Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > British Airways | Executive Club
Reload this Page >

OT _ Gatwick MacDonalds - Warn Your Chauffeurs and Meeters and Greeters!

Community
Wiki Posts
Search

OT _ Gatwick MacDonalds - Warn Your Chauffeurs and Meeters and Greeters!

Thread Tools
 
Search this Thread
 
Old Dec 5, 2006, 6:28 am
  #31  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
Presumably this is yet another cost of living in the UK which those with Lithuanian-registered cars manage to evade.

(like Congestion Charge, parking fines, road fund licence, insurance, MOT, etc).
WHBM is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 6:41 am
  #32  
SLF
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Europe
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,087
So we have a problem ... car services need somewhere to wait. Sounds valid.

Why doesn't someone f*****g fix the problem then?

Just a bit of concrete a few miles away ... you could charge an annual fee ... and provide live flight info and a coffee shop...

Hey, us customers might actually benefit?
SLF is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 7:03 am
  #33  
BOH
 
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: UK
Programs: IC Hotels Spire, BA Gold
Posts: 8,668
Originally Posted by MattUK
The times I have gone into the McDonalds and not been able to park because they are full of taxis and other cars with drivers just sat having a coffee or a chat while they wait is really annoying.

Well done McDonalds.
A very brave admission IMHO.....
BOH is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 9:34 am
  #34  
 
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: TLS/London
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Plat
Posts: 442
For those who want to immerse themselves in the subject, there is another Forum you may want to peruse - those at http://www.pepipoo.com - the website that is "helping the motorist to get justice".

They have a very informative thread on the subject that concerns the BP garage at Gatwick....http://forums.pepipoo.com/index.php?showtopic=14193
ant_west is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 12:57 pm
  #35  
Moderator, Hilton Honors
 
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: on a short leash
Programs: some
Posts: 71,422
Originally Posted by Fraser
^

I had an interesting case of this at University. In my first year students are not allowed to keep cars in halls of residence which was fine and I'd left it at home. One morning I found an envelope underneath my door. Was a s**togram from the University and final notice for the payment of a fine due for my car that was illegally parked on one of the roads around the halls. If payment wasn't made bailiffs would be sent round Payment was due the following day, and the letter had been written about two weeks prior (good old University mail). The letter didn't have a phone number and so I mentioned this on the phone to my father when I called that evening. He wasn't best pleased Did some phoning around and it turned out the University (or someone they contract) found out this car was registered to someone with my surname. That was all they went on with this, not the fact my address was 100 miles away from the offending person with the same surname.

Knowledge = Power? God I hope not!
It isnt just private operators that can stuff up in this way. The police erred in fining me for a car I have never owned with registered address in a different city from what I was living in at the time. First I found out about it was arriving home after work to see a notice saying bailiff coming around tomorrow It turns out there was a match on name which then matched on license number. I never was able to convince police it wasn't me - they wanted proof it was someone else! If police can stuff up this way you can be sure private operators will be worse.
Kiwi Flyer is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 1:35 pm
  #36  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Jan 2002
Posts: 44,597
Surely this is a trivial issue for the chauffeurs. If the max stay is 45 minutes, can't they just drive out of the car park and back in again?

I don't see an issue with McDonalds charging this; they are a fast food restaurant, not a free car park service; if they want to park, then they can happily use the car parks provided

Dave
Dave Noble is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 1:39 pm
  #37  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: LON, ACK, BOS..... (Not necessarily in that order)
Programs: **Mucci Diamond Hairbrush** - compared to that nothing else matters (+BA Bronze)
Posts: 15,129
Originally Posted by Fraser
^

I had an interesting case of this at University. In my first year students are not allowed to keep cars in halls of residence which was fine and I'd left it at home. One morning I found an envelope underneath my door. Was a s**togram from the University and final notice for the payment of a fine due for my car that was illegally parked on one of the roads around the halls. If payment wasn't made bailiffs would be sent round Payment was due the following day, and the letter had been written about two weeks prior (good old University mail). The letter didn't have a phone number and so I mentioned this on the phone to my father when I called that evening. He wasn't best pleased Did some phoning around and it turned out the University (or someone they contract) found out this car was registered to someone with my surname. That was all they went on with this, not the fact my address was 100 miles away from the offending person with the same surname.

Knowledge = Power? God I hope not!
On a similar vein my halls had a we can keep your deposit for the usual reason (damage etc) but also complaints. Not just local complaints but anyone could complain about you and you would lose your deposit, and possibly your room, as they could also kick you out under this. e.g. If another pax was annoyed by you whilst you were on a plane going to a sunny destination, and knew enough to complain to the uni, you could forfeit.

