Picking Wheel clamps

[Adam]

Is it possible to pick a wheel clamp that has been placed by the council onto your vehicle? Is this legal?

Thanks

[mbell]

Is it possible: Yes, probably either a tubular or wafer lock.

Legal? I seriously doubt it.

[reg]

Afaik it is not legal in Germany to remove wheel clamps on your own account, and I can't imagine it being legal anywhere else.

I don't think it's advisable either, cause authorities will know what car they clamped where. So even if they don't notice right away, when they try to tow the car away (usually they'll do after a given period of time) they will miss the car and their clamp.

I don't know about legal consequences, but as far as I know German laws there will be a fine when no other crime is involved.

[Safekey]

It is NOT legal to remove a clamp placed on a vehicle by any UK local authority or contractors authorised by the LA.
Criminal damage and other charges can be brought against you.

A 'grey area' exists on clamps put on by private firms on private land, but again, charges can be brought against you if caught.

[ReverseLogic]

Sort of an asside here, but I think the clamps are probably the most counterproductive device imaginable. The police here in Chicago (the traffic cops) will put them on for stuff like parking violations (not paying the meter, stuff like that) and all it does is make the parking problems worse. My question is why not just tow the vehicle and make the owner pay for it? It solves more problems in the end.

[quicklocks]

A 'grey area' exists on clamps put on by private firms on private land, but again, charges can be brought against you if caught.[/quote]

its ok to remove a private wheel clamp as long as you DO NOT DAMAGE IT IN ANY WAY
my brother did this in wolverhampton 2years ago the owner of the clamp called the police. when they turned up they said its ok to remove it as long as he did no damage to the clamp and handed it back to the owner. his firm then billed the clamp owner for repairs to the paint that they said he scratched.

one to us

[CitySpider]

You'd think it'd be some flavor of illegal to put a "private wheel clamp" on someone's car, anyway. If I snapped my own lock onto someone's bike chain, I have a feeling I'd get in trouble for that. Theft of services or something.

[jason]

If a Council fits a wheelclamp then they can and will pursue you to get their money, in addition to this they will also charge for the time spent finding you. Private companies may not have the resources to do so.

Clamps used on Council land and housing estates are expensive & heavy duty and they are not fitted except where there is a real problem. If you shouldn't be parking there and you do - you deserve to get clamped.

The locks vary depending on the clamper, the local authority I work for use a bloody heavy duty "anvil" type lock, sometimes using heavy gauge, case hardened chain to secure commercial vehicles.

Unlike most private companies, they (Councils) can obtain your details from the DVLA very easily (Driver Vehicle & Licensing Authority for those outside the UK - it is a central organisation covering the whole of the UK).

A clamp fitted on the highway cannot be legally removed.

Do yourself a favour - don't touch it, if it is on the highway the Police will not be happy bunnies. If you park on a red route they just tow and that is even more expensive.

[Exodus5000]

You could call, "Angle Grinder Man."
http://www.ananova.com/news/story/sm_81 ... s.quirkies

[toomush2drink]

An alternative is to put a sign on your wheel saying that if any item is attached to your wheel without authority they will be liable to a £2000 fine. It would stop clamps, look very ugly and you would just get towed instead. This idea was thought up by a soliciter but as he pointed out in the article who would have a sign like that on their wheels ? lol The thing is with private companies is that if there isnt any sign warning of a removal fee you dont have to pay so remove at your leisure as long as it isnt damaged.

[Adam]

Cheers all. Some very useful and interesting comments.