Those STICKY (hard to remove) window stickers

[Rab]

Just wondering if anyone can clear this up...

 

At my university, whenever a car is parked in an unauthorised area, or an area which requires a permit (and you don't display one), then they stick these thin (EXTREMELY hard to remove) stickers to the driver's window. When I say "hard to remove", i really do mean hard to remove! i'm sure you all know what type i'm on about.

 

Anyway, I was informed that sticking these to cars in such a manner were illegal and/or using stickers like this were illegal. BUT, i've never been able to find any legislation to back that up.

 

Is it true???

 

 

And on another note, they try to charge people £11.75 for repeated parking offences. Of course, I know legally they can't be enforced, but that's another story.

 

Rab.

[GlasweJen]

Our university does this, as far as I know they're not illegal but they do say on the back that you should drive with your window down until you remove the sticker.

[Rab]

Our university does this, as far as I know they're not illegal but they do say on the back that you should drive with your window down until you remove the sticker.

 

You don't go to heriot watt then, do you?

 

I don't think ours say that. However, it is illegal to obscure the vision of the driver IIRC. (Edit: Contravention of EEC/77/649 i believe?)

[GlasweJen]

no close, Napier.

 

As far as I know as long as they put it somewhere where it doesn't restrict the drivers vision it's alright. One of my friends tried asking the local police and he said it's not illegal on the drivers window as the window can be rolled down and the car can be driven safely that way. During the winter our lot put them on the back window or passenger window so that you can't argue that freezing cold snow/sleet is distracting you from driving - how considerate!

[Chesterexpress]

The easy answer is don't park in unauthorised areas, then you won't have any problems. Quite simple really...

[demon_x_slash]

A very unnnecessary comment, Chester, especially as University land is private. I suggest you read the sticky at the top of the forum if you're unsure about the validity of private parking 'fines'.

[Chesterexpress]

Oh come on demon, does it really matter if it is private land or otherwise. If people park in unauthorised places then they ought to be brought to book.

[Bookworm]

Buy some of that "sticky stuff remover" you get from Betterware and the likes, really good. Failing that, nail varnish remover.

[demon_x_slash]

Oh come on demon, does it really matter if it is private land or otherwise. If people park in unauthorised places then they ought to be brought to book.

 

Legally, dear, it does.

 

Buy some of that "sticky stuff remover" you get from Betterware and the likes, really good. Failing that, nail varnish remover.

 

Failing that, try rubbing butter over it then using a blunt knife to scrape at it - it works for my old jam jars

[krysus]

Failing that, try rubbing butter over it then using a blunt knife to scrape at it - it works for my old jam jars

 

 

Or generally, any kind of solvent... copious amounts of air freshener, deodorant, WD-40 (not really a solvent, but does the trick...).

[Chesterexpress]

Legally, dear, it does.

 

Actually you are wrong, just because it is private land does not give anyone the right to park where they wish. Would you be happy if I came and parked on your driveway whenever I chose to?

[Zamzara]

Actually you are wrong, just because it is private land does not give anyone the right to park where they wish. Would you be happy if I came and parked on your driveway whenever I chose to?

 

You seem to think there is a moral element to parking enforcement. If there were, it might well be a good thing because then enforcers would be obliged to consider moral defences in every case. Most of us have discovered that they do not do so, and are not required to do so. All parking enforcement is decided on technical regulations in every case.

 

This driveway argument is absurd, as a driveway is not a car park and is not open to the public to any extent, which is different from every case I have read on here.

[demon_x_slash]

Actually you are wrong, just because it is private land does not give anyone the right to park where they wish. Would you be happy if I came and parked on your driveway whenever I chose to?

 

Nope - but I would have to go through due legal process to do anything about it. The majority of these private comapnies act unlawfully, firstly in terms of inducing the keeper to think that they had entered a contract by proxy if they can't prove who the driver actually was, and secondly, issuing a penalty fee for 'breaching' the contract (which again, they have to prove as they would be the claimant).

 

Hope that clears things up for you.

[djgordyp]

Actually you are wrong, just because it is private land does not give anyone the right to park where they wish. Would you be happy if I came and parked on your driveway whenever I chose to?

 

Chester I think you need to get off your high horse for a while. Do you know the OP's circumstances? you seem to think he/she makes a habit of it.

I agree that if people park illegally then they should pay the fine. This thread is not about the issue of parking but merely about removing stickers.

To get back to the original subject. In my local garage the mechanic uses a hairdryer to remove stickers from rally cars.

[freakyleaky]

Rally cars get parking tickets?

[djgordyp]

Rally cars get parking tickets?

They may do:lol: but they also get loads of other stickers with sponsers logos etc. These can be hard to remove sometimes. Or did you think these were painted on?

[demon_x_slash]

I saw a white van yesterday, literally plastered with rugby-related decals - roses, rugby balls, flags, 'Come On England', not a square inch free of stickers.

 

Hope he's got a hairdryer

[djgordyp]

And plenty of time.

[freakyleaky]

They may do:lol: but they also get loads of other stickers with sponsers logos etc. These can be hard to remove sometimes. Or did you think these were painted on?

I was only joking!

You can get solvent remover but it costs a bomb and takes forever to work.

[Rab]

Thanks all.

 

The point of this thread is not about how to remove the stickers... it's about the legality of them.

 

I was also told a while back by a law student I know, that these are illegal. Stupid me... i forgot to ask WHY they are illegal and what acts/regulations they refer to.

[Zamzara]

It's criminal damage, unless they can be removed effortlessly.

[green_and_mean]

A very unnnecessary comment, Chester, especially as University land is private. I suggest you read the sticky at the top of the forum if you're unsure about the validity of private parking 'fines'.

 

The discussion does not concern the validity of private parking fines it is regarding affixing warning notices to those that park in areas they are not meant to. Since the land is private as you state the land owner or agent is fully entitled by law to stick a notice on the vehicle as long as no criminal damage is done. I agree with chesterexpress the best way to avoid a warning notice is to park elsewhere.

[Rob S]

Since the land is private as you state the land owner or agent is fully entitled by law to stick a notice on the vehicle as long as no criminal damage is done.

 

In other words, they should make the stickers easy to remove.

[Bernie_the_Bolt]

It's criminal damage, unless they can be removed effortlessly.

 

In other words, they should make the stickers easy to remove.

 

What's the difference in law between spending 2 hours removing an excessively sticky sticker and replacing a headlight that someone has stuck a boot through?

 

I'd report them. Trouble is that the Police aren't going to give a fig.

[GlasweJen]

Nope especially as HW and Napier uni are both under the durastiction of Lothian and Borders police and it was a L&B cop who told us there was nothing illegal about them. Also the Mickey D's at Livingston use the same stickers but with their yellow M on it. Edinburgh is the land of parking restrictions, enforcers have ticketed a hearse, an ambulance and a broken down bus for crying out loud!

 

OP, You should read through your student handbook as you might find there's a clause in there saying you shouldn't park without buying a permit and how to go about getting one. In our case at Merchiston campus you can only get a permit if you're a blue badge holder and without a permit you have to park in the Edinbugh City Council Pay and Display area unless you hold a permit for the S3 Edinburgh parking zone in which case you can park up one of the streets in the area.

 

I really don't think the stickers are criminal damage though, there's nothing being damaged???