Airside daylight robbery

TherapyBoy

No one is “on the side of the carpark”, but it’s their land so they set the rules.

If they allowed parking for everyone except those driving red or green Peugeots then kicking up cos they clamped a green Peugeot doesn’t make any sense.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119157544#Comment_119157544

If someone beeps you in the 10-15 seconds it takes to read the sign, they have bigger problems on their hands. Let them sit there and wait, it’s not going to kill them. You on the other hand are entering a private car park with a visible clamping sign (much more visible the sign with the specific rules). What do you value more - your time and money or some dick behind you with a patience problem.

kennethsmyth

Simple enough to tell clampers your car has been interfered with by them and if clamp is not removed you will be lifting car (if you have friends) and charging for clamp storage. Or just remove clamp, they cannot do anything if you don't damage clamp. Also the cctv is not run by the clampers.

Del2005

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119158493#Comment_119158493

They have legal authority to clamp so they can do something. Who owns the CCTV is irrelevant as they will have to hand it over to the Gardai.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119158493#Comment_119158493

If you’re going to be an armchair lawyer, you need to read the applicable laws:

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/vehicle-clamping-regulation/

http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2015/act/13/enacted/en/html

https://www.nationaltransport.ie/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/Vehicle_Clamping__Signage_Regulations_2017.pdf

JayRoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119158493#Comment_119158493

Let me guess, if the gardai come, you tell them that you read on the internet that they have to call you by your name As Gaeilge while making the arrest or else they can't put the handcuffs on?

Honestly, where do people come up with this shite

Strumms

To be honest… only Gardai or local councils should be of the ability to clamp cars….

private business shouldn’t be of the ability to disable a person’s vehicle…

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159796#Comment_119159796

Don’t park where you’re not supposed to so.

jippo nolan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159764#Comment_119159764

And make sure they have there caps on, otherwise it’s an illegal arrest!

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119157802#Comment_119157802

The entire point of the thread has gone over your head. No one is disputing that it is private property and that the owners can set the 'rules'. But, if the owners were really interested in preventing parking in their property after hours, they'd simply install a barrier. Would you leave the front door of your house wide open if you valued your privacy?

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159866#Comment_119159866

The point of the thread has gone over your head too 😛 The OP was clamped at 6:10 for leaving the car park while it was still open. The car park is there for the shops, not the gym. The OP wasn’t a customer of the shops so they were clamped. Overzealous, yes? Related to the opening hours of car park, no.

Mr.Crinklewood

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160104#Comment_119160104

Have the internal signs ( and the big one in the way in ) been removed?.

Wishbone Ash

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119160104#Comment_119160104

Point taken - I thought the OP was clamped after the car park closed. Apologies.

Spook_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119156567#Comment_119156567

Actually afaik there is only one word on the signs you need to read and be alert to

APCOA

A horrible jobsworth company, but they have set the rules, so make sure you read and abide by them.

shesty

I don't understand this.

It's an enormous carpark.Never full.I know they clamp to stop people parking for buses and the airport and that, but they must have been sitting and watching you OP, to go and do that.Bizarre.

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159796#Comment_119159796

agreed and those employed to do the clamping should be direct employees of the council.

all of this would save a hell of a lot of money and issues.

AndrewJRenko

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119165127#Comment_119165127

So how will private businesses deal with those who abuse car park rules?

end of the road

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119166218#Comment_119166218

barriers.

markpb

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119166442#Comment_119166442

How does a barrier stop people parking there and leaving to spend their money elsewhere? The car park isn’t there to make money or support a charity - it’s built and maintained so that people will shop there.

horse7

So,does shopping there mean (a) you walk into a shop,. (b) you make a purchase in a shop (c) you browse in a shop , the list goes on?

Hellrazer

Lidl /Aldi cordless angle grinder kept in the boot fully charged - Just dont cut off a county council clamp or a clamp of an operator assigned by a county council.

All other agencies / private operators are fair game though in my opinion. You can be charged with criminal damage to the clamp so either bring it with you and dispose of it or bring it with you, replace the chain and then return it to the operator fully working.

Where I work theres one clamping lad that decided to clamp 10 of our customers and staff cars about a year ago - we had an agreement with them as our boss owned the car park and it was rented out to another company - this lad was a new employee and wasnt fully aware of the agreement we had.

Anyway we cut them off with the angle grinder and threw them into out metal waste bin. He comes back and asks for the clamps back which we did after explaining we had an agreement - he goes out and clamps the same cars again with the clamps we gave back to him - we cut them off again. He comes in and asks for the clamps back - this time not a hope and we denied even having them this time.

At one stage we had 40 in the skip.

