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For a change its the media doing some investigative journalism. Nice.
1 replies
For a change its the media doing some investigative journalism. Nice.
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In certain places in LA it's impossible to park without valeting your car. Especially Hollywood, there's not even a side street a mile away you can park in because those are zoned for the residents and you need a neighborhood sticker. :( It's a big racket
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@Triterion: I was waiting to read about how people here are \"lazy\" for using valet. What you say is true, West Hollywood?
Good luck finding street parking, it doesn't exist.
I recently bought a scooter so I don't have to deal with the headache that is parking in LA, well and the traffic and gas prices.
However, if I still had a car I would roll right into the valet spots they have illegally marked off now that I know they are not even legit. I would then thank them for saving the best parking for me and walk away with glee.
It would be fun.
@shadowkahn: Doubt it, my car is full of dents and scratches anyway. The advantage of not driving a nice car.
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@veronykah: I've thought about doing that, but then I have visions of what my paint job would look like when I got back to my car.
@veronykah: Yeah, If I see a ghetto looking one i'm totally ripping it down! HAHA hopefully I wont be arrested for destroying a real one by accident!
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I own a pretty run of the mill car (a hyundai) and even I wouldn't let someone valet it. Its bad enough when I have to give the keys to a carwash guy.
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@Oranges w/ Cheese ontopofBrocolli: during the christmas season, one of the retailers (nordstrom or macy's) provides valets (i want to say they're complimentary, with the expected $5 tip). They block off a large portion of the parking lot... I tend to move the cones and park anyway. The valets are 20-something year old guys, and really don't care enough to yell at me. (i've never seen the valet parking spots full)
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I've only used valet parking once, at the MGM Grand/Foxwoods here in CT (Don't be too impressed, it's only 80 bucks a night on weeknights. Fun little getaway on the cheap). I don't think I'd use it anywhere else, especially not after seeing this! I'm more comfortable doing it there because they use a private garage for the cars...so at least there's no chance for blocking public spaces or getting tickets. :)
@MostlyHarmless: He means for the hotel.
@katstermonster: The valet is a little safer there, because there obviously aren't the potential illegal street parking issues, and they have a pretty advanced security system there to prove/disprove any damage that may be done by the valet. When the valet enters the garage with your car, their system records the car, the valet's ID, and takes 5 photos of the car. That's all repeated on the way out, so there is a very good record if you need to complain. They take this more seriously than most places, because they don't want to piss you off and risk you going to lose your money somewhere else.
@Chmeeee: It's a she. (I know, the concentration of females on this forum is way higher than you would expect.)
@MostlyHarmless: Side note, did you know that itiswhatitis (of \"Yes, I support smacking 2-year-olds\" fame) is female? I didn't see that one coming.
![\"user-pic\"](\"http://consumerist.com/assets_c/userpics/userpic-16563-100x100.png\")
@katstermonster: Maybe your avatar monster needs a sparkly rhinestone tiara and a Hello Kitty bow?
(I kid: I like your monster just the way she is :D)
@Trai_Dep: That's tempting, actually. I'm so very pink and sparkly!
I kid: ironically, I am not pink and sparkly at all, but rather tall, awkward, and angry.
@katstermonster: Yes, she revealed that in the same thread itself. Probably after most people stopped reading the thread. But I came in wayyyyy late.
Also, she does not take kindly to being referred to as the \"The Walmart Smacking Incident Lady\". Which is understandable.
At the same time, I don't think she is a bad person, just that she did not think the whole comment and various circumstances through. And then stuck to her guns instead of letting it go.
@MostlyHarmless: Kinda doing the same thing here, although a different verse.
And if she doesn't like being known as the Wal-Mart Infant-Smacker, then perhaps she should, y'know, not extoll the virtues about how bitchen' it is to smack the lil' ones around. Just a thought.
We're probably known as part of the Th NR ncdnt cabal by some, and although we didn't go looking for it and were as surprised as Roz when it pinwheeled WAY out of control by the wingers, we stand by what we wrote.
And yeah: a woman?! Weird.
Back to topic: I'd trust my car with an English-challenged valet earning his living a LOT more over a bored suburban White kid working for beer money.
