Originally Posted by
Pyeinthesky
Precisely, it's one thing getting clamped in an area where it's clearly signed what the parking rules are, but using the equivalent of a private GATSO to nab you by post is a very scary shift if you ask me.
This has been happening for a while. Close to Reading station there is a private road that is used by people dropping off and picking up passengers. There are signs saying it is private property and anyone parking will be subject to a "Civil Penalty" of £XXX. The management company use cameras to record people waiting and send then the "civil penalty".
Originally Posted by
PUCCI GALORE
Nice one. Methinks that a little infraction of the Data Protection Act may have been going on. Who exactly was sending this out? MacD. Texaco, or the BAA?
Unfortunatley there is no infingement of the DPA, although IMHO it should be seen as exactly that.
McD probably contract with a parking company such as Central Parking Services to monitor the activity and issue the "fines."
I'm more concerned about a non-law enforcement agency having access to the registered address of the car owner.
There has been a lot about this in the press. While there are some reputable organisations that have access to the info there would be nothing to stop Savage, Pikey & Thug buying some land and operating it as a car park and then contacting the DVLA to obtain details car owners supposedly because they have not paid or overstayed where the real intention is to steal the car.
Originally Posted by
Pyeinthesky
Shocking! I thought only the police and 'official' traffic enforcement officers had access to the vehiicle reg. database to get registered keepers addresses
The change in the law has enabled companies such as NCP, Hospital Trusts, etc to operate "pay & Display" car parks as opposed to the traditional confined parking with access and exit by barrier. If they had no way of enforcing the charges as local councils do then anyone could park and not pay knowing full well the company had no way of tracing them. I suspect the legislation was intended to be used in this way but has been loosely interpreted to allow the abuse we now see and increase DVLA revenue.
Originally Posted by
James S
But would anyone seriously pay if Macca's sent them a bill for £125. Or £5 for that matter?
Unless you wanted to end up in the Small Claims Court with a possible CCJ against you then you would have to pay. McDs would claim the conditions of parking are clearly displayed (45 minutes free, then £XXX for stays longer than that) and that therefore they are entitled to levy the charge if you stay longer than 45 minutes.
Having never been that that McDs I have no idea how much inconvenience is caused to other customers by people hogging the parking bays for an excessive amount of time having purchased an 80p cup of coffee.
I suspect that there will be a legal challenge to the DVLAs right to disclose the information to all and sundry; however, until that comes about we have to be aware that we live in a country that has more CCTV camera per head than anywhere else in the world.