questions on car boots

tibawo

Hi
I have a few questions about bad car booting but can't seem to find my answers.

Is there a thread where we list good and bad car boots etc?

I realise that you pay your money and take your chance type thing with a car boot but are there rules like you should be given a reciept? What about cancelling due to weather? Also health and safety with field etc?

Thanks in advance

Crowqueen

Are you asking as a buyer or seller?

You can ask for a receipt if you want, I'm sure some sellers at least will understand, and they can only say no.

Not sure about it from a seller's end as only ever been as a buyer, but health and safety considerations might mean that you will struggle to sell electric or electronic items, and that you can't just cook up some cakes to sell there without environmental health getting in on the action.

But without what you are planning to do there's only so much help we can give you.

tibawo

Thanks

I meant as a seller. I was [and still am] miffed that it went ahead as there were puddles everywhere and there was this lady who was so rude about the 'you pay your money you take your chance,' thing that when i mentioned health and safety as you could not park in areas due to the puddles etc that she walked off. Normally I would let it lie but since it was so disorganised and her rudeness I became curious as to the laws about holding a car boot and am not sure of them.

Three stall holders turned up - it is still raining now so doubt the fun day made anything.

What experiences have others had.

elsien

Well as a seller if the weather was bad I probably just wouldn't turn up, or I'd suss it out when I get there before deciding whether to pay my money or not - if there were only 3 stall holders, everyone else had clearly realised it was going to be a washout. Our local car boot has a checkline so if it's cancelled you can find out the night before, but that's generally if the ground is so soggy there's going to be cars and vans getting stuck all over the place. They're not allowed to put hard standing down, so if you're in a field and it's been raining.........

Although you do mention a fun day, so was it a proper car boot or an event tagged on to something else?

tibawo

It was tagged on to a cricket match and fun day. The match was canx which is why i can't understand why they went ahead. the guy running it said 50% of stalls did not turn up. I had not even set up.

i'm just trying to find out the h and s side of it

starrybee

I don't think a few puddles and bits of mud count as a health and safety hazard really - surely they would have to close every park and field in the country when it rained if it was!

If the event had been advertised and people turned up they may as well go ahead if that is what people wanted to do as the space had already been booked.

Not really sure what your point is op....you had the option to set up and pay or not set up and go home....? What is your problem with that?

Crowqueen

Yes - I think you are overdoing it with the H&S stuff, despite opinions to the contrary, not everything is a risk, and if you feel the risk is unacceptable, you have certain rights (and a duty) to refuse to do something. As an employee you should (and must) challenge your employer - what some people don't realise is that the HSE place responsibility on the employee as well as the employer to recognise danger and actively avoid or prevent it (such as clearing up unsafe obstacles on the floor that might cause accidents if slipped on or bumped into). As a user of services, you have a right not to use those services so if you think things are unsafe - walk away and refuse to pay.

Can't really see why you didn't. If the match had been cancelled, and there were only a handful of people there, why did you pay?

porto_bello

As I read the description, it's not really about H&S, but about being annoyed by the person who was rude at the boot sale.

Everything in life is a risk in some respect - certainly sport of any kind. But banning sport on H&S grounds would be a nonsense!

starrybee

porto_bello wrote: »

As I read the description, it's not really about H&S, but about being annoyed by the person who was rude at the boot sale.

I get the impression that the person was rude because OP was having a moan at them

tibawo

starrybee wrote: »

I get the impression that the person was rude because OP was having a moan at them

There was not just me and i don't understand why they didn't cancel it as in an hour only two cars came. I actually had to pay before it started and was told if it rained there would be a plan. As this was not the case I politely asked in terms of a goodwill gesture. The other stall holders [all 2 of them!] told me afterwards they they would not have been so calm with woman.

I take the point about H and S. But why not cancel the whole thing if the match is off and people won't be coming? Other car boots in the area call thiers off.

Anyway I was told the chairperson would call me. They did, and agreed with me. He offered a free stall next time. He apologised about the lady and said that someone was in the room who knew my mum through cricket had explained what happened.:T