‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

[leclerc]

A disabled woman was “dragged from her sick bed” to pay wheel-clampers £320 to free her car in Cambridge.

Margaret Peachey’s husband Kenneth, 63, parked her car just off York Street to fetch a prescription for his sick wife when clampers struck.
His 67-year-old wife had to pay the £320 fine in person to have her car, which displays a disabled badge, released.

Mrs Peachey, of Whitehill Close, Arbury, suffers from emphysema, diabetes, osteoporosis and neuropathy, which means she can’t feel her feet and has difficulty walking.

She said: “I had to get out of my sick bed and go down to the bank to pay the fine as they wouldn’t accept a card. My husband didn’t have enough money in his account.

“I told the man that I was parked legally in a public road and that I was disabled but he said he didn’t care.

“It terrified me as they were threatening to tow away my car which I have because I am disabled. It’s my lifeline. I had to pay £320, which I can’t afford.

“It’s ridiculous. I am glad they are going to be banned. I am really angry.”

Mrs Peachey’s car was among several to be clamped at St Matthew’s Gardens, a private estate just off York Street, on August 20.

Two men left a woman in tears after they clamped her car and towed another vehicle away.

The stand-off prompted police to intervene as the woman’s husband threatened to cut the clamp off his wife’s car, as the News reported.

Beverley Bayliss, of Heath Road, Swaffham Bulbeck, also fell victim to clampers.
Ms Bayliss got her car back after she paid the £390 bill and travelled to Buckinghamshire to pick it up.

The Government has announced the Freedom Bill in November will ban the controversial practice of clamping on private land.

Bosses at Regional Clamping Services (UK), which clamped the vehicles, refused to comment.

The Security Industry Authority (SIA) said: “By law, an SIA licence is required if you clamp, block or tow a vehicle, where a release fee is charged.”

Source: Cambridge News | Latest News From In & Around Cambridge City | Latest Sports, Jobs & Business News in Cambridge Newspaper | ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

[righty]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Its unlawful to clamp a disabled persons vehicle & has been for yonks AND trust the cops not to know that

[Angry Cat]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Absokutely, SHOCKING!

Thanks for posting this article up, leclerc.
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http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-10993473

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/media-c...l-clamping-ban
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http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/201...-continued.htm

