Clamped in Merrion Square !

MarinoMark

I parked in Merrion Sq today, fed the meter etc. I got delayed and got back to the car 25 mins after the time expired....CLAMPED !
On closer inspection I noticed the (lovely man!) had not clicked the lock on the clamp shut. I took off the evil clamp,put it in my boot and drove away. I know they take photos etc but can I be done ? I will deny everything and the clamp is in a skip in D2 ! Comments Welcome...Mark

kudos

dingding

You should have clamped a clampers van with it next time they are illegally parked on a coffee break lol

Scraggs

wow ur a lucky fecker
MarinoMark- 1
ClampingCnuts- 0

Litcagral

MarinoMark wrote:

I parked in Merrion Sq today, fed the meter etc. I got delayed and got back to the car 25 mins after the time expired....CLAMPED !
On closer inspection I noticed the (lovely man!) had not clicked the lock on the clamp shut. I took off the evil clamp,put it in my boot and drove away. I know they take photos etc but can I be done ? I will deny everything and the clamp is in a skip in D2 ! Comments Welcome...Mark

There's not much point denying everything when they have photographic evidence. It's not a case of "your word against their's". When your car is clamped the operative also transmits your vehicle's make, model, registration, reason for clamping, time meter expired, time car clamped, code number of clamp etc. to his HQ via radio. If I were you, I would retrive that clamp pretty quickly from that skip or you may be charged with theft/ criminal damage as well as the clamping fee. It may not happen but I would have it ready just to be on the safe side.

cormie

Give you a tenner for the clamp;) :D

eth0_

Theft AND evading a parking fine.

Really, really smart. You do realise they take several photos of the vehicle and they report the reg number to someone back at their office?

dingding

Keep the clamp, everytime you park, clamp yourself. They will leave you alone

MarinoMark

cormie wrote:

Give you a tenner for the clamp;) :D

Done ! !

Savman

Don't do a thing. Let them chase you and if they do plead ignorance ("what clamp?").

Gob****es:D

Litcagral

Savman wrote:

Don't do a thing. Let them chase you and if they do plead ignorance ("what clamp?").

Gob****es:D

Ignorance is not accepted as a defence in our legal system.

MarinoMark

eth0_ wrote:

Theft AND evading a parking fine.

Really, really smart. You do realise they take several photos of the vehicle and they report the reg number to someone back at their office?

Really ! And exactly what would you have done ? I know we live in (p) correct times but come on ! Would you (hand on heart) have rang Ba****ds inc and given your cc number and waited maybe an hour for them to come and remove the (unlocked) clamp while they smiled at you ? Perhaps you are a better citizen than me ! I feel absolutley NO remorse ! Mark

dingding

Would they be bothered following it up ???

MarinoMark

dingding wrote:

Keep the clamp, everytime you park, clamp yourself. They will leave you alone

Brilliant !!! Whatever your salary is....Its not enough !

alleepally

Well done MarinoMark you did the right thing and don't let anyone else tell you different. You went overtime a little, its not a crime. The crime is clamping. And the suggestion to keep the clamp is superb. Someone should go into the business of making fake clamps and selling them.

dingding

MarinoMark wrote:

Brilliant !!! Whatever your salary is....Its not enough !

Wish you were my boss

Litcagral

dingding wrote:

Keep the clamp, everytime you park, clamp yourself. They will leave you alone

No, they will clamp another wheel. A car which is already clamped will stick out like a sore thumb to an experienced clamper. (What about the windscreen stickers?)

dingding

Litcagral wrote:

Ignorance is not accepted as a defence in our legal system.

Politicians have been using that one for years

cormie

What a great idea!! Ok, you said the deal was done, I'll take it for a tenner so, no more parking charges, just hop out of the car, get the clamp and the clampers wont even check the car, thieves wont attempt to rob it either. Brilliant:D

dingding

cormie wrote:

What a great idea!! Ok, you said the deal was done, I'll take it for a tenner so, no more parking charges, just hop out of the car, get the clamp and the clampers wont even check the car, thieves wont attempt to rob it either. Brilliant:D

speaking about thieves, reminds me of a joke where a man had a doberman in his car to stop it been stolen till a gurrier asked him if the dog could put out a fire.

How much for a smoke damaged clamp

dingding

Litcagral wrote:

No, they will clamp another wheel. A car which is already clamped will stick out like a sore thumb to an experienced clamper. (What about the windscreen stickers?)

You just need another 3 clamps €30 at current prices

Litcagral

dingding wrote:

You just need another 3 clamps €30 at current prices

LOL :):):):)

eth0_

MarinoMark wrote:

Really ! And exactly what would you have done ?
I feel absolutley NO remorse ! Mark

Well i'm actually able to use my watch and realise "Oh sh*t, I need to get back to my car before my on street parking runs out!" on the rare occasion that I use on-street parking.

I would also be slightly worried about the fact that i'll have to make a court appearance having illegally removed a clamp from my car and evaded a parking fine, and stolen a clamp belonging to Dublin city council or a company working on their behalf.

