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Car clamped (machine broken)

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  • 20-05-2014 1:52pm
    #1
    Doyler92
    Registered Users Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭


    Hi all.

    I'm just wondering if anybody knows where I stand on this situation.

    My car was immobilised roughly one hour ago in an APCOA car park.
    The location was Deanstown in Blanchardstown Village (behind the Vineyard Pub)
    I had parked the car and went to the P&D machine only for it to be out of order.
    When I returned to the car which was now clamped the attendant said there was another machine which I could of used although this machine was covered with a van and could not be seen.
    I then had to get cash in order for it to be released.

    So basically machine out of order, other machine couldn't be seen, less sympathetic clamping attendant. I have taken a photo of the out of order machine and my receipt as proof.

    Thanks for your help.
    Tagged:


Comments

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    #2
    Kenny Logins
    Registered Users Posts: 9,060 ✭✭✭Kenny Logins


    Appeal and they'll reject it. That's how it goes.


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    #3
    Cuddlesworth
    Registered Users Posts: 13,984 ✭✭✭✭Cuddlesworth


    Yep, you are appealing with the same company who clamped you. Of course they are not going to return the money. Learn your lesson and in future keep a bolt cutter in the back of the car.


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    #4
    GarIT
    Registered Users Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    Doyler92 wrote: »
    I had parked the car and went to the P&D machine only for it to be out of order.
    When I returned to the car which was now clamped the attendant said there was another machine which I could of used although this machine was covered with a van and could not be seen.

    So you were clamped in the time it takes to go to the ticket machine and walk back?

    Or did you park without paying because the machine was broken? If the machine was broken you shouldn't have parked there, just because the machine is broken doesn't mean you can park in a private car park for free.


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    #5
    Kenny Logins
    Registered Users Posts: 9,060 ✭✭✭Kenny Logins


    GarIT wrote: »
    So you were clamped in the time it takes to go to the ticket machine and walk back?

    Or did you park without paying because the machine was broken? If the machine was broken you shouldn't have parked there, just because the machine is broken doesn't mean you can park in a private car park for free.

    Yes. You should leave some coins under the wiper.


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    #6
    Doyler92
    Registered Users Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭Doyler92


    GarIT wrote: »
    So you were clamped in the time it takes to go to the ticket machine and walk back?

    Or did you park without paying because the machine was broken? If the machine was broken you shouldn't have parked there, just because the machine is broken doesn't mean you can park in a private car park for free.

    I parked there without paying due to the machine not working.

    Why should I have to park elsewhere when it is not my fault that their machine is broken?

    If they don't want anybody parking there as the machine is out of order should they not have the use of a gate to secure closed?

    Although I'm going to be slightly biased, I think I still got unfairly clamped.


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    #7
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    Doyler92 wrote: »
    Why should I have to park elsewhere when it is not my fault that their machine is broken?

    Because when you chance it you risk getting clamped...

    If in doubt, just park somewhere else. The likes of NCPS and ACPOA do not operate on the principles of democratic fairness.


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    #8
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    there is only one appeal that works, it seems, appealing to someone to lend you some bolt cutters.

    It's a course of action for the brave and I'm not at all sure I'd do it, but people come on here all the time who say they have done it and never have I heard of anyone going to Court for it.


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    #9
    wildlifeboy
    Registered Users Posts: 1,170 ✭✭✭wildlifeboy


    why didnt you park 20 metres away beside the church where its free..lol


  • Options
    #10
    Doyler92
    Registered Users Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭Doyler92


    corktina wrote: »
    there is only one appeal that works, it seems, appealing to someone to lend you some bolt cutters.

    It's a course of action for the brave and I'm not at all sure I'd do it, but people come on here all the time who say they have done it and never have I heard of anyone going to Court for it.

    It was a thought but I wouldn't be brave enough either.

    I'm nearly sure the law is that you can take it off and leave it in the place it was once it is not damaged, but it's a hell of a lot worse if you damage it because it's then criminal damage.


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    #11
    Doyler92
    Registered Users Posts: 2,664 ✭✭✭Doyler92


    wildlifeboy wrote: »
    why didnt you park 20 metres away beside the church where its free..lol

    I wasn't even thinking about this as I always pay and display in this same car park.


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    #12
    Rynox45
    Closed Accounts Posts: 98 ✭✭Rynox45


    Unfortunately I don't have any advice for you but I can tell you that a few years ago we had our car clamped outside our house, as did our neighbour's (The driveways in our estate are not standardized so some can hold 3 cars whereas other hold none).
    I'm not sure if it was at the time but now the parking is managed by APCOA.

    Our neighbour came to us with an angle grinder after cutting his own clamp off and took ours off too. The company never followed up on it and we still have the clamp in our house.

    On another note, anyone want to buy a clamp? :p


  • Options
    #13
    Dia1988
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,252 ✭✭✭Dia1988


    Here is what to do to get revenge!

    By 4 wheel clamps in Argos and keep the receipts and packaging.
    Becareful when opening and using the wheel clamps as you will return these at a later date.

    Park in said car park and put your wheel clamps on each of your 4 wheels.
    Do not buy a ticket.

    FREE PARKING !!


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    #14
    Mossy!
    Registered Users Posts: 13 ✭Mossy!


    Not sure about private car park but I live in Dublin and DCC clampers will not clamp if the machine is broken. I seen them checking the machine outside my house several times when it was broken and just drove off..

    I wouldn't pay it.. but that's me.. I don't know how far they would take it if you removed it yourself.


