The cost of being clamped looks like it might be about to go up from the €80 fine that it currently is, at least if Dublin City Council get their way.
Bill Keilthy of Dublin City Council believes that the cost of being clamped in the capital should go up to €130, as the €80 that it currently costs to get your car free of the yellow contraption is "no longer a deterrent".
While people may find that hard to believe, the figures that he offered to back up his case make for some interesting reading, as he revealed that over 56,000 people had their vehicles clamped in Dublin last year.
Furthermore, despite the fines, clamping is still costing more than it's making. The operation runs on a budget of about €7 million a year, but only brings in €4.2 million.
Those numbers do include repeat offenders, including one person who has had their car clamped 55 times at a cost of over €4,400 (ah here, just buy a f***ing parking ticket) however, it seems that not all those who are clamped are totally in the wrong either.
According to The Herald, Keilthy also revealed that "5% of people who were clamped lodged appeals, and one in four of those got a full or partial refund".
Keilthy has appealed for an increase before (in 2011) but was unsuccessful, and faces some backlash with this most recent call for a hike too, as Lord Mayor Christy Burke stated that "to increase what is already a high charge when people are already facing more charges and expenses in life is wrong".
Thankfully, we've got a suggestion to increase efficiency and lower costs: they should research and develop some clamping robots that are also good at wise cracks, like such as Clamps here.
Via The Herald. Main pic via Corey Doctorow/Flickr