Parking was another matter and I'm just gratefull that I didn't have a car, as the parking was something else, although I think you registered your car so they could find you easily if needs be.

Originally Posted by SLF
Just a bit of concrete a few miles away ... you could charge an annual fee ... and provide live flight info and a coffee shop...

Hey, us customers might actually benefit?
Sounds like a business someone might like to try.
Jimmie76 is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 1:42 pm
  #38  
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cardiff, UK
Programs: BA GGL, Concorde Room card, KLM Silver, PC Platinum Ambassador, Marriott Platinum, UA Premier Silver
Posts: 5,278
Having only visited South Terminal to pick people up a handful of times, I must be honest I have popped in for a coffee in this McDonalds. This must have been a year or so ago and I was amazed how many people were asleep in their cars.

In fact I was amazed McDonalds had a car park for their restaurant. It must be a very prime piece of land being so close to the terminal. Amazed it has existed this long anyway.
flyclub is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 2:28 pm
  #39  
 
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: UK
Posts: 790
Originally Posted by SLF
Just a bit of concrete a few miles away ... you could charge an annual fee ... and provide live flight info and a coffee shop...

Hey, us customers might actually benefit?

PHX has a free waiting car park with a flight arrivals screen.

http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/park_trans/stageandgo.html
westers is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 2:38 pm
  #40  
SLF
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Location: Europe
Programs: Various
Posts: 3,087
Originally Posted by westers
PHX has a free waiting car park with a flight arrivals screen.

http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/park_trans/stageandgo.html
What a great idea . Why is it that I can't see BAA wanting to do this ...
SLF is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 3:42 pm
  #41  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Location: New York, NY
Programs: BAEC Gold, Delta Platinum, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Gold, AMEX Platinum (US)
Posts: 18,487
Originally Posted by westers
PHX has a free waiting car park with a flight arrivals screen.

http://phoenix.gov/AVIATION/park_trans/stageandgo.html
There are quite a few of them in the US. Seattle is another that springs to mind. A remarkably simple idea yet I doubt money-hungry BAA will do something that might mean they'll lose out on those short-term parking costs...
Fraser is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 3:44 pm
  #42  
 
Join Date: Jul 2001
Location: London, England.
Programs: BA
Posts: 8,476
Originally Posted by westers
PHX has a free waiting car park with a flight arrivals screen.
Also seems standard on the road approach to German airports.
WHBM is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 4:10 pm
  #43  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SCL, MCT, LGW and a variety of 1W lounges in between.
Programs: BA Mucci (Seigneur et Ingenieur des Appareils Volants (Gold)), QF (WP and LTG), AA EXP, GF Gold
Posts: 3,931
Interesting thread

That linked thread was a bit of a monster to get through, but interesting none the less.

What they forgot was that of course BAA are behind some of it, in that BP lease the ground from them in the first place and do not want people to drop in for free anyway. After all, there is an excess of short term parking at North Terminal now anyway, well for those that leave their cars at home in Crawley and take the train/bus (where's my bloody bike!) anyway.

They also missed the ethical trading element and writing to the company auditors to inform them of the trading with extortionists.

Strange though, I always wondered what happened to the now "Judge" from the Sunday Mirror. The things you find out from OT on the BA forum with FT!
spotwelder is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 4:16 pm
  #44  
 
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA 1K, Starwood/Marriott Plat, Others of little note
Posts: 1,148
Originally Posted by The Saint
But what they have not considered is that the registered keeper may not have been the driver at the time. Only the driver at the time is liable to potential civil liability. You need legislation to displace that liability onto the registered keeper or to provide a mechanism whereby the registered keeper is obliged to provide the details of the driver at the time of the offence.

So, if you get a note in the post from McGonads claiming a "civil penalty" (there is no such thing), then if you were not the driver at the time (or cannot remember who was driving) you can send them back a letter wishing them luck in tracking that person down.
If the registered keeper doesn't know who's driving his/her car, that's the registered keeper's problem as far as I'm concerned.

Bottom line, it's private property. If they don't want to pay the fine, there's no need for them to park there for more than 45 minutes. They are welcome to seek out the many alternatives offered to them in the free market. Perhaps they could buy a piece of land and use it as their very own parking space.
jedison is offline  
Old Dec 5, 2006, 10:42 pm
  #45  
JPB
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: UK
Programs: BAEC, LH M&M
Posts: 938
Originally Posted by BahrainLad
Surely this is McDonalds property and they can charge what they like for parking? How would you feel if someone came and parked in your front garden whilst avoiding paying car park fees?
Since my local council introduced resident only parking in all streets around me I quite often find some ****** parked in my drive when I get home. Even though there is car park just 100m down the road from me.
JPB is offline  


Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.