Friday, February 11, 2011

Intent and purpose

I understand that the government's new "Freedom Bill" will, amongst other things, ban car clamping on private land. I'm all in favour of that, but also think they should go further and just ban car clamping.

I mean - clamping a car defies all logic.

If a car is parked somewhere it shouldn't be then that must mean that by being there it is causing an obstruction - whether that is blocking a private resident's parking bay or the traffic flow through a town centre - so to disable the vehicle in such a way that it can not be moved and thus prolong the obstruction strikes me as self-defeating.

Unless, of course, the point of parking restrictions and regulation is not to keep motorists and pedestrians safe, but to raise revenue?

Answers on a postcard to Nick, Clegg c/o 10 Downing Street.

7 comments:

Furor Teutonicus said...

Takes an average of 10 minutes from "caught red handed" to the car having been towed away here. NO clamps.

John said...

I don't agree with these cowboy clamping firms but your statement is borderline ignorant.

You clearly don't live in apartment block and have not had to deal with inconsiderate wankers stealing your allocated parking space - a space that you own and paid for - simply because they offender is too fucking lazy to find thier own space.

"Yeah, yeah whatever" I hear you say it's no biggie. You should try it sometimes and see how it feels.

Stan said...

John - I used to live in an apartment block or, as we call them here - a block of flats - and yes I have had people parking in my space while they pop to the shops. Tell me, if the car is clamped does that mean your space is occupied for more time or less time?

My argument is that if a car is parked illegally then it must be causing an obstruction - as in the case of your parking space - and clamping the car will simply prolong the obstruction. In your case that is frustrating, but on a busy road it may be downright dangerous.

The answer - as FT points out in the previous comment - is not to clamp cars but to have them towed away. Obstruction cleared - space freed - illegal parker punished - job done.

My suggestion to you if you ever find anyone parking in your space is to -

a) take a picture
b) wait in your car for their return.
c) follow them back to where they live
d) park your car in their drive
e) if they ask you what you think you are up to - just show them the picture and explain that they obviously think it is fine to park their car in your space, so they surely can not object if you do the same?

Jim said...

@Stan: You're being absurd.
A) Clamping is a deterrent. The reason people don't park where they are not supposed to is they don't want to be clamped. Take away the deterrent and people will do as they please.
B) Towing away will work out considerably more expensive for the person towed - the firm doing the towing has much more expensive machinery and requires a secure compound to store cars. This will be reflected in the release fee. Plus when your car is towed how do you know it has been towed? Or if its been stolen? Or which company has towed it, and which compound its now in? And how do you get there? At least with clamping you ring the clamper, they come, you pay them, they release the car, you drive off. With towing you might not get your car back for days.
C) As for chasing illegal parkers, and parking on their property - good luck with that. You'll need a lot of spare time, and given the sort of people who illegally park, a very cheap old car that you don't mind being torched, and probably a stab proof vest.

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX Jim said...

Plus when your car is towed how do you know it has been towed? Or if its been stolen? Or which company has towed it, and which compound its now in? And how do you get there? XX

The Brits, some of them really ARE dumb fucks, obviously.

EASY. Your car is towed, the police are immediately informed. You go to/ring up the local Police station, and they tell you where it is, and how/when to pick it up.

Fuck! HOW many brains do you need to work THAT one out???

Jim said...

@Furor Teutonicus: And if the towing company haven't got round to telling the police, or have given them the wrong information, or you ring the wrong police station, what then?

Furor Teutonicus said...

Notification of the police is instantanious, as their in vehicle computer is linked to out eqivalent of the P.N.C. (Police national computer).

What then?

Bloody TOUGH. Teach the bastard not to break the law, won't it?

As far as I am concerned, after two such offences, they should be forced to scrap the vehicle.

PERSONALY scrap the vehicle.