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@Trai_Dep: @katstermonster: you are all making me want to spend time on an avatar now.
But what would it be?
@MostlyHarmless: I've actually been too busy slash lazy to get involved in a flame war recently...I only saw the first few comments in that thread and thankfully steered away.
Understandably. But it is an accurate description! Heh. I've disagreed with far more of her comments (not just in that conversation) than I've agreed with. We'll just leave it at that. :)
@MostlyHarmless: AND it's attached to the casino, so all you have to do is walk downstairs to drink and gamble. :-D
@MostlyHarmless: For a hotel at the casinos, yes, very. And for a full-blown hotel in CT, it's still pretty darn cheap. The same room is over $200 on the weekends, $400 and up on holiday weekends. And it's BY FAR the nicest hotel room I've ever stayed in...ever. My dad is a platinum member at Mariott, so I've stayed in some pretty nice hotels. It's incredible.
@katstermonster: Okay.. it's a hotel. I had no idea what it was :P
I thought it was something where you go in in the evening, and leave just past midnight. 80 bucks is a bit steep for that :P
@MostlyHarmless: Whoops, just realized I never said that. :) Yeah, you could actually easily spent 80 bucks in a night at the casino. Probably more.
@Chmeeee: I'm a she. :) I tried to make my monster as pink as possible. Yeah, I'd forgotten about all the cameras, I figured they did something like that. I definitely felt very safe leaving my car there. Plus, they had snazzy suits and called me \"miss.\"
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WOW.... Well, I have no problem with them PAYING to use meters... I do have a problem with fake loading zones, jamming meters, etc! Bad People! :-)
According to the video it's illegal for any valet company to reserve non-loading-passenger-only spots as valet spots. Is there a number one can call (maybe 24-hours) and find out if a specific spot is truly valet or not? Also, is there a way one can fight for their spots and complain against the valet company to some authority?
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@screwywabbit:
in nyc i think you would call 311
but i dont know if LA has a \"you need to call something from the city but its not an emergency number\"
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@KittensRCute!: You can certainly call 311 about a vehicle blocking your driveway, but don't expect the police to be there anytime soon. By the time they do arrive, the miscreant might have already left.
@KittensRCute!: Thanks for the suggestion. Apparantly LA also has 311 number for non-emergencies. More at [en.wikipedia.org]
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I understand there are a FEW places (Hollywood) in the world where you MAY need a valet, but for the rest of us, it is completely unnecessary.
I always thought people pretty much got what they deserved for letting some teenager drive away with their BMW. Haven't these people seen Ferris Buhler?
@JGKojak:
i think someone should burn your house down because you are a jerk.
not very nice it. wishing that something illegal and wrong happen to someone becaus you fail at being a person only shows ... well... that YOU FAIL AT BEING A PERSON. so stop it.
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@JGKojak: It's not necessarily that they are letting people do it, but that there are places where they really have no choice (hotels, certain parts of cities, etc.). People who are forced to use a specific service don't deserve having their cars fucked with. No one does really, but those people especially.
@squinko: How are they forced to use the service? Walk a few blocks. Afraid to park your fancy car in a bad neighborhood? Don't drive around in a fancy car.
@JGKojak: @JGKojak: I'm going to a wedding in November, in downtown DC. My options are park in a public lot a block or so away or valet park with the hotel where the wedding is at. The lot is cheaper, by half ($10 vs. $20). So I should just park at the lot.
The reception ends at midnight. In November. So, it will be freezing cold and it will be late in an area that has a little more than average amount of crime, and is not a high traffic area that late at night. Suddenly valet parking looks better.
@JGKojak: Like a few people have mentioned, if you want to park in some hotels' garages, they will make you use a valet service. Otherwise you won't be able to park in it and probably not get a parking spot anywhere near the hotel itself. It's not just having a fancy car, it's having a car at all.
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Next time I'm in LA or other big cities with shady parking issues *cough* Chicago *cough* I'm totally going to look for and pull out paper clips as I walk around :-D
@Raekwon: Not sure why they do this, parking at a failed meter gets you a ticket unless you call the # listed on the meter to let them know its failed.
