The new barnacle clamp can hit road users with up to a £700 by using advanced suction devices to stick onto a car’s front windscreen and block a motorists view of the road ahead. Barnacle clamps are being used in areas across the United States as an alternative to traditional wheel clamps.
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This car tax mistake could see your car clamped
The latest devices use 750 pounds of suction pressure to hold the clamp in place with road users forced to pay heavy charges to remove it through a specially-designed mobile application.
Cutting-edge technology means an alarm will sound when motorists attempt to remove the device from their car without paying the bill.
The suction is so powerful road users could even destroy their windscreen if they try and remove the device without accepting the fine.
Sensors inside the tool will send a warning to parking officials if a car is driven while the Barnacle still attached to the front of the car.
Barnacle’s were set to be launched at the University of Oklahoma today for any students who breached parking rules.
However, students have managed to get the scheme scrapped after they worked out how to remove the device without paying a charge.
According to the students, simply running a vehicle for 15 minutes and warming the windscreen is enough to loosen the tool.
A credit card or small thin piece of plastic can then gently remove the suction cup in seconds.
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Motorists are urged not to remove the devices from their cars to avoid facing further fines or problems with law enforcement.
The tip was shared on social media site Reddit where it has received over 40,000 reactions.
One student even revealed they removed the SIM card from inside the Barnacle and used it to get unlimited data for several months.
Another boasted how he had six clamps at home after successfully removing them from a range of vehicles.
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- Desperate motorist drives off with wheel clamp still in place
The can only be released if offenders enter a unique code which one student claimed can cost up to £700 to receive.
Barnacle CEO, Kevin Dougherty said the device was only placed on vehicles which had parked illegally or had not paid their parking charges.
The device is thought to be an easier method than towing a car to a pound.
What are the UK clamping laws?
It has been illegal to clamp a car on private land since 2012 so motorists will not be stuck if they fail to pay a private parking charge.
Fines and tickets can be issued by private companies but these can be challenged if motorists feel they have not broken the rules.
However, DVLA officials will claim a car if you have not paid your car tax or your car insurance is invalid.
Clamps may also be issued if vehicles are parked on the road illegally or a car is considered a danger to other motorists.
Wheel clamps can be removed in the UK from just £50 with major offences only likely to incur a £200 charge.
In some severe cases, police officers and DVLA officials could seize a vehicle and tow this to a nearby car pound to be collected.
Data shows over 130,000 vehicles were clamped for unpaid tax reasons between 2017 and 2018.
The DVLA has promised to clamp any car they find which has not paid their car tax charges as part of their new ‘tax it or lose it’ campaign.
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