I wanted to pick the collectives brains on this. Bear with me.
About a month ago a car turned up parked alongside our house (we live on a corner). After a week or so it had not moved. In fact it didn't move at all for at least 3 weeks. Our initial thought was maybe it's neighbour's friend parked up whilst on holiday to avoid parking charged (we're about 10 miles from Manchester airport). Then after two weeks, that seemed longer than the average holiday, and I wondered if it was stolen and parked up for a bit... So reported it just in case.
Anyway it eventually disappeared with someone seen slinking around the corner and then driving off.
But the very next day, another car appears in almost exactly the same space. Again mirrors folded in and parked up for a while I guess. Again it's not moved since.
This has got a few of us neighbours thinking is this a car park 'scam' whereby someone thinks they are paying for secured parking for a meet and greet service and it's actually parked up on the street somewhere.
So I'm wondering what you would do in our situation. I could report it again and mention the thoughts. I could try leaving a note on the windscreen but if it is a 'scam' meet and greet parking service, that would be removed. Ideally I'd like to look up the owner but realise that would be difficult.
Even thought of boxing it in so someone has to ask for cars to be moved ;-) If I could move it 15 feet somehow to block our side garage entrance's drop kerb, perhaps I could get it towed away and then someone might have some explaining to do if it is a park/meet and greet service ;-)
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You might well be right. And maybe the meeter-and-greeter lives nearby which could explain the location.
There was certainly a story a while back about people running this service and just parking the cars on the road on industrial estates instead of secure premises.
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If I wanted to steal a few expensive cars I think I'd take a team and raid the 'secure premises'. Much less trouble than nicking them off the street in industrial estates.
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One was a 62 plate Kia Sportage and the current one is an 07 plate SEAT Altea. I'l let you know when there's something worth stealing.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 6 Sep 15 at 18:08
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Given the durations are too long for typical annual holidays and we've just clicked over a plate change is it possible it's a local dealer who's short on storage space ?
62 to 65 end of lease vehicle ? 07 car taken as trade-in against something newer ?
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 6 Sep 15 at 18:17
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>>There was certainly a story a while back about people running this service and just parking the cars on the road on industrial estates instead of secure premises.>>
The "Leave your car safely with us whilst you're away" is a scam that's been known at Manchester for a start for many years - keeps popping up in the nationals every so often story wise.
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I'd read about it with regards Gatwick for example. I was not sure about Manchester.
It isn't likely to be car swap time related because the KIA Sportage was before 1st September. So anyone getting a new car would not have had use of the KIA for 3 weeks before.
My question is still: what would you do? I wouldn't mind finding out the owner to ask them about this. they might not want to use the parking system again if this is the case.
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One sticker on the windscreen is for Emerson Management Services Ltd. Looks like they are in Alderley Edge. So that's about as close to the airport as here.... so why wouldn't you leave the car at work and get a taxi? Car was probably last sold from a Ford dealer closer to the airport than here.
So this looks like a fairly local car. But there are child seats so I can see why a park and greet service makes sense. If that's what it is. You couldn't use a taxi.
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>>Even thought of boxing it in so someone has to ask for cars to be moved
Clamp it.
Get hold of a secondhand clamp [readily available] write "Neighbourhood Watch - please call XXX-XXX-XXXX" on it and clamp the car.
Or forget the message and just clamp the thing and sit back and watch.
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>> Clamp it.
I did think of that ;-)
It was also valeted by a car wash place very nearby recently but that could have been the meet and greet people I guess... and then parked it under a tree to get all sorts dropped on it.
Now where could I quickly get a car clamp.... No questions asked sort of thing.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 6 Sep 15 at 19:28
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What about those seriously sticky parking notices they stick on the glass when you park somewhere you shouldn't?
They'll come off, but its not quick or easy.
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So you're going to clamp a legally parked car on a public highway?
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>> So you're going to clamp a legally parked car on a public highway?
Which is why we can't do it. But it seems a bit of a coincidence after over 5 years living here that we are seeing one car parked for a few weeks under the tree and then never seen again.
Perhaps I should get a skip (we need to clear some stuff) and drop it behind. Then park close in front. So they'd have to ask me to move my car to leave.
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Apart from idle curiosity why do you care? It's legally parked and not causing any problems.
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It's taking up a space and it's not a car from here. Sometimes there are more cars than spaces. We have two and so do most of the other houses nearby. And it's parked in such a way that actually reduces spaces by two due to a corner and a nearby drop kerb.
If it turns out to be someone taking money for a secure parking service which they are not delivering ... I'd like to stop them using the space outside my house.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 6 Sep 15 at 19:41
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And if someone was taking my money for a secure service, but was actually leaving my car on the street, I'd like the local residents to point it out to me.
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>> And if someone was taking my money for a secure service, but was actually leaving my car on
>> the street, I'd like the local residents to point it out to me.
Which is what I want to achieve. Maybe I will leave a note (not sticky!) to check this was a genuine stranger parking and not a parking company. But if it's the latter then they would not pass on the note!
If it was someone just parking here and getting a cab to/from the airport then there's nothing to get het up about. If someone is being charged £90/week or something for secure parking, that's wrong. A taxi from here is £12 fixed rate. Back in a black back is less than £20.
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It's taking up a space and it's not a car from here.
Unless you own the road and/or the parking rights in it, that's not your concern, irritating as it may be. Plenty of us, me included, park neatly in residential streets on occasion; we're not committing an offence, nor do the residents have the right or reason to take offence.
