Call me a bump grump, I don’t care. I’m off on a little rant, a get it off your chest. Joe’s sick of my whinging about it so now it’s your turn to listen haha.
I had a routine blood test in The Coombe to monitor my thyroid this morning. I had my pre-written form so I could basically fly down anytime. Handy.
‘You’ll be in and out’ Joe say’s. Pah!
Nothing boils my blood more than the Coombe car park.
Three and a half pregnancies later and I’m still sitting on the barn with half of Dublin indicating left begging for dear life that a car doesn’t bang us out of it. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve actually closed my eyes and prayed.
Like most people I’ve left the queue of 30+ cars and looked for a pay and display down the housing estates and across the road. Sometimes I’m lucky but then this one day I was eight minutes late getting back to the car to find a big ugly clamp. I was 36 weeks pregnant. Your man didn’t care and I was €80 down. I kicked his tyre and my poor toe has never been the same since.
Today, and this is no joke I was on the barn for 47 minutes. Like seriously? Eventually, I made it to the machine all excited, I literally wiped away the sweat from singing head shoulders knees and toes for the millionth time and was left sitting there waiting again for people to leave only to finally get in and see FIVE FREE SPACES. Arggh!! I literally had a choice of where I actually wanted to park!
One of these days there is going to be an awful accident on that road, that’s if it hasn’t happened already. I’m pretty sure I’ve spent more time on the barn and Cork Street than in the actual hospital. Sort out the car park. It’s an absolute disgrace!
Edited: Amen! Readers have recommended FREE parking at the Lidl down the road (Cork Street), don’t blame me if you get clamped though…
I will never miss that carpark. Ever.
Trust me neither will I…
Why do they all do this? It’s not a pleasure trip, there are no choices but to add to a stressful visit is always the parking! Wish I had an answer. Maybe have a big car park away and have free buses taking people back and forth.
I highly doubt a free bus will ever be an option. They are already struggling with funds etc. but I do think with all the profit they could do up the car. It has so much potential!!
Gosh that sounds incredibly frustrating – especially when you are pregnant!
Totally. I was only back again this morning for blood results and follow up and as I was leaving there was 11 cars waiting to get in. It’s just awful!!
Oh no this does nothing good for your pregnant state of mind. I don’t drive but get the bus rage instead 😉
I’d happily get the bus. The bus stop is right outside my house and leaves your right outside the hospital, only problem is it takes forever and I can never be guaranteed there is a space for our double buggy…
You should Park down in Lidl carpark, it’s under ground. They do have signs saying for customers only but I doubt they clamp down there. Only a couple minutes walk.We used to always do it, hated that carpark on clinic day.
Thanks Gillian, last night was the first I heard of the Lidl carpark. I’ll certainly be using if I get afternoon appointments in the future. They should whisper that to you on your booking visit or add a little note in your eumom pack lol
I think I would have blown my top lol. It sounds awful though x
I’ve been since advised about a free carpark a ten minute walk away. There is light at the end of the tunnel 🙂
Sounds like a pain in the arse if you ask me! I guess theres a plus side of not driving I guess 😉
Haha I can tell that this really grinds your gears! Not good when pregnant at all xx x
That’s disgraceful, and I always thought you had 10mins to get your ticket before they were aloud to clamp!!!! The whole parking issue for hospitals all over are just mind boggling! x
The parking is a nightmare there. I was living and working close enough to be able to walk to the Coombe for all my appointments, though it was a bit of a trek for the last trimester. This time around I chose the Rotunda purely because they have midwives clinics with one based in Swords. They even did a house call for the booking visit! Just the two scans to do in the hospital. It makes life so much easier…