Car clamped (machine broken)

Doyler92

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.

Kenny Logins

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

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

wildlifeboy

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

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.

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.

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?

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 !!

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.

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 !!

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

Oh look. An ice cream van.

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?

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

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.

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 ?

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.

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...

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

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.

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.