Clampers Arrested (in UK unfortunatly!)

stealthyspeeder

This is what we need over here!!
I wanna see NCP brought down!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8154061.stm

Run_to_da_hills

They should have been arrested a few years for clamping a lifeline ambulance at Dublin Airport.

--Kaiser--

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

They should have been arrested a few years for clamping a lifeline ambulance at Dublin Airport.

Or shot

biko

Seems it was this company:

Clamped and Over Charged - case of 'phantom tow truck' - National Parking Control
Hello. I was clamped 12 days ago for parking on a privately owned carpark in a quiet back road close to Birmingham town center.

There were signs everywhere to be honest but i thought I'd take a chance as there were a few others parked there. The signs stated there would be a £125 charge for releasing from a clamp, and £200 more if towed away.

I parked at 10am , I got back after shopping at 3pm, I had been clamped.
I rang the number, and I felt under pressure to pay as quickly as possible as they said the lorry was on the way to tow me. The real kicker was that the gorilla on the end of the phone said "Now listen i've got something important to tell you, unfortuantley boss, the lorry was called out 40 minutes ago and to cancel it is gonna cost you £100 on top of the £125."
I told him I knew it was rubbish and he was just trying to get more money out of me. He replied, " if it was all about money then we would have just towed your car away!" I told them to cancel the lorry, and legged it for 20 minutes to get the money from the closest cash point.

I tried arguing with the money collector who was waiting in his little van when i got back. Obviously he claimed he had no way of changing the price. He told me the land was owned by the council and National Parking Control were hired out by them.

Now i suppose £125 is OK as you are warned all over the place, but there is no mention of the £100 charge for calling out the 'phantom tow lorry'. Where do i stand on this?

My car was towed away last night in Birmingham from Sherlock Street, next to Oyster Suite/2nd City Suite. We had been to a wedding reception having had a wonderful night just to be greeted by 2 gorillia's, my car was towed away and they were busy clamping the next one. Anyway to cut a long story short the company who took our car call them selves National Parking Control (who have nothing to do with the legitimate National Parking Control company who only issues parking tickets). We pleaded with them to return our car and they said we had to pay £375.00 in cash which we agreed to but they still did not return our car now getting on to 11.30/12 midnight but told us we had to return the next day to pick it up. We had to catch a Taxi home which cost us £45.00. The police did not want to get involved. We were told to go back the next day to the same place where my car was towed and they would bring the it back. We arrived at Sherlock St and called them several times and they made us wait for 2 1/2 hours and same 2 gorilla's turnd up in a small white Van - Reg VK02 LWP. We had to pay them £375.00 IN CASH (I was given a receipt and asked the guy to print his name but he wouldn't - I checked his SIA and name on it was G Southall) We than followed them just round the corner to Moseley Street/Barford Street in a poxy car park (sign on top of wall was Moseley Street Cafe) not even a proper compound. If we had driven around we could have easily found the car ourselves. Doggy NPC is owned by Gary Southall his already been taken to court and failed to turn up. His so called registered office is at 67/27 Colmore Row, Birmingham B3 2EW Tel: 0787 174 3232. Engineers License No. 0230001606461804. Next time your car gets towed by a doggy company - drive around area you might just find it!!!!BTW the £375.00 charges broken down Fee charged release of Clamp £125.00 (remember my card was towed), Fee charged for removal £200.00, fee charged for storage £50.00 (I was willing to pay the same day to get my car back but they wouldn't so they could charge me £50.00 storage charges b******s. I also found Nationwide Parking Control - address same Colmore Row and Tel: 0870 0118938 (G Southall said this number was their Compliants Dept) so same Company.

http://www.consumeractiongroup.co.uk/forum/parking-traffic-offences/124336-clamped-over-charged-national.html

Run_to_da_hills

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

They should have been arrested a few years for clamping a lifeline ambulance at Dublin Airport.

