Clamped!

username123

Its slightly off topic, but related.

My father in law parked in the carpark of a park/castle recently and when he came back to the car it wasnt clamped but there were huge stickers on it saying he was fined 40 euro for not paying for parking. He wasnt aware you had to pay for it and when he went looking for signage he found a sign that was obscured by a bush, you would only have seen it if you approached from one direction.

He has 21 days to pay or they increase the extortion to 60 euro. Ive told him to tell them he will pay the original parking fee and nothing else. I cant believe they would be allowed extort higher and higher amounts. I might add he is barely surviving financially. He is a do-goodery type though and wants to pay to avoid further hassle.

senordingdong

guttenberg wrote: »

Yup, clamp all the wheels yourself so they can't attach theirs;)

Haha thought about that but it would be quite time consuming.

Tallon

username123 wrote: »

Its slightly off topic, but related.

My father in law parked in the carpark of a park/castle recently and when he came back to the car it wasnt clamped but there were huge stickers on it saying he was fined 40 euro for not paying for parking. He wasnt aware you had to pay for it and when he went looking for signage he found a sign that was obscured by a bush, you would only have seen it if you approached from one direction.

He has 21 days to pay or they increase the extortion to 60 euro. Ive told him to tell them he will pay the original parking fee and nothing else. I cant believe they would be allowed extort higher and higher amounts. I might add he is barely surviving financially. He is a do-goodery type though and wants to pay to avoid further hassle.

Wait, when did this happen? Is the car still there?

senordingdong

Who is fining him?

username123

Tallon wrote: »

Wait, when did this happen? Is the car still there?

No, the car was not immobilised, just stickered and notification of a fine.

senordingdong wrote: »

Who is fining him?

Good question, he never said, it was the grounds of Rathfarnham Castle so if anyone else knows?

Tallon

username123 wrote: »

No, the car was not immobilised, just stickered and notification of a fine.

Find out who it was, if it was a private company, ignore the sticker, and don't pay the fine

username123

Tallon wrote: »

Find out who it was, if it was a private company, ignore the sticker, and don't pay the fine

Yes, thats more or less what Ive said about it. Ill find out who it was and report back.

Bigcheeze

Tallon wrote: »

Find out who it was, if it was a private company, ignore the sticker, and don't pay the fine

It may be a private company operating on behalf of the council. It should be pretty clear from the notice placed on the car.

40 rising to 60 after 21 days sounds like a council fine.

username123

Bigcheeze wrote: »

It may be a private company operating on behalf of the council. It should be pretty clear from the notice placed on the car.

40 rising to 60 after 21 days sounds like a council fine.

Yeah it could be.

If it was the council, would there be any point in appealing and going there and photographing the obscured signage?

As Ive said, my fil is a do-goodery type, he didnt pay parking because he genuinely didnt know he had to. And he didnt know because the signage wasnt visible to him.

senordingdong

If they're working for the council they may have a leg to stand on.
But the 'one sign behind a bush' thing owuld be good grounds for an appeal.

antodeco

"damn all these local youths! Removing stickers from cars, so by the time I get back, the sticker is gone, and I just didnt know it was there in the first place"

/cough

Tallon

username123 wrote: »

Yeah it could be.

If it was the council, would there be any point in appealing and going there and photographing the obscured signage?

As Ive said, my fil is a do-goodery type, he didnt pay parking because he genuinely didnt know he had to. And he didnt know because the signage wasnt visible to him.

If it was the council, then take pictures now, and appeal it. You may get somewhere

If it was a private company, acting alone, do what I said above

Our man in Havana

If it is a private company they will have no access to your name and address so it will be completely safe to ignore.

senordingdong

Any update on this? Did you find out if this was a public or private crowd?

username123

senordingdong wrote: »

Any update on this? Did you find out if this was a public or private crowd?

I havent found out yet, he has had house guests so havent been talking to him properly.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Our man in Havana

They wouldn't.

Only specified public bodies can access the DVF in Shannon.

Crann na Beatha

This post has been deleted.

Our man in Havana

Agents don't get access, only the authorized body.

I have experience in the trade and that's how it works.

username123

Apologies for the delay, finally an update!

