Hidden Cameras Catch LA Valets Breaking All Kinds Of Laws
An excellent piece of investigative journalism by NBC Los Angeles catches valets all over the city putting up fake no parking signs, jamming meters, and using customers' cars to shuttle valets around.
NBC's findings will be troubling to people who use valet parking, as valets are seen hitting other cars, getting parking tickets and not telling the customers, and using cars to ferry other valets back and forth. But even though we don't use valet parking, we're really upset to see valets breaking parking laws by blocking off public spaces, putting up fake no parking signs, and swapping cars out of the same metered spaces all day. We assume other cities have this problem, we hope there will be more exposés in other cities, and that these videos will lead to some city action.
Rogue Valets Exposed [NBC Los Angeles] (via Curbed LA)
(Photo: Lindacat)Thanks, John!
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Comments:
For a change its the media doing some investigative journalism. Nice.
@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
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
@GearheadGeek: I have never used valet parking in my life and never will. I can park my own damn car, thanks.
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.
@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'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.
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. :)
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! :-)
@I_have_something_to_say: I think I speak for many here when I say that your first sentence is inappropriate and unnecessary.
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?
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?
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
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?
@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?
@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?
@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.
@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.
@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.
@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.
@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.
@fredfreedom: That's why you give the valet the "valet key" that can't open the glove box or the trunk.
@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!
@MostlyHarmless: AND it's attached to the casino, so all you have to do is walk downstairs to drink and gamble. :-D
@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.
@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.
@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.
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.
@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: 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.
Worried about guns in your trunk and a valet?
Attending a Republican fundraiser are we?
@aces89: Just to add to that. If you have a really nice car, something worth a a lot then roll up the valets and show them a 20 and tell them this is yours if you show me where i can park this close to the door. They will give you a spot close trust me.
@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
@Chmeeee: It's a she. (I know, the concentration of females on this forum is way higher than you would expect.)
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.
@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."
@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
@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.
@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.
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?
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...