Parking Enforcement, what a joke...

Sorry, just needing to vent.

I parked in a parking lot of a restaurant last night and proceeded to go to a different establishment. Upon entering the establishment, they had a sign displayed stating that the owner of the other parking lot boots vehicles. I immediately turned around and went back to the lot to move my truck. I was gone a total of 3 minutes and there was a guy already there taking a boot out of the back of his car and walking over to my truck. I informed him that I was leaving and apologized for parking there. He told me it was too late and once I had walked away from my vehicle, he had the right to boot it. Long story short, reasoning with these people does not work and I had to pay $75 + tax to get it removed.

I'm sorry, but parking enforcement is not a real job. Parking enforcement people are the lowliest scum of the earth.

I can appreciate your pain.

A friend of mine had his car towed (while it was running) while parked at an apartment complex in a resident spot for 2 minutes while and went in to pick up his passengers. Towing companies hired by developments have to be the absolute lowest scum on earth to do something like that.

Personally I would have went and rented a gas powered angle grinder and removed the boot myself! Eff em!

Was there a sign in the parking lot saying they would tow or something? Seems like even though it is private property there are laws governing it.

You really should complain to the restaurant owner of the parking lot...They lose business because of these type of Nazi parking lot tactics.

What if you were just running next door to grab something or talk to a friend who worked there before going back over to eat at the original restaurant?

They did have signs displayed, but everyone has signs displayed, only the true a$$holes enforce them. Honestly, it was 8PM, they close at 9PM, there were 2 cars in their parking lot that were actually there for the restaurant itself leaving around 48 other open parking spaces.

Apparently the guy has a webcam set up to watch the parking lot. As soon as he sees you leave and not walk to his restaurant, he calls in the doucehbags to come boot you.

It takes a special kind of dick to work in parking enforcement.

If it were me, and depending on the signage on the lot I would called the police or bought a battery powered angle grinder and cut it into pieces.

But there is no way I would have let some jackass put a boot on my car when I'm standing right there in the first place. No effin way. Physical violence would result.

LovesIPA said:

Physical violence would result.

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It did cross my mind...

Didn't you know? Hall monitors grow up to be parking lot enforcers.

Oh if it was the restaurant owner I would find very creative ways of seeking revenge for such petty nonsense.

The Wendy's finger chili incident comes to mind. I obviously wouldn't use an actual finger but I would be sure to find something in my food at 7pm on a Friday night and make a huge scene out of it. I bet the health department in your state accepts anonymous tips too.

It truly seems like the restaurant itself is tanking, there's never anyone there. It's right next door to a busy bar though and a lot of people park there and then walk to the bar, so I'm sure he's making a pretty penny off of the fees.

LovesIPA said:

It takes a special kind of dick to work in parking enforcement.

If it were me, and depending on the signage on the lot I would called the police or bought a battery powered angle grinder and cut it into pieces.

But there is no way I would have let some jackass put a boot on my car when I'm standing right there in the first place. No effin way. Physical violence would result.

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Word.

I'm working on my anger issues, but that **** wouldn't have happened in my presence. Period.

m_c_zero said:

It truly seems like the restaurant itself is tanking, there's never anyone there. It's right next door to a busy bar though and a lot of people park there and then walk to the bar, so I'm sure he's making a pretty penny off of the fees.

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It sounds like the parking lot is his main business if he was watching it that closely at 8pm!

I don't go into the city very often, but yes, parking is a ***** when I do.
We don't have wheel boots in the city I live near, but towing companies are like ninjas here.
Most of the time, they start towing without being called by a business owner, because getting a car into their lot is how they make money.
The city doesn't even do parking tickets, they just allow tow trucks free reign.

I was towed once. Parked legally on the street. Finally found the lot that had my car. Went down there and asked why, they said I was more than 12" from the curb, which was against the law. I asked them to prove it. They said "Prove you weren't. Now, we've got your car back here. You can pay the $90 or you can take it up with the DA in court 2 weeks from now".

Its just part of going downtown here, and one of the reasons I don't do it often.

Devil's Advocate here, but I'd be pretty pissed if everyone was parking in my lot to go somewhere else.

But I'd be pretty pissed if I were the OP too

Grannyknot said:

I don't go into the city very often, but yes, parking is a ***** when I do.
We don't have wheel boots in the city I live near, but towing companies are like ninjas here.
Most of the time, they start towing without being called by a business owner, because getting a car into their lot is how they make money.
The city doesn't even do parking tickets, they just allow tow trucks free reign.

I was towed once. Parked legally on the street. Finally found the lot that had my car. Went down there and asked why, they said I was more than 12" from the curb, which was against the law. I asked them to prove it. They said "Prove you weren't. Now, we've got your car back here. You can pay the $90 or you can take it up with the DA in court 2 weeks from now".

Its just part of going downtown here, and one of the reasons I don't do it often.

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This is why I am proud to be country born and raised and avoid cities at all costs!

