Those impossible-to-remove "don't park here" notices stuck on your car window

[ChickenVindaloo2]

Hey all,

I was at a very large shopping centre today. When I returned to my car, I noticed several people had come back to one of those "you have parked here for 4 hours, don't do it" notices. They said on them "please remove before driving" but of course, they are impossible to get off! People were standing in the freezing cold trying to scrape them off. They were mainly on rear passenger windows.

This is not so much a thread about parking notices/charges on private property as it is a question about whether this counts as criminal damage or vandalism? Surely no-one is allowed to mess with your property even if it is parked on their land?

I'd be interested to hear opinions as I'm now scared to shop for more than 4hrs lest I come back to find a sticker on my car!!

Thanks!

I imagine this is a case of "if you don't like the consequences for breaking the rules, don't break the damn rules

^^ this.

Are there any appropriate stickers for the countless knobs that continue to block my DISABLED emergency access drive?

Id stick them wherethe sun doesn't shine. AND all over their car.

maybe the stickers should say ''if you cant read you shouldn't be driving.''

or ''this is a disability hate crime and you have been reported you cucking funt''.

OP YABVVVVVU.

I'd be interested to hear opinions as I'm now scared to shop for more than 4hrs lest I come back to find a sticker on my car!!

Looks like the best option - shop for less than 4 hours.

Being realistic - and ignoring the barrage of "alwasy follow all the rules at all times" comments-

1)Even if it was illegal for someone to "mess with your car" no-one is going to care. The pp's story about a kindly passing copper relates to the windscreen, and it seems there are particular rules about that vs other windaes on the car.

2)Your note about spending plenty isn't going to deter whoever sticks these things on.

3. Your knowledge about private parking charges is out of date as a pp as mentioned.

Actually Scotland has a separate legal system so the rules are not necessarily the same here about everything.

I was back today and there don't appear to be any notices with a time limit for parking. So I'm not sure where they get the 4hrs from.

This is the gyle shopping centre in Edinburgh btw.

Yes, many things are different - but not this.

I'm not surprised that the Gyle stickers cars - I presume it's to stop people from Edinburgh Park parking there all day or getting the train into town. It also makes sure that there are available parking spaces throughout the day for shoppers - although you would be hard pushed to spend much longer than 4 hours shopping at the Gyle.

I'm pretty sure private parking charges aren't enforceable in Scotland.

Yep they are enforceable - but whether anyone would be taken to court is up for debate.

Just been online - it says that parking at the Gyle is free for up to 4 hours. I imagine it's also visible somewhere in the car park too.

Actually Scotland has a separate legal system so the rules are not necessarily the same here about everything.

Well yes but 'don't park here for more than 4 hours' is pretty much universal. It doesn't matter where you are or if you don't like it. The rule is don't park for more than 4 hours and it applies to you the same as everyone else.

You may be right on both points Sir. But the notices I have received in the past threaten to take me to the county court which does not exist here.

Ill look again for signs next time I'm there but they should be more obvious!

Not a tiny wee sign at the top of a lamp post is it really.

It's a huge car park with multiple exits and entrances and I don't recall seeing a sign like that. I will look around tho next time I'm there. I've shopped there hundreds of times and never noticed the time limit.

Certainly been an interesting thread though im slightly worried by the "rule one: obey the rules" robot mindset! I was always taught to think about the purpose of rules. Fwiw there are always free spaces, even at Christmas so I'm not depriving anyone else whilst im shopping!

A few years back, my mate worked in an IT support role at a University. There is not enough parking, so cars got parked half on and half off pavements on the campus.
The jobsworths decided to take action and started sticking A4 sheets to the windscreen in front of the driver's seat stating "No Parking".
The A4 sheets were stuck on with araldite or similar!
The staff retaliated by smashing their own windscreens, calling out windscreen fitters to replace them and then asking for the broken glass to be deposited on the road.
No more A4 sheets after 3 days!

