Boot It, Inc. Parking Enforcement Scam Las Vegas, Nevada

Park where you are supposed to

The CVS parking lot is for CVS customers only and once you have completed your business with them you are supposed to leave. Not use their parking lot so you can take up a spot intended for their customers, then go somewhere else.

If I was the manager/owner of that CVS and our PRIVATE parking lot was being used by people attending nearby events, you can bet I would hire private security to boot every car that was parked by people leaving the premises to go elsewhere.

I'll bet $100 there are no signs regarding a time limit, however there ARE signs saying the parking lot is for the use of CVS customers only. Once you purchased your gum and left, you had no right to leave your car there and attend an event across the street.

Would you rather..

Have had your car towed immediatly?  Then not only would you probably have the same charges, but then have to figure out how to get where your car was.

If you thought you were right you would not have taken the "it's a civil matter" reason from a person who you say refused to give you their name or show you any identification.  Of course that is what the police would have told you.  That you may have been a customer but once you bought the gum and left the premises your business with them was concluded.  If the parking lot has any notice such as "Customer Parking Only", which I can almost guarantee you it did.  Then your car can be towed/booted.

The fact that you didn't call the police on what you say is "extortion" shows that you knew you were in the wrong and are just upset that you got busted.

Here is a real simple idea to avoid this in the future.  The next time you want to go to the Hard Rock, perhaps you should park AT the Hard Rock and not another business...You know just a thought.

Oh and if there several other cars that were booted also, you think that CVS had to do this because their regular customers can't find parking spots?

Never

Never ever threaten to call the police, just do it. If you think its a scam and they are going to tow the vehical illeagily, sounds like, fraud, extortion, theft to me. But you are right call the police and let them work it out.

Darn, Why Didn't I Think Of That?

Kind of like that guy in Austin who went into jack-in-the-box and bought a cup of coffee in the morning and left and thought he could leave his car in their lot all day cause he had purchased something there. The OP thinks the same thing, cause his girlfriend buys a a 25 cent pack of gum, he can park there for a number of hours and avoid having to pay the $20 or $30 or more parking fee at the Hard Rock. Darn, why didn't I think of that. I could buy a $1 cup of coffee every morning and NOT have to pay $10 every day to park downtown. Who was trying to scam whom? To the OP, did you REALLY think that no one had thought to go in and buy a small item and leave their vehicle there before?

I wrote the complaint

First of all to everyone that thinks I was in the wrong here, I've been parking in this parking lot for years supporting the several businesses in this shopping center and have often walked across the street to the Hard Rock Cafe for a drink or to eat. I see none of you live in Las Vegas and obviously don't realize the time it takes to drive across the street when you are near the strip. And even if I was in the wrong by not leaving the premises after I made my purchase, the Boot It company went about this in completely the wrong way. There are signs in the Parking lot that you can't see in this badly lit lot  (if they're were better signs, this company wouldn't be bringing in all this money). If I would have seen a sign I wouldn't have risked parking there when there is completely free parking at the Hard Rock. This is a privately owned parking lot so I already knew the police wouldn't do anything. In these tough economical times I don't know why a business would risk losing customers by putting boots on they're customers cars. I have bought a lot more then gum in this shopping center over the past 20 years. This Parking lot is huge and was not even half full.

If me and the hundreds of other people who this happened to over the past few months are wrong then why would this story be all over our local news and radio stations? And why would the Hard Rock Hotel be reimbursing our money?

I suppose my report wasn't detailed enough for you to put yourself in my shoes. So don't form an opinion unless you've been there.

The Boot Is Yours

Unlike municipalities this company has no recourse if you want to remove the boot yourself. Just drill out the lock cylinder. The boot is not city/county property. If it's attached to your car, it's yours. To shut down the towing threat just climb into the car. It is illegal to tow an occupied vehicle. The police can't help, because it's civil, right?

Clay You are lying here

read your own post

Last night before attending an event for Halloween at the Hard Rock, my girlfriend wanted to stop at the CVS located across the street in the Paradise Esplanade shopping center to buy some gum. After purchasing the gum we figured we would just run across the streett to the Hard Rock instead of getting in our cars again.

Why would you stop at CVS to get gum, when I am sure they sell gum at the hard rock? 

you can sugarcoat this all you want, you figured that because you shopped at cvs for 20 minutes (or less), that made you a  "CVS" customer, so you could park there.

well your 20.00- 30.00 parking fee savings cost you 200.00.  Bad Decision.

Wrong is wrong.

"I've been parking in this parking lot for years supporting the several businesses in this shopping center and have often walked across the street to the Hard Rock Cafe for a drink or to eat."

Just because you did this in the past (for years) doesn't give you "squatters rights" to continue to do so.  Obviously, the owner of the lot has gotten tired of it and has taken LAWFUL action to discourage folks from doing as you.

"obviously don't realize the time it takes to drive across the street when you are near the strip."

And this added time becomes the problem of the lot owner because...?  I own a rental property with a parking lot that is reserved for TENANTS-this lot is about 40 yards from a busy commercial district on Hertel Avenue.  I have the appropriate LEGAL SIGNAGE as required by the City of Buffalo and I don't hesitate to have violators towed at their expense.  I don't play around with any "boot."  I make a call to a local tow company, the truck meets me in the lot, and the violating vehicle is TOWED AWAY at the vehicle OWNER's expense.

"And even if I was in the wrong by not leaving the premises after I made my purchase,"

There is no "even if."  You are wrong.

"There are signs in the Parking lot that you can't see in this badly lit lot  (if they're were better signs, this company wouldn't be bringing in all this money).