Since the only injured party here - if there is one at all - is the misled owner of the parked car, Z's Trading Standards suggestion is your best bet for getting a result, especially if you can provide numbers, dates and photographs to show which cars were there for how long. If you can describe the driver(s) who eventually removed the cars, so much the better.
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>> Plenty of us, me included, park neatly in residential streets
>> on occasion; we're not committing an offence, nor do the residents have the right or
>> reason to take offence.
I have had to do this on occasion in the past. While I agree that residents have no right to get upset I can see that they often have reason to get upset, when you cannot park outside your own house when you get back from work it is annoying.
I realise that is normal if you live in many areas of London or other large towns but if you live in a quiet area where it has not previously been an issue it is a bit of a pain.
Something to look out for if you are buying a house, I guess.
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Quite CGN, live and let live if people aren't being a nuisance. Very few are.
It always surprises me what old women people can turn out to be. Why on earth do they care, I wonder. Wallies who imagine it's 'law', in the same way that thieving brings down the law... and who see themselves as special constables or similar. Wallies.
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It's not illegally parked. But if someone (as in a parking service) keeps dropping cars off for weeks on end... then that I think is an issue for those using the service.
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Yes if that that is really the case then it's their problem problem but not really yours.
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Write a note, pop it in a small freezer bag and slip it behind the fuel filler flap.
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>> Write a note, pop it in a small freezer bag and slip it behind the fuel filler flap.
That's the sort of thing I was after... where to put a note! I'll try it. Probably controlled via central locking but sure a note could be put there. I'll also try calling Emerson. And the car wash is next to a shop I frequent so I might ask them if they valet park 'n greet cars. If they do they washed/valeted it a week or more before it is returned.
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>> It's not illegally parked. But if someone (as in a parking service) keeps dropping cars
>> off for weeks on end... then that I think is an issue for those using
>> the service.
If one car becomes two then eventually it'll be an issue for you - probably when you have a delivery or a need a breakdown recovery. We've struggled round here occasionally but it's just families with grown up kids visiting and we know who to ask if there's an obstruction.
Had to do it once returning from a weekend with the caravan. Quite happy to unhitch and push/motor move it but problem was getting round a corner into the cul de sac.
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Print off a sticker "Police Aware".
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I'm not going to try clamping this but will pursue it further, e.g. I like the message in the filler cap. But if another appears soon after that stays for a few days I might do something else.
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Maybe fake home made bird poo would be an idea.... they are parking under a tree.
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Is it in any way causing you a problem? If it isn't, I would ignore it.
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If there's always a car stupidly (but not illegally) parked then yes it's a problem for me and neighbours. If it turns out someone is charging for this service... that annoys me more.
So if I parked cars outside your house for weeks on end... would that bother any of you? And so far we're talking 4.5 weeks for the two cars.
There's a few people away at the moment so there's some spaces... when they get back it will be more of a problem.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 6 Sep 15 at 23:24
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>> If there's always a car stupidly (but not illegally) parked then yes it's a problem
>> for me and neighbours. If it turns out someone is charging for this service... that
>> annoys me more.
>>
>> So if I parked cars outside your house for weeks on end... would that bother
>> any of you? And so far we're talking 4.5 weeks for the two cars.
If it caused me some aggravation or inconvenience yes it would bother me, which is why I asked if it was.
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It is also bothering neighbours.
If this car disappears and the equivalent does not reappear then that's the end of it. But I suspect it won't be.
I work from home so know neighbours and their friends/family cars. I even recognise when some are close from noise - subconscious sort of thing. These two are neither and neighbours know nothing about them either.
My current thoughts are it is a parking scam in the meet/greet type of parking.... and if so they are paying for a service they are not getting.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Sun 6 Sep 15 at 23:38
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>>My current thoughts are it is a parking scam in the meet/greet type of parking.... and if so they are paying for a service they are not getting. >>
That is the truly disturbing part of such activities. But where's there's money there's always a fiddle on the part of a plethora of unashamed scoundrels.
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I know! And that's the only reason this bothers me. I have thought of some legal things I can do to flag a potential problem.
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how about you report your suspicions to the local trading standards and letting them deal with it?
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In the last 15 minutes it's gone - before I had a chance to put a note in the filler flap. One of the neighbours popped out and it was gone when they got back. But another car has appeared behind where it was.
So this one was here for a week... I'll see how soon the other car goes.
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>> But another car has appeared behind where it was.
So, what's taken its place?
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Mondeo on a 15 plate. Still a fairly local car as it was sold from the same Ford dealer as the SEAT Altea XL. Nothing else like parking permits etc. to identify it. But it is looking like someone is parking cars here. I think I'll call trading standards for starters. And if I've guessed the place of work for the last driver, I might try calling.
In fact it's not far, I could always pop a note on it when I'm passing nearby.
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Sounds like Parking Company LTD brought the latest victim, sorry, client's vehicle for safe storage whilst collecting the previous one and returning it to the airport.
This sort of thing does get on my shirt potatoes. A used car dealer uded to ditch his stock on the street opposite my previous residence for weeks on end. Mostly not an issue but when the street was full and I couldn't park near home it was a pain in the aristotle. And they were usually untaxed. Wouldn't be able to tell these days, of course.
Worst offender though was the woman who lived three doors away, who had one VW Polo and a driveway of her own. However, she refused to park in the driveway as she was nervous of scraping the car on the gateposts. Once she parked it in front of my house and went on holiday for three weeks. Selfish bee-hatch. I moved house and now have my own off road parking. Problem solved.