I was always taught to think about the purpose of rules

They're really not too difficult to work out in this case. I'm guessing that big blue sign is present throughout the car park - you've probably just missed it. Checking the parking restrictions is a good habit to get into - that way you don't get caught out.

It's interesting to me that the people who say things like "rule one: obey the rules" robot mindset are the same people who the rules don't suit so they're packing a sad about them.

It's one thing to oppose a rule and to challenge it through official, constructive channels. It's another thing altogether to ignore it because it doesn't suit you, claim you're taking a stand, then whine and moan because surprise, surprise, you're wearing the consequences for not following the rule.

I was always taught to think about the purpose of rules
The purpose of this rule is to keep people from lingering in the parking lot for more than four hours. So don't linger in the parking lot for more than four hours.

You are really not doing a single thing to convince me my view of you (selfish, entitled, moaning Minnie) is wrong in the slightest.

Luckily I don't give a toss what you think Jay. But thanks for sticking to the rules. Means more parking spots for rebels like me!

Who get their windscreens stickered as a result!

Almost makes me want to call that shopping center and convince them to start clamping or towing. Serve you right for being such an unrepentant entitled nightmare.

If you break the rules then you pays the price!

The parking at the Gyle is only free for up to 4 hours. If you stay longer you can be charged or told to leave.

Its not really rebellious to think you are a special case and can park as long as you like, its, well its something else entirely. Why should someone else lose out while you stay longer?

Oh and parking charges are enforceable :

Fines dodgers pay up after cars clamped
Nov 24, 2016
A total of 54 fines dodgers across Scotland have paid up more than £12,500 after having their vehicles clamped since August in a crackdown on people who repeatedly refuse to pay.

Clamping vehicles is one of a number of measures available to the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service (SCTS) for recovering unpaid fines. Other measures include freezing bank accounts taking money directly from earnings or benefits and even arresting non-payers as they travel through ports or airports on holiday or business trips.

A new report released by SCTS today reveals that the fines collection rate remains consistently strong. It shows that 85% of the value of Sheriff Court fines imposed during the three-year period between 1st April 2013 and 31st March 2016 has either been fully paid or is on track to be paid through instalments.

SCTS Chief Operations Officer David Fraser said: “The fines enforcement team continue to be highly effective in securing unpaid fines – ignoring your fine and not speaking to an enforcement officer if you are having difficulty paying is very unwise. Failure to pay, or to engage with our officers, will result in strong sanctions being taken including arrestment of wages, bank accounts, your car being clamped or inconvenience and embarrassment by being arrested when travelling abroad.”

So maybe something to think about on your next visit, you may find a clamp a lot harder to remove than a sticker

You don't like to abide by rules you don't agree with. Well that is up to you. However if you decide to break the rules don't bitch about it when you get picked up on them. It's like people who complain when they get caught speeding, like someone else made them do it.

Willow:
You are confusing car parks with courts.Please research before posting drivel.
OP just go back to the car park, identify the manager and then superglue a letter of complaint to his/her windsceen.

What sort of shopping centre is this that only wants you to stay for only four hours? Sometimes we go to the Trafford Centre and if we have lunch there and go to the cinema and shop then we could be there for hours. If anyone stuck something nasty on my windscreen there I would be furious.

OTOH if someone used my local Sainsbury's like an all day car park, thus inconveniencing genuine shoppers, I would happily slap a label on their windscreen

if u have to pay after four hours how do they enforce that?

I do agree though that 4 hours is stupidly short! If it's a large place with restaurants etc then it would be easy to spend more than 4 hours there.

Knew this was going to be the Gyle.

Signs at all entrances.

Plus I'm struggling to know how anyone can spend more than 4 hours there. It's not exactly packed with shops.

I'd really struggle to spend more than 4 hours at the gyle! It's a really boring shopping centre, even factoring in going for lunch.

The time limit is presumably to prevent people using it as cheap airport parking or a park and ride for the tram into the city centre. I'm also surprised people could spend more than four hours there!