Parking Enforcement, what a joke...

[m_c_zero]

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.

 

[Jayhem]

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!

 

[Varmintman]

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.

 

[Jayhem]

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?

 

[m_c_zero]

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.

 

[LovesIPA]

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 ******* put a boot on my car when I'm standing right there in the first place. No effin way. Physical violence would result.

 

[m_c_zero]

Physical violence would result.

It did cross my mind...

 

[OrdinaryAvgGuy]

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

 

[LovesIPA]

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.

 

[m_c_zero]

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.

 

[g-love]

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 ******* put a boot on my car when I'm standing right there in the first place. No effin way. Physical violence would result.

Word.

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

 

[Jayhem]

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.

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

 

[Grannyknot]

I don't go into the city very often, but yes, parking is a bitch 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.

 

[NickTheGreat]

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

 

[Jayhem]

I don't go into the city very often, but yes, parking is a bitch 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.

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

 

[SpentGrains]

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

But no doubt I would be really pissed about it.

 

[Jayhem]

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

But no doubt I would be really pissed about it.

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!

 

[m_c_zero]

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.

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.

 

[Jayhem]

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.

What an A-hole. Checkmate.

 

[GarageDweller]

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

 

[Shooter]

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.

 

[weirdboy]

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

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?

 

[LovesIPA]

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".

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

Then I'd call the police.

 

[Varmintman]

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

Then I'd call the police.

Oh heck yes I would have done that.

 

[SpentGrains]

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!

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.

 

[naiek]

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.

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

 

[conneryis007]

good luck getting it on with the car in motion

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!

 

[turvis]

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!

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

 

[m_c_zero]

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!

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.

 

[m_c_zero]

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

It was not and I like your reasoning