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>> Wouldn't be able to tell these days, of course.
Very easy to check tax and MOT online. In fact there's an app for Android (not sure about iOS) called Legal Vehicle whereby if you enter the reg and make of car it will tell you when the MOT and road tax are due. Plus some other details too.
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Thought you were supposed to declare ownership to run such checks?
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You do on say AskMID - unless you pay £4 and then you can get the insurance company details too.
There's nothing on this app that asks if you are the owner/keeper.
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>> Thought you were supposed to declare ownership to run such checks?
As Rob said, only for Askmid, but you can always tell a white lie and tick the box that asks if you're checking your own vehicle.
Anyway, as to RFL and MOT. It's free.
www.gov.uk/get-vehicle-information-from-dvla
Last edited by: VxFan on Mon 7 Sep 15 at 11:48
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I would absolutely tick the box without a second thought. But how is that a *white* lie?
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>> But how is that a *white* lie?
I just called it that because I couldn't think of anything else.
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Thanks for the links. I can now join the ranks of busybodies and nosey parkers and grasses without moral discomfiture.
;-)
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>> there's an app for Android (not sure about iOS) called Legal Vehicle
Same name in the iPhone App store, but it will only work on iOS 8.0 or later. First App that I've found that I can't install on my iPhone 4.
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My penn'orth.
1) ignore it. No harm being done (to you or yours) other that possibly slight inconvenience regarding parking. However its a car, cars need parking and its not your street so get over it.
2) if you really must play ameteur sleuth, stick a note under the wiper stating that you scraped the car. Leave your mobile and a first name. See who calls, arrange a meeting and ask for insurance docs.
3) get your neighbours to park all their cars in the street leaving no gaps. Matey may think twice about trying to park there in future.
4) failing all that, see 1
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>> >> there's an app for Android (not sure about iOS) called Legal Vehicle
>>
>> Same name in the iPhone App store, but it will only work on iOS 8.0
>> or later. First App that I've found that I can't install on my iPhone 4.
>>
Just downloaded it onto my iPhone 5, it works.
Funny thing - it wouldn't recognise Mercedes -Benz, but recognised Mercedes. What's that about?
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I just put in the details of a neighbours MB onto the Android version. Entered reg and selected Mercedes-Benz. It finds the car's details. Using Mercedes does not but that will be because the car is a Mercedes-Benz.
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Perhaps Duncan put in a space where a space were'nt needed, like.
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>> Perhaps Duncan put in a space where a space were'nt needed, like.
>>
No, Duncan didn't.
Duncan clicked on the drop-down box thing.
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The Android version lets you type a few characters before suggesting 'makes' in a list.
I've not seen the iOS version. Maybe it works differently.
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I had a similar issue recently - BMW 3 series parked in the layby opposite me for about 4 weeks. Wasn't causing any harm although I had checked and the tax had expired.
However one day the car alarm started going off, and was going all day, eventually I phoned the police, told them it was untaxed but the alarm was causing a "breach of the peace".
An hour later, the police had the thing on the back of a recovery truck and away never to be seen again.
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The first car, a KIA Sportage, was there for a while and I thought it might belong to a friend/relative/colleague of a neighbour.... And then it was still there 3 weeks later! But taxed and insured. I did report it because I wondered if it was stolen and dumped. Happened to a colleagues car years ago.
It must have been a coincidence that I reported it and it was moved the next morning.... Only to be replaced with another car the next day.
I doubt the councillors will do anything so plan is to see if I get a contact in a week or so when the note in the fuel flap is found. If it's airport parking I'd hope it's the owner that takes it further. I might try to contact to owner of the Seat Altea XL soon too - easy to try if they work where I think they do.
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Make sure you put contact details for you in the note in the filler cap - otherwise you will always be wondering if it was found!
FWIW I only have a humble car but whenever I pick airport parking I always make sure its one where I park it and take the keys with me.
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Of course I have some contact information in the fuel filler note :-) Just a number and no name.
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>> FWIW I only have a humble car but whenever I pick airport parking I always
>> make sure its one where I park it and take the keys with me.
>>
Me too, on airport long stay. Competitive on price if booked in advance, I can live with a shuttle bus that runs every ten minutes 24/7 and the five minute or so journey. Meet and greet is for the bone idle who don't give a stuff what happens to their (lease) car.
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Wrong on both counts - mine isn't a lease car and I'm not bone idle but I usually use meet and greet, especially as one way or the other the flight times are often at a fairly unsociable time. It doesn't cost that much extra and saves a bit of faffing, and travelling on the courtesy bus with the tight wads :-)
I'm quite happy with someone else looking after my car keys while I'm away, then I can't lose them... :-)
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Unsociable time! As I said bone idle, I live a 24/7 lifestyle and do not expect the airlines to run a schedule for my convinence, maybe you need a private jet and your own time zone.
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I live a 24/7 lifestyle...
It's all right, ON. You're retired now; you're allowed to open the windows here, and you don't have to leave those red lights on all night.
Or do you just mean every day is the same?
};---)
... and do not expect the airlines to run a schedule for my convenience.
Whyever not? Who else are they there for?
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>> ... and do not expect the airlines to run a schedule for my convenience.
>> Whyever not? Who else are they there for?
>>
Maybe I am not of the "Me, me, me first", generation and realise that the airlines have to cater for many conflicting customer and practical priorities when setting their schedules.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 8 Sep 15 at 15:20
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>>Maybe I am not of the "Me, me, me first", generation
Well yes, that is *one* explanation..........