The father of a sick child was clamped in Galway a few years back outside a doctors surgery and they wouldnt remove the clamp despite the father needing to rush the child to the hospital. The father had no money etc on him so in the end a guard had to pay to have the clamp removed(I think):eek: as they wouldnt remove it when he asked them. There was uproar in galway about this.

markpb

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

They should have been arrested a few years for clamping a lifeline ambulance at Dublin Airport.

Did you find out what really happened or did you just read the Sun headline? The van was parked in the emergency bay at the airport for half an hour breaking the normal operating procedure for ambulances there. The airport staff were quite correct in their handling of the situation but the papers didn't report that, preferring to suggest the evil clampers were at work again.

There's a huge chip on the collective shoulder of posters here against clampers. Let me give you the alternative side. My apartment complex are forced to pay over €3,000 a year for clamping because people park on footpaths, on corners, on blind corners, on double yellow lines, on kerb dishes (so disabled people couldn't get off the footpath), in emergency access routes and in clearly marked fire zones. After three years of clamping, they're still catching 20 people a month in an estate with 300 cars which means people aren't getting the message.

Of course there are some dodgy clampers out there but the majority have a crummy job cleaning up the mess that a small number of ignorant drivers make for others.

EPM

--Kaiser-- wrote: »

Or shot

Way too quick for my liking:D

Slow and painful is the way to go

Run_to_da_hills

markpb wrote: »

Did you find out what really happened or did you just read the Sun headline? The van was parked in the emergency bay at the airport for half an hour breaking the normal operating procedure for ambulances there. The airport staff were quite correct in their handling of the situation but the papers didn't report that, preferring to suggest the evil clampers were at work again.

There's a huge chip on the collective shoulder of posters here against clampers. Let me give you the alternative side. My apartment complex are forced to pay over €3,000 a year for clamping because people park on footpaths, on corners, on blind corners, on double yellow lines, on kerb dishes (so disabled people couldn't get off the footpath), in emergency access routes and in clearly marked fire zones. After three years of clamping, they're still catching 20 people a month in an estate with 300 cars which means people aren't getting the message.

Of course there are some dodgy clampers out there but the majority have a crummy job cleaning up the mess that a small number of ignorant drivers make for others.

It was in the mainstream media.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/4268353.stm


Dosn't matter If this thing was parked sideways YOU DON'T CLAMP AMBULANCES. What would have happened if someone got a heart attack or got knocked down outside the terminal building and that ambulance was in the vacinity but couldn't move because some bird brain clamped it?

"I parked at 10am , I got back after shopping at 3pm, I had been clamped.
I rang the number, and I felt under pressure to pay as quickly as possible as they said the lorry was on the way to tow me. The real kicker was that the gorilla on the end of the phone said "Now listen i've got something important to tell you, unfortuantley boss, the lorry was called out 40 minutes ago and to cancel it is gonna cost you £100 on top of the £125.".

I never knew that these guys would get involved in the clamping business.

markpb

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Dosn't matter YOU DON'T CLAMP AMBULANCES. What would have happened if someone got a heart attack or got knocked down outside the terminal building and that ambulance was in the vacinity but couldn't move because some bird brain clamped it?

The ambulance was a passenger transit van, not a regular ambulance. If someone had a heart attack, a normal, well-equipped ambulance would be called from Beaumont. And when they got there, they'd find their emergency access point blocked by a van because the driver had gone to lunch while waiting for an incoming flight.

Run_to_da_hills

markpb wrote: »

The ambulance was a passenger transit van, not a regular ambulance. If someone had a heart attack, a normal, well-equipped ambulance would be called from Beaumont. And when they got there, they'd find their emergency access point blocked by a van because the driver had gone to lunch while waiting for an incoming flight.

It Didn't matter, it still had a "lifeline ambulance" logo on the side of it and it wasn't a normal passenger transit van, it had ramps, straps etc to cater for wheelchair patients and a trained driver / medical staff that could deal with emergency situations.If they were so concerned about this blocking the parkway why couldn't they summons these guys over the intercom or tow the van to the side. The DAA were wrong and have since apologized over this incident.

