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Shakedown at Dublin airport, Circle-K / McDonald's

13567

Comments

  • #62
    Spook_ie
    Registered Users Posts: 10,896 ✭✭✭✭Spook_ie


    elperello wrote: »
    Of course it's reasonable that the business's can protect their parking which is the bedrock of their commercial operation.
    However the OP did use a shop and had the intention of using a second one.

    He was ambushed, plain and simple.

    Not provable given the information so far, that's why the NTA regulations give the legal backing to a 10 minute grace period.


  • #63
    Nobelium
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭Nobelium


    It's just another form of physical extortion.

    In Scotland wheel clamping is illegal.

    When they tried bringing in wheel clamping in Paris, the French public got rid of it pretty quickly.
    - Whenever people saw a clamped car, they Superglued the clamping locks, so the clamping company also had to cut the clamps off themselves - Making clamping economically nonviable. You have to admire the French for standing up against petty extortion attempts.

    Also a mate when seeing his car was clamped, just calmly went off and hired a battery angle grinder and removed it himself, though technically this is "damaging" their property and you can be done for it if caught in the act.

    Overall the French solution is the best one.


  • #64
    JeffKenna
    Registered Users Posts: 4,507 ✭✭✭JeffKenna


    quad_red wrote: »
    Sonny noggs wrote: »
    What about the scratch cards? Did you get them? Any winners?

    A fiver actually :cool:

    So I'm only down 120 euro.

    Yeah :(
    You probably paid two euro for the scratch card so it's really 122 your down.


  • #65
    IAMAMORON
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    I am struggling with the entire story tbh. Sorry. I don't believe that McD's have sniper clampers hanging around the airport of a Saturday afternoon. It sounds like it is either a complete fabrication or the Op chanced dumping his car there for his weekend trip away.

    McD's would clamp if they assumed someone was taking the piss. Out of interest Op, who did you pay the € 125 to ? Did you get a receipt?


  • #66
    Sonny noggs
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,523 ✭✭✭Sonny noggs


    Nobelium wrote: »
    It's just another form of physical extortion.

    In Scotland wheel clamping is illegal.

    When they tried bringing in wheel clamping in Paris, the French public got rid of it pretty quickly.
    - Whenever people saw a clamped car, they Superglued the clamping locks, so the clamping company also had to cut the clamps off themselves - Making clamping economically nonviable. You have to admire the French for standing up against petty extortion attempts.

    Also a mate when seeing his car was clamped, just calmly went off and hired a battery angle grinder and removed it himself, though technically this is "damaging" their property and you can be done for it if caught in the act.

    Overall the French solution is the best one.

    The reality is that 98% of the time, the car owner deserves to be clamped because they can’t follow simple instructions or are too tight to pay. Zero sympathy. This case is in the 2% even if the clampers are technically right to clamp.

    McDonalds and the clampers are doing this because taxi drivers are using their parking as overflow. The taxi drivers misusing the car parking forced McDonalds to be this strict.

    Any smart arse who asks for a source of the 98% - jog on. :)


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  • #67
    champchamp
    Registered Users Posts: 220 ✭✭champchamp


    I look at this differently.
    It doesn't matter if you use McDonalds or not. If you leave the site at all at any stage while parked there they can clamp you.


  • #68
    Mundo7976
    Registered Users Posts: 1,096 ✭✭✭Mundo7976


    Tell your idiot brother not to leave sh!t behind in future, saves all this hassle


  • #69
    Wishbone Ash
    Registered Users Posts: 24,948 ✭✭✭✭Wishbone Ash


    Sonny noggs wrote: »
    The reality is that 98% of the time, the car owner deserves to be clamped because they can’t follow simple instructions or are too tight to pay. Zero sympathy. This case is in the 2% even if the clampers are technically right to clamp....
    This.


