postcode signage in dublin test?

these not loc8 codes http://www.politics.ie/environment/145842-garmin-now-owner-all-dublin-postcodes.html pic

these are everywhere! I cant think they are simply an advertising strategy

http://www.flickr.com/photos/rorymccann/5260229555/
http://www.garmin.ie/
http://www.myloc8ion.com/what-are-loc8-codes

Response from DCC:

We have received a number of complaints about unofficial Post Code Signs that have gone up across the City. We have set up a file and are issuing warning letters under Section 152 of the Planning and Development Act 2000 – 2010. The warning letters will be issued and they have four weeks to respond.

Is extraordinary really. This is clearly a pre-Christmas marketing stunt by Garmin.
The City Council response is limited to a warning letter giving the company four weeks to respond, by which time they will probably have already taken the signs down. And that’s it.
It is hard to see what possible disincentive is involved in launching a rogue marketing campaign like this.

With postcodes that length it certainly wouldn’t attract you to their product; D2 4RQ would be long enough to accomodate all postcodes in the city assuming each post code covered 10-15 building plots.

I completely agree with Kefu on this, more slap on the wrist from DCC who should be taking out injunctions and seeking costs in what is a clear case of a foreign company acting like they are in The Life of Brian. I would further ask when are DCC going to act on Korkey’s that has been up for months now.

As I was wandering around town on Saturday I kept seeing two men on ladders taking the offending signs down, so maybe the DCC letter had the desired effect. Cheaper than an injunction I would say, especially for a cash-strapped Local Authority.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/city-news/postcodes-stunt-has-backfired-2464970.html

in the great scheme of things I actually thought this was rather clever

http://www.myloc8ion.com/

@PVC King wrote:

I completely agree with Kefu on this, more slap on the wrist from DCC who should be taking out injunctions and seeking costs in what is a clear case of a foreign company acting like they are in The Life of Brian. I would further ask when are DCC going to act on Korkey’s that has been up for months now.

Local Authorities never seem to seek costs PVCK in my (albeit limited) experience. Chasing down errant unauthorised use speculators on behalf of a client we have on one ortwo occasions got them to the steps of the district court then it is settled benignly. Pursuing them for legitimate time and expenses would definitely soften the cough of the many chancers out there.

Another abuse of the public purse imo. Enforcement is a joke from start to (whimpering) finish as we all know.

There are two schools of thought in any business reputational and chancey; reputational businesses defend their reputations and behave in a responsible manner; chancey businesses ask three questions, Is it legal? Can we get away with it? If we get caught what will it cost us? I appreciate Dave’s comments as to costs, I appreciate Tommy’s thoughts that the system is a dysfunctional. I would ask why does the advertising industry get away with things in Dublin that would be financially extremely painful for chancers in Westminster; has DCC given up trying to make Dublin a leading City, why are the valuation office not assessing business rates on illegal advertising; if the city wants revenue go and assess business rates on the advertising industry it would more than fund proper enforcement it would pay to keep a few libraries and swimming pools open such is the extent of its proliferation.

Surely *anything* that improves the dismal level of road signage in Dublin should be welcome?

I truly pity the foreigners you always see in Dublin, turning in circles and gazing upwards, then back down at their maps with a piteous lost look, wondering what street they’re on.

In contrast, on a visit to the heart of rural Normandy I saw road signs on every corner of every street, road and even lane. What – are we not proud enough of our streets that we want to tell people what they are?

@Tighin wrote:

Surely *anything* that improves the dismal level of road signage in Dublin should be welcome?

I truly pity the foreigners you always see in Dublin, turning in circles and gazing upwards, then back down at their maps with a piteous lost look, wondering what street they’re on.

In contrast, on a visit to the heart of rural Normandy I saw road signs on every corner of every street, road and even lane. What – are we not proud enough of our streets that we want to tell people what they are?

Im not sure this comment lives up to scrutiny. I would argue that one thing the city has in bucketloads is road signage. Its just a pity so much of it is junk or over provision – and here I refer to traffic signs. Direction signage is woeful – a really badly thought out scheme. The wayfinding pedestrian signage is still….sigh…..little more than a collection of green poles. However, street name signage is generally quite good. Most streets have signage, some maintenance issues for sure but generally okay.

The Garmin signs referred to above were more of a publicity stunt than a serious attempt to help tourists get around.

Agreed on the picture generally and the Garmin signage in particular; I would go further to say that proper a post code system would make life a lot easier to get around; who needs signs when you can print out a map which you know to consult when you reach a particular point having been directed there by sat nav or rail station or bus stop name highlighted on a bus display.

Internet mapping really does work so well where a proper postcode system exists.

Its not like there aren’t bucket loands of graduates willing and able to work on such a project for a few months which could easily be recouped by a temporary .1c diesel levy to recoup costs and would clearly be surpassed by all the savings it would produce by making the logistics industry considerably more effecient; Mrs Bucket types deliberately giving a wrong suburb type to inflate their self importance are not a source of lost time to industry that is ever more competitive.

Not worthy of a new thread but Paddy Power launched a grubby Taoiseach betting/odds campaign this morning with election-style A1 posters on the lamposts Merrion St/Sq showing the respective odds.

@tommyt wrote:

Not worthy of a new thread but Paddy Power launched a grubby Taoiseach betting/odds campaign this morning with election-style A1 posters on the lamposts Merrion St/Sq showing the respective odds.

am I the only one seeing the irony in you bemoaning the association of the words “taoiseach” (capital removed deliberately) with “grubby”

It pays to take the chance…….