Council to remove “offensive” parking sign

The parking sign is located at the Greerton shops. Photo: Ursula Keay.

Tauranga City Council will be removing a parking sign in Greerton due to offensive language.

The sign, located at the Greerton shops, reads 'This is not a carpark for d***kh***ds. Show some respect.” The photo above shows a blurred version of the sign for those who may find the words offensive, an un-blurred version can be viewed at the bottom of the story.

A member of the community put up the sign at the end of last year.

Tauranga City Council environmental regulation manager Nigel McGlone says people using mobility parks when they don't hold a permit is an ongoing issue, and a source of frustration for many in the community.

'Around 28 per cent of our population identify as being disabled, and rely on these parks to be able to do various things able bodied people take for granted.

'We just ask people to be considerate and remember that there are people who need these carparks out of necessity, not convenience.”

Local shop owners say there has been an increase in public using the mobility parks since two laundromats opened nearby.

They say people using mobility parks who don't need them, is an ongoing issue.

Nigel says parking in a mobility park without a permit could result in a $150 fine.

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14 comments

Seems fair to me.

Posted on 18-02-2021 06:54 | By The Professor

Why remove this sign - seems fair enough to me. Who is it likely to offend - the dickheads who park there when they shouldn't be parked there. This world is becoming too soft towards the minorities, giving them too many rights.


Woke world

Posted on 18-02-2021 08:14 | By Slim Shady

This problem will only get worse as we dive down the woke tunnel. Everybody will be classed disabled soon. People with a bad back. People who wear glasses. Fat people (sorry, obese). Actually, fat people per the BMI index, are classed as disabled. So it goes to show that you can get yourself preferential parking just by eating huge amounts of crap. We need more “disabled” parks.


Overly sensitive

Posted on 18-02-2021 08:34 | By Considered

People who find this sign offensive, either have no clue of the value of the disabled parking spaces OR are "really" dickheads... I think this is quite appropriate - there are many places around town where this sort of thing (including taxi parks 'for the wrong reason') are taken advantage of by many inconsiderates.


Well maybe

Posted on 18-02-2021 08:50 | By The Caveman

The council should undertake some enforcement of the parking bylaws - if these parks are being used by non-mobility card holders on a regular basis then its quick money for the council !!


Like it

Posted on 18-02-2021 09:12 | By Kancho

I like the sign but people who park in mobility spaces obviously don't care or read signs and really don't have respect for anyone or the law. So the only thing to do is to issue a lot more fines not talk about it then maybe they won't thumb their noses to everyone


Hmmm

Posted on 18-02-2021 10:49 | By Let's get real

Aren't there security personnel monitoring the antisocial behaviour of the greerton vagrant population in the area...? Surely noting registration numbers with a photograph and handing this onto council enforcement services wouldn't be too onerous to include into their working days...?


But I gotta do my laundry, and it's heavy to carry !

Posted on 18-02-2021 11:09 | By xenasdad

Being a frequent shopper in that end of Greerton, ( Despite the TCC traffic farce ), I frequently see a car go into that park and the occupants taking their laundry to be done. Their car is there for the considerable time their washing/drying takes. Will Tauranga City Council environmental regulation manager Nigel McGlone please go on record to tell the ratepayers the average number of tickets issued for this park per month. My guess would be NONE. Slim Shady, be grateful that you obviously have a magnificent and fully functional body, but be aware that like mine it could suddenly require multiple major surgerys to remove unknown cancer tumours, and leave you looking OK, but only just mobile for the rest of your entitled life !


Tom Ranger

Posted on 18-02-2021 11:16 | By Tom Ranger

Well...if council were smart and removing the sign is what needs to happen. They would auction off the sign on trademe with all this media cover. Then they can spend the money on more disabled parking.


Doesn't matter

Posted on 18-02-2021 11:52 | By peanuts9

It doesn't seem to make a difference whether the sign is there or not, the arrogant and selfish still park there. As they do, in the very small number of mobility parks, all over Tauranga. We all know a fairly large numbers of Tauranga drivers are blind as they can't see red lights, pedestrian/school crossing, any parking signs, including disability, NP, loading zone, etc., and any thing else that may restrict what they want to do.


Too soft

Posted on 18-02-2021 12:54 | By Jukay

It's not the sign, which is offensive, it's the ones who don't care about others. When one is barked at to f... off by one off those moronic individuals, illegally occupying a park for the disabled, then a bit of aerosol paint sprayed over their car's bonnet might have a longer lasting effect than the trifling words "it's disappointing".


Seems easy enough...

Posted on 18-02-2021 12:57 | By Centurion

If you have a cell-phone (and who hasn't?) take a shot of the dorks car in the disabled space, make sure its time-stamped, and send it off to Council. Speed cameras work for the Police, so why shouldn't óur cameras work for us?


Offensive.

Posted on 18-02-2021 13:33 | By morepork

There's nothing offensive about this sign, in conversational English, to anyone who ISN'T a dickhead. It made me smile, but behind it is the frustration caused by selfish, disrespectful people who see only their own needs. Sometimes when I have to cruise around looking for a park and see a good disabled park where I want to be, I just think to myself: "Thank your lucky starts you can walk to where you have to be..." I don't think it should be taken down. Again, we surrender to Nanny.


Increase The Fine

Posted on 18-02-2021 13:46 | By Yadick

Nothing wrong with the sign. It should go up at all mobility parks or perhaps a graphic symbol painted on the ground inside one of those red 'banned' circles. Parking Wardens should get out of town and into the suburbs. Pick up the game TCC, there's money to be made here whilst helping your ratepaying vulnerable without having to form another overpaid committee. OH MY GOSH.


Love it.

Posted on 20-02-2021 23:17 | By wtf

I love the sign. It always makes me laugh when I can get to park there and see it. (And yes I do have a mobility card).


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