Free wireless internet access at McDonalds

superscaper

I thought people were talking about sitting in their cars. They're not going to clamp you while sat in your car. As for charging a penalty, so what? They're not enforceable and are a private civil matter, not a court ordered fine.

They're NOT fines. They're private invoices. And AFAIK almost never upheld if taken to court.

(http://www.pepipoo.com/)

unrich

We're talking about using their free internet be it in the car or in the building. If you have made a purchase from them (coffee) I'm afraid you have a contract with them and a court may view things in a different light from just parking your car on their land and not seeing a notice and not entering into a contract.

Up to you, I'm just saying there no such thing as a free happy meal.

superscaper

unrich wrote: »

We're talking about using their free internet be it in the car or in the building. If you have made a purchase from them (coffee) I'm afraid you have a contract with them and a court may view things in a different light from just parking your car on their land and not seeing a notice and not entering into a contract.

Well I've not known of a single court case yet where a car park penalty was upheld. People only pay them because they think they're fines. As for "having a contract with them" IMHO that's nonsense. The absolute most they can do legally that could be upheld is simply getting you to leave the premises, and that's all.

Nothing to do with it being "up to me", I've got no vested interest/advantage either way.

unrich

I think the fines fail because the clampers/finers can not show that by entering land you have a contract with them. This seems to be their main thrust of the claims that because you have a contract with them they can charge you a penalty for breaching the terms of the contract (or something like it).

When you make a purchase you have entered into a contract with the shop. All it takes is for them to say "it is a reasonable term foy you to clear off within 1 hour of your purchase if not we will charge you".

superscaper

unrich wrote: »

I think the fines fail because the clampers/finers can not show that by entering land you have a contract with them. This seems to be their main thrust of the claims that because you have a contract with them they can charge you a penalty for breaching the terms of the contract (or something like it).

When you make a purchase you have entered into a contract with the shop. All it takes is for them to say "it is a reasonable term foy you to clear off within 1 hour of your purchase if not we will charge you".

Not the cases I'm aware of, it was merely that they couldn't show the "fines" were "reasonable" and entering the land did NOT constitute a contract. Even if they have clear signs and actual photos of the car they still can't get their penalties upheld fundamentally. They're legally baseless and only work on a psychological level alone.

unrich

That's just what I wrote, isn't it?

And what about when you make a purchase?

superscaper

unrich wrote: »

That's just what I wrote, isn't it?

And what about when you make a purchase?

Can't see how any court would deem purchasing ANYTHING from ANYWHERE suddenly embroils you in a parking contract. The parking terms themselves are actually unreasonable and are why they're not deemed an enforceable contract. I certainly don't remember seeing anywhere that had a parking contract posted up next to a menu.

unrich

apart from a parking ticket.

PROLIANT

Closing this argument you could build a high gain directional antenna for the laptop and sit accross they way with the antenna pointed at macdonalds.

superscaper

unrich wrote: »

apart from a parking ticket.

"Fines" from those have never been upheld either. Again the only time they are paid is when people think they are obliged to pay. When people have refused, there's been no comeback. You should visit the link I posted.