There's your clamp back

newkidonblock · 13-04-2011 12:01pm

k_mac wrote: »

If the clamper was in any way smart he would have just put a clamp on the other side while the guy was working.

Just out of curiosity, what do the anti-clampers think should replace the clamping system?

It is not anti clamping as much as the attitude of clamping companies.

No-one to answer the phone at night.

A voice mail that tells you they will return your call, but no-one does, nor do they tell you that the voice mail wont be picked up till Monday morning.

An operator who lies to you stating they have a license to clamp, and when challenged to produce evidence insists its on their web site even though it isnt, and then says they have applied for one...total lies.

No-one to explain what right they have to break the law, but you don't..

I would have no problem with licnesed clamping where a 24 hour phone service was provided for queries / complaints etc and an independent appeals process was in place with no input from the clamping company bar providing their evidence of why a vehicle was clamped.

An independent appeals process would have to be available 24/7 and could order the immediate removal of a clamp and award compsensation to persons wrongly clamped.

Stark · 13-04-2011 12:02pm

k_mac wrote: »

Your analogy is incomplete. Clamping isn't random. It would be more like you walking into a hotel and sleeping in one of their rooms and refusing to pay and then being handcuffed by their security.

Random clamping is quasi-legal in Ireland. I came out my front door one morning to find my car which was sitting in my privately owned driveway had a yellow boot on it and a note on the windscreen with a number to call saying €90 to release it. Immediately rang the Gardaí. Their response? "Well you must have done something wrong for your car to be clamped". The UK outlawed such thuggery. The sooner Ireland follows suit the better.

CarMuppet · 13-04-2011 12:03pm

Stark wrote: »

Random clamping is quasi-legal in Ireland. I came out my front door one morning to find my car which was sitting in my privately owned driveway had a yellow boot on it and a note on the windscreen with a number to call saying €90 to release it. Immediately rang the Gardaí. Their response? "Well you must have done something wrong for your car to be clamped". The UK outlawed such thuggery. The sooner Ireland follows suit the better.

That's crazy.. what happened afterwards? Did you have to pay or cut?

Stark · 13-04-2011 12:06pm

Had to pay as no angle grinder to hand and needed the car. No appeals process either.

CarMuppet · 13-04-2011 12:08pm

Stark wrote: »

Had to pay as no angle grinder to hand and needed the car. No appeals process either.

nasty stuff... sorry to hear that....

mgbgt1978 · 13-04-2011 1:02pm

Stark wrote: »

The UK outlawed such thuggery. The sooner Ireland follows suit the better.

Yes, the UK have outlawed a lot of private clamping. But most clamping will now be replaced with the "tow-and-impound" scam (sorry, system).
This is usually more expensive and operated by even worse scum.

Victor Meldrew · 13-04-2011 1:17pm

Stark wrote: »

Had to pay as no angle grinder to hand and needed the car. No appeals process either.

There has to be more to this? Parked in your own driveway?? were they paramilitaries using extortion?

What town do you live in? Did you contact a local representative?

Reloc8 · 13-04-2011 1:19pm

Stark wrote: »

Random clamping is quasi-legal in Ireland. I came out my front door one morning to find my car which was sitting in my privately owned driveway had a yellow boot on it and a note on the windscreen with a number to call saying €90 to release it. Immediately rang the Gardaí. Their response? "Well you must have done something wrong for your car to be clamped". The UK outlawed such thuggery. The sooner Ireland follows suit the better.

????

In your own driveway ???? And you told the gardai this and they wouldn't attend ?

Seriously...why didn't you get some name & id details from whoever released it at least ? Did you take and keep a picture of the clamped car in situ ?

Stark · 13-04-2011 1:24pm

Took pictures, got letter from landlord explaining ownership of the house and our right to park there. It was APCOA who clamped the car, they simply replied with "we received a phone call asking for the car to be clamped". There was a Senator from Galway on Oireachtas report the other week furious over a similar incident with the same company and demanding they be investigated but unfortunately the old Irish attitude of "sure it must be your fault" prevailed and he was shot down.

