Clamping company charges more if you swear

I see this story in the Bristol Evening Post has attracted a lot of comments: A Bristol car clamper whose firm can charge a further £100 if people are abusive unleashed a torrent of foul-mouthed swear words at a Yate man.

 

Carlton Williams of CUFF Parking Management told Tomas Gil over the phone to "f*** off, idiot" after he asked for the company's full address so that he could go to the small claims court.

Mr Gil had rung Mr Williams after having to cough up £125 for leaving his Renault Mégane for less than three minutes outside Reverb music store to get some cash out.

The 26-year-old claims he had parked at the Lewins Mead car park in the city centre on July 18 so he could buy some leads for speakers he had bought from the shop earlier in the year.

But just 150 yards into his journey to a cash dispenser he discovered he had left his wallet in his car and raced back to get it. On arrival he saw Mr Williams putting a clamp on.

Mr Gil reluctantly paid the fee after being told his vehicle would be towed but he later decided to fight the matter in civil court and phoned Mr Williams.

In a recorded call heard by the Evening Post, Mr Williams said: "I'm not ringing the bloody Post Office to get a post code.

"I've just given you the f***ing business address, f*** off idiot." He then hung up.

Mr Williams is registered with the Security Industry Authority (SIA) but CUFF Parking Management is not a member of the British Parking Association which provides guidelines.

Mr Williams claimed Mr Gil was being dishonest, deserved to be clamped and that he would have no hesitation in responding the same way again.

He said: "I was driving at the time and he had already called me eight times. At the end of the day I'd had enough because he would not listen.

"My day ends when I finish work and I am not interested in what people have to say, especially when I am with my family. He had phoned me 25 times in 24 hours and was being a pain in the ****.

"He was in the wrong, he got clamped, just deal with it. If he phoned me again I would tell him exactly the same again.

"When I get his letter of complaint I will deal with it. I have not had it yet so I am not bothered."

Mr Gil said: "I thought when I saw him putting the clamp on that he must have made a mistake.

"He said he saw me leave the premises and therefore he could clamp me. I explained that I was just getting out some money before I went shopping in the store but he told me he had heard better excuses and didn't care because he had seen me cross the street.

"I had been gone two to three minutes at the absolute maximum.

"I contacted the police and they said they couldn't do anything because it is a civil matter.

"To be honest, it's not really about the money, it is more about the way I was treated and the fact that I can't seem to appeal it. I also want to warn other people."

Jo Abbott, spokeswoman for the RAC Foundation said: "The way in which this firm dealt with Mr Gil falls far short of what the Security Industry Authority expects from its front-line wheel clampers. Clearly that telephone call went little way to defusing or resolving the conflict that had arisen between Mr Gil and the clamper."

"The RAC Foundation hopes that the Home Office will shortly initiate legislation which will mean that companies like CUFF Parking Management will not be able to operate without membership of an accredited trade association which adhere to a code of conduct."

A spokeswoman for the SIA said they cannot comment on individual cases.

CUFF Parking Management could not be located by the Bristol Evening Post.