There's your clamp back

07734

i'm just wondering hypothetically, how would one physically cut off a clamp? in theory, would something like this http://www.handyhardware.ie/product/27479/914H-Arm-Adjusted-High-Tensile-Bolt-Cutter
be enough to cut the chain used? cordless angle griders are pretty expensive, cheaper to just pay the clamper.

FearDark

I've cut a clamp off my car before and threw it in the boot. Never heard a word about it.

Mossess

FearDark wrote: »

I've cut a clamp off my car before and threw it in the boot. Never heard a word about it.

what did you use to cut it off?

FearDark

Mossess wrote: »

what did you use to cut it off?

A lot of hacksaw blades. This particular one had a weak spot, the only problem was that I had to saw it from underneath the car and I couldn't get much of a stroke with the blade on it so it took a fair while to cut off. I was clamped in a "residential zone" in Cork City, It was just a housing estate where I was doing some work at the time. Absolutely no bloody way I was paying 90 euro I think at the time.

Mossess

FearDark, are we talking an hour or 5?

Mint Sauce

The thing I dont get about these clamps is, if they are used say in a restricted area, causing an obstuction, or parked in a permit area, if you refuse to pay, the space remains blocked and lost revenue, until (i) you give in and pay, or (ii) they give up and remove the clamp, as they have none left and they try and extort money of someone else.

166man

dahamsta wrote: »

Is that the actual law? If so, it's not just authority, it's "lawful" authority, and I guess the question is whether UCD has the right to grant that.

Yeah, the " reasonable cause" is the important part here. If its private property, then the owner of that property can do with it what he wished including allowing clamping.

If theres a sign up clearly saying its private property and that clamping was in operation you are consenting to this by being on the property.

Mossess

irish-stew wrote: »

The thing I dont get about these clamps is, if they are used say in a restricted area, causing an obstuction, or parked in a permit area, if you refuse to pay, the space remains blocked and lost revenue, until (i) you give in and pay, or (ii) they give up and remove the clamp, as they have none left and they try and extort money of someone else.

Do they not tow the car away? Although if it's from private property isn't that just theft?

GavMan

166man wrote: »

Yeah, the " reasonable cause" is the important part here. If its private property, then the owner of that property can do with it what he wished including allowing clamping.

If theres a sign up clearly saying its private property and that clamping was in operation you are consenting to this by being on the property.

While UCD or Apartment complexes may well be private property, Ultimately they would probably be considered public rights of way. Thus management probably don't have the right to interfere with your car.

All very untested though

Cienciano

irish-stew wrote: »

The thing I dont get about these clamps is, if they are used say in a restricted area, causing an obstuction, or parked in a permit area, if you refuse to pay, the space remains blocked and lost revenue, until (i) you give in and pay, or (ii) they give up and remove the clamp, as they have none left and they try and extort money of someone else.

I wondered the same. Remember an ambulance was parked in an ambulance bay in the airport and it was clamped. The airport police's reasoning was that it was a private ambulance for emergencies. What better way to free up the emergency space than clamping the ambulance!

ambro25

07734 wrote: »

i'm just wondering hypothetically, how would one physically cut off a clamp?

I used to rep these around the UK in the late 90s, to emergency services and potential clients with special cutting applications. I once demo'ed it to East Midlands airport resident fire brigrade, had to cut up a whole (Mk1) Micra on the apron with the 'big' one (2747) in my suit and tie...took about 20 mins

Cut a couple of private clamps with the 'baby' one (950E, 110V model with a 12V car adapter) around that time.

Excepted the time to take it out of the boot and wire it up, the actual cut took less than 5 seconds (twin contra-rotating carbide-tipped HSS blades, no recoil)...and that's only because I was being extra-careful not to damage the wheel or saw blades (it was literally like a white-hot scalpel knife going through partially-molten butter, it would have gone through the alloy wheel and/or tyre even faster)

Don't know how and where you'd go about finding one of these today (not even sure if German FeuerWehr still uses them at all), as I've been out of the cutting tool industry for too long now...but worth tracking one down, but the sound of this thread.

166man

GavMan wrote: »

While UCD or Apartment complexes may well be private property, Ultimately they would probably be considered public rights of way. Thus management probably don't have the right to interfere with your car.

All very untested though

Not if they are enclosed by gates which are closed for a certain amount of time each day which UCD certainly is and as most Apartment complexes are.

If it's private property and they make it clear clamping operates (i.e the reasonable cause), there's not much wrong with private clamping as I see it. I have been looking into this topic since I was clamped in UCD back in September/October.

Crann na Beatha

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