Southsider designs ‘anti-clamper’ App

MEET the young Southsider who has come up with a clever new way to take on the dreaded clampers around the world.

Keith Butler (32), from Rathfarnham, has devised an ingenious App that lets users know where and when the clampers are on the prowl for unsuspecting motorists.

The

‘ClampAlert’ App lets those who sign up to it issue a warning to other users that the clampers are operating in a particular area.

Those who have parked in that part of town can then rush back to their vehicle if needs be before the parking warden spots it and issues a parking ticket or if the clamper is on the look out to attach one of those awful yellow clamps that have been the bane of many motorists’ lives.

Considering the rates that clamping companies charge for getting a clamp removed from your car and the painful price of parking tickets, the

‘ClampAlert App gives motorists the chance to save themselves thousands of euro every year.

“Every year thousands and thousands of motorists spend so much money on parking tickets and getting clamps off their cars but this handy little App could save them a lot of money,

? Keith said.

Keith got the idea for ClampAlert while travelling around Australia and elsewhere in that part of the world.

“I noticed in Sydney for example that the parking authorities there send out

‘scouts’ on mopeds to spot cars that they could then clamp,

? he said.

“It struck me as a very mercenary way of going about their business.

“There appeared to be very little fairness about the system as it was very much a

‘quick’ stitch as many up as possible’ way of doing things.

“I wasn’t even driving myself at the time and it still struck me as woefully unfair.

?

After noticing similar systems in operation in other cities in Asia, Keith decided to check out what motorists could do about it when he returned home to Ireland.

“When I came home I started back off as a painter, which is my fulltime job, and I noticed very quickly how I was paying over

?¬25 a day in parking charges alone when I was working in town.

“I’d be losing out on work as I had to add the cost of parking to the price for a job and it would come in over what bigger firms were offering.

“In an attempt to cut the costs I’d park the van up and then hang out of office windows watching out for the clampers, so I wondered if there was anything out there to help under pressure drivers.

“I was astonished that although there is an App out there these days for just about everything there was nothing whatsoever along the lines of this one,

? he said.

“I didn’t want to charge for the App as it was very important to me to have it out there for free, so I scraped a few bob together and with the help of dig outs and a few friends who could see what I was trying to do, I managed to get it up off the ground, and it is flying.

“We have about 10,000 likes on our Facebook page and another 10,000 plus have signed up for it. It’s really had an impact on drivers here at home and even abroad.

?

Keith revealed that a similar App is doing well in Bangkok, which has notorious traffic issues.

“This is an App that will work anywhere else in the world and I’m currently working on a Windows version as well,

? he added.

Asked whether the clampers appreciated his efforts he laughed and said:

“They’re not all bad, but I’ve had a few of them who have spotted me around saying, ‘we’ll get you next time’, but we’ll see who wins.

?

ClampAlert is available on Android and in the Apple store.