Parking at Mater Dei

G G Debono

Jan 31st, 13:52

To………. Paul Caruana………Jan 29th, 19:35

Re………your comment “Rain brings down your argument to ashes”.

This is a typical negative attitude to sensible healthy solutions. Where somebody suggests a solution and describes a half-full bottle – you see the negative side and bring up the half empty bottle view.

Yes Paul – you are absolutely right . Rain does “bring things down to ashes” - in Malta!
Do you know why? Because one can protect oneself from the rain which comes from above, but one gets mercilessly sprayed by passing cars here in this country. And the water comes sideways and soaks you through.

I have long given up using my bike when it rains precisely because of the repeated wettings from inconsiderate drivers – some of whom seemed to be going out of their way to wet me on purpose. For instance - Today I have to pick up my car (from servicing) – normally I’d go by bike, but it’s raing so I’ll need a lift.

So PLEASE – Mr Caruana, don’t be so negative. Yes there will be occasions when a bike is out of the question BUT for 9 – 10 months of the year the weather is beautiful, sunny and dry and a bike is the feasible option.


It would be interesting to have your comments to this Paul, bit it’s too late now ---

Janet Bayes

Jan 30th, 21:41

So, next time you are taking another person or yourself to the hospital for an appointment, get the bus!

Fortunato Said

Jan 29th, 22:12

Cycling is fine if you are just visiting. The issue here is taking a patient to an OPD appointment. Not possible on a bike. The silly thing is that the cost of providing free transport for hospital staff would be more than offset by the income from parking fees from the paying public.

Also, if the outpatient appointments are staggered so that not everyone has to be there in the morning, the parking problem would be lessened.

Paul Caruana

Jan 29th, 19:35

@Below Commens

Rain brings down your argument to ashes.

James Wightman

Jan 29th, 17:48

Well one good thing is that the hospital authorities put bike racks near the entrance (credit where credits due) that helps people who cycle to free up parking speces for others like the author. If only one person who could cycle did so that would have helped - think about it you might be helping someone in greater need.

G G Debono

Jan 29th, 14:14

One obvious glaring matter is that the car park is full for the simple reason that everybody travels to the hospital by car. So anybody who HAS to travel by car owing to age or disability or i(as the case here) when taking a patient to hospital will find no parking space.

Now, I know I am boring the pants off everybody by harping on the same subject. I live close enough to the Hospital (Sliema) to cycle there. So If I visit friends or relatives at MDH – I go by bike. At my instigation a cycle rack has also been installed near the front entrance. So people riding bicycles are now VIPs who don’t have to lose time looking for a space and then walking miles as others have to do from their parked car.

Cycling to work is quite feasible for staff from the surrounding area – as Hamrun, Birkirkara, Sta Venera, Lija, Attard etc. And they can ‘drive’ right up to a Hospital entrance. There are probably many dozens, if not hundreds, of staff who could cycle in and free up space for others.


People who cycle in also have the advantage of ‘parking’ their bike in a secure bicycle rack right bang near the entrance. ………and they don’t have to worry about their bike being stolen or tampered.

There is also a clever system used in some countries which should be adopted both at MDH and the University. This system gives priority for allocation of a parking depending on the distance of their residence from place of work. In this way, people living close by are encouraged to cycle in – and free up space for others who are obliged to use their car.

So for every person who cycles there space freed up

Thus, in one place where I worked, parking was allocated only to those who lived more than 10 Km away. As we initially lived near the town centre I had no parking space & started to cycle in so as to avoid the hassle of looking for a parking space. I only got a parking spot eventually when we moved out of town.

It is customary abroad to see hundreds of parked bikes outside public buildings and hospitals – in Malta all you see is parked cars. Fifteen bicycles can be parked in the space needed for one car.

G G Debono

Jan 29th, 12:28

One obvious glaring aspect is that the car park is full for the simple reason that everybody travels to the hospital by car. So when anybody who HAS to travel by car owing to age or disability or i(as the case here) when taking a patient to hospital they will find no parking space.

Now, I know I am boring the pants off everybody by harping on the same subject. I live close enough to the Hospital (Sliema) to cycle there to visit. So If I visit friends or relatives at MDH – I go by bike.

At my instigation a cycle rack has also been installed near the front entrance. So people riding bicycles are now VIPs who don’t have to lose time looking for a space and then walking miles as others have to do from their parked car.

Cycling to work is quite feasible for staff from the surrounding area – as Hamrun, Birkirkara, Sta Venera, Lija, Attard etc. No hills either. And they can ‘drive’ right up to a Hospital entrance. There are probably many dozens, if not hundreds, of staff who could cycle in from close by and free up space for others.

People who cycle in also have the advantage of ‘parking’ their bike in a secure bicycle rack right bang near the entrance. ………and they don’t have to worry about their bike being stolen or tampered.

There is a clever system used in some countries which should be adopted by both at MDH and the University. This system gives priority for allocation of a parking space depending on the distance of employees' residence from place of work. In this way, people living close by are encouraged to cycle in – and free up space for others who are obliged to use their car.

Thus, in one place abroad where I worked, parking was allocated only to those who lived more than 10 Km away. As we initially lived near the town centre, I had no parking space & started to cycle in so as to avoid the hassle of looking for a parking space. I only got a parking spot eventually when we moved out of town.

It is customary abroad to see hundreds of parked bikes outside public buildings, hospitals, schools, universities, etc – but in Malta all you see is parked cars. Fifteen bicycles can be parked in the space needed for one car. Think of that!

Victor Rodenas

Jan 29th, 11:30

It is full inside and it is full outside,a pity.