SIR - I write with regard to the car clamper facing an ASBO (T&A, May 25).

When I was last in a Haworth tourist shop I remarked that I had better extend the period of parking for my car. The store keeper smiled and said: "Yes, if you don't pay we clamp you." This trader seemed not to be concerned it was hitting tourism in the area.

Surely it would be better to adopt the system at Leeds-Bradford and Manchester airports. There you obtain a ticket when you park your car and then when you leave the ticket is placed in a machine and the amount that you owe is displayed, and the ticket is programmed to allow you to leave.

Tourists do not want to be checking their watches all the time. They want to browse around in peace.

The principle of clamping is incorrect.

If a vandal, criminal or any motorist is convicted and fined you cannot clamp them to the nearest building until they pay their fine. Therefore in my view the sooner car wheel clamping is made illegal the better.

Malcolm D Ridley, Mount Terrace, Eccleshill