21 January 2011

Thanks from Motorcyclist to "A Citizen" - And where do I park?

| Sleaz274
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I wanted to pass on my appreciation and thanks to the kind & thoughtful person who placed this note on my motorbike, yesterday 20 January outside 11 Moore st.

Hi Motorbike Owner There was a patrol officer putting fines on motorbikes this morning…I just thought to save you the fine 🙂 (signed) A Citizen.”

Having only recently graduated to my Ps and working in a new building I had the motorbike parked right up against the wall of the building on the (huge) footpath on Moore st having seen quite a few bikes parked around the buildings, bollards or bike racks nearby and across the city. I only ride the bike when I need to get somewhere at lunch and wasn’t really too sure where else to put it. After a few discussions with mates and motorcyclists I received mixed messages on what was “legal” motorbike parking versus “illegal”. So jumped on TaMS’ website to discover pretty much everywhere I’ve ever parked the bike has been illegal, albeit with a grey area around what is “obstructing” a path or not but never have I seen a bike with a ticket.

On a side note, interestingly also if a paying car park has motorcycle designated spots you don’t have to pay but if it doesn’t then supposedly you are meant to attach a ticket to your bike (how, without it disappearing, remains a mystery).

Essentially I’m interested in hearing of others experience in parking bikes around the city, if you want to give away your favourite “secret spot” and if riders have ever received a ticket in the informal regular parking spots around the place and if other pedestrians, shop owners etc have issues with motorbikes being parked next to buildings, bollards, bike racks, trees etc… as you see all around the city. I learnt to ride in Thailand where everyone parks everywhere and noone worries or whinges or moans or makes some weird legislation about it, but that just wouldn’t be Canberra would it.

Plus to “A Citizen” a big thankyou, after running my errand during lunch I deposited the motorbike back at home and walked in. You’ve restored my faith in the kindness of strangers for this week. I’ll also try to scout out some parking nearby (smiley face).

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Mr Lubberlubber12:10 am 22 Jan 11

JC said :

WhiteRabbit said :

I park at 11 Moore every day (Orange Kwaka); I also work there, so feel somewhat entitled to park within the lease footprint. This is private land and I cant be booked there. The parking inspector was sniffing around it the other day but did nothing.

Cannot speak for 11 Moore, but private land can be partolled by the parking inspectors, when invited to do so by the owners. That’s why a lot of private carparks get patrolled and people fined.

Where an owner invites ACT Parking on private land, the inspectors require the area to be properly signposted as a precondition to them monitoring the area.

WhiteRabbit said :

I park at 11 Moore every day (Orange Kwaka); I also work there, so feel somewhat entitled to park within the lease footprint. This is private land and I cant be booked there. The parking inspector was sniffing around it the other day but did nothing.

Cannot speak for 11 Moore, but private land can be partolled by the parking inspectors, when invited to do so by the owners. That’s why a lot of private carparks get patrolled and people fined.

I park at 11 Moore every day (Orange Kwaka); I also work there, so feel somewhat entitled to park within the lease footprint. This is private land and I cant be booked there. The parking inspector was sniffing around it the other day but did nothing.

bitzermaloney1:55 pm 21 Jan 11

Erg0 said :

I seem to recall reading a while ago that Melbourne is the only city in Australia where you’re allowed to park motorbikes on the footpath, btw.

This is specifically a Victorian thing. A motor cycle is allowed to park on the curb alongside a road side parking space because if a car was parked there, the bike would not be obstructing pedestrians crossing the road.

From memory it was proposed here about 10+ years ago by the then opposition (who I think are now in power), but it was dismissed by various groups because “bikes would be parked all over the place and pedestrians would be in great danger.”

I guess that’s what you get when you have politicians in running the country. Time for a coup!

Check this site for parking areas:

http://www.canberramotorbikeparking.net

Shows great detail of where to park, how many spaces, maps, photos, entry points etc.

Holden Caulfield1:20 pm 21 Jan 11

What chance A Citizen might be an increasingly desperate Steve Tucker?

As an aside, there is motorbike parking near Canberra House, accessed from either London Circuit or Marcus Clark Street. From memory 10 bikes or so can squeeze in and it usually looks pretty well populated, so not sure how suitable it might be. As I’ve never ridden a road bike I don’t know if that’s a paid bay or a freebie.

GIven you are in Moore Street, is there something across the way over in Turner that might be suitable for you? It’s only a couple of blocks away.

There must be something in Braddon too?

What about behind the Transit bar? Although, that’s usually where the grey ghosts hang out for coffees and so on (or it used to be), so you’d want to make sure that spot is legit if you did park there, haha.

screaming banshee12:25 pm 21 Jan 11

Could have been pretending it was their bike and they were just waiting for someone?

Mrshmellowman12:12 pm 21 Jan 11

I think that what you will find is that occasionally, not often, parking inspector dig out the cable tie ‘envelopes’ that will firmly attach the parking infringement to the motorcycle. There is no point in them trying to tuck it onto the bike – in the seat crease etc – because you can always argue that it “blew away”.
The beautiful part of motorcycle parking in Canberra is that the parking inspectors are relying on you just copping it sweet. If you park up next to a building in town (pretty much anywhere) you can argue that you were inside the building lease boundary and parking rules don’t apply because you are not on a public street. Inside the boundry you are the building owners problem. (You still can’t obstruct the footpath but if oyu are close to the building that shouldn’t be a problem).

This has worked for me in the past – I parked my motorbike in a bike rack that wasn’t being used and returned to find a parking infringement cable tied to the handlebars. I appealed and got a letter that simply stated that after review my infringement was being withdrawn. That was a good day.

far_northact11:54 am 21 Jan 11

“On a side note, interestingly also if a paying car park has motorcycle designated spots you don’t have to pay but if it doesn’t then supposedly you are meant to attach a ticket to your bike (how, without it disappearing, remains a mystery).”

The ACT rego can provide you with a ‘ticket holder’ for your motorcycle at no cost.

I think “A. Citizen” is hawt for Sleaz274

@ Ergo and Gantz: I think you’ll find that A. Citizen was trying to spare the OP any *future* fines, by informing him/her that there were times when motorbikes parked in that location were ticketed. A. Citizen had seen the patrol officer giving out tickets that morning, whereas the OP had parked at lunchtime.
To my mind, this is even more remarkable: A. Citizen notices motorbikes getting tickets in the morning, sees the OP’s motorbike a couple of hours later, assumes that the OP doesn’t know that parking there is illegal, and then takes action to inform the OP and therefore prevent him/her from getting a ticket in the future.
If only all interaction between strangers was as thoughtful and beneficial!!

Am also interested in how ‘A Citizen’ was able to prevent you from getting a ticket.

Awesome stuff though 🙂

I’m not exactly clear on what “A Citizen” did to stop you from getting a fine? Did the parking inspector see the piece of paper and assume you already had a ticket?

I seem to recall reading a while ago that Melbourne is the only city in Australia where you’re allowed to park motorbikes on the footpath, btw.

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