The signs are (as reported by Fox5) in compliance with city ordinances.  If you don't like it, contact your city lawmakers and have the ordinance changed to require the signs to be bigger or to change the colors of the sign.  While your at it, try to make it a requirement that private lots be required to have a Walmart type greeter who will stop you and instruct you that this is a private lot and that you must leave when your are done doing business there.

"If I would have seen a sign I wouldn't have risked parking there when there is completely free parking at the Hard Rock."

56 SIGNS, and yet you couldn't see ANY of them-not one.

"This is a privately owned parking lot so I already knew the police wouldn't do anything."

"This Parking lot is huge and was not even half full."

The occupancy of the lot is irrelevant.  Do you think it's OK for you and everyone else to use it just because it isn't full?  Here's a thought; go purchase some land, obtain the permits, and build a parking lot.  After you accomplish that, then pay for maintenance (repairs, painting, SIGNAGE, etc.), property taxes, and INSURANCE.  Then come back here and tell us your perspective on folks who USE YOUR LOT without your permission. 

"If me and the hundreds of other people who this happened to over the past few months are wrong then why would this story be all over our local news and radio stations? "

Because it's newsworthy: human interest and it provides a public service in that it pronounces to the GENERAL PUBLIC that the lot is PRIVATE, and violators will be booted/towed.  The fact that Fox5 or other media publish a story about it does NOT make you and the other violators CORRECT.

"And why would the Hard Rock Hotel be reimbursing our money?"

I find this difficult to believe.  I did a quick search and I didn't see ANY media articles about Hard Rock reimbursing folks who used this particular lot.

"I suppose my report wasn't detailed enough for you to put yourself in my shoes. So don't form an opinion unless you've been there."

Your report is detailed enough for all but you.  Evidently it is not detailed enough for YOU to realize that what you did was inappropriately use someone else's property and you justly paid the price.

You blew your own case...

You stated that you have been parking in that lot for years. So you are to have everyone believe that in all that time you NEVER saw the signs that you admit are there. Okay and I have some nice beach front property for sale at the corner of Las Vegas Blvd and Hacienda.

You stated that it takes a long time to get across the street, agreed as I have been to Las Vegas on more than one occasion. But I don't think you had any intention of parking at the Hard Rock, and wouldn't have even if you "saw" the signs. Mainly because of your history of stating you have done this in the past and nothing happened to you.   Because you could have parked at the Hard Rock and walked across the street to CVS to buy your gum.  After all let's see here..CVS 2 minutes, Hard Rock 2-3 hours..Ummm where oh where should I park.

You will probably always think that you were right, and if the Hard Rock reimbursed you for the money..consider yourself lucky that you got "comped".  But don't take it as a "free pass" to do that again or that you did nothing wrong. 

Since you don't think that they handled it correctly, I really wonder what you would have done in the businesses "shoes" if you have people using your lot to park and then going to another business.

SO

You parked at CVS and attended another establishment's function period - CVS parking is for patrons of the store period - who care if the lot was full or empty CVS owns that lot and can do what they want

My local Walgreens has signs that state 2 hour parking limit for Walgreens customers only - don't like it sue em - You will lose

As for the idiot who stated how to disable the boot that is destruction of private property ie CVS property - cute -  

Times 3

OK Clay, just keep repeating your mantra and maybe you’ll come to believe it in the year 2525.

Until then, I’ll try to post a comment in big, bright, signage that perhaps even you will understand:

IDIOT!

Clay

In your last message you said:

"First of all to everyone that thinks I was in the wrong here, I've been parking in this parking lot for years supporting the several businesses in this shopping center and have often walked across the street to the Hard Rock Cafe for a drink or to eat. I see none of you live in Las Vegas and obviously don't realize the time it takes to drive across the street when you are near the strip." 

Boo Hoo, time for an able bodied person to drive across the street. 

Do you ever think that CVS is a pharmacy?  That CVS is more convient to me but I cant go there because idiots like you fill up the parking spaces. 

I hope they keep booting and towing so real customers can park while doing business at the store. 

Private property rights.

Fox5 news in Las Vegas had a small article recently about this:

“For the last 10, 12 years it's tradition to park across the street, grab a slice pizza, and then walk across to the concert," said one motorist. “When I came back, I saw a boot on my car."

Boot It owner Paul Draher said his company is only following the law. He was hired by the property owners to regulate the lot.

The problem is, it's prime real estate. It's close to Hard Rock, Hofbrahaus and UNLV, and it's private property.

Draher said there are 56 signs posted.

“Once you're done being a patron, and you leave the property, your vehicle needs to leave with you,” Draher said.

But some drivers said they aren't buying it. They said the signs weren't big enough to see.

Draher said he has trained employees to be understanding and work with drivers, but rules are rules.

"It's hard to be a customer here when you're over there," he said.

Metro police said the boot is in 100 percent compliance with the law. Police have recommended the company use bigger signs with bright colors, and the company has agreed to the changes."

Let me see....  56 signs posted...  FIFTY SIX SIGNS.  Posted in accordance with the city law.  And yet folks complain and think it's OK to use someone else's property without permission.

I suppose my report wasn't detailed enough for you to put yourself in my shoes. So don't form an opinion unless you've been there.

I would never be "in your shoes' because I would not park in a private lot and then walk across the street to do business.  I don't care how long it takes to drive over there.  It's wrong, don't you see that?  Or are you destined to get booted or towed forever?

Just because you spent money at an establishment doesn't mean you own it.  Our opinions are all that we have, you gave us license when you posted this on a public forum, it's your opinion that you can legally park anywhere you chose just because you did it before.

You were wrong, if you don't see that then, I am done.