Reply to: Councils urged to stop clamping

[pisces]

Will only mean more money on everyone's council tax bill.

I'd rather they carried on collecting it from ignorant drivers who park in the wrong places.

[Sysman]

No disrespect but, how can it be perfectly safe if there was a single yellow line? Unless you have serious mobility difficulties shouldn't you have found a disables space?

Admittedly councils do seem to be spreading yellow lines about a bit now but they normally have a reason.

I think you are either being naive or haven't experienced "the joys" of an anti-car Labour council.

[vetran]

Fairy - nuff

[C5/6]

Unless you have serious mobility difficulties shouldn't you have found a disables space?

Which I do.

But the regulations say with a blue badge you can park on a single yellow as long as you're outwith any loading restrictions. Ie if ok for a delivery van to stop it's ok for gimps and cripples. I think many people on this board will be familiar with the concept of using the regulations to our advantage as much as possible.

Anyway I think in this case there was a short length of yellow line separating the residents permit holders parking for the pay and display section.

[vetran]

No disrespect but, how can it be perfectly safe if there was a single yellow line? Unless you have serious mobility difficulties shouldn't you have found a disables space?

Admittedly councils do seem to be spreading yellow lines about a bit now but they normally have a reason.

[C5/6]

Could be worse, you could live in Scotland

They've banded clamping in Scotland, so they just tow your car instead. They will tow you if you're incorrectly parked at all, not just if its dangerous/blocking the road as is the popular myth.

I got towed about 6 months ago for parking in a perfectly safe place on a single yellow line, which would have been totally legal had I remembered to display my blue disabled badge. Was gone about a hour and a half, and so was the car when I got back. Couldn't get the medication I'd left in the car until I'd managed to locate it and pay out £105 + £30 for parking ticket + cost of cab to pound.

Somehow, don't think punishment fits the crime.

Stuart

[Diver]

Never been clamped

I always park legally and have no sympathy with those that don't.

People that get clamped for parking illegally and then whinge about it should be dragged through the street's behind one of the delivery trucks that can't deliver because some inconsiderate Ahole has parked illegally.
Just as an example to the other Aholes of course

[vetran]

They get paid

About 50% of fines aren't paid, if they clamp you then you have to pay!

Simple solution, make private firms responsible for compensation if they clamp / fine illegally then set the ambulance chasing lawyers on them. Certain companies would be bankrupt in weeks. Others would get decent photographic evidence to support any fine / clamp.

Just see it now the advert - a cold snowy day in dangerous part of town, druggies shooting up, yobs on mopeds and pan to a little old lady's mobility scooter parked in a disabled spot with a massive clamp and the voice over in an American accent.

Have you been clamped and you weren't at fault? call Dodgy Lawyers inc on 0800 Get Cash - for an immediate payout.


If you want to raise cash then its a civil problem and the firms should be open to civil cases.

[Mailman]

Maybe they should introduce a tax to combat clamping?

Mailman

[richard-af]

Apart from the fact that its legalised extortion AND you cant contest the clamping until AFTER you have already forked out nearly £200 to get your car unclamped!

Cause then you had those a88holes who would clamp anything and everything regardless of how long a car had been stationary (including clamping those bloody funeral cars on the way to a funaral and then laughing about it when confronted).

Mailman

Yes, commonplace abuses of the system like that are so unfair. My bum!

[Mailman]

Apart from the fact that its legalised extortion AND you cant contest the clamping until AFTER you have already forked out nearly £200 to get your car unclamped!

Cause then you had those a88holes who would clamp anything and everything regardless of how long a car had been stationary (including clamping those bloody funeral cars on the way to a funaral and then laughing about it when confronted).

Mailman

[richard-af]

What exactly does clamping achieve that a parking ticket doesn't? Other than causing even more traffic problems and/or inconvenience for others while the owner wait for the clamp to be removed. Plus of course the council gets £100 extra...

It's a bigger pain in the arse, so makes you think twice next time.

Come on! Keep up at the back!

[realityhack]

They should only use clamps and removals on foreign cars

He's CD!

BURN HIM!!

[Ardesco]

I thought that wheel clamps were what bolt cutters were invented for...

Don't you mean diamond tipped drill bits

[swamp]

Eh? If a car's legally eligible for clamping, then er, it's eligible for clamping. Clamp the f---ers.

What exactly does clamping achieve that a parking ticket doesn't? Other than causing even more traffic problems and/or inconvenience for others while the owner wait for the clamp to be removed. Plus of course the council gets £100 extra...