So here’s the situation.
I locked my bike to some railings in a car park near Bristol Temple Meads today and when I came back after my exam the bike had gone. Turns out the car park attendant had cropped the (£40) lock off and taken it to lost property with a £10 release fee on it.

Now he said “there are signs everywhere saying not to” when in fact there was 1 sign 25m away behind a car that obviously I hadn’t seen.

Does anyone thing I have any entitlement to claim back the cost of the lock and the “holding fee” or should I just take it and move on?

No, man up.

What a crock. Kick him in the nuts.

when I came back after my exam

Skool boy error?

Suck it up and move on

If you don’t mind throwing good money after bad, try small claims court. 50-50 if you win tho

IANAL but sounds like criminal damage to me. If someone had parked their car in a prohibited spot, the attendant wouldn’t be allowed to smash the car windscreen in order to move it would they?

How else can they remove the bike from the place they tell you you’re not allowed to park a bike

IANAL but sounds like criminal damage to me. If someone had parked their car in a prohibited spot, the attendant wouldn’t be allowed to smash the car windscreen in order to move it would they?

Depends, if it was in a dangerous place and they couldn’t lift it the Police can do this. If not it would be lifted and sent to pound and it and it would cost a lot more than £50 to get back.

TM is covered in signs telling people not to lock bikes to the railing and to use the bike racks provided.

Lock an anvil to the railings instead?

might be moderately amusing to lock a BSO to the railings with a Pragmasis 19mm. They’d have to demolish the railings

I’d contest it and you might get your release fee/ biscuit money back if you cry infront of them, but it’s probably not worth the effort to get them to refund you for thelock.
suck it up.
shit happens.
move on.
life’s too short.
etc.

I would be surprised if there were not laws regarding signage (distance, size, clear view) As there is with cars in car parks.
But I suppose carparks signage is there to tell people who are using a carpack for its purpose of the t&cs.
Where as the railings were not put there for people to chain their bikes to, so may not need to have signage to tell you anything and can just remove under other laws.

Turns out the car park attendant had cropped the (£40) lock off and taken it to lost property with a £10 release fee on it.

Now he said “there are signs everywhere saying not to” when in fact there was 1 sign 25m away behind a car that obviously I hadn’t seen.
I suspect there’s plenty of examples in wheel-clamping cases that will give you a leg or 2 to stand on.

Why not ask them which laws allow them to trash your lock and steal your bike?

The good news is, it wasn’t a thief that broke your useless lock.

what does the sign actually say?

When they do this, how do they then contact the person who’s bike they have removed?
What if you had just reported it stolen and not bothered to ask the car park staff?

I am sure the car parking attendant has a very capable set of croppers if in the habit of removing bikes. Or maybe a battery grinder. I bet it adds a small amount of amusement to an otherwise boring job.

unless it was actually in breach of health and safety law I suspect they have no legal right to damage your property. They have effectively stolen your bike and demanding you pay to get it back. I would report it the police for a laugh

Suck it up by investing money in a grinder/generator/petrol grinder. Sit in said car park at the end of exam season and offer a free ‘clamp removal service’. Sufficient waving contest against the parking attendant?

Buy a big lock and chain, then lock the parking attendant in his cabin

Yep seems like I had the same feeling as the rest and I’ll just have to suck it up 🙄 . Wouldn’t be as annoyed if it wasn’t a “gold standard” lock!

does his cabin have a chimney?

unless it was actually in breach of health and safety law I suspect they have no legal right to damage your property. They have effectively stolen your bike and demanding you pay to get it back. I would report it the police for a laugh

Its a laugh to make yourself look like a dick? Jesus it must be *amazing* where you live……

Turns out the car park attendant had cropped the (£40) lock off and taken it to lost property with a £10 release fee on it.

I’d keep my money and let him hold on to the lock.

I’d keep my money and let him hold on to the lock.

But how does he get his bike back?

PAy then claim is th ebest bet

It seems excessive tbh as they have damaged your property and I doubt they can leggaly do this

Takes cars they cannot damage them when they move them and the same must apply to Bikes

Whether you win or not who knows but short term pay the release fee and then wee in their shoes whist deciding what to do.

richc – Member

Its a laugh to make yourself look like a dick? Jesus it must be *amazing* where you live……

why would you look like a dick?

write to the council, use the green argument and congestion argument, explain the lack of appropriat facilities, if that doesn’t work goto the local paper.