop new parking habits. After 7 weeks an extra 5-10 minute walk from alternative car parks is just normal.

Now it will be interesting to see what happens next time it’s raining in the morning, I think the blackall car park will be a little fuller!

@ vg

Perhaps you could read the rest of my post? The bit where I asked how bikes were meant to display tickets (the person in the infringement section didn’t know, had to go ask a supervisor, who didn’t know). Maybe the bit where I asked why I shouldn’t drive my car when I have to park in the same space as a car.

Bikes are smaller. Bikes use less fuel. Bikes put less wear on the road. Bikes have less emissions. The message being sent when you are ticketed for discretionary fines like this is “Drive a car”. It didn’t really worry me, I just started driving my 6 cyclinder sedan in again, single person.

As for parking chaos caused by motorbikes parking in places cars can’t get to, and where people don’t walk, please explain. I am all ears. Look, it’s obvious that you are trolling (badly), but at least *try* and raise the bar, for your own sake.

Any suggestions to use Action buses will be treated with the scorn they deserve.

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“Perhaps you could do what drivers do when there’s no car spots. Find somewhere else. You don’t need a PhD for that one.”

indigoid said :

Cycling certainly does have a cost, and not just the cycle maintenance. Your body needs more energy, so you will find yourself eating more. Substantially more, if you have a long commute, like my (ridiculously fit) colleague who cycles a 120km round trip, three days a week.

When I ride the 60km round trip to work, I’ll get hungry for different stuff. You’ll be surprised just how little extra you need when you’re cycling for commuting as opposed to, for example, driving a car. Your body starts off simply using what food you do get more efficiently, and then you start finding that you’re hungrier for certain things.

Mmm… lasagne…

“Maybe you could talk to the powers that be on my behalf when I was ticketed on my motorcycle in New Acton for parking on the grass (not near the path, not dangerous, not obstructing traffic) because there wasn’t enough bike spaces”

Perhaps you could do what drivers do when there’s no car spots. Find somewhere else. You don’t need a PhD for that one.

sepi said :

At Russell they also give tickets to motorbikes and scooters parked on asphalt, on the edge of the carpark, separated from cars by coppers logs, and not blocking line of sight. It isn’t a path, it isn’t a car spot, it isn’t anyone’s view, it isn’t killing the grass – what possible reason could there be for issuing a ticket?

Ummmmmmm………………cos its illegal?

No order = parking chaos

Why would anyone pay for parking if they can get it for free??? Be Public Servant or not. Come on now!!!1 Everyone is looking to save were they can, no matter what age they are on. Life is hard. Get over it

Good question sepi. Again, what is the incentive to ride a motorcycle if you are treated/fined/taxed as a car? You may as well drive a car and be more comfortable and safer.

I actually did a lot of research into this particular fine (parking on a “nature strip” in a built up area, even if there is no grass, essentially anywhere that’s not a car space) and in a significant portion of council municipalities it is a discretionary fine based on obstruction and danger to pedestrians. Obviously in the ACT it is to make the numbers when the inspectors are on the clock as the place behind Rydges in New Acton (where I was fined) turns into a literal car park at night from wed-thurs. Cars parked 3-4 deep there and not a ticket to be seen. After 4:51 I guess it’s not illegal . . .

sepi said :

what possible reason could there be for issuing a ticket?

Disobey “Park in bays only” sign.

You dont think the govco went to the expense of putting up those signs for no reason do you?

At Russell they also give tickets to motorbikes and scooters parked on asphalt, on the edge of the carpark, separated from cars by coppers logs, and not blocking line of sight. It isn’t a path, it isn’t a car spot, it isn’t anyone’s view, it isn’t killing the grass – what possible reason could there be for issuing a ticket?

If they were all so cheap surely you wouldn’t be able to get a carpark at reid CIT, $6 all day parking. I guess public servants don’t want to get their shoes dirty in the gravel carpark.

Perhaps it is too far a walk for some?

I don’t know what puts people off. but you can always find a carpark there and I am not aware of anywhere cheaper?

My motorbike wouldn’t start this morning. I had to drive the car to work. Fortunately, it is a Sunday so parking is free. Unfortunately, I am at work on a Sunday.