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For me, at gatwick airport when booked in advance, meet and greet is more expensive than park and shuttle. So why would you risk putting in your car in someone else's hands for more money?
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Yes of course meet and greet is more expensive. However I didn't bother with a full risk analysis before making the decision, it's only a car after all.
Personally I prefer the experience of rocking up at the airport door, getting out of the car and walking across to the terminal, I can't see how that's not better than a 10 minutes (or more) bus ride) - but I do use both. Just mostly been meet and greet lately.
I never said I had a problem with any airline schedule and if I could afford a private jet I'd have one. But until I can, where I think it worthwhile I will pay for things which make it more convenient to me. Like at the end of October we have a flight out for a cruise at 0725 on a Monday morning. With no traffic I'm an hour or so from Gatwick, so not only am I paying for meet and greet, but also I'm Staying In A Hotel (shock horror) close to Gatwick the night before. This will undoubtedly entail Having A Meal Out thus saving us having to cook. Yeah, bone idle, that's me!! Thanks for helping me realise :-)
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>> Yes of course meet and greet is more expensive. However I didn't bother with a
>> full risk analysis before making the decision, it's only a car after all.
Indeed, so money better spent at your destination on food and drink.
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I paid extra to cruise all-inclusive... = no drinks cost on board. :-)
Although the two day (1 night) excursion round Israel and Jordan will inevitably attract some additional costs... over and above the near-£500 extra it cost me!!! :-)
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When flying out of MAN I always use PPS Meet n Greet. Have done twice in the past 9 months @£35 for a week. Phone them when ten minutes from the airport, meet their rep outside Departures, hand over keys, walk 20 yards to Dep Hall & check in. When using LBA I use Sentinel, a 5 minute drive from the terminal, or for extended trips ( 3 weeks+) I get a friend to drive me the airport in exchange for beer tokens, leaving my car at home in the garage connected to a charger. I always catch the 06:15 to AMS, arrive at 05:15, so the roads are very quiet at that time and it normally takes 50 mins. Glad I don't have to contend with LHR & Gatwick.
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>> When flying out of MAN I always use PPS Meet n Greet. Have done twice
>> in the past 9 months @£35 for a week.
Check your filler cap for a note from a concerned resident.
>> Glad I don't have to contend with LHR & Gatwick.
Living in the south east, I use the southeast airports. Its never a problem. I refuse to use luton tho, its a craphole.
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>> it's only a car.
Some woman once said that to me after scratching my car with her bicycle. My reply back was "ok, let me kick your front wheel in. After all, it's only a bike"
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A little scratch doesn't disable the vehicle...
Agree re Luton, used it twice and SWMBO has refused to use it again. I'm sure if it was the only choice then we would...
I'm within striking distance of quite a few "regional" airports (Bristol, Southampton, Luton, Stanstead are all within about an hour and others are not much more) but we nearly always end up going through Gatwick, sometimes Heathrow.
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>> A little scratch doesn't disable the vehicle...
nope quite right it The gatepost it knocked over while getting it, and the speeding fine it got on the way to the gate post wont disable it either but it might well be a shed load of agro later tho.
Not to mention the nosy neighbour sticking grubby bits of paper in your filler cap.
Last edited by: Zero on Tue 8 Sep 15 at 10:34
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Bristol, Southampton, Luton, Stanstead are all within about an hour...
Crikey, do you live in another dimension? According to Google Maps, Stansted and Bristol are 168 road miles or three middle-of-the-night hours apart - more than four in daytime. I live barely 20 miles from Heathrow and allow an hour just to get there. Perhaps if my taxi firm knew how to jump across the curve of space-time...
}:---)
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>> Bristol, Southampton, Luton, Stanstead are all within about an hour...
>>
>> Crikey, do you live in another dimension? According to Google Maps, Stansted and Bristol are
>> 168 road miles or three middle-of-the-night hours apart - more than four in daytime. I
>> live barely 20 miles from Heathrow and allow an hour just to get there. Perhaps
>> if my taxi firm knew how to jump across the curve of space-time...
>> }:---)
>>
Don't forget that smokie has his personal time zone so that he in always in sociable hours worldwide. :-)
Last edited by: Old Navy on Tue 8 Sep 15 at 11:36
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ooops I didn't check, it was an off the cuff comment. Google says Stanstead is 1h 21m, Bristol is 1h 46m. That's now, with whatever traffic Google is reporting.
Gatwick is 1h
Heathrow is 27m
Luton is 56m
Southampton is 1h 5m
Bournemouth is 1h 30m
I hadn't realised Bristol airport was so far from Bristol, which takes me about 1h 20m.
All less than two hours then... :-)
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smokie has to drive that fast to try to get away from the constant smell of creosote (it was creosote, wasn't it?) from behind him.
;-)
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We hà d a local time warp yesterday, as I joined the local motorway the gantry sign gave 12 minutes to the airport, normally we use a mile a minute for journey times and the airport is 15 miles. :-)
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Creosote it was... some things take a lifetime to live down!! :-)
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>> Creosote it was... some things take a lifetime to live down!! :-)
Yeah, but they soon forgot it was a Vauxhall (until now). Had it been me, I'd still be getting the stick for that too.
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Oh thank you indeedy partner... :-)
it was, however, a sensible one - 3.2l, fairly brisk, wolf in sheeps clothing an' all that
Still only a car rather than a pride and joy though...
