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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to be fuming at being clamped in McDonald's!

77 replies

maggieryan · 31/07/2015 21:38

I could scream. Went up to mcdonalds with the kids. There was a kids party in so ended up staying for two and half hours. Good fun and good catch up with some of the mothers. Came out and my car bloody clamped. 120 euro to get it released. Said it to manager of mcdonalds and although he was sympathetic he said he'd write a letter and I would have to appeal. I gave out to clampers about how unfair it was but rhey said I should have read the signs. It was then I noticed a tiny sign. AIBU to think McDonalds should have bigger bloody signs or even announce it every hour to let people know. I could cry. I've about forty euro now to do me for the week!

OP posts:

Hellotherehowareyoudoing · 31/07/2015 21:40

YANBU it's like organised crime with some of the parking 'fines', horrid. Hope you are ok.

GraysAnalogy · 31/07/2015 21:40

I dunno, I mean it's shite for you but I thought it was a bit obvious that when parking you look at the signs and what they say?

And no I don't think they should have to announce it every hour

DadfromUncle · 31/07/2015 21:43

It's a bit of a stupid idea for McD's to offer a kids party that goes on longer than you can park in their car park. Imagine if they tried that in the USA!

FenellaFellorick · 31/07/2015 21:44

Is the car park mcdonalds and the clampers engaged by them?
If so then surely they're the customerand set the terms
They could say there is an exception for anyone attending a party hosted here. We will give tickets out to the person booking the party, they distribute to their guests and on the ticket it gives date and times of party and champers are under instructions to not clamp for the duration.

GreyAndGoldInTheMeadow · 31/07/2015 21:44

Announce it every hour? How would that work then

It's shit but if your getting free parking you need to check the conditions, the alternative it paid parking and then you'll know exactly how long you've got.

UrethraFranklin1 · 31/07/2015 21:44

2 and a half hours in McDonalds is excessive. I would guess that the location is somewhere where people might try and take advantage of free parking to go elsewhere, so they have to have restrictions to keep customers moving through. They are generally well sign-posted.
You can appeal if you can show that you were a genuine customer for that time but its not a surprise that there are restrictions. It's your responsibility to know the rules where you park.

Original poster

maggieryan · 31/07/2015 21:53

Its McDonald's car park. I just never paid before but then I'm not usually there that long. It's just couldn't have come at a worse time. Regarding the speakers, in talking about a piped message going over speakers once evey one or two hours telling people clamping in progress or even a few notices in McDonald's. There was one small notice and it was in a corner on lampost. I didn't see it until manager pointed it out. He said to appeal but that doesn't solve my problem of being pretty broke because of this. Ah well..nothing I can do about it. Thanks for sympathy!

OP posts:

Hellotherehowareyoudoing · 31/07/2015 22:03

I think you should appeal, OP.

DadfromUncle · 31/07/2015 22:08

Local paper for starters :), Maccys Twitter feed, Facebook - it's stupid. I get their desire to stop non customers parking for free but FFS - you were a paying customer, how is that good business?

UrethraFranklin1 · 31/07/2015 22:14

Twitter, paper and FB are just going to make you look like an idiot. Most car parks in town centres or nearby, McD's, Aldi, Tesco whatever, all have time limits. Because they have to, or they would be full of shoppers and workers and no customers could park and they would go out of business.

You could pull a sad face for the Ballygobackwards Shopper but they'll probably just reply with the 4 signs in the car park OP didn't look at.

starlight2007 · 31/07/2015 22:16

I would also appeal..My Ds attended a Mcdonalds party here that has a soft play but car reg's were taken

Floggingmolly · 31/07/2015 22:20

McDonalds parties don't last two and a half hours, op! The ticket was karma for taking the piss, sitting for an extra hour over a coffee. The staff probably called the clampers themselves...

ollieplimsoles · 31/07/2015 22:22

Just don't pay it...

My fil has never paid a parking fine in his life. How are they going to enforce it? Ok they take your reg, then threaten you with small claims court because you don't pay it, you go to court and it gets thrown out because its your word against theirs. Its a private company trying to squeeze you, not like a fine from the council that you legally have to pay.

ReallyTired · 31/07/2015 22:27

What country is the OP in. In the UK such behaviour is illegal. Is there the equivalent of the small claims court or citzen's advice bureau in your country?

gloriafloria · 31/07/2015 22:28

I and along with about 15 other parents once received a parking fine for over staying the maximum time at a McDonalds carpark when attending a party there. The poor Mum of the party girl felt terrible and McDonalds sorted it out with the company so we didn't have to pay. I think from what I remember they should have made a list of all the reg no's of those at the party but obviously didn't! I'd speak to the party organiser as they may be able to get McDonalds to help you however as you were clamped it may be more difficult now. I agree those signs are put up way up high in tiny letters so YNBU!

Dowser · 31/07/2015 22:34

You need to go to pepipoo.com. It's great for parking advice. I've never paid a parking fine yet and I've also gotten relatives, friends off parking fines providing there have been good grounds.

Can you go back and photograph any signs. The people on pepipoo will need this to give you the best advice.

Don't just stump up. If there is any wrongdoing on their part it will be much harder to get your money back .

They try to frighten you by offering 50 per cent off if you pay in less than two weeks.

SakuraSakura · 31/07/2015 22:35

Appeal it op. Similar thing happened to me in a shopping centre. I was so upset- it cleared out my bank account. However, when I complained to the centre, the manager wrote a note from me & I included receipts proving I had shopped there. The money was refunded within 10 days.

AngieBolen · 31/07/2015 22:35

YANBU.

I doubt there is anything the manager can do, though as the clamping company aren't McDonalds.

They've put in a 2.5 hour parking limit near me where people go to the cinema, and then McDonalds or Frankie & Benny's, but you can't pay to stay longer. As yet I haven't heard of anyone being clamped. The signs in the car park aren't at all obvious - but the cinema have put up a big sign inside.

bearleftmonkeyright · 31/07/2015 22:35

Oh man, I feel for you OP. I think its really shit. We were in a car park today in a rural touristy market town and a guy got a ticket for parking over the line, the other parking spot was chock full of overgrown bushes. I would appeal, that is beyond a joke.

Dowser · 31/07/2015 22:37

Didn't see it had been clamped. That's horrendous.

Don't they want custom.

UrethraFranklin1 · 31/07/2015 22:39

They do want custom. Which is why they need parking restrictions. Doesn't anyone here understand this basic economic fact?

I suppose since half the people on the thread don't read the difference between a parking fine and being clamped its no surprise they don't read the parking signs either!

Dowser · 31/07/2015 22:39

DoEs this help. It sounds to me you like have been illegally clamped.

www.citizensadvice.org.uk/consumer/cars-and-other-vehicles/driving-and-parking/wheel-clamping/when-your-car-can-be-clamped-or-towed-away/

UrethraFranklin1 · 31/07/2015 22:40

Also for the read fails, the OP is not in the UK, so legal advice is also useless.

Original poster

maggieryan · 31/07/2015 22:41

Follingmolly? McDonald's partys don't take more than 2 hours and serves me right for taking piss for having an extra coffee? How hell do you know how long a party takes..and how exactly was I taking the piss for staying longer, when I didn't even know it was a two hour stay? I had to pay already as they clamped my car but thanks for advice. I am most definitely going to appeal this.

OP posts:

Original poster

maggieryan · 31/07/2015 22:43

I'm in Ireland btw. I've never heard of this happening before but it obviously does. Thanks everyone anyway for advice!

OP posts:

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