wheel clamp.

[mindbullets]

this is just a hypothetical question, if, lets say my car was clamped in one of these dodgy carparks that display a tiny wheel clamp warning signs,would i be within my rights to chain the wheel clamp to my axle and on paying for the removal of said clamp then demand a similar release fee from the clampers to remove my chain from thier clamp?(lets assume i have a small sticker on my car warning that any clamp placed on my car would be chained up and be liable for a release fee.)hope that makes sense..

[Drewhound]

Only if you own the land or have the landowners permission, in which case your car wouldn't be clamped in the first place

[bernardo]

Unfortunately, wheel-clamping companies are allowed to clamp cars if they are employed to do so, even if they only have tiny invisible signs. It is an offence to damage or remove a clamp which has been put on your car, so if you chained it to your car's axle and asked for payment for it to be removed, then you would be in danger of being prosecuted for theft of the clamp, or demanding money with menaces, or attempting to extract money without authority (I do not know the proper legal phrase).

So you would be right (morally), but you would not be within your rights (legally).

[Sylday]

Who would be more inconvenienced - the wheel clamping company if they refused to pay and therefore didn't get one of their hundreds of clamps back; or you if you then had to drive off without any money but with the clamp chained to your axle?

[bernardo]

The wheel-clamping company would probably call the police to have your chain cut and would get very pompous and stroppy and demand that you be arrested for stealing their clamp.

[Mortartube]

You could always print up a sign to leave on the dashboard of your car when it's parked stating that you intend to do what you have said here, the release fee and that the immobilising of your vehicle signifies acceptance of this contract. This is pretty much the wording clamping companies use and by clamping you, they would have entered a legal contract. That would be legally interesting.

[CleverClogs]

Surely the clamping company rep would just leave the clamp on and then leave you stranded there......... They could even get a lorry in, and take your car to a compound which costs more money before its released........

[becks]

It's illegal to damage or remove a clamp, but it's not illegal to remove the tyre... if you can get to it. I know someone that did this and just bought a new tyre for half the price of the fee.

[Oneeyedvic]

Interestingly, it is illegal to extract a debt (ie a fine) by embarressment. Therefore wheel clamping is actually illegal. I think that to enforce this you would need to pay the fine (under protest) and then issue proceedings against them in the county court. Proably very expensive though. It maybe an idea to buy a crap car (Jeremy Clarkson bought one for a �1 from a main dealer) and stick it in a private area with wheelclamping signs etc. Or even better if there is somewhere you are entitled to park. Get e neighbor to report it and stick your sign in the window. You don't need to move it fora ny reason and it onl;y cost you a �1. Cost the wheelclamper more than that though to get your chains off!