@Raekwon: But if this story is right, that's only going to screw over the person whose car it is, not the valet company. There's no good answer to this. Maybe Chuck Norris can help?
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And if enough people catch on that the parking tickets were from when the car was valet parked, they'll stop using valet companies.
On the issue of valets, two concerns:
How much and when to tip? A $7 valet fee recently cost me $17 because I tipped $5 at the start and $5 at pick-up.
Should you avoid valets if you have guns in the car, including locked in the trunk?
@bobpence: 1) Tip after, unless your ride is too precious. Then rip a $[your amount here] bill in half and say, \"Park it nicely?\"
2) Never store a gun in your empty car trunk in this situation. Pair it with an armed Claymore mine. It tends to discourage the Lookie-Lous. (Although carrying a spare Squeegee in your trunk is highly recommended)
@bobpence: They would have been happy with the $5 at the end.
I would wager they aren't looking in the trunk. Do you have a valet key they doesn't open the trunk, use that if you are worried about its contents.
@bobpence:
Exact my point about Plaxico. Apparently, it was illegal to bring the gun to the club. But what was he supposed to do, leave it in the glove box of the Escalade where the valets could get at it?
@fredfreedom: If he didn't have a concealed weapons permit for the gun, it was illegal for him to carry it in his car loaded and outside of a locked container.
You also don't have to bring your gun with you everywhere. If you're worried about it getting stolen, either lock it up or leave it at home.
@squinko: And you could have made the comment SO much better by saying \"robbed\" instead of \"stolen\".
@fredfreedom: That's why you give the valet the \"valet key\" that can't open the glove box or the trunk.
@G.O.B.: Come on!:
Not all glove compartments lock, and hatchbacks/SUVs/minivans have no real separation between the back seat and the trunk
This is funny. I've worked as a valet and can see WHY they do this, its hard to have a place for people to pull over and get out of their cars without having them them put it in park and jump out in the middle of the street.
As far as the parking, the places they are working for are the real problem. The restaurant,bar, club is the one that provides or doesn't provide the parking. They are the ones that contract the valet companies. If they don't pay for a place to park yet hire the valet company then this is what you get.
As far as all the comments about teenagers, I don't think valet companies hire teenagers. I've seen male valets drive and yeah, I wouldn't leave my super nice car with them either.
@veronykah: The place I worked for was 18+ with license and no bad driving record. You also had a test on Boston streets with a manual transmission.
Each driver was insured up to $150,000 so anything over that was parked in front of the restaurant unless driven by a manager who was insured up to $500,000.
Also, the best tip I got was from a guy hailing a cab. $50 bill just for me since I was working the place alone that night.
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@tjfraz1: Sounds like your job has legit insurance.
My cousin was driving his POS Diesel Rabbit and got hit by a valet, driving someone else's ~rental~ car. Talk about an f-in' mess of finger pointing and waffling- valet company owner, car renter, car rental company... Unforetunately, my cousin didn't have the time or desire to go after any one of the parties so he just fixed the car and moved on. I told him that, at the very least, he needed to seed the valet company owner's driveway with a couple of lbs of roofing nails and call it even...
Worried about guns in your trunk and a valet?
Attending a Republican fundraiser are we?
Okay, first, I always thought it was high-larryus whenever I had to valet my '73 Beetle.
Second, is it *ever* legit for valets to block off public parking spaces? Some places have a valet stand with cones blocking off some metered parking spaces so that customers can pull in and drop off their cars without blocking traffic. On the one hand, if the valets _must be there, it seems responsible not to block traffic. On the other hand, the restaurateur knew there was no attached parking when he rented his storefront, so it doesn't seem right to misuse parking spaces in an already-crowded area just because his customers are lazy.
@kexline: \"... is it *ever* legit for valets to block off public parking spaces?\"
Yes, in some cities you can lease the space from the city.
A friend who works in an upscale art gallery in a city often leases the spaces in front during events. It increases visibility and provides an area for cabs and drop offs.
@kexline:
Never, if you see a cone or valet sign in front of a parking meter, feel free to move it and park there.
Oh, baby, I've got stories about LA/Hollywood valets. Now I spend the extra half hour it takes to find those precious few open non-valet parking spaces to avoid them. Then share a toast among friends at saving the $20-40 the valets charge.