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Actually Stansted has made Herculanean efforts to outstrip Luton in the worst airport stakes and with its reason redesign, staff selected for their sheer indifference and above all the spectacularly inadequate provision by Border Security has succeeded in achieving its aim.
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Because it's more convenient and at the end of the it's only a car. Letting someone else drive it is no big deal.
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>> Because it's more convenient and at the end of the it's only a car.
Personally I don't think that on airport parking at Gatwick is sufficiently inconvenient to pay anything extra to avoid it. (specially south terminal) For me, it simply isn't enough value for money. Sure its only a car - till the agro starts, and there are enough stories around to make you wonder.
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>> Letting someone else drive it is no big deal.
>>
Perhaps not, but having my pride and joy dumped-nilly on a trading estate or a housing estate would be.
Last edited by: Clk Sec on Tue 8 Sep 15 at 10:27
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There's the difference, mine is just a car and is not my pride and joy. I have had cars that fit that bill but this one is really just a car... and "gets me there" just as quickly but in a little less comfort than some of the pride and joys I've owned....
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Years ago I used to fly out of Gatwick with the ex ex on our January jollies. Finish work in Leeds at 8pm, drive South & stay overnight at Ifield Court before flying out with BCal the following morning. Returning home oop North was not pleasant, but in my younger days it was never much hassle. One year, after an uncomfortable overnight long haul we drove straight to the NEC for a two day Trade Show. LHR is fine if you are in transit there on a domestic flight from LBA or MAN, but getting there by train/ car from rural NYorks is hassle, although a neighbour uses train & taxi to access Ldn City airport during the winter months to get to his place on Ibiza, always travelling on a Sunday.
Thread drift. Apologies.
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Talking of BCal, I remember being on board a Tristar which had to refuel in the Azores on the inbound leg. Outbound was from MAN via LGW with a very light passenger load, non stop from LGW, in the first few days of January. We picked up a few crew members and a dozen passengers. Pretty sure it was a Tristar, mid 80s, not a DC10 which I last flew on a few years ago with KLM.
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I must be one of the few on here that's never used these car drop offs. We use the train if Manchester airport, all others we get a lift. For work they organise a driver or a hire car.
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I remember an over nighter for a refuel in the azores. Nice place very green. Nice little harbour, the rest was a bit of a blur. Too many super bocks and a local drink (i think) called a flaming inferno.
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Always use an airport approved operator. I use APH at Gatwick and have never found them less than efficient. Their car parks are secure and their service is outstanding. Been using them for over 20 years.
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The issue with some meet and greet operators is they claim to meet a standard but don't.
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>> Always use an airport approved operator. I use APH at Gatwick and have never found
>> them less than efficient. Their car parks are secure and their service is outstanding. Been
>> using them for over 20 years.
>>
Same here - always found them to be really good, and the bus driver helped me with the kids car seats in the rain a couple of weeks back :-)
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>> Meet and greet is for the bone idle who don't give a
>> stuff what happens to their (lease) car.
>>
In my case it's for people with a couple of children, lots of baggage and who don't give much of a stuff about a 12 year old snotter with 130k on the clock. I use Purple Parking at LHR and LGW, someone else, I can't remember who, at Luton. Dozens of times, never a problem.
I'd be nervous with a lease car, you have to return them in excellent condition.
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>> I'd be nervous with a lease car, you have to return them in excellent condition.
>>
It never bothered my B in law, two of his kids crashed one of his LECs on different occasions, his attitude was " I get a replacement while it is fixed and a new one in xx months. The inside was always like a Skip and it was never washed or had its bonnet lifted.
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The difference of course being whether it's a personal lease or leased company car....
Mind you when I had leased company cars they were reasonably strict on return. I remember one lad who's car was end of lease and the leasing department came to collect his old one and it was filthy. They told him to take it for a wash, which he did, and he managed to lose a hubcap on the way, which cost him.
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Used a parking lot once. Kept keys.
Always taxi from home now. Sod the cost.
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>> Used a parking lot once. Kept keys.
>> Always taxi from home now. Sod the cost.
Except the taxi company and all its drivers now know your house is empty while you're away!
May be quite a high cost.
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Unlikely although I know what you're alluding to. Same guy, hugely respectable. Car backed off of road out of sight of the workers driving by. Also a comment from us regarding someone staying in the hoose backed up by a call to us in the car by the staying relative. Covered as best as poss'. Old man was the Old Bill. A few spiders on me, but not too many flies.
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There's more of a giveaway from people when away than a taxi to the airport. I see people draw blinds/curtains that normally don't. Cars parked on the drive when they never do when at home. Wheelie bins don't get put out on bin day.
Who's to say a house is empty even if you're going away. And with random cars appearing outside, I am sure there's some confusion for onlookers.
Last edited by: rtj70 on Fri 11 Sep 15 at 20:36
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>>Except the taxi company and all its drivers now know your house is empty while you're away!
>>
I know a number of drivers who do the airport taxi runs - they would take very grave exception to that comment and rightly so.
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And be incredibly stupid, any investigation into a break in would hopefully include "Who knew it was a vacant property".
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Airport parking truly is a scam!
Parked Wednesday at 18:00. Collected Thursday at 22:00. Gatwick North Terminal Short Term parking. Cost £90!!!
Thank goodness it was on expenses and as it was a short notice trip I didn't have time to book the usually cheaper options.
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>> Airport parking truly is a scam!