  • Options
    #15
    BreadnBuddha
    Closed Accounts Posts: 3,311 ✭✭✭BreadnBuddha


    Dia1988 wrote: »
    Here is what to do to get revenge!

    By 4 wheel clamps in Argos and keep the receipts and packaging.
    Becareful when opening and using the wheel clamps as you will return these at a later date.

    Park in said car park and put your wheel clamps on each of your 4 wheels.
    Do not buy a ticket.

    FREE PARKING !!

    3-facepalm-jesi.jpg

    Yeah.... Argos. Epic. Revenge is a dish best served..... meh.

    Oh look. An ice cream van.


  • Options
    #16
    corktina
    Closed Accounts Posts: 17,733 ✭✭✭✭corktina


    Rynox45 wrote: »
    Unfortunately I don't have any advice for you but I can tell you that a few years ago we had our car clamped outside our house, as did our neighbour's (The driveways in our estate are not standardized so some can hold 3 cars whereas other hold none).
    I'm not sure if it was at the time but now the parking is managed by APCOA.

    Our neighbour came to us with an angle grinder after cutting his own clamp off and took ours off too. The company never followed up on it and we still have the clamp in our house.

    On another note, anyone want to buy a clamp? :p

    That sounds like a public road where they would be clamping on behalf of the Council. Very foolish to take off the clamps in this case


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    #17
    GarIT
    Registered Users Posts: 8,671 ✭✭✭GarIT


    Doyler92 wrote: »
    I parked there without paying due to the machine not working.

    Why should I have to park elsewhere when it is not my fault that their machine is broken?

    If they don't want anybody parking there as the machine is out of order should they not have the use of a gate to secure closed?

    Although I'm going to be slightly biased, I think I still got unfairly clamped.

    If you are in a shop and there is nobody at the till do you just take your stuff and leave? You hadn't purchased permission to park therefore you can't park. It doesn't matter why you couldn't buy a ticket, you just couldn't. Those clampers certainly aren't a great bunch of lads or anything, but they were 100% right in this case.


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    #18
    Owryan
    Closed Accounts Posts: 4,024 ✭✭✭Owryan


    Doyler92 wrote: »
    I wasn't even thinking about this as I always pay and display in this same car park.

    And yet you didnt know there was a second ticket machine ?


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    #19
    the culture of deference
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 2,196 ✭✭✭the culture of deference


    Tell them you put the money in the machine and it took your money.

    It did not issue a ticket.
    You went to the shops to get more change and when you got back to the machine someone had just put an out of order sign on it.
    Then you saw the parking att was clamping you.


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    #20
    djimi
    Registered Users Posts: 13,237 ✭✭✭✭djimi


    GarIT wrote: »
    If you are in a shop and there is nobody at the till do you just take your stuff and leave? You hadn't purchased permission to park therefore you can't park. It doesn't matter why you couldn't buy a ticket, you just couldn't. Those clampers certainly aren't a great bunch of lads or anything, but they were 100% right in this case.

    The machines in my local Tesco go out of action from time to time. Usually when this happens they will put a sign on the machines saying that parking is free. If I dont see this sign I dont park there...


  • Options
    #21
    bumper234
    Closed Accounts Posts: 10,250 ✭✭✭✭bumper234


    Go here

    http://www.arro.ie/Departments/DIY/Hand-Tools/Pliers--Croppers/Bolt-Croppers--Cable-Cutters.aspx

    Buy these

    http://www.arro.ie/Products/Bolt-Cutter-Centre-Cut-450mm-(18in)__OLY39018.aspx

    Put them here

    http://t0.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcSi9m2hXlBPYhUvSfEv8TCGOPf1won2Wj-wa_kPCwmr9Ad30p63FnDy1Htlmw

    No more

    http://t1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRqYvDThSRTXNlqEsQriARwFaWvCfUuDX1kFuu2tK1YgVXRhdLnkw1Bw70NjQ


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    #22
    ironclaw
    Registered Users Posts: 8,004 ✭✭✭ironclaw


    GarIT wrote: »
    If you are in a shop and there is nobody at the till do you just take your stuff and leave? You hadn't purchased permission to park therefore you can't park. It doesn't matter why you couldn't buy a ticket, you just couldn't. Those clampers certainly aren't a great bunch of lads or anything, but they were 100% right in this case.

    I'm with GarIT on this. You would need to show you made reasonable effort to pay the parking fee as advertised. If there are two machines, as there often are, you would have to prove both were out of order and therefore could not pay. I've often found a Council one out of order but I make damn sure I walk either end of the street before I walk away to check another machine. And if they are all out of order, I take a snap.

    Not defending the clampers, by all means cut it off, but the defence of one machine not working out of two is no defence at all.


  • Options
    #23
    Del2005
    Registered Users Posts: 18,984 ✭✭✭✭Del2005


    Doyler92 wrote: »
    Hi all.

    I'm just wondering if anybody knows where I stand on this situation.

    My car was immobilised roughly one hour ago in an APCOA car park.
    The location was Deanstown in Blanchardstown Village (behind the Vineyard Pub)
    I had parked the car and went to the P&D machine only for it to be out of order.
    When I returned to the car which was now clamped the attendant said there was another machine which I could of used although this machine was covered with a van and could not be seen.
    I then had to get cash in order for it to be released.

    So basically machine out of order, other machine couldn't be seen, less sympathetic clamping attendant. I have taken a photo of the out of order machine and my receipt as proof.

    Thanks for your help.

    If the machine is broken you contact the company and inform them. They will tell you about the 2nd machine or allow you park without paying. Just walking off isn't the solution.


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