"
Here is my column, published yesterday in the Ham & High, on the government’s decision to ban wheel clamping on private land.
Denver booted out!
When the Denver boot (wheel clamp) was introduced in this country – I remember wondering what the logic was of this new ‘solution’. A car is parked illegally or dangerously – so let’s make sure it stays in its illegal or dangerous position for much longer – by immobilising it!
Ever since then – this poor solution (albeit to a very real problem) – has caused untold misery. The horror stories abound: from the disabled man who was frog marched for twenty minutes to a cash point on a freezing November evening to a disabled man who had his wheelchair actually in the car that was clamped who had no money and so was left, stranded, by the clampers. However – it’s not just the extreme horror stories that matter – it is the every day horror story of a punishment completely out of kilter and disproportionate to the actual crime. Release fees of hundreds of pounds are made for what is, after all, a parking offence.
Parking regulations have to be fair and just if we want people comply and support them. Parking regulations should be used to improve traffic flow and improve safety – not act as revenue raisers. Wheel clamping – which was originally about putting off motorists from parking illegally on the highway has developed into a £1billion per year industry.
Successive governments have tried to deal with rogue clampers. Licensing of individuals working for vehicle immobilisation companies was the first attempt to rein in the industry because so much abusive behaviour was reported by people about the way they were treated by the clampers. The Independent Security Authority currently licenses the individuals working for a clamping company at a cost of £245 per annum.
However, licensing individuals did not stop the abuse and neither did it stop the poor signing, extortionate fees or the non-provision of receipts – because it is the companies that set the level of release fee or the position of the signage – not the individuals.
As soon as I became a Home Office minister with wheel clamping as part of my portfolio, I was deluged by letters from other MPs (representing their constituents) asking when we would do something about rogue clampers.
It seemed that we were continuing to try and make something work that never could or would. There had been little or no enforcement when complaints had been made against rogue clampers – even though they were now licensed. The police, with the best will in the world, did not have this as a priority in crime fighting. To move to licensing the companies as well as the individuals working for them and setting up an independent appeals process for aggrieved motorists would have been the next step. That would have meant more regulations that would not be enforced. As to the cost – an independent appeals process would cost £2million just for set up costs – and people would pay forever after for the running costs out of the fees they were charged.
The other option was to ban wheel clamping on private property altogether. Towing would have to be banned too – otherwise people would just find their vehicle disappeared instead of clamped. Banning had been introduced in Scotland in 1992 and had worked extremely well.
But what to do about the owners of private land? Of course – there has to be something to take the place of wheel clamping – some deterrent to prohibit people from parking on private property. Landowners have an absolute right to protect their land from people parking on it. So – in Scotland private landowners either protected that land by a barrier method or switched to ticketing.
Ticketing is highly regulated and consumer protection legislation already applies. There is already an independent appeals process in place – and it is a good and proportionate deterrent. A couple of people have raised the issue of there being so many unregistered / unlicensed cars – particularly in London, for example, and that these car owners would ignore a ticket. To that I would say to Boris and the Met police – about time this was properly dealt with rather than the go after ever more punitive methods for those who do pay up. It’s always the good guys who act responsibly and pay up – because they are good guys. Let’s go after the bad guys!
The legislation that is needed will be brought in through the Freedom Bill in or around November. If you would like to raise any issues or make any suggestions to inform that legislation – please feel free to write to me at the Home Office, 2 Marsham Street, London SW1P 4DF

[Amethyst]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Thought this was in the daily mail for a minute then.

[Angry Cat]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Thought this was in the daily mail for a minute then.

Lynne Featherstone's blog, Amethyst.

Members can contact her with their horror stories here:

http://www.lynnefeatherstone.org/contact

[Sapphire]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

I know this is absolutely disgusting behaviour by the clampers, but if the owner of the Disabled Badge was in her sick bed at the time, then why was her hubby using the Disabled Badge ? I've always understood that it is illegal to use another persons Badge if they are not in the car, or am I wrong ?

[Angry Cat]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

I know this is absolutely disgusting behaviour by the clampers, but if the owner of the Disabled Badge was in her sick bed at the time, then why was her hubby using the Disabled Badge ? I've always understood that it is illegal to use another persons Badge if they are not in the car, or am I wrong ?

Blue Badge parking scheme

The Blue Badge parking scheme provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people. If you are caring for a disabled person who does not drive, they can nominate you as their driver so that you can use their Blue Badge when driving them.[Quote]

Sounds like a grey area, Sapphire?

Surely, there must be instances where a carer has to get shopping in etc...

Not sure?

[Sapphire]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Your right there AC, it is a very grey area indeed, when my mum was alive I took her to the hospital, dropped her off and went to the local shop for some milk for her, I used her badge and was pulled by a plod who gave me a massive bol xxxxg for using the badge without having the owner in the car.

As I am an Essex girl I of course apologised profusely and promised not to do it again..... actually I drove off and gave him the finger pmsl, stupid little bugger was only just out of nappies.

[Angry Cat]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Surely, there must be some instances when a carer can drive the car, without the disabled person being in same.

e.g. cancer patients, who have to go into hospital for treatment(s);
the carer would drive to the hospital with the patient but because the patient will be in hospital overnight or, for several nights, the carer would have to drive home and then return to collect the paitient.

Are carers expected to leave the car in an expensive hospital car park, get the bus home and get the bus back, in order to collect the patient?

There must, I presume, be some exemptions to the rule?

