Got clamped earlier - surely this isn't legal...

MrLOL said:
ocuk detectives on the case again :rolleyes:

hes got a point

now that hes paid the money, hes got no proof of what he was actually doing at the time, and as the clampers are licensed, hes not really got a hope of getting it back.

if he complains to the manager, he'll just tell him what the security guards told him, that he was part of the cruise and was clamped in accordance with his instructions (after all, the manager brought the clampers in to get rid of them)

the manager is probably going to think of him as a complaining cruiser and laugh
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The actual Odeon complex manager sympathised with me but he said that anything to do with the car park is the responsibility of the car park security.

Like i said earlier in the thread, it is not uncommon to see 'cruisers' in the car park parked up listening to music or chatting.

The car park secuirity people are just useless. Every single one of them is a steroid munching meathead. I went to see them today to try and get something sorted but they said 'eff off we dont care' and were generally being a bunch incompetant nobs.
 
Amp34 said:
What car do you own and is it modified?
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Ford Fiesta Zetec S.

Mostly standard but has been:
Lowered (just about perfect and doesnt look over the top)
Fully colour coded bumpers
Smoothed boot
Pipercross Induction Kit

It does not look like a chav mobil at all.
I did not do anything to bring attention e.g. blare out music, do hand brake turn or drive too fast.
 
zain said:
I always say things like that, but unless your a full time bum or have a very easy/short job its a bit hard to do all that.
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Returning to the cinema can't be that hard or time consuming. Writing a letter should only take about 10 mins and then it's in the post - how is that vastly time consuming?
 
Psymonkee said:
Returning to the cinema can't be that hard or time consuming. Writing a letter should only take about 10 mins and then it's in the post - how is that vastly time consuming?
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I went to the cinema earlier and it was just a waste of time (mention it a previous post).
I have just now sent an email to the Lockmeadow Complex (the complex that has the Odeon cinema in it) and have also noted down their telephone number.

I will wait to hear what they say.
I just hope Lockmeadow will reimburse me of the £120. Not too bothered about compensation as the £120 is the most important thing. However, i will be surprised if i do not get some sort of compensation seeing as i threatened to go the local press over the matter.
 
Well now you've paid up, you might as well get vfm - get down there every night and _slowly_ roll around the car park with windows down, music blaring and chucking MaccyD wrappers out the window. ;)

A nice big "Hey clampers! Suck my balls!" sign in the rear window would be a nice touch.

Note to the humour deficient. This is has been posted for amusement (my own mainly) only and should not be construed as actual advice.
 
BigT said:
OK here's what I would do. I've done this successfully with Lex Auto and Shell before so you may stand a chance of success. You need to shame them into helping you and the only way you do that is to aim big with a complaint.

I've done some digging around and the CEO of Odeon is Rupert Gavin. Their head office number is 020 7321 0404

But let's not stop there. Odeon are actually owned by an investment firm called Tarra Firma and their CEO is a gentlemen called Guy Hands and their head office number is 020 7015 9500

Neither of these people want adverse publicity from the dodgy contractors they are employing. So we're going to play on that.

Firstly phone up each of the numbers and ask for the PA of the gentlemen in question. Do not ask for the CEO because you'll be brushed aside. Ask for their PA and you stand a chance of getting through. When through to the PA or secretarial deprtament, explain you're John calling from Odeon and you've got a fax for Guy but you've misplaced his fax number. Could the PA please give it to you? Same for Rupert, but explain you're John from Terra Firma and you've misplaced the fax number for Rupert. Do it at 17:30 and explain you need to send it through before the close of business. Secretarial staff tend to not get hung up about giving out fax numbers and doing it at the end of the day when they just want to get home will yield better results.

Next up construct a well written letter explaining your outrage and asking what they are going to do about it. Fax it for the attention of the CEO of the apporpiate organisation and ensure you put in bold "cc: BBC watchdog". Whether you actually send a copy to BBC watchdog is up to you.