>>
>> Parked Wednesday at 18:00. Collected Thursday at 22:00. Gatwick North Terminal Short Term parking. Cost
>> £90!!!
Short term parking usually means only a few hours or involves a significant 'convenience fee' for being so close to the terminal.
Over 24 would be cheaper on long stay?
Looking at LGW's website our newer 'lingo is too high for the short stay. Max 1.8m, Fleur is 1.85. Has to go with vans and coaches on the shuttle too.
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>>Over 24 would be cheaper on long stay?
Absolutely, but I try not to use long stay for business as it adds to the already over long working day (18 hours) if flying so another 15 - 20 minutes each way is a no no (but I suspect finance will moan).
I do use drop off / collection services as they can be good value for money and a good compromise between long stay and short stay parking both in convenience and cost terms but I got notice of the trip half an hour before I needed to travel and didn't have time to make alternative arrangements - using the long term parking on site may have resulted in a missed flight.
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>> Absolutely, but I try not to use long stay for business as it adds to
>> the already over long working day (18 hours) if flying so another 15 - 20
>> minutes each way is a no no (but I suspect finance will moan).
>>
Got any jobs at your place zippy ? I can park anywhere I want on a long day trip. I get 18€, the cost for long stay for 24 hours. I can use the more expensive parking but I won't get reimbursed for it.
Out the house at 4:45, home just before midnight if the flight is on time. As I am not employed by the customer the 10 hours or whatever it is between work days does not apply so I am back at my desk 7:30 the next morning.
Still, I could have a zero hours contract then I really would have something to moan about.
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With the exception of Bristol airport (as its only 20 minutes away and I get a really cheap parking rate) its usually a one way car hire for me.
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--Parked Wednesday at 18:00. Collected Thursday at 22:00. Gatwick North Terminal Short Term parking. Cost £90!!!
Shocking if flying privately, but pretty insignificant in the terms of business travel.
If I was flying somewhere, staying there, working and then coming back after 24 hours the cost is likely to be around GBP5,000 plus tax so 90 quid is lost in the noise.
But then there are many things I pay for in the course of business that I would not for one second dream of paying for when travelling privately.
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I think you'd be surprised No FM2R.
You're hourly or daily rate is what it is. The incidentals will be pored over to the nth degree now.
It makes a strong case for web conference rather than have to deal with finance. I only travel now when there is no other option. And I pour over that with the same delight finance exercise now. Unless a director tells me to get on a plane I don't.
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 12 Sep 15 at 20:54
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I don't have much time for web conferencing. I think most of what is done that way simply doesn't need doing at all.
Face to face.meetings bring an altogether greater range of interaction.
I find that companies and/or managers with such a focus on absolute expense amounts are normally experts on timekeeping as well.
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You're in the stratosphere above me.
My current project has people in Europe, Africa and Asia Pacific, f2f is not happening. Flying people around continents every couple of weeks is not an option.
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>> f2f is not happening.
I find that very annoying. (Clearly not your responsibility).
How many companies worry that I might try to expense a newspaper, but are surprisingly unconcerned about me traveling in my own time.
They want me to abide by their rules, then I travel in work time. If they expect me to bite the personal hours budget, then they chew on my expenses.
How many companies worry more about a £500 flight than the failure of a £20m project?
These people, largely middle management and largely idiots, irritate the fk out of me. The only decent thing they have ever done is motivate me so much that I got past them so I could slap them.
How they cannot understand the difference between cost, value, benefit, quality and risk is beyond me. But they surely do not.
I have had arguments with procurement officers who do not like my rate. However, they expect me to protect an £xm budget or deliver £xm savings.
Strangely they all run a mile when I offer to do it for free plus 10% of the first year benefits.
I have never yet been recommended by procurement, and have a few times been rejected by them. However, I have never yet missed a project timescale, a change budget or a savings agreement.
But they understand direct cost (salary). Sometimes they understand indirect cost (electricity). But I've not yet encountered one who understood opportunity cost (what happens if I don't spend money on this).
All I can say is that I've never inflicted expense limits, time-keeping recording or travel restrictions on anybody ever.
I've fired a fair few for under-delivering though. I've also fired more middle managers and procurement officers than you can shake a stick at.
I mostly subscribe to "up or out". Only "mostly", not totally, but certainly "mostly". And there is no "up" from Procurement.
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>> Face to face.meetings bring an altogether greater range of interaction.
Agree. We tried Video Conferencing in the Quango about 10yrs ago to save flights/hotac costs for 4 attendees at monthly meeting who had to come from Scotland.
Utterly useless. We could hear and see the folks in Edinburgh but a lot of the non-verbal cues were missed. Goodness knows what they could distil from grainy images of other 12 or so in London. No opportunity for the value adding side conversations that might take place over coffee or lunch either.
And don't get me started on the logistics for committees and working groups which were my particular responsibility.
The kit was useful for staff meetings though - marginally better than a telephone conference.
Last edited by: Bromptonaut on Sat 12 Sep 15 at 21:37
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>> I find that companies and/or managers with such a focus on absolute expense amounts are
>> normally experts on timekeeping as well.
>>
Reminds me, the other week someone at work got audited for a meal out a year ago. We are told to keep receipts for 2 years. I think it was about 20 odd quid. I find it hard to understand how people are bothered to look back that far, the whole thing cost in the £50k range, it's nothing in the grand scheme of things, yet...
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>> Airport parking truly is a scam!
>>
>> Parked Wednesday at 18:00. Collected Thursday at 22:00. Gatwick North Terminal Short Term parking. Cost
>> £90!!!