Guy:Incognito

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

It Didn't matter, it still had a "lifeline ambulance" logo on the side of it and it wasn't a normal passenger transit van, it had wheelchair ramps, straps and a trained driver / medical staff that could deal with emergency situations

Well those trained syaff should be able to park legally.

You can argue all you want but the livery doesnt mean its a proper ambulance in the sense yoiur making out.

It was a van for picking up disabled people not an emergency resonse ambulance prevented from rushing to the schene of an accident.

The story was a dream for people to get outraged about but theres little to it.

Run_to_da_hills

Stekelly wrote: »

Well those trained syaff should be able to park legally.

You can argue all you want but the livery doesnt mean its a proper ambulance in the sense yoiur making out.

It was a van for picking up disabled people not an emergency resonse ambulance prevented from rushing to the schene of an accident.

The story was a dream for people to get outraged about but theres little to it.

A parking ticket/fine would have been sufficient, they could have then fought their case in court and not have the inconvenience of being immobalised. (BTW that vehicle would have been registered to Lifeline as an ambulance)

Clamping the vehicle did NOTHING to free up the clear way that the vehicle was initially blocking and instead only drew the attention of bad press that this incident deserved.

Guy:Incognito

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

A parking ticket/fine would have been sufficient, they could have then fought their case in court and not have the inconvenience of being immobalised. (BTW that vehicle would have been registered to Lifeline as an ambulance)

Clamping the vehicle did NOTHING to free up the clear way that the vehicle was initially blocking and instead only drew the attention of bad press that this incident deserved.

The rules are there that they clamp. Whether its right or worng its the rules the DAA ( I assume) choose and while using their facilities, we follow their rules. Just like if I'm in your house I follow your rules, not just do whatever the hell I like.

The drivers knew the rules but most likely figured that since they had the word ambulance on their van they could chuck it where they choose for as long as they liek cos no one would dar etouch it. It's attitudes like that that have roads, paths etc blocked all ove rthe country every day.

markpb

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Clamping the vehicle did NOTHING to free up the clear way that the vehicle was initially blocking and instead only drew the attention of bad press that this incident deserved.

You're right, clamping isn't a decent solution but the law doesn't afford land owners any other alternative. Fining isn't allowed and might not enforced by a court. Removal isn't allowed except by local authorities. Personally I'd much prefer to pick up a car and move it to a safe, unobstructive location but that's not allowed so in the meantime, a giant yellow lock gets put on the wheel and the owner is inconvenienced (in both time and money) to teach them a lesson.

Run_to_da_hills

Stekelly wrote: »

The rules are there that they clamp. Whether its right or worng its the rules the DAA.

Nevertheless they were at fault in this case and had to make an apology to Lifeline over this very serious incident.

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CWU/is_2005_Feb_16/ai_n10017081/

astrofool

Stekelly wrote: »

The rules are there that they clamp. Whether its right or worng its the rules the DAA ( I assume) choose and while using their facilities, we follow their rules. Just like if I'm in your house I follow your rules, not just do whatever the hell I like.

The drivers knew the rules but most likely figured that since they had the word ambulance on their van they could chuck it where they choose for as long as they liek cos no one would dar etouch it. It's attitudes like that that have roads, paths etc blocked all ove rthe country every day.

To be fair, it's attitudes like RTDH that keeps people in their basement lined with tinfoil, and thankfully far away from the roads and paths of the country.

markpb

Run_to_da_hills wrote: »

Nevertheless they were at fault in this case and had to make an apology to Lifeline over this very serious incident.

Perhaps DAA decided they didn't care and issued the apology to make it go away? In this article, they say they did nothing wrong and would review their procedure - presumably the airport policy now ask ambulance drivers if they're there for an emergency or just lunch and divert them accordingly.

ceannair06

Anyone notice that this whine starts with "to be honest there were signs everywhere but I thought I'd take a chance".