If you're lucky then chances are some secretary will pick it up, freak out, all hell will break loose and these people will get someone to sort it fast. They don't want investigative journalists all over their business.
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I like this a lot. You should try this :D
 
xcessive said:
The actual Odeon complex manager sympathised with me but he said that anything to do with the car park is the responsibility of the car park security.
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You see this is why you need to aim high with your complaint. The complex manager isn't going to make it his business unless his area manager is coming down on him. The area manager isn't going to make it his problem unless the UK Ops director etc. up the line of command. And the CEO is only going to get agitated if he thinks there's going to be some bad press about how Odeon are ripping off poor innocent customers by employing dodgy clamping firms. Hence why my approach Trojan quoted could work.

Complaining is a bit like selling. When you sell to someone you actually try and find a personal benefit that triggers someone to buy what it is you're selling (Sounds obvious I know but you see many salesman selling features rather than benefits). When you want action from a complaint you have to make it a problem that is going to affect the individual personally you're complaining to. With the greatest of respect to you, the complex manager isn't going to give a toss about getting you your money back. How's his job going to be affected by you being a bit miffed with the clampers? He's going to be polite and treat you nicely but tell you it's not his problem. But if word comes down from head office that the poor guy who got clamped is going to the press with the story, he's going to bend over backwards to help you out. I'm sure there are other things you could try but in my experience giving a headache to someone important often gets the best results. And to be honest, if this story happened exactly how you say it did then the investigative journalists are going to have a field day with this and Odeon's press office are going to realise that when you bring it to the company's attention.
 
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Sounds like you've been had mate. I'd be suprised if they work for the cinema or complex at all. If they did they wouldn't be on commission so there'd be no need for such aggressive action.
 
This thread has given me some great ideas. I'm going to buy a cordless angle grinder. Already have a electric one - hope a battery powered one is up to the task.

And a steering wheel lock to put on the clamper vehicle why he is busy clamping :D
 
Rilot said:
You forgot the last part:

Get prosecuted for criminal damage by the clamping company.
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By some dodgy underhand clamping firm?... unlikely as its quite likely dodgy practices by themselves would come to light :p

Me? ... well I'd have probaby not let it go on in the first place. I imagine its very difficult to attach one if you keep rolling a few feet forward and then a few back, rinse and repeat :p , and then try to get out by bouncing over kerbs, etc (having a car thats not worth very much is usful as lopez says... would be nice if it was a bit more substantial though)
 
Hodders said:
Surely if they can clamp me bcause they have put up a sign saying "park here and get clamped, £120 for release." (or words to that effect) then I can put a sign on my cars saying "Wheel clamp test vehicle, any clamps will be tested to destruction if fitted, £120 fee for testing" and cut of said lamp if it's attached ?

Legally it seems to hang on acceptance of a contract by an affirmative action. I park there I accept their terms, they fix a clamp, they accept mine.

If I won the lottery, this is the kind of case I would have fun with !
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Absolutely - And that contract is contingent on a highly visible sign (I forget the specific case law).

Now that you have paid, you should seek to have the money returned through the normal legal channels (a small claim in the country court should suffice).

Have a chat with your locl CAB.

Remember to add any direct costs incurred to your claim, and once the claim has been filed, to add interest, pro rated daily at 8% per annum, as prescribed by law.
 
Rilot said:
You forgot the last part:

Get prosecuted for criminal damage by the clamping company.
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This clamping company is extremely dodgy. Blocking someone in while they are in the car and then demanding £120. That's called extortion! I would take great satisfaction in coming back to the Cinema at 3am and chopping up their clamp into tiny pieces.
 
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gurdas said:
The clampers blocked you in so you couldn't move and they clamped you?! Seems a tad xcessive...
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I watched a DVLA van do the same thing to a work mate two days ago.. his clio was parked in the street... their numberplate reconition picked the car up as having no tax (bad boy) blocked the car in by parking in the middle of a busy road with hazards on lol.. then the clamper SASed it out the van with stab vest on and clamped it lol... £200 later and the clamps off with 14 days to produce a tax disc to the office (still cant use the car until he has lol) and he gets £120 of it back.. silly boy..

But even places like the DVLA do this sort of thing.. :eek: lol

Id fight for the money back mate..
 
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