Grumpypants · 13-04-2011 1:27pm

Stark wrote: »

Random clamping is quasi-legal in Ireland. I came out my front door one morning to find my car which was sitting in my privately owned driveway had a yellow boot on it and a note on the windscreen with a number to call saying €90 to release it. Immediately rang the Gardaí. Their response? "Well you must have done something wrong for your car to be clamped". The UK outlawed such thuggery. The sooner Ireland follows suit the better.

If they left a clamp on your property you should issue them with a illegal dumping fine of €1500.

But i have a feeling there is more to the story.

Victor Meldrew · 13-04-2011 1:36pm

Stark wrote: »

It was APCOA who clamped the car, they simply replied with "we received a phone call asking for the car to be clamped".

Not buying this. http://www.apcoa.ie/ not a two bit operation of knuckle draggers...

Smelling shennigans here. Joe Duffy time, or small claims court. (cheap and satisfying)

Stark · 13-04-2011 1:45pm

Could have been a neighbour with a grudge maybe. If we had some sort of regulation and indepdent appeals process in this country, I could simply have sent in an appeal and have my money back. They admitted it was their **** up after I explained the situation but "you have to understand, we were told to clamp your car so we can't refund your money". Too late for Joe Duffy/small claims court now, that was over a year ago.

Victor Meldrew · 13-04-2011 2:09pm

Stark wrote: »

Could have been a neighbour with a grudge maybe. If we had some sort of regulation and indepdent appeals process in this country, I could simply have sent in an appeal and have my money back. They admitted it was their **** up after I explained the situation but "you have to understand, we were told to clamp your car so we can't refund your money". Too late for Joe Duffy/small claims court now, that was over a year ago.

I'd stir it a bit more...
Indigent letters to directors of the company are always worth a punt. CC the min for transport and a few people in Veoila (run the Luas, use APCOA for pay & display) that might not want the PR headache.

They will pay you to shut you up and you will have cost them a fortune in terms of Senior Managers time.

Viper_JB · 13-04-2011 3:38pm

Stark wrote: »

Could have been a neighbour with a grudge maybe. If we had some sort of regulation and indepdent appeals process in this country, I could simply have sent in an appeal and have my money back. They admitted it was their **** up after I explained the situation but "you have to understand, we were told to clamp your car so we can't refund your money". Too late for Joe Duffy/small claims court now, that was over a year ago.

If you want people to do something about this you could try ringing them up and see how many of your neighbours you can get clamped while they're parked in their own driveway, one sure fire way of getting your neighbours to possibly stop them from using them company.

MagicSean · 13-04-2011 3:42pm

Stark wrote: »

Random clamping is quasi-legal in Ireland. I came out my front door one morning to find my car which was sitting in my privately owned driveway had a yellow boot on it and a note on the windscreen with a number to call saying €90 to release it. Immediately rang the Gardaí. Their response? "Well you must have done something wrong for your car to be clamped". The UK outlawed such thuggery. The sooner Ireland follows suit the better.

That was a poor Garda response to be honest. If it was your privately owned property it should have been investigated, assuming that's the full story.

plonk · 13-04-2011 5:40pm

In my apartment block today there were two cars clamped for not being in correct spaces. This car park is behind secure gates and there was 40+ free spaces available as there always is.

Where do these people stand. Ridiculous IMO, was talking to one of the guys and it turned out he was visiting one of his mates who has a parking space that was free but some1 else was in it, so he parked in another space. Come 11am this morning and he was clamped.

Where does he stand. 100 euro to remove the clamp aswell where as the sign only says 80

johnos1984 · 13-04-2011 5:44pm

plonk wrote: »

Where does he stand. 100 euro to remove the clamp aswell where as the sign only says 80

Beside the car paying the clampers or beside the car cutting it off

Max Power1 · 13-04-2011 5:46pm

johnos1984 wrote: »

Beside the car not paying the clampers and instead cutting it off

fyp

plonk · 13-04-2011 5:57pm

The reason I'm asking is that I have mates over at times and they park inside the complex. Outside the complex is property of the docks so there is nowhere they can park for free.

As I said there are loads of free(unused) spaces. Is taking a clamp off without damaging in this situation legal and legally do they have to provide spaces for visitors.

hmmm · 13-04-2011 7:32pm

plonk wrote: »

In my apartment block today there were two cars clamped for not being in correct spaces. This car park is behind secure gates and there was 40+ free spaces available as there always is.

