Symond's Street parking

[motorbyclist]

long story short: (yes i know it's still long)

cars etc parking in the old parking zones, which are now all marked "no parking", are getting tickets.

i talked to a warden giving them out, asking what the story is:

there has been a 2 month grace period - now ANY cars (or bikes) found to be parked illegally in the marked "no parking" areas - basically anywhere that isn't bike parking - will get tickets, and after a few weeks vehicles will simply be towed - a few nights back i saw cars being towed to make way for maintenance vehicles and towies are all too happy to chuck a car/bike on the back of their truck and hold it to ransom. (though hilariously they couldn't legally tow nor touch this lone scooter in their way and they had to work around it )

funny thing is, the warden was under the impression the trees were being removed to make way for the new bus lane, and when i told him of the plans the council has provided he reckoned they were pretty retarded and didn't see why the parking was being removed after all. so we aren't the only ones who reckon Auckland City Council is a pack of idiots, but now i'm a bit curious as to wtf the council is actually doing on symonds st.

but, of course, the wardens have to do their job while we ask the council "wtf mate?", so don't harass them unless they're actually breaking the rules. the guy i talked to was very reasonable and went through great pains to tell people not to park there as they pulled in. nice guy to talk to, and upon my inquiry, told me bikes are infact ok to park in pay and display without paying nor displaying provided we don't occupy a space - so atleast one warden is aware of this, but watch out as last time we went to a council meeting one idiot was proposing they make bike parks pay&display


so, you've been advised (read: warned) so don't whinge when you get a $40 ticket or worse


unfortunately it would seem reason escapes those in charge who seem hell bent on buses at the total expense of cars and leaving bikes completely forgotten about, despite buses not being available options for many of us. the submissions for the project was early last year (or earlier), and it would seem most of them were ignored, and now it's "sorry, too late, should've made a submission 20 months ago"
apparently they had alot of information available at the time around the britomart station - which is just farking great seeing as anyone who drives/rides and is therefore actually going to be affected by this wasn't ever going to hear about it

[Phurrball]

Not all wardens are so nice. Some are officious pricks. I could ID check several. The main problem is ACC parking policy in general.Their admin is far less competent than their wardens.

But I do agree, there are pleasant and helpful ones - I've dealt with a few, and basically heard the same thing re bikes in pay and display. BUT Be warned, gentle readers, parking wardens don't all play from the same song sheet on this one. It seems discretionary. I have been ticketed for failing to pay and display after my bike was crashed and mechanically disabled (!!!)

Apply the precautionary principle and ask any wardens around where it's OK to park on their 'turf' and you should be sweet.

[Ragingrob]

It is so fucked up ay. I mean, can the buses even go any faster on Symonds st?! They never get held up anyway?! Apart from by traffic lights so a bus lane won't help. And even if they put a bus lane in why is the pretty much off-road parking being taken away? Or is that just while they do the road works there?

Although I guess buses won't be wanting to go slow enough to be able to avoid cars trying to park. What the hell though, Symonds st down to two lanes the traffic will be mental?!

And people won't be able to get dropped off at Uni by just pulling over on Symonds st then either?

They are making it MORE dangerous, and costly, and it's a waste of time.

[motorbyclist]

[/B]I have been ticketed for failing to pay and display after my bike was crashed and mechanically disabled (!!!)

talk about kicking you when you're down!

[Phurrball]

^^^ Aye, auckland busses scare the bejusus out of me on the bike AND in the cage.

Could the drivers be any more agressive? I realise they have to be a little bit pushy, or they'd never get anywhere, but quite where they get their "EXTREME" (tm) bus drivers from is beyond me. Is their some overseas reality TV show recruiting them that I'm unaware of?

[PirateJafa]

According to one of the bus drivers I have had the misfortune to be on the same bus as, the reason is that "they're all imported from the islands where they got their licences, which is why they keep trying to drive on the wrong side of the road."

This coming from his mouth as he ignores a red light by Victoria Park and two pedestrians literally have to jump out of the way as he barrels through.