Hey Sgt,

Maybe you could talk to the powers that be on my behalf when I was ticketed on my motorcycle in New Acton for parking on the grass (not near the path, not dangerous, not obstructing traffic) because there wasn’t enough bike spaces. When I asked what I should do about parking, no answer. I asked should I park across the parkway in the car park and they said yes. When I asked how I would attach the ticket to my bike so it wasn’t stolen or blown away . . . no answer, go talk to a supervisor, come back

“You could write your rego number on it and take a photo of it.”
“Everyday?”
“I guess so”
“Here’s another question. Given that I can’t be guaranteed of getting a motorcycle park and I have to pay for a car space that is far away, that I have 37 times the chance of dying compared to a car, it’s cold and it’s wet, WHY would I not drive my 6 cylinder sedan in by myself with the heater on? I am paying the same price and have the same inconvenience”
“I don’t know”
“So do they want me to stop using my car or not?”
“It does seem a little weird.”

Thank god I am now working at woden and we have free undercover parking for motorcycles. Plus now I can actually cycle to work. Either way it is free. As far as I can tell, the territories various “rules” are trying to get you coming and going. All I ever see council employees/police doing is ticketing cars.

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Sgt.Bungers
But driving is easier. Transporting a Canberra average of 3.8 empty seats per private vehicle to and from work during peak hour, also makes much more sense.

matt31221
You forgot to mention motorbikes. Parking is free for them, they are pretty grouse on the environment and my ZX14r which has a large and powerful engine only costs me about $14.00 of premium fuel to fill once a week. Plus motorbikes rock as well.

Tetranitrate said :

$30 in petrol from Belconnen/Woden? maybe if you drive an MBT to work.

I believe the $30 is a reference to all day parking at the 2 Westfields.

I ride my Vespa to work – add up rego, insurance, servicing, and fuel costs and it costs less than a bus to and from work.

I come and go when I like and park right outside the office for free. Much better for the environment than a car and I don’t have to sweat in lycra before work!

Why are we getting all upset by people trying to minimise their costs?

Deckard said :

What’s the big surprise here? People will walk through Mordor to get free parking.

I know I would. Round trip from where I park to where I work most weekdays is about 3km, I suspect others go further.

Interesting the change in the vehicles outside Environment dept now that the AFP are using “their” carpark. Used to be largely small and more eco-friendly vehicles. Now many, many V8 Landcruisers and other big 4WDs rock up at 7 am and depart at 4.

Sgt.Bungers said :

or push bike at almost no cost.

🙂

When I was averaging 8000km a year on the bike, the cost (fixed and variable) was about $400 pa, that’s 5 cents per km.

I am getting lazy, it will be only 6000 km this year, but it will still be about $400. So for me the cost of cycling “is getting out of control”

They’re all over in the Parliamentary Triangle. It used to be easy to get park at Questacon on a weekday, now I’m lucky if I can get a park in the last row! Grrr

Cwth public servants in the triangle are notoriously tight fisted about paying for parking – they have had it too good for too long – welcome to the real world folks. But obviously there isn’t yet a shortage to push people into paying – waiting for the FBT shoe to drop though

indigoid said :

Also, isn’t that carpark empty because they’re still refitting the EBB and thus Barton has a few thousand fewer workers?

Nope, the AFP is in there now.

Also, isn’t that carpark empty because they’re still refitting the EBB and thus Barton has a few thousand fewer workers?

As a former denizen (2001-2002) of the EBB basement I can only say “about bloody time!”

NB: I haven’t driven past there in a while… Are they still working on the refit?

Sgt.Bungers said :

push bike at almost no cost.

Cycling certainly does have a cost, and not just the cycle maintenance. Your body needs more energy, so you will find yourself eating more. Substantially more, if you have a long commute, like my (ridiculously fit) colleague who cycles a 120km round trip, three days a week.

I still think it’s a great idea, but to promote it as near-zero cost is misleading.

What’s the big surprise here? People will walk through Mordor to get free parking.

$30 in petrol from Belconnen/Woden? maybe if you drive an MBT to work.

$30 Belco and Woden, $15 in civic, $13 city west, $8 Barton, $7 10 minutes walk from civic, plus petrol, car wear and tear, depreciation regardless of where you park…

Or $5 return bus fare, or push bike at almost no cost.

But driving is easier. Transporting a Canberra average of 3.8 empty seats per private vehicle to and from work during peak hour, also makes much more sense.

🙂

I live at the Landmark Apartments across the road from this car park. I too have been amused by how little patronage the car park has received. It would seem a lot of people are now parking down in Bowen Park and walking up through Landmark (much to many residents annoyance) to get to work.

Who let Jon Stanhope post on here?

what a strange post.

Yes, but it’s still quite funny, haha!