On your bike — student Sophie ordered out of City Square for having bicycle
A Dundee art student says she was "flabbergasted" to be ordered from the City Square as she sat eating her lunch — because she had her bike with her.
- By Alan Wilson
- Published in the Courier : 26.03.11
- Published online : 26.03.11 @ 10.04am
Sophie D'Agostino, who is studying graphic design at Duncan of Jordanstone College of Art and Design, had propped her bike up out of the way behind the wooden bench she sat on while waiting for her boyfriend.
She says a council warden then came over and told her she wasn't allowed to have her bike there and would have to leave.
Sophie (21) said, "I had cycled to uni and forgot my padlock so I phoned my boyfriend, who is at Abertay, to see if I could leave my bike on his lock.
"I was waiting for him to get back to me so went to the City Square and had lunch. The warden then came up and told me I had to go. I thought it was very odd. It was out of the way, between the stairs and the back of the bench.
"It was really heavy handed, although the guy wasn't being horrible about it. I told him I was having my lunch and he asked how long I would be.
"I told him ten minutes and he said that was OK this time but I would have to go right after that. I looked round after ten minutes and he was standing right there watching me.
"When the government are trying to encourage people to cycle rather than use cars, it just struck me as being very bizarre."
Earlier this year, city councillors backed an air quality action plan with a special emphasis on the city centre. It was said then that encouraging cycling could bring benefits.
And, as one of our Facebook followers kindly pointed out, even the lord provost himself risked a telling off by taking to a bike in the City Square last August to promote the Cyclathon.
A spokesman for the city council said it was looking into Sophie's case.
"Dundee City Council encourages cycling as part of its sustainable transport initiatives. There is provision across the city centre for cyclists, including storage racks and safe and well signposted cycle ways."
10.31am - 26.03.2011 OnYerBike - Dundee, UK Report This
Seems to me the warden was unaware that Dundee promote the use of green transport. Was also unaware Dundee was promoting use of cycles in the city centre last June and unaware that you don't need a license to have a bicycle... oh and unaware there are no no cycles allowed signposts anywhere!
03.47pm - 26.03.2011 jim reilly - london, gb Report This
dundee council jobsworth you just could not make it up if you tried
07.50pm - 26.03.2011 Downfielder - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Let's all take our bikes to the City Square and have lunch !
10.03pm - 26.03.2011 Bill Samson - Dundee, Scotland Report This
Talk about lack of joined-up thinking!
10.26pm - 26.03.2011 S. Jackson - Dundee, Scotland Report This
So, where does it say that a city warden can intimidate someone who is a resident (and paying council tax) for eating a sandwich in the square she has helped support? Sounds like harassment and jobsworth to me. Next thing they'll be moving my 80 year old dad on because he "doesn't look the part".
10.28pm - 26.03.2011 anonymouse - Dundee, Scotland Report This
As if there wasn't any pot holes the council jobsworth couldn't be filling in. Maybe the council worker should concentrate on paying his own council tax. Perhaps making a complaint to the police about harassment should have been made.
02.37am - 27.03.2011 Jim Wallace - Dundee, Angus Report This
This is a common situation and has gone on for some time,the warden cannot catch you if you move fast and are on the bike,i often circle the city square just to see his reaction. there is nothing new about this,it has been going on for a few years now
10.19am - 27.03.2011 Stephen - Fife, UK Report This
What nonsene. Are prams, pushchairs etc allowed? You are often not allowed to ride bikes in these sort of areas but she was not riding in - crazy!
06.42am - 28.03.2011 willie green - dundee, scotland Report This
im all for cyclists rights. however more and more of them think the pavements are an extension of the road. if you dont have the courage to cycle on the roadway, stick to public transport.
09.38am - 28.03.2011 Anon - Dundee, Dundee Report This
@Willie what a pointless comment, it quite clearly states in the article she WASN'T cycling and was SITTING with her bike by her side. Lets not turn this into pedestrians vs cars vs cyclists, eh?
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