Car clamped

[Lindy66]

Today I parked in a disabled bay (though I have a blue badge it is for my mother who was not in the car but I was shopping on her behalf).
I put the badge up and was less than 10 mins in the shop when I came out I had a ticket and a notice to say my car had a wheel clamp on. I noticed the blue badge had fallen on the floor (must have been due to the wind today when shutting the car). I telephoned the clampers and they turned up. They advised I had to pay the fine to get the clamp of when I questioned them they said I was not allowed to use the blue badge if my mother was not in the car I said I was shopping on her behalf and she has limited mobility and as was popping out was not going to get her ready get her in the car for a 5 min shopping trip, they said they were just doing their job so I had to pay to get the clamp of. But they said I can appeal ?
Questions I have - Can they really clamp the car within 10 mins ?, the site where they clamp me did not have any warning to say car would be clamped if I did not display a blue badge - should they have a warning sign ?
Where I parked in a shopping centre its a free car park so where is the justice to charge someone who parked in a disabled pay for less than 10 mins. There was over 10 other disabled bays all empty and as said I was shopping on behalf of someone and did have blue badge.

I will appeal but would like to know answers to above questions. Anyone help ?
Thanks

[Jimbo1234]

You could always try getting someone else to pay your fine for you - give Majicari.com a try - if you have a good enough story and can get enough people to vote for you you could get you money back!!

(PS if you get it back I want 10% ha ha ha)

[Paul22118]

Lindy,
Like Chris I am also miffed you took my post as abuse. I tried hard to be concise, honest and pleasant. I can only assume you are so convinced you are in the right that no amount of friendly offered advice is palatable.
Paul

[Misty77]

Lindy - you wanted answers and you got them. People don't pull their punches on here - if you're in the wrong you're gonna know about it. I think this is just one to put down to experience and if you don't want straight anwers, don't ask again !

[bednobs]

i, on the other hand am in no way miffed if you took my post as an insult, seeing as it was meant as one. I may not have felt inclined to tell you what i thought had you not tried to defend your actions(which you admit you know were wrong) with such feeble excuses as you have put forward, even trying to deflect the blame onto other people who also abuse the system. i have on occasion had to turn round and just come home due to lack of disabled parking owing to thoughtless people. I can usually walk round the shop, OR across a car park but not both, and on one memorable time i tried to do both i ended up falling over and going to hospital in an ambulance

In answer to your question, there is justice, and you have been on the receiving end of it!

[exscribbler]

Abuse is what you should get; it's the only way idle muppets like you who think they're above the law will learn. Don't appeal, pay the fine and next time walk that little further..