I would pay with a credit card, then go home and dispute the charge.

But no doubt I would be really pissed about it.

SpentGrains said:

I would pay with a credit card, then go home and dispute the charge.

But no doubt I would be really pissed about it.

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You are going to have a hard time disputing the charge if you signed for it and the parking company has record of your vehicle being written up for a parking violation.

Otherwise people could dispute their own grocery bills!

Jayhem said:

You are going to have a hard time disputing the charge if you signed for it and the parking company has record of your vehicle being written up for a parking violation.

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True. I told the guy I was going to dispute it and he told me that is why he was taking down all my information (vehicle VIN, plate, license #) and had me sign for it also.

m_c_zero said:

True. I told the guy I was going to dispute it and he told me that is why he was taking down all my information (vehicle VIN, plate, license #) and had me sign for it also.

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What an A-hole. Checkmate.

yeah, that owner is a dick. i feel for you man. street level beurocracy. you can't go anywhere these days without someone, who probably has more $$ than you, trying to tax you at every turn. go downtown and they want $10 to park on the weekend in the lighted areas, or you can get mugged in the back gravel lot where its dark and mad shady. i am right along with the guy that is trying to deal with anger issues, i'm getting better, but things like this happen and i come completely unglued. in a more civil time, that guys actions would be considered stealing. eff em

There are ways he could be making money off parking. One local restaurant had issues with people parking in their lot and then going to the local dive/cougar bar, to the point you couldn’t find a place to park. Now, they have an attendant and parking there is $20, which entitles you to a $20 gift certificate at the restaurant. I thought that was a pretty clever solution to the problem. If you use the $20 card that night or in the future they’ve made money off the spot. If you never use it, they’ve cleared the whole $20.

NickTheGreat said:

Devil's Advocate here, but I'd be pretty pissed if everyone was parking in my lot to go somewhere else.

But I'd be pretty pissed if I were the OP too

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On the other hand if you owned that parking lot then why not capitalize on it, hire an attendant, and charge people to park there?

Grannyknot said:

I was towed once. Parked legally on the street. Finally found the lot that had my car. Went down there and asked why, they said I was more than 12" from the curb, which was against the law. I asked them to prove it. They said "Prove you weren't. Now, we've got your car back here. You can pay the $90 or you can take it up with the DA in court 2 weeks from now".

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"Did I receive a citation from a police officer? No? Then you stole my car."

Then I'd call the police.

LovesIPA said:

"Did I receive a citation from a police officer? No? Then you stole my car."

Then I'd call the police.

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Oh heck yes I would have done that.

Jayhem said:

You are going to have a hard time disputing the charge if you signed for it and the parking company has record of your vehicle being written up for a parking violation.

Otherwise people could dispute their own grocery bills!

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There was no written parking violation it was in a private lot. Simply writing to the credit card company that you were under duress and you felt threatened for your safety if you didn't pay should be enough to result in a chargeback. I would tell the truth, not pretend like I didn't sign it.

***I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.***

Coming from a previous retail job I can tell you as a matter of fact that people dispute grocery bills every day.

m_c_zero said:

Sorry, just needing to vent.

I parked in a parking lot of a restaurant last night and proceeded to go to a different establishment. Upon entering the establishment, they had a sign displayed stating that the owner of the other parking lot boots vehicles. I immediately turned around and went back to the lot to move my truck. I was gone a total of 3 minutes and there was a guy already there taking a boot out of the back of his car and walking over to my truck. I informed him that I was leaving and apologized for parking there. He told me it was too late and once I had walked away from my vehicle, he had the right to boot it. Long story short, reasoning with these people does not work and I had to pay $75 + tax to get it removed.

I'm sorry, but parking enforcement is not a real job. Parking enforcement people are the lowliest scum of the earth.

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Was it a govt. employee booting it? If not I would have told him good luck getting it on with the car in motion

naiek said:

good luck getting it on with the car in motion

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This is exactly what I was thinking. Sure its a dick move, but he deserves it. With an empty lot an hour before closing he was being a predator!

As a side note I did something very similar to this when I came back to find a tow truck had just pulled up behind my car and blocked me it. He wouldn't budge so I drove over the curb and then grass to free myself! If its not a government employee then you dont have to listen to them!

conneryis007 said:

This is exactly what I was thinking. Sure its a dick move, but he deserves it. With an empty lot an hour before closing he was being a predator!

As a side note I did something very similar to this when I came back to find a tow truck had just pulled up behind my car and blocked me it. He wouldn't budge so I drove over the curb and then grass to free myself! If its not a government employee then you dont have to listen to them!

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That's why I am glad I have a truck no car in front of me later I am out.

conneryis007 said:

As a side note I did something very similar to this when I came back to find a tow truck had just pulled up behind my car and blocked me it. He wouldn't budge so I drove over the curb and then grass to free myself! If its not a government employee then you dont have to listen to them!

