Pay-on-exit parking loophole?

nvingo

Barriers are designed to not break or be damaged by being driven through.

DOBLY

What happens if you enter the car park, but are unable to actually park because some doofas has parked in such a way that you can't fit your vehicle in? As you haven't been able to park, can you still get out without paying?

aVdub

Not sure about all, but the one I drove through in a busy shopping centre, was I was informed designed with a snap plate, which allows fast access for emergency vehicles, and caused no damage to my vehicle.
Also the busy port I worked for had barriers with the same snap plates, and on a few occasions were accidentally used.

noiseboy72

You think? From experience I can tell you that the barrier will snap off and cost £40  to repair. (Long story, reversing a truck around in a very tight hotel car park...)

nvingo

So,  not an NCP pay-on-exit car park, who probably have more experience of such incidents.

wongataa

Yes.  If don't actually park because you can't find a suitable space/change your mind you can leave without paying.  This happened to me once in a car park with barriers car park.  I contacted the car park attendant and they opened the barrier so I could get out.

273K

I said:

Needless to say I've never had the brass neck to actually try this, nor have I been able to corroborate it, but I do think about it every time I go to a multistorey, especially at the airport!

To remove any ambiguity, by "think about it" I meant "am reminded, in general, about the scenario I read about and it's legality" not "think about doing it".
I think about sex multiple times a day, doesn't mean I'm going to drag Stephanie from accounts  into the stationery cupboard does it?

273K

That's what I would have thought, but is it what happens in practice? Not breaking the barrier but if you blag your way out by causing a queue? IIRC most multistoreys don't have big signs up everywhere like private pay & display car parks outlining terms and fines for non payment, etc.?


There was a fire at a large multistorey in Liverpool last year, the whole thing went up (no one hurt), so I expect all have provision for emergency access.

IronGiant

Some places are set up to do this automatically, in that you get say 15 minutes free before you need to pay to get out.

reiteration

we parked at a hotel (Newcastle for a gig) and the sign said to pay the reception the money (6 quid I think?) to park overnight - we proactively handed over the cash and thought nothing of it, but it looked like the guy just put the money aside (then in his pocket no doubt in hindsight) - as when we left the next day the barrier was already raised...

we went again a few months later we went back again and said nothing and again the barrier was already open when we left the next day...