BS: Car blocked in on private car park

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: jacqui.c
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 05:22 PM

Guest Stim - unless one is aware of the law it can be dangerous to proceed with any sort of action in this litigious age. Even a frivolous lawsuit may need to be defended, costing time, aggravation and money.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 04:21 PM

I have checked, to such degree as I can, and it seems that you can have an illegally parked car towed away. The tow truck driver will want to take the car to an impound lot of some sort, because that is what they do.

If you want to "tow the offending vehicle out of the way a bit to create a space to get out", you can do that yourself, either by pushing, putting dollies under the wheels, or, if the car is small enough and you have enough help, lifting and carrying it.

I, along with Bruce, am completely flummoxed by your seeming inability to act in this situation. A sick woman was inconvenienced for three hours because no one was willing to cause inconvenience to an unknown person who had no hesitation to cause inconvenience to you.

You might want to think on that.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 01:57 PM

Jacqui,

That thought crossed my mind, but unfortunately my car is stuck at home with a knackered clutch/gearbox cable ie an expensive repair.

Does anyone know about what help AA, RAC et al can provide, eg tow the offending vehicle out of the way a bit to create a space to get out?

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 01:50 PM

Fred,

Maybe if they are abusive, then maybe ask if they want to take of the option of being kneecapped or something which would mean that they could park there legitimately in the future. :)

Of course it would have to be an offer, not a threat.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Fred McCormick
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 01:12 PM

I once worked as a traffic warden on a council car park, and selfishly parked cars were the bane of my life. Funny enough, it's always the ones who've knowingly blocked three other cars in who go off like a rocket when they're asked to move.

Then of course there's the 100% fit scumbags who park in disabled bays when they've got no right to, thus causing untold inconvenience to the genuinely disabled. By 'eck, did I love issuing illegal parking tickets to those bastards. And didn't I just relish the slanging match when they came steaming after me demanding I take the ticket back.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: jacqui.c
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 10:42 AM

I think, in this situation, I would have tried to arrange for the sick person to be taken home, either in a cab or by a co-worker and would then have blocked in the offending vehicle, leaving a polite note on the windscreen telling them where to come to get the block (another car) removed. When they turned up there would be a lecture on the unsocial behaviour they demonstrated and they would be told that they would have to kick their heels for the next two hours as I was too busy right then to leave the office (due to having to take time out to take my sick colleague home). With any luck they wouldn't park in my car park again!

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 04:58 AM

Yes, but if it's on private land, no penalty points or anything else can be given by the Law. And if one shunts the vehicle out of the way and damages it, security cameras could be recording the lot and you would probably damage your own car in the process. In UK, any action by a victim involving verbal abuse, physical assault, damage etc is a crime, no matter what the nasty perpetrator has done to you by obstructing your exit. And even on private land, those actions are considered a criminal matter. It's a no-win situation. I would very much like to 'inconvenience the offender', but how?

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: DMcG
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 03:45 AM

Punitive measures against transgressors is one issue, but this does not necessary solve the problem of how someone who is blocked in by a transgressor can actually get home!

Agreed, but in some ways I'm more interested in the former problem, because such a transgressor is likely to do so again and again, and helpfully moving their car a short distance when a spot becomes available or paying for it to be towed at your expense only encourages them. I'm not sure 'punitive' is necessarily the right word, since it carries such a strong financial implication, but I do think it would be a good idea if we could strongly discourage people from doing this. It's not how the law is set up, but it wouldn't seem unreasonable to give penalty points on the licence for such behaviour, for example. As to working within the law, I'm not qualified to answer, but given the choice between two lawful alternatives, the one the inconveniences the offender more would be my choice.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,999
Date: 12 Jan 13 - 12:26 AM

I do not understand you people.

I was blocked in once in such a manner. I waited about 15 minutes. Then, I backed up into the car, slowly, shoved it out the way and left. No problem.

I think many people are so civilized they will contribute to the gene pool and be the reason we die off. And that my friends is no shit.

PS I too am civilized. I didn't crack his/her windshield.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 05:29 PM

You don't even need keys, Charmion. I pulled into the lot for a group of small offices and shops recently. There was an entry gate with a sign explaining that if you entered, in order to exit, you needed to either deposit a fee or a token from the concern you were visiting.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Charmion
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 01:29 PM

I would suggest erecting a key-activated gate on the parking lot and issuing keys to the rightful users, as is done in apartment buildings. Everyone else parks somewhere -- anywhere -- else.

The sick woman who needed to go home should have called a taxi. A person who is too sick to work is probably not well enough to drive, either.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 12:54 PM

If this is an ongoing problem in your "car park", make some preparations for "next time":

1. Find a towing service that will agree to remove scofflaws when
called.

2.Invest in a set of Wheel dollies so you can roll the transgressing vehicle out of the way.

