I need a Tank (Caught by the Rogue Clampers)!
Discussion
Last Sunday I became one of the sorry / stupid victims of that form of life that exists just below amoeba - The Private Clamping Company.
Mrs A and I came in Birmingham to go shopping (1st mistake) and as there were no empty meters behind the Mailbox where we usually park I reluctantly agreed to park in a small private car park on Ellis Street as Mrs A said she had parked there before.
I should have been alerted by the fact that every other space had a reserved notice on it and small print saying that you would be Towed immediately should you park there even with a P&D ticket, but I went ahead and bought a £1.50 ticket from the machine and put it at the bottom of the dash next to the screen.
Went away and cam back two hours later to no car! immediately suspected it had been towed just by gut feeling, phoned the number on the machine to be greeted by the most unpleasant, ignorant and insulting person I have ever spoken to in my life (and I have met plenty) who was positively joyous in telling me that the car was towed for not displaying a ticket. At this point Mrs A came to my side and told me she had found what was obviously our ticket (based on times and no other cars being present) on the floor next to the space that was occupied by our car.
I cannot explain how the ticket got from the dash to the floor, maybe it was a freak gust of wind as I closed the door (but Mrs A says she saw the ticket as we left) or maybe I forgot to lock the car and the ticket was removed and thrown on the floor but fact is, it was not on the screen! The "Gentleman" on the phone would not listen to any form of reason and informed me that it would be £390 to get the car back and that the office closed in 15 mins, he then said not to even bother trying today because they would be closed before I got there, I had to pay Cash not card and it would be another £40 for overnight storage when I came tomorrow.
Never in my life have I been so angry, never the less after a sleepless night I decided there was no point in any form of protest or argument, I had looked at the advice on the net and it seems that they are all just about within the law as it stands today.
The Yard was like something from the Day after Tomorrow and they carry out the exchange through a huge metal gate, the gate is not opened until all monies received and then swings in to protect the staff from attack whilst you walk to your car. I think maybe a few people have got a little upset with then in the past?
So if anyone has a small army or wants some target practice shooting something lees upsetting than a nice game-bird then I have an address you could try.
b
ds!
Mrs A and I came in Birmingham to go shopping (1st mistake) and as there were no empty meters behind the Mailbox where we usually park I reluctantly agreed to park in a small private car park on Ellis Street as Mrs A said she had parked there before.
I should have been alerted by the fact that every other space had a reserved notice on it and small print saying that you would be Towed immediately should you park there even with a P&D ticket, but I went ahead and bought a £1.50 ticket from the machine and put it at the bottom of the dash next to the screen.
Went away and cam back two hours later to no car! immediately suspected it had been towed just by gut feeling, phoned the number on the machine to be greeted by the most unpleasant, ignorant and insulting person I have ever spoken to in my life (and I have met plenty) who was positively joyous in telling me that the car was towed for not displaying a ticket. At this point Mrs A came to my side and told me she had found what was obviously our ticket (based on times and no other cars being present) on the floor next to the space that was occupied by our car.
I cannot explain how the ticket got from the dash to the floor, maybe it was a freak gust of wind as I closed the door (but Mrs A says she saw the ticket as we left) or maybe I forgot to lock the car and the ticket was removed and thrown on the floor but fact is, it was not on the screen! The "Gentleman" on the phone would not listen to any form of reason and informed me that it would be £390 to get the car back and that the office closed in 15 mins, he then said not to even bother trying today because they would be closed before I got there, I had to pay Cash not card and it would be another £40 for overnight storage when I came tomorrow.
Never in my life have I been so angry, never the less after a sleepless night I decided there was no point in any form of protest or argument, I had looked at the advice on the net and it seems that they are all just about within the law as it stands today.
The Yard was like something from the Day after Tomorrow and they carry out the exchange through a huge metal gate, the gate is not opened until all monies received and then swings in to protect the staff from attack whilst you walk to your car. I think maybe a few people have got a little upset with then in the past?
So if anyone has a small army or wants some target practice shooting something lees upsetting than a nice game-bird then I have an address you could try.
b
ds!
LOL this article just came up today:
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20110209/tuk-rogue-cla...
http://uk.news.yahoo.com/21/20110209/tuk-rogue-cla...
Yahoo said:
Cowboy clampers take up to £55 million from drivers every year, the Home Office has said.
The figures, released as the Government takes steps to make wheel-clamping on private land a criminal offence from next year, back concerns that rogue operators were extorting millions of pounds from unsuspecting motorists.
But some critics, including the British Parking Association (BPA), criticised the Government for creating "a charter for the selfish parker", giving drivers the freedom to park wherever they want.
Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said: "For too long motorists have fallen victim to extortion and abuse from rogue clamping companies. I have been outraged by cases of drivers being frog-marched to cash points late at night or left stranded by rogue operators who have towed their vehicle away. Clearly this is unacceptable.
"By criminalising clamping and towing on private land this Government is committing rogue clampers to history and putting an end to intimidation and excessive charges once and for all."
Evidence from England and Wales showed around 500,000 clampings take place annually on private land with an average release fee of £112 and 98% of fees being paid as drivers want to get their vehicles back, the Home Office said.
Previous efforts to curb unscrupulous clampers have failed and England and Wales are behind Scotland which introduced a ban nearly two decades ago.
The new measures will be introduced later this week in the Government's Protection of Freedoms Bill. Once in force, the new law will mean only police or councils will be allowed to immobilise or remove a car in exceptional circumstances, such as a car blocking a road.
But motoring organisations have also warned about the rise of private operators issuing penalty tickets as they turn away from clamping.
Commenting on the forthcoming legislation, AA president Edmund King said: "This Bill is the first nail in the coffin of the cowboy clampers. These cowboys are soon to be outlawed criminals. We have always argued that motorists should not park where they like but believe that, in the 21st century, there are more humane ways to regulate parking."
The figures, released as the Government takes steps to make wheel-clamping on private land a criminal offence from next year, back concerns that rogue operators were extorting millions of pounds from unsuspecting motorists.
But some critics, including the British Parking Association (BPA), criticised the Government for creating "a charter for the selfish parker", giving drivers the freedom to park wherever they want.
Home Office Minister Lynne Featherstone said: "For too long motorists have fallen victim to extortion and abuse from rogue clamping companies. I have been outraged by cases of drivers being frog-marched to cash points late at night or left stranded by rogue operators who have towed their vehicle away. Clearly this is unacceptable.
"By criminalising clamping and towing on private land this Government is committing rogue clampers to history and putting an end to intimidation and excessive charges once and for all."
Evidence from England and Wales showed around 500,000 clampings take place annually on private land with an average release fee of £112 and 98% of fees being paid as drivers want to get their vehicles back, the Home Office said.
Previous efforts to curb unscrupulous clampers have failed and England and Wales are behind Scotland which introduced a ban nearly two decades ago.
The new measures will be introduced later this week in the Government's Protection of Freedoms Bill. Once in force, the new law will mean only police or councils will be allowed to immobilise or remove a car in exceptional circumstances, such as a car blocking a road.
But motoring organisations have also warned about the rise of private operators issuing penalty tickets as they turn away from clamping.
Commenting on the forthcoming legislation, AA president Edmund King said: "This Bill is the first nail in the coffin of the cowboy clampers. These cowboys are soon to be outlawed criminals. We have always argued that motorists should not park where they like but believe that, in the 21st century, there are more humane ways to regulate parking."
Aprisa said:
I reluctantly agreed to park in a small private car park on Ellis Street as Mrs A said she had parked there before.
every other space had a reserved notice on it and small print saying that you would be Towed immediately should you park there even with a P&D ticket,
You would appear to be a victim of your own stupidity, however unjust the regs are. Given your advocation of shooting at them, are you surprised the people you dealt with are anything but bright, breezy and polite?every other space had a reserved notice on it and small print saying that you would be Towed immediately should you park there even with a P&D ticket,
Pothole said:
park 'legally'?
Thats not really a modification to the vehicle though.I know that some cars can't be clamped because the wheels are too wide and the car is too low, so I thought maybe some cars can't be towed.
How do they tow your car anyway if it has the handbrake applied and is left in gear/park.
volvoforlife said:
Thats not really a modification to the vehicle though.
I know that some cars can't be clamped because the wheels are too wide and the car is too low, so I thought maybe some cars can't be towed.
How do they tow your car anyway if it has the handbrake applied and is left in gear/park.
they dont tow it they lift itI know that some cars can't be clamped because the wheels are too wide and the car is too low, so I thought maybe some cars can't be towed.
How do they tow your car anyway if it has the handbrake applied and is left in gear/park.
id suspect some of the VAG euro look boys who have tryes rubbing the top of the arches as its been "slammed" would be pretty immune.
Pothole said:
volvoforlife said:
Is there any modification you can make to a car to prevent it being towed?
park 'legally'?Where did I mention Shooting? the tank was to get past the Compound gates, I was parked legally and still have the ticket in mitigation, the dispute is to whether or not the ticket was in the screen.
I also have some experience of distinguishing the letter of the law from the "Reasonable" as I have been a JP in Birmingham for 10 Years. Do you consider £430 a fair fee for non-display of a valid ticket?
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