Wheel clamping is a situation drivers face very often. It may look similar, but wheel clamping on private property is very different than public property's wheel clamping.

If you are involved in a wheel clamping situation, you should first know the conditions under which your car can be legally clamped on private property. Your car can be wheel clamped if you have parked in a car park reserved for employees of a certain company and you don't work there. Or you have parked in a car park belonging to a club or a restaurant which is reserved for their customers and you are not a customer. Another reason for wheel clamping your car is to overstay in a pay car park or to park dangerously (meaning blocking emergency exits). You also risk getting wheel clamped if you don't show your car park ticket or permit.

These are the most common situations for wheel clamping a car. But parking in a restaurant's car park without being its customer is not enough for legally clamping your car. There must be notices displayed clearly which should warn people about the possibility of getting their cars clamped if they park in that area. The fee charged by the landowner to release your car is normal, compared to fees charged by other companies. You get your car back the moment you have paid the release fee. The notices at the car park display clearly the way to contact the owner to get your car released.

You should also know that if your car displays a valid disabled badge it can not be clamped. The same rule applies to a marked emergency car which is being involved in an emergency situation.

So if you do get wheel clamped, there are some guidelines you should follow. First of all, keep your cool. You are not the first person getting clamped and you are definitely not the last one. Therefore, don't try to remove the wheel clamp yourself as you can be accused of causing criminal damages. So, what you should do is to call the number displayed on the notice and ask information about how to get your car released as soon as possible. You should also ask the wheel clamper is they have a valid licence for this type of activity. If they are not able of displaying a valid authorisation, don't pay the release fee and call the police. Remember that clamping a car without having an authorisation is a criminal offence. But if the wheel clamping company is a perfectly authorised one, you have to pay the release fee.

You may feel that the release fee was too high or the wheel clamping warning signs weren't displayed clearly enough, you can get your money back through a legal suit in court. But before suing the wheel clamping company, consult a lawyer on the chances of winning the law suit.

In conclusion, may you have a happy driving and a stay away from getting wheel clamped!