Where do these people stand. Ridiculous IMO, was talking to one of the guys and it turned out he was visiting one of his mates who has a parking space that was free but some1 else was in it, so he parked in another space. Come 11am this morning and he was clamped.

I often get people parking in my apartment space. Just because it is free at the time, and may often be free, does not mean I want people parking in it as they see fit.

plonk · 13-04-2011 7:52pm

hmmm wrote: »

I often get people parking in my apartment space. Just because it is free at the time, and may often be free, does not mean I want people parking in it as they see fit.

Thats why I'm asking, do they legally have to provide spaces for visitors. The nearest parking that isnt 24hr is a fair bit away.

Del2005 · 14-04-2011 8:26am

plonk wrote: »

Thats why I'm asking, do they legally have to provide spaces for visitors. The nearest parking that isnt 24hr is a fair bit away.

Legally all they have to provide is what's approved by the planning authority. Usually this is 1.5 parking places per unit, but in some city centre places it's less.

The fact that there's no alternative parking unfortunately isn't the developers problem, you should have done more research before moving in.

allanb49 · 09-02-2012 2:09pm

Friend of mine was going to work this morning,

At 5.45am her car was clamped,

She contacted her landlord got this response

Hi XXXX

Can you contact the clamping company and the mgn co.
You were present when they said that they would give you temp cover until the 27th and then Nadina would reissued the permit. I also asked should I give you the old permit to which he said no.

It's disgusting I have asked sue to contact them as well.

Kind Regards,

This was in Dundrum, getting fed up of these feckers

psychward · 09-02-2012 2:26pm

Del2005 wrote: »

I've nothing against clamping.

It's the cowboy intimidating thug clampers with no appeals process I object to.

When clearly signed and with a legitimate appeals process it unfortunately serves a purpose and can be quite easily avoided.

There is one clamping company which seems to be all over Dublin called NCPS
and which has been given control over for example city council, government and UCD parking spaces. The only way to contact them is through a premium number and their offices claim to be in Mount Street but they are actually not as they are in that location but extremely hard to find. Once you get there and ring their intercom they refuse to open the door or talk to you and direct you to their premium phone line. This seems extremely dodgy. Are all the clamping companies in Dublin just a big brown envelope back hander scam run by the Viper ?????

mgbgt1978 wrote: »

Yes, the UK have outlawed a lot of private clamping. But most clamping will now be replaced with the "tow-and-impound" scam (sorry, system).
This is usually more expensive and operated by even worse scum.

''Tow and impound'' ? You mean they kidnap your car and ask for a ransom ?
What if you have left e.g a pet behind inside ? Do they then break and enter your vehicle and provide the pet with humane treatment ?

allanb49 · 09-02-2012 3:04pm

NCPS is who she had this morning,

Pedro K · 09-02-2012 3:06pm

So because NCPS provide service for Dublin City Council, does that mean you can or can't remove their clamps without legal recourse?

bobDbuilder · 09-02-2012 3:13pm

If your van is clamped and as a result is left over night in that location and is then broken into, can you then claim off the clamping company for loss and damage?

psychward · 09-02-2012 3:23pm

Pedro K wrote: »

So because NCPS provide service for Dublin City Council, does that mean you can or can't remove their clamps without legal recourse?

I don't see any difference between NCPS and any other clamping company.

None of them are the public clamper who clamps cars on the main street. The private companies are concerned with land which has some private usage or private ownership structure.

smash · 09-02-2012 3:53pm

Next time you're clamped, cut it off and keep it. Tell them you want a €500 release fee to give it back.

ToxicPaddy · 09-02-2012 3:54pm

According to this article on clamping on Wikipedia, its illegal to wheel clamp on private property in Ireland

Link here

In Republic of Ireland, private clamping is illegal under Section 113 the Road Traffic Act 1961[12] as amended by the Road Traffic Act (Amendment) 1984[13][original research?]. However, it is still extremely common as the arcane language of these provision is beyond many.

Anyone know if this is true??

There's your clamp back

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