You did realise that they have a photo of your car and your reg number BEFORE you threw the clamp in the boot and drove off, right? :rolleyes:

MarinoMark

eth0_ wrote:

Well i'm actually able to use my watch and realise "Oh sh*t, I need to get back to my car before my on street parking runs out!" on the rare occasion that I use on-street parking.

I would also be slightly worried about the fact that i'll have to make a court appearance having illegally removed a clamp from my car and evaded a parking fine, and stolen a clamp belonging to Dublin city council or a company working on their behalf.

You did realise that they have a photo of your car and your reg number BEFORE you threw the clamp in the boot and drove off, right? :rolleyes:

Yes ! And the clamp is now in a skip ! I hope I can post from "the joy"
Anyone selling a tin cup ? :eek: :mad:

Devon

Another legal minefield. If the lock on the clamp was not securely fastened, then they cannot legally charge you a removal fee.

That's what I vow to spend a portion of my Euromillions on - dragging the government all the way to Brussels to end clamping in this country once and for all.

All it takes is 1 person with enough to bring a test case like the guy in Finland and bye bye clamps forever.

senordingdong

Don't mind these people telling you that you broke the law.

Does it really count as removing the clamp if they didn't lock it properly?

Someone should look up the legislation for clamping, from what I knoe it's downright illeagal in some parts of Britian, but still happens as no-one knows it's illeagal.

cormie

You could just say you found a piece of metal beside your car and as the good citezen you are decided to put it in the nearest skip. You also recycled pieces of paper you found attached to your window;)

Jerry, what happened in Finland?

dingding

cormie wrote:

You could just say you found a piece of metal beside your car and as the good citezen you are decided to put it in the nearest skip. You also recycled pieces of paper you found attached to your window;)

Respect

Binomate

Brilliant. I hope who ever didn't clamp the car right loses his job over this as well.

Guy:Incognito

Binomate wrote:

Brilliant. I hope who ever didn't clamp the car right loses his job over this as well.

I hope you make a mistake in your job and get fired.

jerryadams wrote:

Another legal minefield. If the lock on the clamp was not securely fastened, then they cannot legally charge you a removal fee.

They're the ones with all the evidence. They have pictures of the clamp on the car, The op cannot provide evidence that he was legally parked at the time, or that the clamp wasnt secured.

Binomate

Hahaha! Another loop hole, I'm unemployed! :v:

Guy:Incognito

Binomate wrote:

Hahaha! Another loop hole, I'm unemployed! :v:

Well I hope the government stops giving out scrounger allownce so.

Lump

eth0_ wrote:

Theft AND evading a parking fine.

Really, really smart. You do realise they take several photos of the vehicle and they report the reg number to someone back at their office?

It's not his fault they didn't lock the clamp. Although it was stupid for you to take it with you. Drop it back to where you were clamped.... If they come looking for you, say it wasn't locked and that you left it where it was.

John

morlan

Deny everything. You came back to your car and there was no clamp. Easy.

If there's CCTV evidence you're fecked.

Guy:Incognito

morlan wrote:

Deny everything. You came back to your car and there was no clamp. Easy.

If there's CCTV evidence you're fecked.

Theres photographic evidence that it was on his car, they take it for a reason.

dingding

The photographic evidence shows the clamp on the car not how it was removed.

Would "some skanger must have robbed the clamp" be a suitable defence

Binomate

Stekelly wrote:

Well I hope the government stops giving out scrounger allownce so.

What makes you think im getting welfare? I'm naturally rich. :v:

morlan

Stekelly wrote:

Theres photographic evidence that it was on his car, they take it for a reason.

Duh, but no photographic or video evidence that is was removed (I hope).

senordingdong

The fact that it is no longer on the car, and not damaged should show that.

mad m

Nah I'd actually do as lump suggested,bring back clamp and leave it where car was.Say you went back to car and clamp was off it.Or better still bring it back to DCC clamping offices and say clamp was not on car when you got back to car.

Oh I dont know,just let us know how you got on.:)

stevenmu

One guy was charged for criminal damage before after taking an angle grinder to a clamp, another was charged for the same thing after after trying to break it off by driving backwards and forwards, the fact that his car took much more damage than the clamp made little difference.

The point is, in taking the clamp you have effectivly commited an act of theft, I hope they don't track you down and charge you for it, but there's a good chance they will

Guy:Incognito

stevenmu wrote:

The point is, in taking the clamp you have effectivly commited an act of theft, I hope they don't track you down and charge you for it, but there's a good chance they will

It woulndt take sherlock holmes to find him seeing as they have a pic of his car and all his details logged.

Binomate wrote:

What makes you think im getting welfare? I'm naturally rich. :v:

well I hope cab totally unjustly take all your wealth/assests and you never get them back, then be forced to get a job, from which you are unfairly sacked and fail in your bid for compensation.
I can do this all night you know.

