The government have announced that they plan to ban clamping cars who park illegally in the new year. The excuse is that “rogue” clampers are endemic to the industry and despite a number of attempts at cleaning up the industry, they survive. Of course anyone who has been clamped is celebrating.
But is it really a good thing?
We have heard on the news from clampers and victims of clamping, but we have not heard from anyone who employs clampers to protect their property. And it is not always evil people who see a money-making opportunity. Sometimes there are good reasons to protect against illegal parking.
Many people perhaps do not realise just how aggravating and potentially dangerous illegal parking can be. Taking an extreme at the low end where clamping currently is not employed (but should be!), my flat is in a block which has a small narrow courtyard behind the building which is open to the road.
There are admittedly no notices up to indicate that parking is illegal, but you would have to be really dumb not to realise that it is private property. Parking there not only means that the council frequently finds it difficult to collect the rubbish, but the area is supposed to be kept clear as it is a fire exit and access for fire engines in the event of a fire. People parking there put the resident’s lives at risk.
Do they care ? Don’t make me laugh. On almost every day, there will be two or three cars parked there.