One less Bx - One more needed , please.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 3:06 pm

Lost my car today to the wheel-clampers. Told the fascist morons where to shove it - after applying all anti theft devices - well I put one of those steering lock arm thingys on, punched the rear view mirror to shatter the windscreen, took my tax and my dog and left the bx there to her fate.

Dunno who the slime-bags are (unmarked van) so no point asking!

What gets me is that I was parked in a half-empty car park behind the supermarket and they even clamped their staff as well. I had even asked the Tesco security guard if it was okay a few months ago, and he said it was.

£130 - against a bx with radius bearings long-gone, rattly, weakening diesel engine, tyres going, and filthy, battered interior and exterior. Oh and all the other little foibles I grew to love and will miss!!

Now my plan has been brought forward to find another BX to love!! So, please if you are thinking of selling a nice bx with not too many miles and not a Gti or valver - I'm your man for a quick, uncomplicated cash sale. Diesels and Diesel turbos preferred and the nearer to Kent the better.

There's forces out to get us, beware!!

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:36 pm

If in doubt put the suspension down, give them a harder time! Sounds to me like they clamped you with no grounds to do so ...

I would offer you my TXD but sadly it's gonna be off the road for some time, good luck finding another.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 6:55 pm

Well thanks for the empathy tourist.

I'd been thinking this afternoon that it was a shame the front didn't sink as quickly as the back.

I can't be bothered to argue with them - I've done my 'party piece' and now it's time to move on. I'll probably end up being hounded by these people for whatever they can invent for ever - until they've sucked every last juice out of my body....

Still no point being bitter - I might get an AX instead.

Tourist · Post by **Tourist** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:02 pm

You could get an AX GT

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:06 pm

That's appaling.

There are now codes of practice for wheel clampers to avoid exactly this. I suspect if you said you were going to take them to court they would remove the clamp post haste.

If, however, you fancy being a bit clever, you can remove a wheel clamp without damaging it, and drive away in your own car again.

Assuming it's a classical two-wedges and a strap over the top of the wheel, what you do is to put the suspension in high, then jack the car up as high as you possibly can. The clamp will then go loose on the wheel, so you can rotate the wheel around in the clamp to get to the valve. Now let the tyre down completely flat. The weight of the clamp will compress the tyre at the top, and you will find that the wedges are then much looser on the bottom. Now if you compress the tyre at the bottom too, the clamp will be able to be wiggled sideways off the tyre, and will fall onto the floor. Remove clamp, and either change your wheel for the spare, or re-inflate it with a 12v compressor. Car back down, drive off.

I've done this more times than I care to remember, and legally, there's nothing that can be done to stop you. You're not damaging the clamper's property, so it's their tuff tits.

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:15 pm

I think every BXer should print David's advice out and keep it in the car!

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 7:43 pm

Mr. Rutherford, that's another thing to go on the list of things that make me wonder.

Humph I've never been clamped before - I even got barracked by the clamper for the state of my car (something along the lines of you must be worthless because of the contents of your boot(Huh, at least I don't feel obliged to put on pink mascara and glitter eyeliner before heading off to make peoples lives a misery, just because I can!)). Oh, I could go on.

This is so obviously set up by the operators as a nice little earner. Put a van there one day every six months or so and reel in all the nice money from the nice people popping to the cash machine.

I like the idea of an AX GT, but I like the idea of a miserly diesel too... I have almost reached my limit for looking at cars on ebay for now. All of those lies in one place, another wonder.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Tue Jun 09, 2009 8:50 pm

scarecrow wrote:I even got barracked by the clamper for the state of my car (something along the lines of you must be worthless because of the contents of your boot

At which point I would have told them all to fuck RIGHT off. That's worthy of a very large amount of verbal abuse back, and a very stiffly worded letter to their employer.

That sort of chavvy attitude to life really makes my blood boil. People like that don't deserve oxygen.

Aerodynamica · Post by **Aerodynamica** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 1:16 am

Hang about - isn't there some sort of clamper's 'operating licence' or other that you can resolutely demand to see and inspect? If they will not/ cannot produce it then a threat regarding reporting them for unregulated clamping can be suggested. AND furthermore, was there a permanent and visibly clear SIGN in the car park that warned of the duration of permissible parking, the cost of this duration and the CLEAR penalty for breaching this duration? if YES then your fault of course, if NO then they are less legal than the last spliff I sparked up.

More info required and requested.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:22 am

Aerodynamica,

I'm going to have a look this morning for the sign, but I understand there is one.

Having been told by the Tesco security guard it was okay to park there....

What I am trying to say is that the law allows these companies to set up parking areas deliberately to entrap people - purely as a means of generating cash. The car park is never full (and certainly wasn't yesterday) so the issue isn't about preventing people from taking others legitimate parking places. It's about milking suckers like me!

Legally I'm buggared (why doesn't that surprise me?). I knew that straight away. After all, the law and its application is different for plebs like me!

Morally - do I need to even go here?

Woke up this morning and immediately thought about the days business, to be done on foot now - had an obsessive moment about "getting even", then did what millions of the downtrodden, hideous, quivering masses do every day - made a cup of tea.

DavidRutherford · Post by **DavidRutherford** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 8:24 am

Is the car still there?

If so, go and take the clamp off and have the car back. Even if you just drive it to the scrappers and get £50 for it, better than the clampers "getting away with it"

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:26 am

I do feel a curious draw to go back to the scene of my "crime"... When this rain stops I'll go and have a look.

scarecrow · Post by **scarecrow** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 9:30 am

Aerodynamica wrote:... warned of the duration of permissible parking, the cost of this duration and the CLEAR penalty for breaching this duration?

More info required and requested.

This point is very interesting - is displaying the amount of the penalty actually a legal requirement?

RxBX · Post by **RxBX** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 11:10 am

scarecrow wrote:is displaying the amount of the penalty actually a legal requirement?

Not sure, but the following does apply:-
•the landowner does not charge more than a reasonable fee to release your vehicle

So who set's this amount ? Debatable this, One persons reasonable (If your Richard Branson, he didn't even know the cost of a loaf of bread in some TV interview a few months ago !) and then reasonable could be extortionate for another!
You stated £130 I think that's extortionate, I don't what anyone else thinks ?

scarecrow wrote:I even got barracked by the clamper for the state of my car (something along the lines of you must be worthless because of the contents of your boot

• if the wheel-clamper uses threatening or intimidating behavior, you should report this to the police

scarecrow wrote: Dunno who the slime-bags are (unmarked van) so no point asking!

Maybe you should have challenged them with the following:-
•ask the wheel-clamper who they work for, whether the landowner's authority can be produced, and if they have a licence from the SIA. Ask to see the licence – it is your right as a clamped motorist.

Also:-
• if you don't think a wheel-clamper is licensed, don't pay the release fee. If they refuse to release your vehicle without a fee, call the police. An unlicensed wheel-clamper is committing a criminal offence

This link maybe of help :-
http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/t_wheel-c ... e_land.pdf

citroen7 · Post by **citroen7** » Wed Jun 10, 2009 12:29 pm

the solution is quite simple visit the local hire shop and hire a petrol saw and cut the clamp off into as many bits as you can these people are scum and by the sounds of it what they are doing is illegal so it is highly unlikey there would persue you further.