Car clamp victims take matters into their own hands

Mary Ellen Powdrell paid the $150 fee with Christmas present money. Photo / Greg Bowker

More victims who say they have been unfairly targeted by wheel clampers are taking matters into their own hands.

South Auckland woman Ani McGill and West Auckland woman Mary Ellen Powdrell are among dozens of people who have contacted the Herald this week with tales of fights against wheel clampers.

They were inspired after reading in Wednesday's Herald that Glen Vickery was awarded $550 after a disputes tribunal ruled NZ Wheel Clamping's signs were unclear.

Mrs Powdrell, who now plans to follow Mr Vickery's lead in going to court, said she was clamped unlawfully two weeks before Christmas after parking in the Glenmall carpark for a dental appointment.

She says she parked at about 10.25am and went straight into the dentist, where records show she arrived a few minutes later.

The 36-year-old mother of two was back at her car by about 12.15pm but it was already clamped. A ticket stated she had violated the two-hour limit and had to pay a $150 release fee.

In tears, Mrs Powdrell pleaded with the men who clamped her car, saying she was within the time limit.

"I was very aware of being back in time as I had to get my daughter to kindy at 12.30pm and of course I wanted to be back within the two-hour limit."

They told her not to get in a "tizzy" and she reluctantly paid the fee, using money that had been destined for Christmas presents.

She wrote to NZ Wheel Clamping appealing against the fee but got a response last week that said they would not refund her. She now intends to take the matter to the Disputes Tribunal.

NZ Wheel Clamping group manager, Sean Hika, said: "No one ever thanks us for getting clamped."

Meanwhile, Ms McGill managed to prove to a clamping company that she was in the right - without needing to go to court.

Last October, the 23-year-old parked in the Southmall public carpark about 2pm.

After doing a bit of shopping, she got back to her car about 2.40pm to find it had been clamped. A yellow ticket stated she had violated the 120-minute limit and that she needed to pay $250 to have her car released.

"I phoned the number on the yellow paper and told the guy about my situation."

When someone from the clamping firm arrived, she explained her situation again.

"By this time I was furious. I sat in my car wondering what the hell I was going to do. I looked up and noticed a security camera just above my car."

The Manurewa woman asked security to see the footage and it "clearly showed" that 25 minutes after she left her car, the wheel was chalked, then clamped 15 minutes later - a total of 40 minutes in the carpark.

"Security then phoned the boss of the clamping company who then walked me back to my car to unclamp my wheel. All the boss said was ... his worker that clamped my car was new to the job."