  • #70
    the hedgeman
    Registered Users Posts: 1,186 ✭✭✭the hedgeman


    McCrack wrote: »
    It wouldn't have mattered either way.. If you got food first and then left to go to the petrol station the outcome would be the same

    It is sharp practice as you say but them's the rules

    If the OP did it in that sequence,he probably wouldn't be clamped


  • #71
    Charles Babbage
    Registered Users Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭Charles Babbage


    he solution in this car park would seem to be to charge everyone in, but perhaps give a discount on McDonalds for the car park fee. This would stop taxis and people waiting for passengers cluttering up the place, or at least force them to buy a burger.


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  • #72
    Nobelium
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭Nobelium


    Charles Babbage wrote: »
    he solution in this car park would seem to be to charge everyone in, but perhaps give a discount on McDonalds for the car park fee. This would stop taxis and people waiting for passengers cluttering up the place, or at least force them to buy a burger.

    A barrier and timed ticket in/out with a purchase in McD's system would be even easier, but this would mean you wouldn't make as much money threatening and extorting people with goons and clamps.


  • #73
    elperello
    Registered Users Posts: 14,190 ✭✭✭✭elperello


    Spook_ie wrote: »
    Not provable given the information so far, that's why the NTA regulations give the legal backing to a 10 minute grace period.

    True, but I was taking the OP at his word and as none of us were there that's all we have to go on.
    As you say a 10 minute grace period gives people a chance to make purchases in both shops.
    From a business point of view this makes sense as the two establishments complement each other.
    It's anti consumer and overly restrictive to operate the two car parks as completely separate jurisdictions.
    McDonalds, Circle K and the DAA are showing contempt for their customers.


  • #74
    Charles Babbage
    Registered Users Posts: 5,428 ✭✭✭Charles Babbage


    Nobelium wrote: »
    A barrier and timed ticket in/out with a purchase in McD's system would be even easier, but this would mean you wouldn't make as much money threatening and extorting people with goons and clamps.


    Goons cost money too.


  • #75
    Isambard
    Registered Users Posts: 5,796 ✭✭✭Isambard


    Charles Babbage wrote: »
    he solution in this car park would seem to be to charge everyone in, but perhaps give a discount on McDonalds for the car park fee. This would stop taxis and people waiting for passengers cluttering up the place, or at least force them to buy a burger.

    i can't think of a scenario where I wouldn't buy a burger...and an apple pie.


  • #76
    Peatys
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,881 ✭✭✭Peatys


    If it's any consolation to you op, if I'm waiting to pick up family at the airport, I'll park in there and get out to stretch the legs.. clampers biting at the bit to get me, but i never venture outside of the car park. Once the gobshítes even came up all innocent like and asked if i was heading into McDonald's.. that the car park is only for customers use. I asked what's the time limit between leaving the car and going in?

    No answer, so i walked away and made a few calls.


    I'm petty.


  • #77
    CrankyHaus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,281 ✭✭✭CrankyHaus


    Absolutely no need for angle grinding clamps in this day and age. Clampers are now regulated by law and the days of them acting like pirates with total impunity are over.

    There's a state clamping regulator the OP can appeal to.
    I'd appeal on the grounds that I intended to use both premises, that it wasn't clear that the car park sites were separate, that the signage about leaving the site was not clear, and that the enforcement of the clamping was harsh and unreasonable.

    I'd also follow up with McDonalds. In fact I would have done it at the time. Neither the specific branch nor McDonalds corporate want their customers to be treated like this and potentially driven away. The clampers are appointed by them and are answerable to them. Franchisors in particular take customer complaints very seriously.

    Social media complaints about these sort of things aren't really my style, but they do get great traction.


  • #78
    Nobelium
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭Nobelium


    CrankyHaus wrote: »
    Absolutely no need for angle grinding clamps in this day and age. Clampers are now regulated by law and the days of them acting like pirates with total impunity are over.

    There's a state clamping regulator the OP can appeal to.
    I'd appeal on the grounds that I intended to use both premises, that it wasn't clear that the car park sites were separate, that the signage about leaving the site was not clear, and that the enforcement of the clamping was harsh and unreasonable.