3.Keep the number of a car service on hand that can drive the owner of the blocked car home.

4. Post bills in all the adjacent offices, shops, and businesses explaining where people can and cannot park.


Problem solved!!!

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Peter
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 11:42 AM

From the link that Richard gave it says (I paraphrase) that it can be moved at no charge to the owner if it is causing an obstruction. So the owners can hire a tow truck to move it but are stuck with the cost.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,SPB Cooperator (on a different pc)
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 11:22 AM

Punitive measures against transgressors is one issue, but this does not necessary solve the problem of how someone who is blocked in by a transgressor can actually get home!

Yesterday, my client was feeling more and more unwell as the day went on, and was advised by her manager to go home, but she couldnt

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Dave MacKenzie
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 10:38 AM

We had an incident in Chester this week. Someone parked his car overnight in the Cathedral Car Park, and when he returned in the morning, he was surprised to find out, firstly, that his was the only car in the car park, and , two, that the pend out of the car park was in the process of being dug up to install a rising bollard. When he said that he had to be at work by 08:30, it was explained to him that the Cathedral Car Park is private, and parking is only legal to those who have paid for it, and if he wanted to return after 16:30, he should be able to remove his car.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 10:17 AM

And your first link said:
Until this change comes into force, anyone undertaking vehicle immobilisation activity must ensure that they are properly licensed to do so. Holders of an SIA Vehicle Immobiliser licence that expires before this time must either:

Cease this activity on expiry of the licence; or
Renew the licence if they wish to undertake vehicle immobilisation in England and Wales until October.

i.e. a license to clamp was only a stop-gap measure until October.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 10:08 AM

Richard, I think you are getting a little confused. Car clamping on private land has been made illegal.
As it states in your most recent link:
From 1 October you can no longer have your car clamped just because you spend too long in a car park or park where you shouldn't have.
The police, DVLA and some other organisations will still be able to clamp your car, for example if you don't pay your car tax or if your car is unroadworthy.
You can still get parking tickets on private land. A two stage appeals process has been set up to deal with parking ticket disputes. This can be used by parking companies who are members of the British Parking Association.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: banjoman
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 07:18 AM

I am a disabled driver and live in a very narrow close. I am frequently bocked in by visitors to other houses parking opposite my drive way . I have had abusive language and threats when asking people to move and have reported them to the police - no action taken. I believe that the pavement is in law part of the highway and that it is an offence to obstruct the highway.
I cured one of the perpertrators when I "accidentally" put a large dent in the side of his almost new honda civic with my then old banger. I refused to accept liability and counter claimed for damage to my vehicle. All action was then dropped and He has never parked in the street again

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 11 Jan 13 - 12:47 AM

My question is--to what degree are parking scofflaws towed in your fair land? Here, in some places at some times, there are fleets of tow trucks that descend and clear the streets.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Jack the Sailor
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 10:31 PM

Thanks for posing the question SPB-C the conversation has been interesting.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,999
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 10:24 PM

Y'all need a 'stand yer ground' law.

1) Shoot the car,

2) Shoot the driver.

3) Push the damn car where ya want.

That's how it's done in Flor'da.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Gurney
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 08:44 PM

Frogprince, an auto-transmission car can be moved with a garage trolly-jack, providing the ground is smooth enough.
And providing it isn't front-wheel-drive. Then it takes two trolly-jacks, and a lot of swearing. Braked both ends, you see, and the alarm goes off.

Don't you hate selfish bastards!

Perhaps you should just keep shaking the car and listening to the alarm.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: McGrath of Harlow
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 07:49 PM

Nigel, that might work in a world where most cars have manual transmissions.

Which is the world we live in, since this is evidently a UK incident.

What's with "two or three fit men"? Women can readily push cars, and frequently do. The trouble being if you can't get at the steering wheel there's a risk of pushing it somewhere where is caused an even bigger problem or danger.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 07:21 PM

More info

http://www.adviceguide.org.uk/england/news/whats_new_oct12_parking_and_wheel_clamping_on_private_land.htm

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 07:14 PM

From the link I gave above "From October it will be an offence in England and Wales to clamp, tow or immobilise a vehicle without lawful authority."

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 05:45 PM

My temptation would be to put an A4 adhesive label admonishing the car owner - right in the middle of the driver side - and charge £100 per cup of warm water which they would need to clean it off - after maybe 5 or 6 cups they may learn the error of their ways, or alternatively they could risk driving home with their view obscured!!

This is only a temptation - I am not advocating actually doing it!

