SIDCUP: Woman condemns clampers' behaviour (From News Shopper)

These bullying extortionists should have been driven from our streets years ago. What was the last government thinking pretending that they could be allowed to carry on ripping off the public like this? Thankfully their behaviour will soon be seen as the criminal activity it is in England - as it already is in Scotland.

I love the ads on the right hand side of this story promoting wheel clamping companies....

absolute bastards. they will get their cumupance.

It sounds like she just assumed the one space she could get to was suitable for her to park in... so has she not only got herself to blame for parking in the wrong place?
Newsshopper, you fail to let us know whether it was clear or not whether she parked inappropriately, instead spinning a few facts to create a story that runs with the grain populist sentiments - more detail please!

I would love for drivers to stop and read signs before they park, then they would not get towed away or fined. If you park in a private space then you will have to pay for it. Would you let someone park in your private drive way in your garden, without doing anything? i dont think so.

The thing to do for all drivers is look at the signs and read the parking rules, if you dont and just park then its yor fault and you should pay.

apak24 you speak much sense! I was implying that we should be informed if there was clear signage but to be fair that is unimportant, you should not just assume you are free to park somewhere...

UTTER DRIVEL. YES - IF YOU PARK ILLEGALLY YOU SHOULD BE FINED BUT THESE RACKETEERS HAVE BEEN EMPOWERED BY NON THINKING POLITICIANS TO RIP OFF THE PUBLIC BY CHARGING GROSSLY INFLATED FEES. I WONDER WHY THE DRIVER OF THE CLAMPING VAN DIDNT ADVISE THE LADY THAT SHE WAS ILLEGALLY PARKED. I CAN THINK OF 545.00 REASONS.

I'm a tad confused i'm afraid Godupere... help me out. The individual who has committed a traffic infringement should be fined, but to a fee of their own choosing? Or are we going all out and suggesting that the one committing a parking infringement is the victim of a heinous crime. It's very very simple - park legally and there is no fine to pay, the amount is wholly irrelevant (and in my mind, can be whatever the enforcement so chooses, as long as the penalty is pre-determined and published on enforcement signs)

While I would have to suggest that it is somewhat unscrupulous for the clamping van not to advise the lady, ignoring the primary objective of his job, to keep the car park managed, it is at the end of the day, the lady's own responsibility to ensure she is parked legally, no?

Legal extortion. Anyone who believes that these firms operate in a fair way is more than a little naive.
If you park illegally then I agree you should face the consequences but the level of fines and the way these cowboys operate is a disgrace. Thankfully they will be out of business when the law changes later this year and towing/clamping becomes illegal.

I know that some here agree with clamping and towing because you should read the sign before parking. I agree that some penalty should be placed on the offender if they do park where they shouldn't. I cannot agree with the extortion of £800 for 3 minutes parking. We're seeing more and more of this as we get closer to November. Many many six toed monkey men with pea brains, not fit for the site or the doors are creaming it while they can. Anyone that would do this job is scum and the only reason they do is because they have a sad poor life with no prospect of earning a decent wage. They are envious. They return to their fat ugly wife, 6 kids with stupid names like Beckham, a cupboard full of Tesco blue stripe and a week in a caraven on some foul coastal holiday camp a year. No doubt the like a propa propa tear up on a Friday wiv de boys. They and their families are abhorrent & I hope from November the suffer in abject poverty and squalor. I'll be sure to continue to laugh at these people in their beaten up transits while I drive past in my 6L Bentley while encoraging my kids to do the same.

ho_ho_ho wrote:
I know that some here agree with clamping and towing because you should read the sign before parking. I agree that some penalty should be placed on the offender if they do park where they shouldn't. I cannot agree with the extortion of £800 for 3 minutes parking. We're seeing more and more of this as we get closer to November. Many many six toed monkey men with pea brains, not fit for the site or the doors are creaming it while they can. Anyone that would do this job is scum and the only reason they do is because they have a sad poor life with no prospect of earning a decent wage. They are envious. They return to their fat ugly wife, 6 kids with stupid names like Beckham, a cupboard full of Tesco blue stripe and a week in a caraven on some foul coastal holiday camp a year. No doubt the like a propa propa tear up on a Friday wiv de boys. They and their families are abhorrent & I hope from November the suffer in abject poverty and squalor. I'll be sure to continue to laugh at these people in their beaten up transits while I drive past in my 6L Bentley while encoraging my kids to do the same.