Its South Dublin County Council, its pay and display parking.

My fil still maintains that the sign was obscured. Ive checked their website and I dont see any way to appeal?

senordingdong

I don't understand, surely if it was the council, there would have been logos etc... on this sticker/sign?

slimjimmc

senordingdong wrote: »

I don't understand, surely if it was the council, there would have been logos etc... on this sticker/sign?

There probably are but it's my understanding that username123 was merely reporting what he had been told by his FIL and hadn't actually seen the sticker or sign first hand.

username123

slimjimmc wrote: »

There probably are but it's my understanding that username123 was merely reporting what he had been told by his FIL and hadn't actually seen the sticker or sign first hand.

I havent seen anything first hand but intend to go and photograph the scene of the crime tomorrow!

I also havent seen the fine notice, when I asked my fil to read it to me over the phone he said he hadnt got his glasses but could make out it was SDCC.

There is always a chance that there is a huge visible sign that he didnt notice though - but on the chance that its worth appealing Ill go down with the camera.

libertine21

So i was clamped by NCPS at an irish rail station on monday morning. Two pay machines out of order, third one I tried accepted payment but didnt give me a ticket. Has happened before and i have emailed/rang ncps to inform them. On this occasion I didnt get a chance to call until the afternoon - informed that car was already clamped.

Have been in touch by phone three times, only response is 'Pay and appeal process'. Sent two emails outlining my case and received no response, despite being promised on the phone management would take up the matter. Tempted to cut it off but there's CCTV everywhere, so I figure they have a good case for criminal damage.

Basically my case is that I cannot be clamped if a reasonably accessible facility to pay / facility to prove payment is not available. Im still refusing to pay the 120 and the car is still clamped. I've heard how unfair the appeals process is so I figure if I pay them I'm never getting it back.

Any advice?

Atlantic Dawn

libertine21 wrote: »

Any advice?

Option A - Cut if off
Option B - Pay the €120 release fee and wait for many months for the outcome of a one sided appeal.

I'd go with A even if I had to use sandpaper to gradually file the lock down over the winter months .

libertine21

libertine21 wrote: »

Basically my case is that I cannot be clamped if a reasonably accessible facility to pay / facility to prove payment is not available. Im still refusing to pay the 120 and the car is still clamped. I've heard how unfair the appeals process is so I figure if I pay them I'm never getting it back.

Any advice?

Where is the car park? Might be some members in your area who may be able to help.

As said above cut it off. You'll be able to rent a consaw for €30. Get a friend to go down cut off the clamp, take it with them, then you arrive at car and drive away.

Problem solved

fartman

got clamped this morning with another 10 cars ,all cars done in 10mins..god its easy money for them scumbags.

libertine21

Id rather not say where it is since the car is sitting there idle overnight.

Yeh i figured i cudnt just cut it and then drive off with the cctv, but do it at night and then just turn up the next morning and collect it. In court it couldnt be proven it was me who damaged it.... but i dont really want it to get that far.

I was very close to paying today but I just can't give these scumbags my money! I've argued my way out of three previous clampings by NCPS - i had a legitimate case each time.

libertine21

fartman wrote: »

got clamped this morning with another 10 cars ,all cars done in 10mins..god its easy money for them scumbags.

how its allowed to go on is baffling. another daisy - its 20 quid to appeal to an 'independent' panel. 20 more if they need to get back to you for more info. cowboys

Atlantic Dawn

libertine21 wrote: »

Id rather not say where it is since the car is sitting there idle overnight.

Yeh i figured i cudnt just cut it and then drive off with the cctv, but do it at night and then just turn up the next morning and collect it. In court it couldnt be proven it was me who damaged it.... but i dont really want it to get that far.

I was very close to paying today but I just can't give these scumbags my money! I've argued my way out of three previous clampings by NCPS - i had a legitimate case each time.

It will never go to court as if it does your solicitor will quote the part of the road traffic act dealing with interferring with the movements of a car to which the private clamping company will be guilty of and their entire business in Ireland will fall overnight as a result. Private clamping companies don't ever want to go to court in this country as it risks their entire business, one lost clamp is nothing to them.