Airport Parking - 'Free'

[buzby]

Imagine the scene - you've to pick someone up at the airport in the dead of night (Prestwick, if you ask) which offers FREE (their emphasis) pick up and drop off. This is limited to a stated 5 minutes. The troube with this is, the time starts as you press the ticket issue button on the barrier, and you have to get from there and navigate to the special Pick Up & Drop Off point adjacent to the main terminal building.

 

It is 0055hrs I pick up the passengers, navigate to the exit barrier and present the ticket to exit the barrier this would take longer than 5 minutes, but rehearsed in this, my pick up was ready. So in round and out, took 3.5 minutes, and we get to the barrier. Car 1 goes through, Car 2 follows and stops too far forward, causing the barrier to come down on his bonnet. Since he cannot put his ticket in the reader he faffs around trying to extricate himself. There are three lanes to exit from, each with a queue of traffic not willing to let me out.

 

When I get to the adjacent lane, the barrier tells me that I must pay £1 as I've overstayed my 5 minutes, and the first hour is £1.

 

Now, a quick call to the car park attendant later in the day states that 'I agreed to the charges on entry' and was a binding contract as to my use. My argument was that I had exited the car park and was stuck behind a trapped motorist, and that wasn;t part of my contract.

 

Before I take it further, any thoughts? Yes, only £1, but (a) the principle, and (b) I do not believe anyone would actually get in and out in 5 minutes if they had to pick up and/or drop off.

 

(PS Previously it used to be 10 minutes).

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

"Rub of the green" IMHO

[soforene]

Oh Purlease.

It's a quid.

SH1t happens.

Pay it and don't sweat the small stuff.

[my-spirit-soars-free]

I suspect, legally, that because it was another member of the public that stopped you making the time limit that the car park are entitled to charge.

 

However, there is nothing to stop you complaining to the airports authority about the change, pointing out that 5 minutes is an impossible time limit, especially if picking up anyone disabled/ elderly, and that therefore the company is no longer offering the free parking they claim.

[Surfer01]

I would highlight it in the local newspaper. Would it be possibkle to prove that you were stuck behind someone. I would find it quite anoying and I understand the principle of getting your money back. How many other people have been caught out the same way?

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

Oh Purlease.

It's a quid.

SH1t happens.

Pay it and don't sweat the small stuff.

 

Have a look at the OP's location and it may clarify!

[kiptower]

oh dear dont know about under the belt , but def over the border

[Zamzara]

If there was a way to physically leave without paying I would have left my name and address and then done so, and left it to them to pursue. The service of providing parking does not include time spent stuck driving out unless this is very clearly specified in the contract, and even then may be an unfair term.

 

If it was not physically possible to leave, this is essentially the equivalent of vehicle immobilisation, which I understand is 'frowned upon' in some parts of the UK.

[buzby]

That's how we manage to hang on to it!

 

I'm interested in the offer 'invitation to treat' for 5 minutes free parking. This is what I agreed to, indeed, my wheels were only in the car park and stopped for 2 minutes. The remainder I was on the exit road and NOT parked, therefore my contention is it is (a) unreasonable to offer 5 minutes free parking when this is not the case. You are given 5 minutes entrance barrier to exit barrier. Add to this I seriously doubt whether anyone could (in 5 minutes) enter, pick up or drop off and exit unless you had a clear run at an empty exit lane (which even at 0100am, was an impossibility).

 

Clearly it a money making [problem], as originally 10 minutes was allowed. Similarly, there was usually a 'grace' period to permit an exit in good time, they appear to have removed this in their quest for money. Making any car expecting a free access and exit simply an aspiration, not an achievable goal.

[Surfer01]

Zamzara as you say, if you can't pay they cannot hold you prisoner and you have no legal obligation to supply a private parking company with your details. then when the "fine" arrives in the post, you just ignore it.

I don't mind paying for safe and convenient parking but at some airports the fees are exortinate! Buzby has a point. They are well aware that people are not goinmg to pursue them for a pound.

Just a thought. Surely there is video footage of the incident showing Buzby stuck behind another vehicle therefore being unfairly penalised.

[buzby]

I've put a request in to the 'car park manager', however I'm tempted to take it up with the Airport Manager for his comments on this type of banditry. If I hadn't 2 adults and 2 sleepy kids dying to get home after a long day, I'd have sat it out at the barrier. Due to the timeframe, I seriously doubt there was anyone of responsibility there, in any case.

Edited June 22, 2010 by buzby

[Surfer01]

Meant to add we have a similar system at one of our hospitals which has a large car park which you ave to zig zag through the whole car aprk to reach the exit. You have 10 minutes and you have to pray that you do not have someone in front of you that is having difficulty parking their mini in a parking space big enough to take a bus! If you park in the disabled bays you have to go through the car park to exit. Similarly if you are unfamilar with the layout you can follow the other cars into the car park turning and then you are trapped. Numerous letters of complaint every month in the local newspaper but the hospital chooses to do nothing about it. If you overstay your welcome they clamp the vehicle!

[buzby]

10 minutes makes it hard to argue it is unreasonable. 5 minutes, OTOH, I believe, is.