[Amethyst]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Blue Badges don't count on private roads - they have their own rules.

If the driver ISNT the blue badge holder he could park to pick up or drop off the blue badge holder, not use it to go do shopping whether for the blue badge holder or not. It is actually an offence to display it if the blue badge holder isnt in the car. Also if the badge holder is in the car but isnt getting out, the driver cant use it to park nearer the shop to nip in for milk etc. leaving the badge holder in the car. If the badge holders getting out then its fine.

The Blue Badge has nothing to do with this case at all. Its purely used to make a sympathy headline.

All this 'dragged me out my sickbed' ball hooks winds me up. If he didnt want to have her dragged out of bed he should have parked somewhere where it wasnt a very clear possibility he'd be clamped.

Clampers I hate. But people using illness, disability or anything else, race, sex, military history, age, etc to gain sympathy or to create stupid sensationalist headlines pee's me off.

Anyway markings are exceedingly clear on the stretch of road where he parked, Its the entrance to a private estate and as you turn into the street there three seperate signs in clear view. There's parking at the medical centre where he got the prescription and there's other, non private streets around where he could have parked, might have had to walk a little bit further.

So he was in the wrong. He shouldnt have parked there.

Yes the clampers are in the wrong for being clampers full stop because the way they treat everyone is disgusting, and ticketing would be much better, and I'm glad its being banned, but the headline case deserves no more sympathy than the other cases in the story.


Re your example AC - they just take the blue badge out the car and pay the parking charges, and most hospitals now have special policies for relatives of long stay patients on parking fees. Or if they are dropping relative off and collecting them its fine to use disabled bays for those purposes (then remove the badge and pay for a space or go home whatever or go in with them if its an outpatient thing)

Long Stay Parking. - (Prices may have increased)

Out-patients whose visit lasts longer than two hours should ask clinic or ward staff to validate their car park ticket for a maximum charge of £1.50. The same applies to relatives of critically / terminally ill patients who stay for long periods. Car parking charges are reduced to £1.50 for evenings (5.30pm onwards) and weekends.

Patients, relatives and visitors can purchase 1 week parking tickets for £9 for unlimited use for 1 week and can be shared between friends and relatives.

If you are visiting a patient who is likely to be in hospital for more than a couple of days, you can get a discounted long stay parking ticket (valid for 14 consecutive days).

This ticket costs £25.00 and is available from the main hospital reception desk, Treatment Centre reception desk and the Rosie reception desk.

And most hospitals blue badge holders still have to pay car park charges.




Anyway, this isnt a go at blue badge holders, or in favour of clampers, just hate ruddy newspapers and expected more of the CEN.

[Angry Cat]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

There does appear to be a mention about, carer related tasks.
But typical Gov. the matter does not appear to be clear?

Going back to the original post, the blue badge scheme does not apply to parking on private land. Thus, the cowboy clampers...all is to change in November, so it seems.
------------------------------- merged -------------------------------

Blue Badges don't count on private roads - they have their own rules.

If the driver ISNT the blue badge holder he could park to pick up or drop off the blue badge holder, not use it to go do shopping whether for the blue badge holder or not. It is actually an offence to display it if the blue badge holder isnt in the car. Also if the badge holder is in the car but isnt getting out, the driver cant use it to park nearer the shop to nip in for milk etc. leaving the badge holder in the car. If the badge holders getting out then its fine.

The Blue Badge has nothing to do with this case at all. Its purely used to make a sympathy headline.

All this 'dragged me out my sickbed' ball hooks winds me up. If he didnt want to have her dragged out of bed he should have parked somewhere where it wasnt a very clear possibility he'd be clamped.

Clampers I hate. But people using illness, disability or anything else, race, sex, military history, age, etc to gain sympathy or to create stupid sensationalist headlines pee's me off.