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 04:58 PM

Richard:
Surely there's no such thing as a UK clamping license:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19782680

Clamping on private land has been made illegal.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Richard Bridge
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 04:24 PM

Get a clamping licence (one is now necessary in the UK - too many rogues used to do it - http://www.sia.homeoffice.gov.uk/Pages/about-news.aspx?newsid=307). Clamp the fucker and charge £100 for release. Or £100 per hour. Or a windscreen sticker.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: frogprince
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 04:05 PM

Nigel, that might work in a world where most cars have manual transmissions. In the U.S., a stick shift is the exception. When automatic transmissions are in park, they're effectively braked at least almost as solidly as with a handbrake. It takes the ignition key to get them out of park.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Charmion
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 03:51 PM

Stim, if you tried that in certain parts of urban Britain, you'd start a riot.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 03:34 PM

Around these parts (and most of the parts where I've been), we tend to be more "pro-active" about dealing with this situation--a client would not have set for three hours waiting for a scofflaw to move their car.

Most places, business or residential, who have private parking areas routinely tow vehicles that are unauthorized or improperly parked. Often, there is a sign displaying the tow service number, for those who need to recover their vehicles. Before that occurred, someone likely would have run into all the adjacent offices seeking the car owner, and often concerned parties or even bystanders might improvise a way of moving the car.

In a couple neighborhoods I've lived in, a tire iron would have been used, either on the offending car or it's driver. There were signs that said, "Don't Even Think About Parking Here" and they knew...

Chalk it up to cultural differences, I guess...

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 03:16 PM

Telling an old woman to fuck off is simple assault.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,999
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 03:12 PM

Don't get caught letting the air out of his tires.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Eliza
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 02:18 PM

As far as I know (my friend had this problem a couple of times in the private car park of her flat) the Police will do nothing if it's on private property or land. If one lets the air out of the tyres, one can be arrested for criminal damage. The people to approach are the actual owners of the land in which the car park sits. There is often a notice on a post giving the authority to ring in such circumstances.
Very very annoying and selfish of the abandonner! In my friend's case (she has a sick eldely mother to attend to and needed her car urgenty) ahe waited ages for the idiot to appear and gave him an earful, only to be told to f*** off. He drove away totally uncaring.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,999
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 01:58 PM

Report his plate number to the cops.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 01:08 PM

It got resolved 3 hours+ later when car owner returned - so that a vwery disgruntled worker could finally go home and get over her cold!!! Unfortunately, the miscreant manged to slip away without being spotted.

For info, the car park is part of a centre run by a disability charity - for use of staff and those attending activities at the centre. No parking attendants.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,pierre le beau
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 11:55 AM

bump it. only takes 2. did it in paris no problem.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Leadfingers
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 11:35 AM

We used to regularly 'Bump' cars out of the way in a Pub Car park when Non Customers just left them there blocking customers cars in !
It only takes two or three fit men !
But IF its a Private Car park , the Owners shopuld have connections

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Nigel Parsons
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 11:23 AM

Let the air out of the car's tires. The owner will call for a tow.
Or they may not be able to afford to immediately, and leave it there for a few days, still causing an obstruction.

Check whether all doors are locked. If not, let the handbrake off & push it somewhere else (prefereably where the police will see it & book it for illegal parking)

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,Stim
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 10:52 AM

Not meaning to offend, by any means, but why did you bring this question here? Why didn't you just talk to the attendant or manager of the car park? Or call the police? None of us can do anything to move the car, but all of them probably can.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: GUEST,999
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 10:35 AM

Let the air out of the car's tires. The owner will call for a tow.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Jeri
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 09:53 AM

I think it would be a representative of the facility who would have the authority to get someone towed.

It only takes 4 or 5 strong people to move a small car. In my case*, they just turned it sideways.

*A joke. They fixed it once I'd seen it because I was their ride to work.

Subject: RE: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: Stilly River Sage
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 09:31 AM

In the U.S. you probably need to look around (especially UP) for any posted signs about parking. Tow trucks can operate where it is posted they can operate.

If the facility has a clear rule about who can and can't park there, then I'd guess she can have them towed. But I'm in the U.S., your mileage may vary, so to speak.

SRS

Subject: BS: Car blocked in on private car park
From: SPB-Cooperator
Date: 10 Jan 13 - 09:14 AM

One of my clients has a problem - her car has been blocked in by a member of the public using the centre's car park without permission, and as a result she is unable to go home.

What actions can she take to get the car legally moved out of the way?

Will AA/RAC help? Will the police bring in a tow truck if requested?
Can a private towing company be instructed to move the car out of the way, and if they want to be paid take it up with the car owner?