Think Bexleyman you are the one doing all the assuming when you admit you don't know all the facts of the case. In fact, anyone would think you work for Elite Parking with your oh so correct attitude. Are we to assume by your comments that you have never made a mistake, as this would seem that this was the case on this occasion. You obviously think that £545 is acceptable to pay for such a "henious crime". I think maybe a normal parking ticket would have sufficed don't you? But no you probably don't because you're obviously so perfect - please tell us how you do it. In the meantime I hope these extortionists enjoy their day in Court.

harvey8b wrote:

ho_ho_ho wrote: I know that some here agree with clamping and towing because you should read the sign before parking. I agree that some penalty should be placed on the offender if they do park where they shouldn't. I cannot agree with the extortion of £800 for 3 minutes parking. We're seeing more and more of this as we get closer to November. Many many six toed monkey men with pea brains, not fit for the site or the doors are creaming it while they can. Anyone that would do this job is scum and the only reason they do is because they have a sad poor life with no prospect of earning a decent wage. They are envious. They return to their fat ugly wife, 6 kids with stupid names like Beckham, a cupboard full of Tesco blue stripe and a week in a caraven on some foul coastal holiday camp a year. No doubt the like a propa propa tear up on a Friday wiv de boys. They and their families are abhorrent & I hope from November the suffer in abject poverty and squalor. I'll be sure to continue to laugh at these people in their beaten up transits while I drive past in my 6L Bentley while encoraging my kids to do the same.

Think Bexleyman you are the one doing all the assuming when you admit you don't know all the facts of the case. In fact, anyone would think you work for Elite Parking with your oh so correct attitude. Are we to assume by your comments that you have never made a mistake, as this would seem that this was the case on this occasion. You obviously think that £545 is acceptable to pay for such a "henious crime". I think maybe a normal parking ticket would have sufficed don't you? But no you probably don't because you're obviously so perfect - please tell us how you do it. In the meantime I hope these extortionists enjoy their day in Court.

May I ask you to point out where I assumed anything? I pointed out my principles, which could be applied to this case if the circumstances allowed - but I can't directly do so without all the facts, like you say.
Me? I make mistakes - I take the punishment on the chin. Not once did I agree with the extortionate fees, a parking fine would be perhaps more appropriate. But where do you draw the line exactly? It is not for us to determine the punishment - don't do the crime if you can't pay the fine.

What is annoying about these clampers is that the two car parks they patrol at the rear of carpetright both have barriers that can be used to stop people parking in them. So if they really wanted to stop people from parking there they would use them. Instead this is a greedy money making scheme.

7oakslilleypad wrote:
What is annoying about these clampers is that the two car parks they patrol at the rear of carpetright both have barriers that can be used to stop people parking in them. So if they really wanted to stop people from parking there they would use them. Instead this is a greedy money making scheme.

Could it be that the barriers are just open to allow for legitimate car park users?

To fine illegal parking motorists is one thing but extortion is unacceptable. A sign placed furthest away from the entrance demonstrates the intention to deceive whilst fulfilling to requirement to display a sign. Why not take the matter up with the land owner? you can obtain their address from a land registry search on line for as little as £4. The cases mentioned in the newsshopper appear to be entrapment and the operatives are chosen to be of size and appearance to intimidate. If the clampers were on site and allowed someone to park without warning them it would again suggest entrapment. Also leaving site barriers open to entice people to make a mistakes show the intention.

To fine illegal parking motorists is one thing but extortion is unacceptable. A sign placed furthest away from the entrance demonstrates the intention to deceive whilst fulfilling to requirement to display a sign. Why not take the matter up with the land owner? you can obtain their address from a land registry search on line for as little as £4. The cases mentioned in the newsshopper appear to be entrapment and the operatives are chosen to be of size and appearance to intimidate. If the clampers were on site and allowed someone to park without warning them it would again suggest entrapment. Also leaving site barriers open to entice people to make a mistakes show the intention.

Interesting comments on here. Some ill informed people though.

I suggest you do some research into the law of contract that these parking scams are based on.

I have no issue with land owners protecting their parking spaces but the use of Private Parking Companies often results in extortion and theft.

The warning signs have to be clearly displayed and correctly worded. When you read the sign you enter into a contract which when broken opens you up to ticketing, clamping and towing, often all three in record time.
If you don't see the signage you can't be in a contract.

Lots of mention of fines and penalties on here but they are not allowed to charge any more than the cost of damages and the cost of operating the parking controls. Only local authorities and the police can fine errant parkers. Charging £100's is unreasonable and proven so in court.

If you are charged £6 per hour to park and overstay by 10mins the loss to the car park operator is £1, not £100's.

Elite Parking Enforcement are not members of the British Parking Association but claim to follow their code of practice. They clearly don't. They are just another bunch of cowboy clampers.

Do your research, gather the evidence, ask them politely for your money back then if unsuccessful take them to court.
The PPC's will often ignore CCJ's so take the landowner, or whoever contracted them to court as well. Much more chance of getting your money back.

There are consumer groups on the internet that help fight against these cowboys with many success stories. Seek them out.

bexleyman wrote:

7oakslilleypad wrote: What is annoying about these clampers is that the two car parks they patrol at the rear of carpetright both have barriers that can be used to stop people parking in them. So if they really wanted to stop people from parking there they would use them. Instead this is a greedy money making scheme.

Could it be that the barriers are just open to allow for legitimate car park users?

No the car parks are for the Black Horse Pub and Carpetright both of which are no longer trading.

A belated reply to Bexleymans post. A fine should be a realistic amount for the crime committed. From you reasoning would it be ok to publish the amount for "illegal parking" as, say £20000. As long as they publish it then all is ok. Ridiculous!