You return from a pleasant evening at the theatre, stroll round the corner and there it is, the yellow clamp, itself drawing the attention of all and sundry to your plight, firmly attached to your four-wheeled pride and joy.
It can happen almost anywhere. Local Authorities do it all the time. Car clamping on private property is becoming rife and is not subject to regulatory controls as yet. Some of the people who operate the schemes make the SAS look like a church outing.
If you are parked in a privately owned area you may be subjected to a clamping 'fee' of £100 or more. Or your car may no longer even be there, having been towed away to some far-off Battersea Home for Cars for which you are likely to be charged a towing fee of up to £150 minimum. Should you not be swift in removing it there are likely to be storage charges, administration charges, all of which are likely to be required in cash and 'no, we do not take cards, sir'.
Clamping operated by the Local Authorities is slightly less ruthless but just as predictable, and still as irritating. If clamped you will find a label attached telling you where to contact. Some accept payment by credit card, others insist on a personal appearance. Either way you will be required to pay a very hefty fee for the clamp to be released.
You stand and stare in disbelief - happy people walk past, wearing wry smiles of commiseration, the more irreverent sniggering to each other. Your evening falls apart in about thirty seconds flat - what is to be done?
Whatever the circumstances avoid arguments with clampers - they have you by the short and curlies and compromise is your best course of action. Pay up and leave before further complications ensue.
Resist the very understandable temptation to do lethal damage, to the clamp or anything else. You can be held liable for any success resulting from your efforts in this direction and it really isn't worth the ensuing complications.
The options are simple, including the fairly obvious one - check very carefully first where you park. and if possible have a strategy worked out in advance. Best by far not to take the wretched car, go by taxi, by bus even or arrange for friends to deliver and collect. It could greatly improve the quality of your evening.