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@Trai_Dep: Except I can't find a place to park in Hollywood that's less that $20! Even the park-yourself lots are outrageous!
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I worked as a valet for a year when I was in college. I can tell you straight up, that you probably don't want to use a valet. I've seen valets rifle through belongings, steal drugs, steal change and other items, damage cars (from a small scratch to red-lining a 1974 porsche 911 for 7 seconds). I saw the roof of a landrover ripped off. I saw two mercedes driven by two valets crash directly into each other.
Valets were all swindlers, fighting for a spot to park a car out front so they could get a larger tip from the guy with the corvette. Fighting with each other for a car. It was ridiculous. One time, I was walking back to the station after parking one, and three of the other valets were jamming out to a system in one of the cars, REALLY LOUD. It was a V12 Mercedes, and it belonged to someone who has made a name for himself in professional football.
The place where I valeted had an underground parking garage, and valets would actually race the straight-aways, but it wasn't very long so i would just watch a car slam the gas for 4-5 seconds then slam on the brakes for the last 100 feet.
I'm trying to think of what else i witnessed there. Ohh this one time this moron that I worked with lost the keys to a car. It was fun watching everyone explain to her how the hell a valet loses a set of keys. It's like the only thing a valet has to do, is carry the keys back and hang em up. hahaha.
In my opinion, most valets turn into sketchy little weasels, if they weren't like that already. The promise of larger tips, and just flat out taking advantage overcomes most of them, and they end up doing whatever they want.
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@LostAtoll: i can believe the losing of keys. the last time i valet parked my car (a garage in SF that is valet-only) i noticed when i got home the valet had left someone else's key in my console.
@wickedpixel: That happened to me once, too. I was working in lovely Newark New Jersey where you had to valet your car. Their procedure was to put some sort of locking gizmo on your ignition key and then they would leave the key on the floormat. When they retrieved your car they used a doo-hickey to remove the gizmo, then they could use the ignition key. One day I got home and found some poor bastard's car keys on the floormat of my car. I debated driving back to Newark but since this hours later I figured the car owner had already gotten the lot to resolve the situation. I think I threw the key in the trash. Looking back, that wasn't very nice of me.
@Dukebruno: I think I ended up throwing the key away as well. I wasn't about to drive back into the city to return it. To hell we go!
I wish this would come to light in Memphis! There is a new restaurant that opened downtown. My best friend lived across the street and the valets CONSTANTLY swap cars in and out of spots. They will put up white cones at metered spots to hold a space for the next guest to arrive.
There was never even a chance for me to grab one. They also illegally park once they have used all the available spots. If anything, they should rent out a floor at a nearby garage.
It isn't just this restaurant but also many other businesses downtown. I just haven't seen those businesses as excessive as this one.
My apartment building in Hollywood has an old, cramped garage, so us residents are obligated to have valets park the cars for us. It's amazing how quickly you get used to it; there's been many a time when I've parked my car on the street and left the keys in the ignition with the doors unlocked, absentmindedly...
But valet parking is often necessary in dense urban areas. Having dedicated people park the cars we're chained to in most of this country allows for smaller, more compact parking facilities. That means less square feet devoted to ugly parking ramps.
Of course, all this is moot for the unscrupulous valet operations mentioned here.
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@mrcool1122: Do you have 24x7 valet service? Or are you just not able to use your car when they're not around?
I also worked as a valet for about a year for probably one of the few respectable companies on the east coast. (Rhymes with Rexclusive, drop the R). I also have to say that I was probably one of the few honest guys on the crew.
We would be fired on the spot if we jammed meters, sped, burned clutches, etc. I watched one guy spin a Porsche Boxster and was fired as soon as he handed over the keys at the lot. And yes we had private lots that we rented from organizations in the South End of Boston and paid the city for Valet Zones.
I also got into an accident with a 5-series BMW. I was parking it in front of the restaurant in one of our rented spaces when a bus cut in and took the door, and almost my arm, completely off. (I actually had shoulder pain for a few days) The driver was found at fault and I felt like I was gonna vomit. I was more worried about the car and my job than my safety. The owner of the restaurant, the car's owner, and the owner of the company, along with two police officers, my manager, and an MBTA inspector all agreed that it wasn't my fault.
