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Conference terri::cars_uk

Title:Cars in the UK
Notice:Please read new conference charter 1.70
Moderator:COMICS::SHELLEYELD
Created:Sun Mar 06 1994
Last Modified:Fri Jun 06 1997
Last Successful Update:Fri Jun 06 1997
Number of topics:2584
Total number of notes:63384

1271.0. "" by VOGON::MURRAY () Thu Oct 25 1990 16:19

T.RTitleUserPersonal
Name
DateLines
1271.1FORTY2::QUICKCan you see him yet, Brad?Thu Oct 25 1990 16:4713
1271.2SHAPES::FIDDLERMThu Oct 25 1990 16:579
    There was an article in one of the sunday papers about wheel clamping
    organisations.  Seems that many of them operate in a legal 'grey' area,
    and quite often step out of the grey area into illegality.  The
    Government were/are considering some sort of legislation to control
    them.  (seems that almost anyone can set themselves up in this
    business).  No mention was made of police marking a car as illegally
    parked.
    
    Mikef
1271.3Article was about *private* roads.JANUS::BARKERJeremy Barker - T&N/CBN Diag. Eng. - Reading, UKThu Oct 25 1990 17:517
Re: .2

The article was about clamping of vehicles on private property.  Not on a
public road.  Only the police can authorize clamping or towing on a public
road.

jb
1271.4Sounds illegal to meBRUMMY::BELLMartin Bell, EIS Birmingham, UKThu Oct 25 1990 17:5313
1271.6re .4IOSG::MARSHALLWaterloo SunsetThu Oct 25 1990 18:069
The crime they have committed is "TAKING WITHOUT CONSENT", not theft.

On a similar topic, if the police do authorize a car to be towed away, and the
people towing it away damage it, who is liable?  the towing people, the police,
or the owner?

As the owner is illegally parked, his insurance probably isn't valid either..?

Scott
1271.7FORTY2::QUICKCan you see him yet, Brad?Thu Oct 25 1990 18:1514
Mr car was damaged by the straps used to lift it, only a bit of rubbed paint,
but damaged non the less. I spoke to a policeman at the depot when I picked
it up, he went round the car and noted on an official form exactly what the
damage was, gave me a copy, and said that should I be too lazy too polish
the marks out myself then I should get a quote, and once approved, the
metropolitan police would pay for it. I took the hint and bought some t-cut.
They (the police) are liable though.

Getting back to the base note, if there wasn't a parking ticket on the car
then it was illegally removed, and you can (and should) take action against
the people who removed it. Just the threat of a court case will probably
prompt them to refund the money I should think.

Jonathan.
1271.8Thank you- General PublicTASTY::JEFFERYTears of disbelief spilling out of my eyesTue Nov 06 1990 12:3912
A friend and I went into London, and the police towed her car away. When
we recovered it, it seems that a tow lorry had scraped the wing quite badly.
(perhaps when towing another car). The only evidence she had was that the
scrape was at a certain height, which was the height of the truck.

We went to complain as soon as we picked up the car, and things weren't looking
too good, until we found a slip of paper from someone saying that the towing
company did it, and giving their phone number.

After about 6 months she got some money back!

Mark.
1271.9Been there, done that, too often...:-)DCC::MARTINThe Corporate Rat - 865 1126Mon Dec 03 1990 22:3913
    
    	A car can only be removed from a public road after a Police officer
    has "marked the vehicle for removal", after that there is about five
    minutes grace before it is "authorized for removal" and the truck takes
    it away...
    
    	If you have a dispute there will be the "authorized for removal"
    tag on the windscreen which will have an officers signature, and you
    can take it up with the relevant Met office as advised on the rear of
    the tag... If there is no tag ask the Met and they will tell you
    if it was removed legally or not, and can investigate for you.
    
    	Rat wonders whose car it is anyway... mine or the Mets ?