Subliminal

Brilliant, weither you are cought or not, fair play to you, i would have done the same thing given the chance. Was under 2 minutes late getting back to my car a few months ago, and it was clamped. Wish it had been loose, i would have whipped it off too. I suggest you go back and get the clamp, wait until you see an empty clampers van, and put the clamp on it!!!!

Litcagral

stevenmu wrote:

One guy was charged for criminal damage before after taking an angle grinder to a clamp, another was charged for the same thing after after trying to break it off by driving backwards and forwards, the fact that his car took much more damage than the clamp made little difference.

The point is, in taking the clamp you have effectivly commited an act of theft, I hope they don't track you down and charge you for it, but there's a good chance they will

From "Irish Independent"

---

Judge has 'sneaking regard' for the clamped


A MOTORIST who enlisted the help of a friend in an attempt to remove a wheel clamp has earned the 'sneaking regard' of a judge.

Pat Roche of Carrowbrowne, Galway said he was reluctantly pleading guilty to causing criminal damage to the clamp. He said he and his friend, Michael Curran of Spiddal were a bit too foolish to try to remove the clamp.

Galway District Court heard that gardai discovered the men crouched at the front of Roche's vehicle at a private car park in Forster Street, Galway last November. A wrench and a wheel brace were lying on the ground.

The clamp had been damaged and the clamping company was claiming €440.

Judge John Garavan said he would have to have some sneaking regard for people in such a dilemma. He said Roche was more culpable and fined him €200 with €440 compensation. He fined Curran €200.

---

AFAIK even though the OP stated that the clamp was not locked, one is not allowed to interfere with it in any way.

Binomate

Stekelly wrote:

well I hope cab totally unjustly take all your wealth/assests and you never get them back, then be forced to get a job, from which you are unfairly sacked and fail in your bid for compensation.
I can do this all night you know.

I'd hardly call that fair. I'd be losing all my riches, my precious jewls, my many houses etc. Then I'd be loosing all my income and there is no chance for me getting it back! This fell on the other hand is only losing his job!:( He can get it back if not another higer paying job.

padser

Stekelly wrote:

They're the ones with all the evidence. They have pictures of the clamp on the car, The op cannot provide evidence that he was legally parked at the time, or that the clamp wasnt secured.

Luckily for us we live in a legal system that doesnt require us to provide any evidence we are innocent of something we are assused of. IMO you are going to be stuck with the parking fine, no question about that. However there is no evidence at all that the clampers have, to show that you removed the clamp or stole it. Plead ignorance and they havnt a leg to stand on.

Guy:Incognito

padser wrote:

Luckily for us we live in a legal system that doesnt require us to provide any evidence we are innocent of something we are assused of. .

No but it requires us to disprove evidence that shows us to be breaking the law. The clampers have such evidence.

Litcagral

padser wrote:

Luckily for us we live in a legal system that doesnt require us to provide any evidence we are innocent of something we are assused of. IMO you are going to be stuck with the parking fine, no question about that. However there is no evidence at all that the clampers have, to show that you removed the clamp or stole it. Plead ignorance and they havnt a leg to stand on.

The fine could be issued to the registered owner of the vehicle (just like the penalty points). "plead ignorance" ?? perjury is a much more serious offence!

Savman

I absolutely despise clampers and most people I've encountered who work for clamping companies are generally very disagreeable human beings (scathing generalisation, check...)

Do not even consider returning this clamp, the spas forgot to lock it to your car, need I say more?!?!

Let's say they take a pic of your car with you inside, you'd *probably* then be in a position to get them on invasion of privacy...

I'm not so sure they'll come chasing, remember they don't know exactly what happened it'd take them a few days before they realised and it would be very hard for them to prove you did anything illegal with their clamp.

My view, screw 'em

faceman

dingding wrote:

Keep the clamp, everytime you park, clamp yourself. They will leave you alone

actually believe it or not a doctor in the UK did this. he was brought the court and the judge found him not guilty as the clamp (he had made it himself) was not breach of copyright nor had he done anything technically illegal.

as for OP keeping the clamp go for it. Just say it wasnt on the car when u got to it. Its not like u have a key to open it...

let us know how u get on.

padser

Stekelly wrote:

No but it requires us to disprove evidence that shows us to be breaking the law. The clampers have such evidence.

No it doesnt require us to disprove evidence that shows us breaking the law, it requires someone asserting that we broke the law to prove that we did beyond reasonable doubt. In this instance the only evidence he broke the law is the fact that the car which was 'clamped' is no longer clamped. This does not prove he broke the law. At most its cirumstancial evidence, and pretty weak even at that. There are a host of other ways the clamp could have been taken off the car. Eg it wasnt fixxed on properly and passing kids took it etc etc.

Litcagral wrote:

The fine could be issued to the registered owner of the vehicle (just like the penalty points). "plead ignorance" ?? perjury is a much more serious offence!.

Im sorry maybe i wasnt clear on my 'plead ignorance' comment. I meant that if you say the clamp was not on the car when you came back there is no way (unless there were camera's or witnesses that come forward) for the clamping company to prove you tampered with, or removed the clamp