After all was said and done, I finished my night and didn't even get reprimanded. The owner of the car even gave me a hug for being so honest and treating his car like it was my own and told me not to even worry about it. I still got a $10 tip.
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@tjfraz1: Almost lose an arm, and you are grateful for not being reprimanded and a hug (from a guy)? Guy probably viewed his car as disposable too
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Why not prosecute the valet companies under criminal laws (criminal trespass or theft might apply) and/or sue them for conversion? No new ordinances are necessary to go after them.
@dartmouth05: Oh totally! And what about the guy who thought he could still try to extort 6 bucks for a public parking spot and not lifting a finger to move the car. If he kept me there, I would have called the cops and had him arrested for false imprisonment and extortion.
However, there has got to be some loophole that the valet companies are using to get away from prosecution, hence the reason for the need for ordinances. Additionally, theft or trespass requires the cops to be there to see when it happens, or to have a victim who is reporting the theft. The city simply cannot blanket charge a company with criminal allegations just because they were caught with stolen signs, or charging to use public parking spaces. If an ordinance existed that would fine companies caught with stolen signs, then that would stop the practice outright. Same with parking in public spaces.
@I_have_something_to_say: Yeah, I'll second you. Mohegan Sun is a pretty impressive place, even if it is a little cheesy. And $80 is cheap for anything in the Northeast that's not a flea bag motel.
@lmarconi: I was actually at Foxwoods...the MGM section is gorgeous. Mohegan is a of fun though, although yes...cheesy as hell. Haha.
@I_have_something_to_say: Yeah, I have something to say too. Before you make an inaccurate generalization, read the damn article. Nowhere does it say anything about foreign-born workers. In fact, most the valets I know are college students. Seriously dude, your prejudice is unwelcome.
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@I_have_something_to_say: I can't believe they don't speak English as the first language in the city of Los Angeles (the angels). //end sarcasm
@I_have_something_to_say: I think I speak for many here when I say that your first sentence is inappropriate and unnecessary.
Why is everyone so sensitive here? Is it a requirement of foreigners to serve in the parking industry before you get your green card? Are these people also involved in the scam emails that I get each day?
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I don't use valet either. If it's a curbside valet, I just drive around the block, find a spot to park, and walk.
If it's a hotel or parking garage valet, I just ask the valet where I can park, pay him the parking fee, and park the car myself.
Burn LA to the ground.
I guess I'm the only one who likes valet. I use it whenever it's available and have never had a problem. Maybe I'd think twice if I drove a $40k luxury car, but I don't.
the last time i valet parked my car (a garage in SF that is valet-only) i noticed when i got home the valet had left someone else's key in my console. oops!
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We're going to an out-of-town wedding later this month, and the only parking available is valet. My car might not be fancy, but I adore my little Volvo sedan and the only other person I let drive her is my husband. We're thinking about parking at the groom's house one town over and riding to the hotel with him instead!
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I'm actually very impressed with this lady's passionate journalism. If I lived in L.A., I would send her a tiny heart box of chocolates lol
I live in Miami, the Cuban east coast LA (minus air pollution & earthquakes), and I do have to wonder if they're doing this, too. Without a doubt, this could easily be a universal issue. Miami Beach has hundreds of parking signs, I now wonder which are even real? lol
@RichasB: yeah the reporter was awesome. She was so into it! I consider myself forewarned, and if a valet guy wants to argue, well, we can just call the cops and the LA transit authority and see who loses.
theres a similiar problem where I grew up, where residents put up \"no parking\" or \"tow away\" signs because there isn't enough street parking to handle everyone ( there are NO valets for miles around, its mostly friends, local business employees, and beachgoers taking the extra parking) and/or their house doesn't have a driveway/garage, so they may have to park a block or two away. This bugs the doodoo out of me, one of them even keyed my friends car.
I purposely park in front of their no parking signs.
