Beware of Parking Scammers

For those of you brave enough to drive into downtown this week, Austin Police Department wants to warn you about fakester parking attendants:

The Downtown Area Command would like to advise the public that there are subjects wearing “safety glow vests” and pretending to be valet parking attendants for the entertainment district. Vehicles are parked on public streets in marked spaces and drivers are being charged a parking fee. Individuals who come to the entertainment district should park in parking lots that are identified as public parking lots and pay the appropriate fee to the parking attendants. Individuals should not park at meters that are bagged; these spaces can be tow-away spaces or they can be reserved for valet parking for businesses that have worked with the city to obtain the appropriate permits.
To reduce the possibility of vehicles being burglarized, APD recommends that individuals park in a well lit area and lock the vehicle. Do not leave valuables in the vehicle; lock all valuables in the trunk if you must leave them. Take your keys with you and if you see a crime taking place or a suspicious person in the area, call 9-1-1. To report a burglary of a vehicle, please call 3-1-1 to file a report.

Photo by Dan Taylor on flickr

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By Allen Y Chen in Arts & Entertainment on March 12, 2007 12:57 PM 0 Comments

Comments [rss]

ol'pappy

I don't know cause I don't drive, but I think the valets just put those bags up whereever they please and use the meters available. I don't remember seeing those signs, but then again I don't go about reading street signs so I'll keep an eye out.

At any rate, like I said, I don't think they should be using street level parking cause that should be free to Austin drivers. Valets should have to use garages.

mdahmus

The APD has no interest in arresting those folks and never has - the reward/effort ratio is way too low. I even pointed one out to a cop once (he tried to hit us up for money, and was clearly doing so to the next sucker after us while I was pointing) and the cop essentially just shrugged.

jk

A few comments:

--Legal valet parking zones are clearly marked with street signs (e.g. "valet zone after 5:30pm"). Meter parking is blocked there after 5:30 because otherwise an entire lane of traffic would be blocked as people dropped off their cars at the various valet stands. This concept seems pretty simple. While I would never personally pay for valet parking, it nonetheless stimulates downtown restaurant traffic and is a valid, city-authorized business.

--Many (or even most) of the fake valet attendants downtown are homeless people who are in essence charging a "fee" (better described as a shakedown) for not vandalizing your car as soon as you park it. They seem to be a particular problem around the ARC/Salvation Army/Club DeVille vicinity. I just keep on driving if I see one of them "monitoring" an empty metered space. The APD would be better off patrolling the area and arresting these con artists instead of issuing warnings few people will see.

ol'pappy

I say that cause I've noticed an influx of those plastic bags over meters where vallets park. Which is bullshit - vallets should have to park in a garage and be denied access to street level parking. It creates a confusing situation for people that live here. I can't imagine what the tourists in town are thinking when they come across an open metered spot and a dude in a vallet vest rus over and insists they move or pay.

ol'pappy

Grape Ape, you don't park downtown after dark much, do you?

Grape Ape

C'mon. Who is actually stupid enough to pay someone when you knowingly park on a public street? Its sort of like the "no event parking in neighborhood" deal. It's a public street. Know the basic laws. Unless its closed by an attending officer, park there, its free.

ConanTheLibrarian

Ahem.

If you are in reasonable shape, you can park FOR FREE in the garage under Austin City Hall and walk as far south as SOCO or as far north as the Capital Complex. With the Dillos, you can easily go to UT. Enter from Lavaca. The only hazard are jerks who ignore the 5MPH sighs and roar out at 20MPH. I advise flashing your high beams and a brief honk before going around blind corners. There are no attendants, but there is 24/7 videotaping of entrance, exits, and every parking level. So APD will have evidence of any nefarious activities to prosecute the putzes.