A Dublin clamping company refused to remove a boot from a wheelchair-bound woman’s car for half an hour after her husband forgot to place a disabled parking permit in the windscreen.
Declan and Maureen Fitzgerald were shopping at The Park Carrickmines, on Dublin’s southside, and had parked their Chrysler Voyager in a disabled spot at 11.30am yesterday.
But after spending around an hour shopping in Heatons and enjoying some coffee, the couple were horrified when they returned to find their car had been clamped.
Mr Fitzgerald (49) explained how the clamp was only removed after he pleaded that his wife needed to use the bathroom.
Declan was quoted saying “I was in a wheelchair bay, but I didn’t put my pass on the dashboard,”
“The clamper wouldn’t remove the clamp,” he added.
Mr Fitzgerald said that he explained that he had a disabled pass and then produced it, but to no avail.
“We rang the Dundrum guards, they were very nice but just said that there was an appeals process.”
Mr Fitzgerald said that he didn’t want to pay the fine because he believed that he wouldn’t get his money back.
Eventually a more senior member of the clamper staff arrived.
“I appealed to his good nature. I said that my wife needs to go to the toilet,” he said.
The clamp was removed, but Mr Fitzgerald said that it took him more than an hour to calm down. “I was so annoyed,” he said.
“I don’t know what his reasoning was. This is the first time that it’s ever happened. It won’t happen again,” he added.