    I'd also follow up with McDonalds. In fact I would have done it at the time. Neither the specific branch nor McDonalds corporate want their customers to be treated like this and potentially driven away. The clampers are appointed by them and are answerable to them. Franchisors in particular take customer complaints very seriously.

    Good luck with that. It sounds like you have more faith in the theory of the system, than actual real world experience.


  • #79
    CrankyHaus
    Closed Accounts Posts: 2,281 ✭✭✭CrankyHaus


    Nobelium wrote: »
    Good luck with that. It sounds like you have more faith in the theory of the system, than actual real world experience.

    Or just a little knowledge of the law and the fact that a sizable amount of the appeals to the NTA Regulator are successful.

    Have a read of the regulations, there are a lot of conditions that the clampers must meet : including photographic evidence of the wrongful parking obtained at the time the clamp is fixed to the vehicle, which the OP never mentioned being present.

    http://www.irishstatutebook.ie/eli/2017/si/421/made/en/print

    Also see what Section 22 has to say about signage :

    (b) The size and location of the sign or signs required under paragraph (a) shall be such that the information on each such sign is clearly visible to, and readable by a driver of a vehicle who satisfies the eyesight requirements in the Road Traffic (Licensing of Drivers) Regulations 2006 while seated in the vehicle at the entry point to that clamping place or at any entry barrier beyond the entrance to that clamping place.

    From the OP's account it seems that this was not met.

    Here's some figures on appeals to the NTA regulator:

    http://www.thejournal.ie/clamping-nta-3788234-Jan2018/

    I'm not saying the OP is guaranteed success. I'm saying he has better options than angle grinding the clamp in front of the clampers and getting convicted of criminal damage.

    What's your actual real world experience?


  • #80
    vandriver
    Registered Users Posts: 3,458 ✭✭✭vandriver


    Screenshot-20190616-193706-com-google-earth.jpg
    post picture

    The sign has a lot of writing on a small space


  • #81
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    I am struggling with the entire story tbh. Sorry. I don't believe that McD's have sniper clampers hanging around the airport of a Saturday afternoon. It sounds like it is either a complete fabrication or the Op chanced dumping his car there for his weekend trip away.

    McD's would clamp if they assumed someone was taking the piss. Out of interest Op, who did you pay the € 125 to ? Did you get a receipt?

    I was gone from the car for as long as it took to the circle, pick up drinks, walk to til and pay and out.

    What would be the point of asking should I appeal if CCTV didn’t support me on the absolute timings?

    I had to call the number on the sticker on my car (which left glue all over the window as well). When i gave them my credit card they took payment and the clampers on site unclamped the car and gave me a receipt which I obviously have.

    I went into the McDonald’s and the rather exasperated manager said yes they worked on behalf of McDonald’s but it had nothing to do with her.


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  • #82
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    vandriver wrote: »
    Screenshot-20190616-193706-com-google-earth.jpg
    post picture

    The sign has a lot of writing on a small space

    I actually glanced at the sign to see if it was paid parking and it said customers only. If I’d gotten to the third paragraph and read ‘offsite’ I would have presumed that meant what the previous poster said ie. I was off for the weekend.

    Not 90 seconds to the adjacent retailer before going into the bloody restaurant. Not you literally set foot by a knee high wall and we are going to clamp you in seconds. Our onsite staff who are standing there won’t warn or clarify.

    I can’t emphasize the timings enough here. I’m not exaggerating when I actually went in and had a coffee and a bun or whatever.

    In and out. They were waiting.


  • #83
    Ginger83
    Registered Users Posts: 3,414 ✭✭✭Ginger83


    I would have left my car there for the day blocking the space


  • #84
    McCrack
    Registered Users Posts: 2,968 ✭✭✭McCrack


    CiniO wrote: »
    Thanks for that story OP.
    I used to bring good few kids in the bus to that McDonalds which surely was some business for them. That is now lost - I can use other places.

    Or better still just don't feed children that shyte at all


  • #85
    beauf
    Closed Accounts Posts: 22,651 ✭✭✭✭beauf


    elperello wrote: »
    True, ....
    From a business point of view this makes sense as the two establishments complement each other.
    It's anti consumer and overly restrictive to operate the two car parks as completely separate jurisdictions.
    McDonalds, Circle K and the DAA are showing contempt for their customers.

