Clamped Advice

UncleZen

OK, I think the advice here is clear enough on how to handle parking tickets.
But what about clampers?
just wondering, just in case etc.

ManxRed

It depends on the circumstances. Also, you only have between now and October, it'll be illegal after that (on private land, anyway).

peter_the_piper

The only problem with ugnoring a clamper is that you don't have use of your car and they have been known to reregister them.

give_them_FA

Generally speaking the people to take issue with are the landowners. But obviously try to avoid as there are only four months to go before it is outlawed. Are you worried about any particular place?

UncleZen

No concerns about a specific place, I was just wondering how to handle it.
I believe the general concenses is not to use bolt croppers to cut the padlock off (I actually do have some bolt croppers in my boot - unused).

mikey72

I think I only ever met a clamper once, parked in a British Rail car park, as a subby working for them. (Not really parked, stopped would be a better term, as we weren't carrying the tools back and forth miles) He went away when we pointed out he'd never get chance to gert the clamp on, and if he snuck back we'd use the petrol angle grinder on it, then find him to give it back. (or something like that) Probably not the correct route, but it worked.

peter_the_piper

UncleZen wrote: »

No concerns about a specific place, I was just wondering how to handle it.
I believe the general concenses is not to use bolt croppers to cut the padlock off (I actually do have some bolt croppers in my boot - unused).

Read elsewhere that it was thought that the padlock was not actually part of the clamp, probably pepipoo, so if you replace your're in the clear.

bargepole

UncleZen wrote: »

No concerns about a specific place, I was just wondering how to handle it.
I believe the general concenses is not to use bolt croppers to cut the padlock off (I actually do have some bolt croppers in my boot - unused).

I have boltcutters as well. Just cut the padlock, and leave the clamp attached to a nearby post or tree. Phone clampers, and tell them where it is. Police won't do anything, "it's a civil matter, sir".

trisontana

Somebody over on PePiPoo has just posted that they have successfully picked a clamp padlock. So no damage at all. When they phoned the clamping company to tell them where they could find the clamp the company threatened to report him to the police because they had committed a "crime". All nonsense of course.

UncleZen

You know, I would love to have the skills to pick a lock.

LincolnshireYokel

UncleZen wrote: »

You know, I would love to have the skills to pick a lock.

Buy a lockpick set from here

http://www.ukbumpkeys.com/subcat_Lock-Picks_99_index.php

I have the SouthOrd 9pc Slimline (Euro) Lock pick-set (£23)

And practice with it.

Read about how barrel locks are built, then you can see how they can be picked open. Its not hard, its just practice. When I first got my lockpick set, I went round all the padlocks i used at home and on sheds etc and tried to pick them, and about half fell open wiithin 15 minutes . I then threw all those away and bought better ones, on the theory if I can pick them they must be crap.

The point here was that one or two of the locks ive successfully picked open were expensive and beefy looking, but turned out to be easy to pick. The padlocks on clamps are the same, they look meaty, but they are mainly rubbish and easy to pick open.

And its not illegal to own a lock pick set, btw, otherwise they wouldn't sell them.