A DRIVER WHO claims they were parked in a valid spot said that clampers took a photo of the wrong street sign after being questioned about why the car was clamped.
Information provided to TheJournal.ie under Freedom of Information shows a number of complaints were sent to Dublin City Council from 1 July – 2 November this year.
Another driver said that the wrong car was de-clamped after they had paid a fee to have their own clamp removed.
Refunded
The driver at the centre of the street sign mix-up was refunded after their complaint explained that they parked under a sign which stated that parking was permitted and that payment was required from 10am – 4pm.
The complainant explained that as they parked at 4.40pm, no payment was due. They added, “There was no sign stating that this is a clearway/bus lane”.
The driver explained that they saw the Dublin Street Parking Services clampers arrive and approach their car.
The complaint stated:
“I waited to cross the street and arrived after they had attached the notice, before the clamp was attached.
I pointed out the relevant sign and they proceeded to attach the clamp, stating that once the notice is issued they had to attach the clamp (even if erroneous to do so).
They told me to call their customer service, I did this and they said they have no powers to instruct removal.
The driver then claimed that the clampers took a photo of another sign, with bus lane restrictions, that was in another area behind the car in question.
When asked about this, a spokesperson for Dublin Street Parking Services (DSPS) told TheJournal.ie, “We’re under strict instructions from the council to take enough photos to get a perspective of where the sign is located to validate the clamp.”
Wrong car de-clamped
In another case, a driver said that they were clamped when their ticket blew onto the floor of the car as it was a breezy day, but that their ticket was valid.
The driver then explains that after paying the fee for the clamp to be removed, they received a text that the car was de-clamped at 5.20pm.
However, the driver said they were sitting in the car at the time and continued to wait, expecting the car to be declamped “at any moment”.
At 6pm, the complainant called DSPS and was told that the car had been de-clamped. The complaint stated:
“I advised her that I had not left the car since paying, and the clamp was still on the car.
She then asked me to read out the number of the wheel clamp itself, which I did. She then informed me that the wrong car had been de-clamped.
The driver said the woman apologised and said she would send a vehicle declamp unit again, but could not say how long that would be.
The complainant said they eventually had to leave on foot for a pressing engagement and the clamp was removed when they returned.
In this case there was a note on the complaint that read: “50% Refund with Caution, Gesture of Goodwill.”
Pensioner clamped when disability permit slipped
In another case of a ticket not being visible, a pensioner was clamped when her disability permit slipped.
The complaint was sent on behalf of a pensioner in her 70s. It states that the woman had parked in a disabled space, which she is entitled to do, but that the disability permit had slipped off the dashboard.
The complainant states that the fine was not mistaken but the woman was “assured” by by the person removing the clamp that she would have no trouble appealing her case.
However, her first appeal was rejected by the DSPS. The complainant added that the woman in question has a heart condition and was waiting for almost two hours for her vehicle to be released:
A note on this complaint read, “Refund gesture of goodwill”.
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