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Unfortunately for me I had a block wall in front of me and the parking enforcement vehicle blocking me in from behind and cars on both sides, otherwise I would have taken off. I've got an old lifted truck with 33's and 4x4. If I had an other option out, I would have taken it.

naiek said:

Was it a govt. employee booting it? If not I would have told him good luck getting it on with the car in motion

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It was not and I like your reasoning

It probably doesn't make any difference in this case, but check out the laws regarding "Adverse Possession" for valid reasons to enforce control over your parking lot.

SpentGrains said:

There was no written parking violation it was in a private lot. Simply writing to the credit card company that you were under duress and you felt threatened for your safety if you didn't pay should be enough to result in a chargeback. I would tell the truth, not pretend like I didn't sign it.

***I am not a lawyer and this is not legal advice.***

Coming from a previous retail job I can tell you as a matter of fact that people dispute grocery bills every day.

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You would think that this would work, but it won't. I used to work in the disputes department for a major credit card company.

The standard response to "I didn't want to sign it but I felt threatened." was "I certanily understand. Did you contact be police during or after the event? If so, please send me a copy of the police report to support your claim. There is nothing in the Visa/MC regulations that would allow me to directly reverse the charges you agreed to, but with the police report I can attempt to negotiate a settlement in your favor with their bank." Every time I got a police report, we either got the settlement from the other bank, or the company I worked for simply ate the charges as a courtesy. For less than $100, we would probably simply eat the charge instead of the extra paperwork and time of fighting with the other bank.

To the original poster, I wonder what would have happened if you had looked at the guy that was booting your car and said something like "What are you doing, I just ran over to the other bar to make sure my friend wasn't there by mistake, then walked into the establishment that owned the parking lot. Had one beer and walked out. All it would have cost you was one beer, and a bit of time.

I understand it sucks to pay a ticket for parking illegally. You've learned an expensive lesson and probably will never do it again. That being said, people use the same excuses all the time when they want to park where they want to park, regardless of the posted rules/penalties.

KurtB said:

To the original poster, I wonder what would have happened if you had looked at the guy that was booting your car and said something like "What are you doing, I just ran over to the other bar to make sure my friend wasn't there by mistake, then walked into the establishment that owned the parking lot. Had one beer and walked out. All it would have cost you was one beer, and a bit of time.

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Now this is smooth...I wouldn't have thought of this in the moment of rage, but it certainly would have worked!

I don't know if that would have worked either.

In these situations I would have told the tow driver that he was also parked illegally (his vehicle is not moving is it? is in the parking lot?) unless he plans on getting a bite to eat. I would also proceed to stand in front of every wheel or area in which he decided to "disable" the moving of my vehicle.

There are also some cities in which idling your vehicle while not being in it is actually illegal. So the tow truck driver would either have had to park, illegally in regards to the idiot restaurant owner, or illegally for the town/city.

As a result of the above I also hate driving/parking in the city, any city.

stamandster said:

I don't know if that would have worked either.

In these situations I would have told the tow driver that he was also parked illegally (his vehicle is not moving is it? is in the parking lot?) unless he plans on getting a bite to eat. I would also proceed to stand in front of every wheel or area in which he decided to "disable" the moving of my vehicle.

There are also some cities in which idling your vehicle while not being in it is actually illegal. So the tow truck driver would either have had to park, illegally in regards to the idiot restaurant owner, or illegally for the town/city.

As a result of the above I also hate driving/parking in the city, any city.

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Generally there are exceptions for emergency vehicles and tow trucks that require some amount of idling to operate their equipment, or that might need to be in a location that passenger cars are not normally allowed.

m_c_zero said:

Apparently the guy has a webcam set up to watch the parking lot. As soon as he sees you leave and not walk to his restaurant, he calls in the doucehbags to come boot you.

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Owning a parking lot is expensive. If I owned a restaurant and caught people parking on my property for free, and then walking across the street to my competitor, I'd certainly ticket/tow/boot them too. The restaurant owner is not in the business of providing free parking for his competition.

I think the boot was a little heavy-handed, but I kind of sympathize with the restaurant owner here.

One more thing: Anyone ever watch that TV show "Parking Wars" on A&E? I've seen a few episodes, and I have to say, I have yet to see a single incident in which I felt sympathy for the person getting towed/booted. In every case, they had it coming. Without exception, I feel worse for the poor city workers trying to keep the streets/parking lots flowing as intended than I do for the poor sap who parked by the hydrant "just for 2 minutes" while they ran in and ordered a pizza.

"Signs, signs, everywhere there's signs.
Blocking out the scenery breaking my mind.
Do this, don't do that, can't you read the siii-iigns?!"
FMEB//Tesla

Dealing with parking woes at a business is one thing. Dealing with it where you live is another thing entirely.

I have friends in apartments who can only have one guest over at a time because they only have 1 guest parking pass and if you don't have a resident sticker or guest pass you get towed! What a way to live! I'm so thankful I live in the country and could park 100 vehicles in my front yard if I wanted to and no one could say anything to me.