    Cheap honey trap for prime time.... One of their competitors should sponsor it...


  • #86
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    CrankyHaus wrote: »
    I'd also follow up with McDonalds. In fact I would have done it at the time. Neither the specific branch nor McDonalds corporate want their customers to be treated like this and potentially driven away. The clampers are appointed by them and are answerable to them. Franchisors in particular take customer complaints very seriously.

    Social media complaints about these sort of things aren't really my style, but they do get great traction.

    I did follow up with McDonalds. A harassed looking manager said I hadn't been the first that day and said it was nothing to do with her. I think she was saying it was the airport whereas the clampers were crystal clear that it was McDonalds.

    I took the managers name and said I would be submitting a written complaint.


  • #87
    quad_red
    Registered Users Posts: 5,561 ✭✭✭quad_red


    My primary concern here is my appeal hinges on the bloody CCTV that proves my timelines.

    Despite the clamping guys laughing in my face at my appeal that I wasn't even 3 mins ("you were less" :( ) I'm not sure they'll be quite so forthcoming later on.

    How do I get at the CCTV before they make sure it's binned?


  • #88
    IAMAMORON
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 9,078 ✭✭✭IAMAMORON


    quad_red wrote: »
    I was gone from the car for as long as it took to the circle, pick up drinks, walk to til and pay and out.

    What would be the point of asking should I appeal if CCTV didn’t support me on the absolute timings?

    I had to call the number on the sticker on my car (which left glue all over the window as well). When i gave them my credit card they took payment and the clampers on site unclamped the car and gave me a receipt which I obviously have.

    I went into the McDonald’s and the rather exasperated manager said yes they worked on behalf of McDonald’s but it had nothing to do with her.

    I still think you missed a trick by not going in and buying some food. Then they have no reason to clamp you.

    Good luck with your appeal. Who are you appealing to out of interest?


  • #89
    JeffKenna
    Registered Users Posts: 4,507 ✭✭✭JeffKenna


    quad_red wrote: »
    IAMAMORON wrote: »
    I am struggling with the entire story tbh. Sorry. I don't believe that McD's have sniper clampers hanging around the airport of a Saturday afternoon. It sounds like it is either a complete fabrication or the Op chanced dumping his car there for his weekend trip away.

    McD's would clamp if they assumed someone was taking the piss. Out of interest Op, who did you pay the € 125 to ? Did you get a receipt?

    I was gone from the car for as long as it took to the circle, pick up drinks, walk to til and pay and out.

    What would be the point of asking should I appeal if CCTV didn’t support me on the absolute timings?

    I had to call the number on the sticker on my car (which left glue all over the window as well). When i gave them my credit card they took payment and the clampers on site unclamped the car and gave me a receipt which I obviously have.

    I went into the McDonald’s and the rather exasperated manager said yes they worked on behalf of McDonald’s but it had nothing to do with her.
    Do you have the receipt of whet you bought there?


  • #90
    Nobelium
    Banned (with Prison Access) Posts: 1,093 ✭✭✭Nobelium


    quad_red wrote: »
    My primary concern here is my appeal hinges on the bloody CCTV that proves my timelines.

    Despite the clamping guys laughing in my face at my appeal that I wasn't even 3 mins ("you were less" :( ) I'm not sure they'll be quite so forthcoming later on.

    How do I get at the CCTV before they make sure it's binned?

    You parked the car, left the site, came back, and bought nothing in McD's, until after you argued with the clampers ? That correct ?


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  • #91
    irishgrover
    Registered Users Posts: 2,496 ✭✭✭irishgrover


    Because I'm a petty and vindictive prick I would consider doing the following....
    Drive up to the drive through, with 10 of your mates (1 per car behind you).....ask to speak to a manager, refuse to leave until the situation is resolved to your satisfaction. If you get no solution, tell them till be back the next day


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