He took pictures of all the cars, I think he even had a picture of us removing them. Nothing done about it. Threatens us with Garda etc and says he`ll keep coming back and clamping the cars - My exact words were - "youll run out of clamps before I run out of angle grinder discs" - havent seen him since and the local garda said they dont get involved in private clamping company disputes unless there is a complaint of criminal damage to the clamp .

BTW Its the same company that clamps at the airport mcdonalds as far as I know and Id have no hesitation cutting one of them off either. Same in Airside - they have no real recourse if you cut one off as long as you dont damage the clamp or are found to have stolen it.

Even Micks garage have a blog about cutting clamps off.

The practice has even been outlawed in the UK now and they were worse than here for shady operators and its time it was outlawed here aswell.

Muahahaha

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119165073#Comment_119165073

Id say its not that bizarre, clamping companies are naturally profit seeking and the clampers themselves are on bonus payments by how many cars they clamp. Showing up to somewhere like Airside at 6.10pm when all the shops shutters are down and finding cars to clamp would be like shooting fish in a barrel. Id say every day at 6pm there are at least five or six people who make the same mistake the OP did so at 125 a clamp its an easy 625 or 750 quid every evening after 6pm. As money goes thats probably as easy as it gets for them, its certainly a lot easier than cruising apartment car parks at 3 in the morning looking for a needle in a haystack so they can clamp it.

kennethsmyth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159764#Comment_119159764

Nope, I may have embellished a little but you if you can remove the clamp without damaging it the matter is civil only and they must go to court to obtain the cost of clamping or their amount they say is due.

kennethsmyth

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119159862#Comment_119159862

Nope never went that far, keep stretching what I said to the point that you circle back. When all you have is to try and discredit the person instead of the sentence you have lost. At least aim at what was said not the person.

JayRoc

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119168971#Comment_119168971

I was referring to the earlier part of your post (the bit about telling the clampers they have "interfered with" your car and wanting to charge them for clamp storage)... freeman type daftness.

Spook_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119167502#Comment_119167502

Not regarding the parking you described where you had some kind of permission but regarding the OP, unauthorised removal of a clamp is likely to next time, see the vehicle relocated to another location as per NTA regulations, good luck getting the car from Gannons or similar without paying.

Hellrazer

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119176875#Comment_119176875

So what you are implying is that the next time you are parked in the wrong (could be in any car park in the country operated by the same company) - rather than get clamped as per the NTA rules your car could be relocated without being clamped first because there was "supposedly" a clamp removed from your vehicle previously. They would have to have a lot of proof that you removed it. And I highly doubt that would stand up in court - the NTA rules dont allow for that procedure anywhere in their guidelines.

With regards to our situation the operator did say he was relocating the vehicles if he saw them there again. I pointed out that he would have to clamp them first and then wait the required period of non payment before he could relocate them. Nothing ever happened because he knew "someone" would just remove them again.

The rules regarding relocation state that relocation can only take place if the vehicle is either causing an obstruction to traffic or property or the release fee hasnt been paid within the time period set out by the operator.

Theres nothing to suggest that it can be relocated without clamping unless it is causing an obstruction - that would be classed as a retaliatory action and Im sure any company using this tactic would find themselves in trouble with the licencing authority if it could be proven to have happened. Id like to see that one tested in court.

Spook_ie

I'm implying nothing that you can't read for yourself in the link to the SI that regulates clamping and clamping companies.

Trawler1954

I think you should stop at the entrance

Cause absolute mayhem at the entrances while you read the signs

Maybe wait for about 5 minuntes

Until complete chaos reigns and hope someone calls the Gardai to have you removed cause you are causing a delay

or really protecting your backside cause you are parking there

Spook_ie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119177303#Comment_119177303

Think you must have missed this then

(b) Where a vehicle is wrongfully parked in a non-statutory clamping place due to a breach or breaches of the terms and conditions or restrictions or prohibitions applicable to parking in the non-statutory clamping place concerned, other than such terms, conditions, restrictions or prohibitions falling within paragraph (a):

(i) a clamp may be fixed to the vehicle,

(ii) the vehicle may be relocated, or

(iii) both, as the case may be

AND

(e)(i) Where a vehicle is wrongfully parked or unlawfully parked in a clamping place solely due to a failure by the owner or person in charge of the vehicle to pay the relevant parking fee, such vehicle may not be relocated from the place where it is parked until the expiry of twenty four (24) hours from the time the wrongful or unlawful parking was detected, except where:

(A) within the previous twelve months, the vehicle had been clamped and that clamp was removed without authorisation; or

(B) a member of An Garda Síochána has requested a parking controller to relocate the vehicle.

From https://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/421/made/en/print#