Anyway markings are exceedingly clear on the stretch of road where he parked, Its the entrance to a private estate and as you turn into the street there three seperate signs in clear view. There's parking at the medical centre where he got the prescription and there's other, non private streets around where he could have parked, might have had to walk a little bit further.

So he was in the wrong. He shouldnt have parked there.

Yes the clampers are in the wrong for being clampers full stop because the way they treat everyone is disgusting, and ticketing would be much better, and I'm glad its being banned, but the headline case deserves no more sympathy than the other cases in the story.


Re your example AC - they just take the blue badge out the car and pay the parking charges, and most hospitals now have special policies for relatives of long stay patients on parking fees. Or if they are dropping relative off and collecting them its fine to use disabled bays for those purposes (then remove the badge and pay for a space or go home whatever or go in with them if its an outpatient thing)

[/font]





[font=Times New Roman]


And most hospitals blue badge holders still have to pay car park charges.




Anyway, this isnt a go at blue badge holders, or in favour of clampers, just hate ruddy newspapers and expected more of the CEN.

Good explanation, Amethyst!

[michael]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Blue Badge parking scheme

The Blue Badge parking scheme provides a range of parking benefits for disabled people. If you are caring for a disabled person who does not drive, they can nominate you as their driver so that you can use their Blue Badge when driving them.

Sounds like a grey area, Sapphire?

Surely, there must be instances where a carer has to get shopping in etc...

Not sure?

Whats grey about that. The carer is , presumably, able- bodied and should park legally the same as anyone else. The fact they are collecting/ shopping on behalf of a BB holder is irrelevant. Using the BB in this instance would be an abuse of the BB scheme

Surely, there must be some instances when a carer can drive the car, without the disabled person being in same.

e.g. cancer patients, who have to go into hospital for treatment(s);
the carer would drive to the hospital with the patient but because the patient will be in hospital overnight or, for several nights, the carer would have to drive home and then return to collect the paitient.

Are carers expected to leave the car in an expensive hospital car park, get the bus home and get the bus back, in order to collect the patient?

There must, I presume, be some exemptions to the rule?

No exemption needed. The carer can still drive the car home and back to the hospital (assuming they are insured) without the need of a BB.

[Angry Cat]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Interesting!

I have been looking at the matter when in relation to Dementia.

Some carers, who are caring for elderly people that are suffering from advanced alzheimers, may not themselves be able bodied (the carers, that is);
not everything is as straight forward, as it appears to be.

The following also, may be of interest:
http://www.alzheimers.org.uk/site/sc...5&pageNumber=1

Alzheimers and Dementia, is a problem of immense scale; parking/transport is just a tiny part of same.

[Amethyst]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

I don't see a difference to other disabilities, if the Carer is not a blue badge holder and the blue badge holder is not in the car there is no reason for them to use the benefits of the blue badge.

The Alzheimers society arent recommending that carers should have blue badges of their own I don't think. Just that Alzheimers / Dementia should be more recognised for blue badges. (and I doubt carers would leave someone with either on their own in the car while nipping in for cigs / milk anyway)

If the carer is also disabled etc then they would have their own blue badge.

We suggest that a new system of eligibility needs to ensure that people with dementia who can benefit do so consistently, while recognising that we do not want to introduce a system where people with dementia who do not need a blue badge get one, thereby reducing independence and increasing dependency.
We suggest that to receive a blue badge, someone with dementia and their carer should get a letter of recommendation from a GP which states that the symptoms of dementia have progressed to a stage where their mobility is impaired because of a.) physical problems, or, b.) requirements for the safety and vigilence of the person with dementia, such that a blue badge would be of benefit. This should then be sufficient to trigger eligibility for a blue badge.

[michael]

Re: ‘I had to leave my sick bed to pay clampers’

Some carers, who are caring for elderly people that are suffering from advanced alzheimers, may not themselves be able bodied (the carers, that is);
not everything is as straight forward, as it appears to be.

.

In that case, the carer themselves would be eligible for a BB in their own right.