Clampers!

[BensGrandad]

I had a similar situation with bailiffs some years ago and I told them and the policeman who they brought along with them ' I know I am going to get nicked but one of you is going to feel this baseball bat on your ear, you decide between yourselvers who it is going to be' they left and said they would be back, which was exactly what I wanted 1 hour grace.

 

[Steveapps71]

I remember getting clamped a couple of years ago outside the flat i was renting in brighton in ny parking spot which was unbelievable in itself....but when the clampers turned & the clamping company was called "ETHICAL CLAMPING" & it was signwritten all over their van......oh the irony of it.......didnt know whether to laugh or cry handing over something ridiculus like £125.00 !!

 

[Pinkie Brown]

No Clamper can imobilise your vehicle unless they hold an SIA certificate. If they don't hold that certificate, call the police. They're breaking the law.

Its perfectly legal to remove a clamp if you don't technically damage it. Another anomoly is to angle grind the thing off but give your details to the clamping company first. That way, the cops can't charge you with criminal damage should the clampers go whining to the police. It becomes a civil matter if the clamping company have your details. Rather like if you don't pay for a meal in a restaurant - If you do a bunk, you'll get nicked, but if you tell the restaurant owner you can't pay, its up to him/her to take civil action to recover the monnies owed. Few clamping companies will go down that route. It could get legally 'messy' for them especially when the question of who actually cut the clamp off becomes 'clouded'

If you have the time & patience, you can often sit it out with the clampers. They can't tow your vehicle legally whilst the engine is running or there's people in the vehicle. Bluff them & you'll often find they'll heavilly discount the fee asked. Time is money for them especially when they can be extracting money elsewhere.

Clamping is nothing more than semi legal extortion run by shady characters. One only has to witness the misleading parking spaces & poorly positioned signs in East Wharf at Lewes which is a private road for a few metres. Its nothing to do with parking control whatsoever.

Hopefully come the end of the year, the whole practise of towing & clamping will be illegal anyway.

 

[TKC]

If you don't like it, don't park illegally.

 

[moggy]

if you can remove a clamp without damaging it they cant do anything, it can be done if you know what you doing

This is 100% correct
It's far cheaper to call out a locksmith for £30-40 and get the lock picked. Then no damage

 

[Muzzy]

This is 100% correct
It's far cheaper to call out a locksmith for £30-40 and get the lock picked. Then no damage

But, would a locksmith be prepared to do this?

 

[BensGrandad]

So what exactly is the course of action if clamped by one of the cowboy firms. I am currently fighting a parking ticket for my future daughter in law, which I am very confident I shall eventually win but what could I hve done had she been clamped by this firn rather than been issued a ticket

 

[moggy]

But, would a locksmith be prepared to do this?

I've done it when I was a locksmith, it's not illegal so I'm sure some locksmiths will do it

 

[Westdene Seagull]

So what exactly is the course of action if clamped by one of the cowboy firms. I am currently fighting a parking ticket for my future daughter in law, which I am very confident I shall eventually win but what could I hve done had she been clamped by this firn rather than been issued a ticket

Personally, if I ever get clamped, I will cut it off and send a new padlock to the clamping company in the post. While I run the risk of a criminal damage charge most PPCs are run by criminals and don't want to do court just in case it's shown how illegal their practices are.

If it's a private parking ticket just ignore all the demands - they go away eventually.

 

[BensGrandad]

Personally, if I ever get clamped, I will cut it off and send a new padlock to the clamping company in the post.

That is great in theory but how many people carry a pair of bolt cutters with them everywhere in the boot of their car. Perhaps I could buy a small disc cutter that operates off of the battery to leave in the boot, and then go to anybody in distress.

 

[Gully]

Its perfectly legal to remove a clamp if you don't technically damage it. Another anomoly is to angle grind the thing off but give your details to the clamping company first.

How about phoning up the clamping company, giving them your details but telling them that someone who you don't know is taking an angle grinder to their clamp. There are so many people who hate clampers that it is not beyond the grounds of possibility that someone with a grudge might turn up and release you, playing the knight in shining armour. I doubt if they would pursue you for the actions of an "unknown" third party!

 

[Westdene Seagull]

That is great in theory but how many people carry a pair of bolt cutters with them everywhere in the boot of their car. Perhaps I could buy a small disc cutter that operates off of the battery to leave in the boot, and then go to anybody in distress.

Bolt cutters are much cheaper than a clamping fee and I have a set in my car already ! I don't purposely park on private ground when I'm not meant to but many places make sure their signage is difficult to see !

 

[BensGrandad]

In fact it is only the padlock that you have to remove/cut off. Dont know how much that takes in terms of cutting with a hacksaw etc.

That sounds a good idea Westdene Seagull, I can then be the knight in shining armour when called upon. Do they need to be a very strong pair?

 

[LockStock]

I did try to get the clamp off but didn't have the right tools, I have an angle grinder and would happily have cut it off but annoyingly had didn't have anywhere to plug it into. (the place we were visiting said they didn't want to get involved) I just can't believe this is legal still. What they effectively done was trap me there with a child for over 2 and half hours. It was only privately owned property but that doesn't make it right, luckily I was in a position to pay but it must happen to people who are not. If it hadn't been for the fact I had the my child with me I would have just left the car and come back with the right tools to remove it. I just find it a shame that the idiot who clamped the car seemed to get pleasure out of doing it. utter scum bag, is really do hope karma comes back round to bite him.

 

[LockStock]

In fact it is only the padlock that you have to remove/cut off. Dont know how much that takes in terms of cutting with a hacksaw etc.

I did try with a hacksaw but blade wouldn't bite onto the metal, with an angle grinder 2 mins work .

 

[BensGrandad]

I have an adaptor in my car that I use that converts the cig lighter to 240v and after reading the last post wonder whether it would power a small electric angle grinder.

 

[User removed 4]

I did try to get the clamp off but didn't have the right tools, I have an angle grinder and would happily have cut it off but annoyingly had didn't have anywhere to plug it into. (the place we were visiting said they didn't want to get involved) I just can't believe this is legal still. What they effectively done was trap me there with a child for over 2 and half hours. It was only privately owned property but that doesn't make it right, luckily I was in a position to pay but it must happen to people who are not. If it hadn't been for the fact I had the my child with me I would have just left the car and come back with the right tools to remove it. I just find it a shame that the idiot who clamped the car seemed to get pleasure out of doing it. utter scum bag, is really do hope karma comes back round to bite him.

I would have planted one of my size 10's straight in his nuts, seriously.

 

[southwickseagull]

They shoot horses dont they?

 

[moggy]

In fact it is only the padlock that you have to remove/cut off. Dont know how much that takes in terms of cutting with a hacksaw etc.

I did try with a hacksaw but blade wouldn't bite onto the metal, with an angle grinder 2 mins work .

LOL - using a hacksaw on hardened steel........very funny

 

[BensGrandad]

The bit about trying a hacksaw was not added by me but by Lock Stock. I wouldnt bother, but am seriously considering a grinder if my cig lighter adaptor will power it.