Thats what happens when you park long term in short term.
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>> Thats what happens when you park long term in short term.
Come to think of it I had similar experience at BHX for my trip on the last passenger DC-10. Something like £25 for 08:00 to 14:00.
Should have left it at International Station for a tenner.
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Does that represent some kind of bargain these days? Leaving an inanimate object standing for 6 hours and paying £10 is that some kind of value with no come back if said object is damaged in the meantime?
But they have surveilance cameras from Birmingham to the moon and back if you are someone important.
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 12 Sep 15 at 22:17
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>> Does that represent some kind of bargain these days?
The adjacent railway station's car park is at least cheaper than at the airport. But yes, the going rate for commuter station parking where London is likely destination is now approaching £10 day.
That's part of why I'm better off retired on a pension that's a bit over half my London salary.
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the going rate for commuter station parking where London is likely destination is now
>> approaching £10 day.
I hadn't realised parking charges down south were so high. That's a huge chunk of money, I suppose the wage pays for it in London? I think ours is free for 2 hours then upto about 3/4 quid all day parking.
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It's also why we are where we are.
Total madness and trying to justify it as some kind of reasonable amount.
Every time I am in the UK I feel like someone is trying to extract professional costs from my pocket for the most menial of services. Remind me what taxes are for again ?
Last edited by: gmac on Sat 12 Sep 15 at 22:46
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Where abouts you overseas gmac?
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For what ?
I can buy a second class bahn card that will get me anywhere in Germany on a high speed ICE train, regional bahn or any other local train (excluding tubes) for c.4k€ / year.
1st class is less than 5k€. That means I can travel anywhere in the country, at any time, with that card. 2nd class you need to pay 2,50€/trip for a guaranteed seat.
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Sorry i should have been clearer. I was just wondering what you found to be much more expensive here than in Germany (like for like)?
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Public transport: Where we stay is 23 miles from the airport. I can buy a ticket which covers me for the bus and the train for 3,80€ (about £2.80 at today's exchange rate).
When I land in the UK, it's about 15 miles from the airport. £5 for the tram then another £1.80 for the bus.
If I take the bus (£4.50) from the airport into town it's non-transferable to the next bus.
Some may say but it's only £3.50 to £4 more but do that every day for everything you do.
That is comparing like for like single tickets, if you doing that journey on a regular basis you would buy a season pass, you'd do the same in Germany. I do not know how the season ticket prices compare.
Car insurance: In the UK it's the person that is insured in Europe it's the vehicle. Meaning anyone over the age of 23 and under 70 is allowed to drive a car with the registered keepers consent without having to ring up, pay an admin fee or additional charge for every person who may need access to your car during the year. Different way of doing the same thing. Some people may not need this so it's not a cost for them.
Grocery shopping: In the UK if you have a family the 3 for 2 and BOGOF deals are great, you don't get that so much in Germany. If you only need one of something though I find it's generally more expensive in the UK.
To offer some balance here:
Servicing a car I found to me much of a muchness, you can get fleeced or make some great savings by shopping around in both countries.
Healthcare is much more expensive in Germany.
In the UK it's covered in your NI contributions unless you go private, in Germany it's about 15% of your salary but you get to see a specialist within two weeks of any initial diagnosis.
Last edited by: gmac on Sun 13 Sep 15 at 11:07
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Interesting thanks, probably evens itself out in the grand scheme of things.
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Probably, I just feel like my hand is never out of my pocket when I am in the UK.
What really annoys me is the on the clock nature of for example grocery shopping and the parking restrictions for having the audacity to go in their shop and choosing to spend your money with that company.
I know it's because of the few who dump their car and spend the day away doing something else but rather than relax, maybe have a coffee at the end it's having to keep your eye on the time.
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I think it's because we notice spending money when somewhere different. I know I do.
I think it's about 2 hours in most supermarkets in the UK, from my viewpoint that's plenty. Don't think I've ever spent anywhere close to 2 hours in a supermarket in my life and I don't think I'd want to!
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Agree with you when it is just a supermarket.
When it is a retail park and there's a car shop and an electrical shop I can get lost for hours just looking at the new 'stuff'. Yes, I can look online but still like to look at the real thing if I have to be there for the more mundane tasks in life.
Anyway, enough of my ramblings...Yorkshire puds won't make themselves.
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Yorkshire puds won't make themselves
Cue creepy music.
Eggs breaking into bowl, milk adding, pinch of salt adding, flour adding while whisked and mixture transferring itself to heated oily tins and going back in oven.
Shades of the dish of the day in the Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy methinks.
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Surely they have Aunt Bessie in Germany?
Pat
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Surely they have Aunt Bessie in Germany?
Heretic! A yorkshire pud is one of the easy basics of cookery, and a batter mixture takes no time at all to make. I've never understood why folk buy those things.
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>> Surely they have Aunt Bessie in Germany?
>>
>> Pat
>
Ja Tante Brunhilde
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I don't think Tante Brunhilde would ever entertain the idea of taking a modified pancake batter and shallow fat frying it in the oven.
Yorkshire puddings are definitely a British dish and not something I have come across anywhere else (other than Brit pubs/bars abroad). Maybe some of the more seasoned travellers have seen similar in local dishes ?
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>>DE
I used to love working in Germany, mainly in Dusseldorf, but sometimes in Essen and Gutersloh.
