How to hurt the parking companies?

denz1968

Just a thought I had and please delete if not allowed.


They cause us hassle and discomfort SO

How about we group together here, and target GDPR requests to the parking firms. They have 30 days to respond to a request. If we hit them with 30-40 requests we can make their life hard

Let me know your thoughts please

tacpot12

Rather than attempt to hurt the parking companies, I think you need to hurt the companies that employ them. These companies are either reasonable businesses that are trying to solve a problem but don't realise the reality of how the parking company works OR they know exactly how the parking company works and they have employed them specifically to cause pain on their customers.

If you can find a way to engage with these employing companies, you will quickly find out which they are. If they are a reasonable company, you can use reason to help them influence the parking companies, if they are not a reasonable company, you need to hurt them in the pocket.

NeilCr

I know that no parking company has information on me. Why should I get involved and make a frivolous GDPR request?

As tacpot12 says it's much more about education and alternatives. Finding ways to stop selfish parkers who provide a reason/excuse for the introduction of PPCs. What other measures can be used to deter those who, by the actions, cause problems for those who "follow the rules" etc

Write to your MP so they are aware and can get involved in the passage of Greg Knight's bill - which, we can only hope, will provide a fair and equitable system that stops the excesses of the PPCs while ensuring that that drivers who don't give a monkeys about others are fairly "punished"

ETA. There are nowhere near 30-40 regular regulars (I know what I mean by that!) here - even, assuming, they would all get involved. The vast majority of posters are transient and want help for their own particular issue.

beamerguy

tacpot12 wrote: »

Rather than attempt to hurt the parking companies, I think you need to hurt the companies that employ them. These companies are either reasonable businesses that are trying to solve a problem but don't realise the reality of how the parking company works OR they know exactly how the parking company works and they have employed them specifically to cause pain on their customers.

If you can find a way to engage with these employing companies, you will quickly find out which they are. If they are a reasonable company, you can use reason to help them influence the parking companies, if they are not a reasonable company, you need to hurt them in the pocket.

All these companies know about the scammers they employ.

Tesco in their smaller stores give cameras to their staff
The co-op were burnt with CEL yet still have scammers
in their bigger stores, the list goes.

What we do know is that the rubbish they spout about
spaces being abused is very much in the minority
and without doubt is a pup sold to them by the parking
vermin

There are too many supermarkets trying to sell
to too few customers and the first supermarket to
advertise totally free parking with no parking
operators on site will be the winner and if one starts
others will follow.

In the meantime, there is social media but I doubt
that has any effect

I remain convinced that those who take on parking
vermin get a share of the action

NeilCr

I think supermarkets is an interesting one.

As I've said before I live in a seaside town. The supermarkets here all give 1 or 2 hour free parking which I think is fair enough. Otherwise, the car parks (especially the Waitrose that I use) get overrun by day trippers who leave their cars there all day while they are on the beach. Everyone I know understands and agrees with the system. Waitrose, which is the most central one with parking, allows two hours which gives time for folks to use other local shops.

Having said that, the Waitrose signage is hopelessly inadequate! And I am not sure they have a PPC. Think they employ their own parking attendant.

So they probably fit your model. Two hours free car parking with no PPC on site. I don't see that "free for ever" parking would work or bring in more customers. The car park would soon get filled up with local residents, staff from other businesses, visitors, diners at restaurants etc etc.

If only people acted and parked reasonably, life would be so much easier. And there would be less need for PPCs!

Snakes_Belly

An ombudsman that is totally independent from the parking companies would be the way to go IMO. Just the threat of the ombudsman in most scenarios is enough as the fee that has to be paid by the company is more that it costs the PPC'S to take a motorist to court. I took a utility company to the ombudsman and they ended up having to pay the fee to the ombudsman, write off my bill and pay compensation of £100.00.

I do wonder if the tide will really turn on the PPC's and motorists will be able to claim back past parking charges in retrospect. A bit like PPI. Then all the 'low rent' solicitors would turn from poacher to gamekeeper. It's an interesting thought.

PasturesNew

"How to hurt the parking companies"

Don't go out.

I can honestly say that fear of missing a sign prevents me parking in many places these days - so I often just don't go out.

£60 to some is a nuisance.
£60 for others is catastrophic.
Especially if £60 becomes £100, or £100+

Stay in .... don't go out.

You know it makes sense (it's cheaper all round too!)

Even if you "get it right" and park correctly, for less than the max limit, within a marked parking bay ... and your ticket didn't drop on the floor ... and the machine worked when you arrived/left.... there's still the "tiny, tiny writing" that might say you get a charge if you return within X hours....

Gone out for a bottle of milk? Got home, 2 hours later realised you forgot the bread, back for the bread... Uh-ho.... TICKET!

beamerguy

NeilCr wrote: »

I think supermarkets is an interesting one.

As I've said before I live in a seaside town. The supermarkets here all give 1 or 2 hour free parking which I think is fair enough. Otherwise, the car parks (especially the Waitrose that I use) get overrun by day trippers who leave their cars there all day while they are on the beach. Everyone I know understands and agrees with the system. Waitrose, which is the most central one with parking, allows two hours which gives time for folks to use other local shops.

Having said that, the Waitrose signage is hopelessly inadequate!

Nobody condones someone parking all day as you explain.
I would imagine those who do that probably get some
shopping as they are in the car park anyway.

Supermarkets entice people to stay longer with coffee shops,
even having a full meal and they expect customers to shop,
all this in a couple of hours. Take into account mums with
young kids enjoying the social side in an instore cafe and
it's obvious such little time does not work

Where I live there is one of the first Lidl stores to open.
The car park is council owned with a pay machine, no ANPR,
and there is a warden who walks around so, if someone
does not buy a ticket or goes overtime, it is expected
to get a ticket (certainly not £100) but you can buy a ticket
lasting from 8am to 6pm. After 6pm and all weekends
it's 100% free. It also serves Waitrose and with Waitrose,
together with the parking ticket, you get a money back
ticket if you spend more than £10 with Waitrose
This is how it used to be and how it should be now

This abuse business is rubbish, I cannot remember a
supermarket car park in my area that has been full for
a very long time. That is not to say that others will
have a different experience

Your situation is different in that your car park is abused
and they are not spending money as in a supermarket

1-2-3 hours allowance means that the parking company
knows that it's a cash cow as many will stay longer.
In turn the supermarket knows it's a cash cow and I
remain convinced that someone gets a rake off

beamerguy

PasturesNew wrote: »

Gone out for a bottle of milk? Got home, 2 hours later realised you forgot the bread, back for the bread... Uh-ho.... TICKET!

The best explanation of ANPR

NeilCr

As you say it is different experiences.

Our supermarket car parks are not big and do get full just with shoppers (at certain times). And yes they would get abused if there was no control. Only one has a coffee shop but I totally take your point about the bigger ones encouraging people to stay. Two hours is fine for anyone here - including visiting other shops

It's why it's so hard to find solutions. There are lots of differing scenarios!

beamerguy

NeilCr wrote: »

As you say it is different experiences.

Our supermarket car parks are not big and do get full just with shoppers (at certain times). And yes they would get abused if there was no control. Only one has a coffee shop but I totally take your point about the bigger ones encouraging people to stay. Two hours is fine for anyone here - including visiting other shops

It's why it's so hard to find solutions. There are lots of differing scenarios!

The solution is firmly in the hands of those employing PPC's
To let them in, there must be strict ground rules and the
employer must be in full control at all times

The residential cases we see here often could be stamped
upon if the PPC knew who was boss and not the other
way around