TOUGH!

You took a chance and lost!

Wtf is it with motorists ? You pay road tax to use the road, not to abuse parking etc. Get real!

Dartz

That lesson being... Carry an angle grinder in the boot...

cashmni1

markpb wrote: »

Did you find out what really happened or did you just read the Sun headline? The van was parked in the emergency bay at the airport for half an hour breaking the normal operating procedure for ambulances there. The airport staff were quite correct in their handling of the situation but the papers didn't report that, preferring to suggest the evil clampers were at work again.

There's a huge chip on the collective shoulder of posters here against clampers. Let me give you the alternative side. My apartment complex are forced to pay over €3,000 a year for clamping because people park on footpaths, on corners, on blind corners, on double yellow lines, on kerb dishes (so disabled people couldn't get off the footpath), in emergency access routes and in clearly marked fire zones. After three years of clamping, they're still catching 20 people a month in an estate with 300 cars which means people aren't getting the message.

Of course there are some dodgy clampers out there but the majority have a crummy job cleaning up the mess that a small number of ignorant drivers make for others.

"huge chip....." I wonder why.
Fair enough, on footpaths, blocking emergency exits and blind corners (double yellow lines) - I agree, clamping is an expensive lesson for the offender.
However, when a car is legally parked in a car space and the disk runs out, why should the car be clamped then? Why not a ticket. This, you will find, is the real reason why people (like me) hate clampers.
I have been clamped when a disk expired on Lapps Quay in Cork. One of many many many instances that take place all over the city an an all to regular basis. I'm sure its the same in Dublin and elcewhere.
So please don't tell us how great the clamping idea is.
I aslo live in an apartment complex and realise the importance of clear foothpaths and exits.

benj

Clampers = scum of the earth

Our man in Havana

I agree 100%.

I will cut off any clamp I find attached to my cars.

dlofnep

Is clamping even legal? Do you legally have to pay to have them removed?

Our man in Havana

Council yes. Private is very debatable. Consensus is that private clamping is totally illegal.

Sponge Bob

Kinsley Petite Trademark wrote: »

There was uproar in galway about this.

In fact they stopped clamping after that save on the private land in the docks .

Quint

markpb wrote: »

Did you find out what really happened or did you just read the Sun headline? The van was parked in the emergency bay at the airport for half an hour breaking the normal operating procedure for ambulances there. The airport staff were quite correct in their handling of the situation but the papers didn't report that, preferring to suggest the evil clampers were at work again.

There's a huge chip on the collective shoulder of posters here against clampers. Let me give you the alternative side. My apartment complex are forced to pay over €3,000 a year for clamping because people park on footpaths, on corners, on blind corners, on double yellow lines, on kerb dishes (so disabled people couldn't get off the footpath), in emergency access routes and in clearly marked fire zones. After three years of clamping, they're still catching 20 people a month in an estate with 300 cars which means people aren't getting the message.

Of course there are some dodgy clampers out there but the majority have a crummy job cleaning up the mess that a small number of ignorant drivers make for others.

So what better way to clear the emergency area or dangerous bends people are parking on than clamp the offending vehicles.:rolleyes:

Stekelly wrote: »

The rules are there that they clamp. Whether its right or worng its the rules the DAA ( I assume) choose and while using their facilities, we follow their rules. Just like if I'm in your house I follow your rules, not just do whatever the hell I like.

In fairness, that's total rubbish. Every rule should be followed to the letter of the law just because it's a "rule" and someone wrote it down? I'm not saying everyone should break every rule/law, but the guys enforcing them should use some cop on and discretion. If the guards had your attitude the country would be a miserable place

Lord Nikon

Clamping people while parked legally is just wrong, ie: ticket expires.

If a car is parked in a yellow box, or on double yellow lines, fair game to be towed, but not clamped.

Clamping itself contradicts the very thing it tries to enforce.