Everyone I worked with was really friendly and always keen to speak in English (which was usually very good). I recall a lovely night in a winter market having a laugh with my workmates over some gluvine when a bevy of very attractive German girls came up to ask what we were up to in such a remote little town!
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Gütersloh used to be the Bertelsmann centre of the universe for IT. It's not such a remote town...
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>> Gütersloh used to be the Bertelsmann centre of the universe for IT. It's not such
>> a remote town...
>> s
That's why I was there. Work friend married one of their managers and moved her back over here.
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>> Every time I am in the UK I feel like someone is trying to extract
>> professional costs from my pocket for the most menial of services. Remind me what taxes
>> are for again ?
Not for your commuter car parking space.
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>> Not for your commuter car parking space.
>>
That's free. Bike or car, I pay nuffink for parking.
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>>Got any jobs at your place zippy ? I can park anywhere I want on a long day trip. I get 18€, the cost for long stay for 24 hours. I can use the more expensive parking but I won't get reimbursed for it.
To be honest, the boss will let it ride once or twice. If it happens too often then quite rightly I will be asked to book a cheaper car park. This was a one off due to the short notice trip! I quite like the valet parking services and they are usually significantly cheaper!
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>> But
>> yes, the going rate for commuter station parking where London is likely destination is now
>> approaching £10 day.
>>
A tenner? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. I wish. Try Reading station. £24 a day.
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>> A tenner? Ha ha ha ha ha ha. I wish. Try Reading station. £24 a
>> day.
>>
£24 for a whole day? In your dreams. Grand Arcade Cambridge (main shopping centre), five hours - so perhaps a morning's shopping and lunch out - £26 parking thank you.
:)
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I don't know why they call it short term & long term. They should call it "Close" and "Not Close".
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B & Q in Bury St Edmunds has just has its car park (beautifully) resurfaced. The warning notice states the usual 2 hour time limit, but also says you will be charged if, having parked your car, you walk out of the car park.
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>> you will be charged if, having parked your car, you walk out of the car park.
>>
What if you run, is it free then ?
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Not with the condition of my knees!!!!
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People must be very important if using a shuttle bus for a few minutes is beneath their status.
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Hold back the sarcastic condemnation, ON, until you've tried swapping your couple of holiday flights a year for being up at four to get the 0700 flight - in economy - to the near continent, a full day of meetings, and calls and emails from the people who assume you're in the office as normal, then the mid-evening flight home, the 40-minute passport queue and still half an hour to drive home, before being up at six the next day for work as normal. Then try doing that every week, as some people have to, and 20+ minutes each end of queueing in the wind, bumping about in a bus and trudging through puddles to find the car might seem a less trifling inconvenience.
Tourists tend to look at business travellers and see only the 'luxuries' and none of the work. As NoFM has pointed out, we're doing all the airport stuff in our own time, and the only bit I really enjoy is the G&T in the lounge - if there's time for it - as I wait for the flight home. My employer has never questioned my taxis to and from the airport - although we do get a lot of the same nonsense about travel costs as others have described - and I'd radically revise my own travel patterns if they ever did.
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>>we're doing all the airport stuff in our own time,
Oh, you poor soul. I have done the 4am start to drive for four hours through the highlands of Scotland with the weather implications, to catch a noisy helicopter to another remote location, then into night shifts. No sympathy for your expenses funded "my own time" in a comfortable warm, or airconed airport. Either your employer or your time management need some looking at. Tired people can be dangerous, although I could catch a return helicopter immediately after a night shift I always slept and caught the pm one. Better than falling asleep and parking the (not my) car on its roof in a field. We tried to not work, including travel, for more than 12 hours a day and managed our down time as appropriate. I have done the 18 hour days for several weeks at a time (no travel) so I have little sympathy for your comfortable work hours.
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Sorry, ON, I've read that lot twice and I still don't know what you think I should do differently. For short trips the taxis are for my comfort, convenience and effectiveness; for long ones they cost less than airport parking.
I've mentioned myself but I wasn't referring only to my own habits; I typically fly no more than twice a month and there are plenty who do much more than that. It's nothing to do with time management and mostly a result of companies spreading expertise as thinly as they can get away with.
It's changed markedly since Zero, Commerdriver and I were colleagues (although we didn't know it) in the early 1990s. Then there was always someone to cover while you were off on a trip or a holiday; staffing these days is lean verging on skeletal, and it takes a real effort to resist the expectation of constant availability, so the little bits of work-life balance are worth hanging on to.
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I obviously worked in a different world, I sometimes worked long and unsociable hours but made sure that I and my staff had as good a life work balance as possible. It seems that the following day, morning, or afternoon off after a long or late working day was not an option for you. Rested happy staff can work wonders when required.
Last edited by: Old Navy on Mon 14 Sep 15 at 14:58
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>> I obviously worked in a different world, I sometimes worked long and unsociable hours but
>> made sure that I and my staff had as good a life work balance as
>> possible. It seems that the following day, morning, or afternoon off after a long or
>> late working day was not an option for you. Rested happy staff can work wonders
>> when required.
I think that's exactly the point ON. The slack that allowed 'recovery time' just isn't there today.
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ON I guess it's safe to assume that your different world was when you were in the me, me, me generation before you entered your existing 24/7 lifestyle which doesn't recognise unsociable hours (see above...) :-)
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No, the me, me, me, people are a couple of generations behind me. I am the front edge of the baby boomers who own the mortgage free houses that the ones behind the me, me, me, lot can't afford. :-)
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Parked Cars - Airport Parking 'Scam'? - Manatee