I work in different hotels for an A/V company. In the smoking section of one of the hotels I work at, I get to witness how these assholes drive other people's cars. They NEVER slow down over a speed bump! It's pretty bad at this hotel because they got these gnarly speedbumps, the kind that are put in after the concrete has been laid. One time, I saw this guy hauling ass around the parking lot, Nascar style. The owner of the car must have pissed him off.
I'm a car guy and this kind of shit makes me cringe. I hate the thought of my car as well as somebody else's ride abused by some clown.
I don't oppose that places charge for parking, after all, real estate is expensive but there should be some kind of law against this or something. Maybe, a politician's car would get smashed up by a valet driving it too fast into a concrete pillar for any real action to be done. Seems like laws like these only come up when it happens to somebody high up.
Hmm... Suggested fixes:
1. Require Valet companies to be bonded and to have a dedicated parking lot of sufficient size. Each employee is required to wear an ID Card ID'ing their company and permit number.
2. Random stings by plain clothes law enforcement and a GPS enabled vehicle. If the GPS vehicle doesn't go to a valet lot, violation. Treat it like you do alcohol sales to minors - fine for the first time, after 4-5* they forfeit their bond and lose their license.
*In a year or so.
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This is why I don't do valet parking. Even if I had the money to throw around. Actually then I'd want a complete stranger getting my keys even less than now that I have a beat-up old Civic. I guess I've never understood why anyone would give their keys to some guy standing around outside. I realize the convenience, but I just try to go to places I'm not familiar with beforehand to see the parking situation so I don't have to rely on that.
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Okay, so I'm a car nut (see username.) I recognize that not everyone is as weird as I am about this. Between being a cheapskate and being way more into my car than is necessary for transportation, I avoid valet parking like the plague it is. I don't mind walking a block or two (I think I'm an atypical American in that regard) and will certainly do so to avoid giving someone I don't know the keys to my car. Never mind the scary thought of letting some teenager abuse my clutch...
@GearheadGeek:
When using one of the 'exotic' cars I of course never let anyone valet park it (no, I am not uptight, feel free to park my Audi any day of the week, but just practical as these cars are not for the inexperienced and just a 2 minutes parking job can do thousands of dollars worth of damage)
Many places will accommodate you, however. If I am using one of the 'exotics' then I make arrangements with the head of the valets well-ahead of time so that I get one of those nice cushy spots in front of the hotel or whatever location it may be.
Especially with these types of vehicles they don't mind showing them off in-front (not so much with a Ford pickup however) and usually a $20 tip will keep it in good hands. Normally I leave the keys for them should they need it in an emergency, but they couldn't get it started without me anyway....LOL
@GearheadGeek: You really need to valet in LA. It's not a matter of walking a block or two it's a matter of looking for a spot for 20 minutes then walking 5-6 blocks.
If your on a date it's a lot nicer to hand off your keys and get on with your life then spend 30 minutes on parking alone.
Couple this with the fact that fake no parking signs are put it in some places and the local law lets valets put up no parking signs in others; the deck get stacked against you.
There are PLENTY of places to park in LA until there is something worth doing, then suddenly there aren't.
@GearheadGeek: I only use it when there's absolutely no other way (like the venue/restaurant only offers valet). I can't handle just handing over my keys like that.
@GearheadGeek: I hate valet parking so much I never drive into NYC to avoid it. I'd rather drive to another train station to ride that in than hand off my car to one of the millions (it seems) parking places for the cost of a one way ticket from CT.
@GearheadGeek: Guys don't be assholes. I valet during summers when im out of school. If you want to self-park then drive up to the valets slip them 3 or more dollars and ask where can you self park. They will gladly show you where. Its the same money they would get if you valeted it except the valets do no work for it. It's win win and nobody gets cheated.
@GearheadGeek: i've never used it either...in fact when it's offered, I politely decline b/c either I'm in a rental or I don't feel like explaining my car's quirks.
@GearheadGeek: When I was staying in Honolulu most hotels won't let you park yourself. You have to use valets unfortunately. It sucks but there is just no space anywhere there.
@GearheadGeek: I have never used valet parking in my life and never will. I can park my own damn car, thanks.
@GearheadGeek: I dont think your as wierd as you think - the only 2 times I have used valet have been at downtown hotels with lots of luggage where there was no option