Argabarga, how do you listen to this all day?

[WishfulSpirit]

So a few days ago I had a guest's car towed. Parked in the handicap parking area, no handicapped plate, no tag. Our towing company got here fast, and so did the guest's complaints. All the Argabarga usuals (with a hotel twist) were trotted out. We should have "known" he had a placard because he's "been here for days" and "has a handicapped room." Demands to bring the truck back were made (we don't have it) and to pay for his tow (um...no, even if we wanted to, our towing company has no set-up to bill us, they charge the owner of the car and that's it).

Arga, how do you listen to this stuff all day? I was tired with just one.

EDIT: Bossman says next time just call the police on the non-emergency number and have them ticket the car. Let's see Sucktomer argue with the Boys in Blue. I'm sure someone will try, but if said someone does, cops can escort them off our property.

[bhskittykatt]

Never gotten a car towed before, but at the motel we had a guest park in a handicapped spot and get a ticket. They wanted *us* to pay for the ticket! The spot was in front of his room and he said that he should have been able to park there.

Didn't think it would get much better until I changed to the Resort. A guest got a speeding ticket on his drive to the resort and he complained to us and said he wanted us to warn guests that they put speed patrols on the road so guests wouldn't get tickets! I mean, I didn't realize it was our job to warn people to follow the basic road rules on their drive. But it's apparently my job, so don't speed kiddos! There, that should suffice.

[Rosco the Iroc]

Like my thread, do I have to tie your shoes for you as well?

[taxguykarl]

he wanted us to warn guests that they put speed patrols on the road so guests wouldn't get tickets!

[EXTREME SARCASM:]Of course, bhs, you don't expect guests to follow the law when they're on vacation do you?[/END SARCASM]

[wolfie]

[EXTREME SARCASM:]Of course, bhs, you don't expect guests to follow the law when they're on vacation do you?[/END SARCASM]

Guest takes a vacation in Singapore. Swears at desk clerk "Whadda ya mean your convenience store doesn't have effing chewing gum? That's something EVERY convenience store should have!", leaves a 1-star Yelp review complaining about the deficiency.

[HotelMinion]

My hotel le Hellton was in DC. Extremely limited parking. We had a garage but it was small. About 50 spaces all compact. Two handicapped spaces which I saw were used, but I didn't tow because I rather like my head, and the situation. We had over 100 rooms. On a full night, oh yes it was full a lot!, the GMs cheered and I jeered. Mostly because I had deal with SC that had huge ass vans or RVs trying to park. They'd get towed and theyd come at me, because they didn't read our website about limited garage space parking. I guess I'm gearing up again cuz I might be getting back into it soon, there's a new hotel. But if it has a garage and not outdoor no way Jose.

[EricKei]

HM: A hundred rooms and fifty spots? O_O Sounds like an extreme failure to plan on the owners' part. Jeez.

[wolfie]

Not necessarily. Property is in a major center with big traffic issues. Real estate is expensive, so parking garage instead of a lot (fits in same "footprint" as building). Ground water issues (DC is on the Potomac) can limit the depth to which basements/underground parking can be dug. Hotel could be targeting the "fly in, and use taxis/public transit" market.

Would help if the location "sold" their parking (whether or not there's an additional charge, offer "Would you like to reserve a space for your compact car - maximum length allowed is x feet, overhead clearance is y feet?", and once all the spaces were booked for a particular night, subsequent enquiries would get "Unfortunately there is no parking available" so people would know in advance whether or not they'd be able to park.

[wheeitsmee]

One of my favorites from the National Park I worked at:

Guy calls the garage saying that he was locked out of his car in front of most expensive hotel. Tow driver shows up (they did all the service calls). Tow driver looks at the vehicle and asks 3 times if guy is sure he wants this service, and how much service will cost. Guy gets really annoyed, but verbally confirms 3 separate times.

Tow driver walks around vehicle, reaches in through passenger window and unlocks vehicle.

Guy is now furious that he's actually going to be charged for unlocking the vehicle. Says he is going inside to complain to the front desk (why he thought that would work is a mystery to this day).

While Guy is inside complaining to the front desk of the hotel, Tow Driver calls NPS Law Enforcement and gets approval to tow vehicle from the handicapped space where Guy had illegally parked it. Nobody was around when he came out to find his car towed.

[Argabarga]

You'd be surprised (okay, you wouldn't but play along) how many people get towed and try to stick someone else with the bill by that same logic.

"it's the city's fault there isn't enough parking! I had no choice but to use the sidewalk! SEND THEM THE BILL! I'm NOT PAYING!!!!!ELEVENTY!!!!!!"

"My friend said I could park there! Send HIM the bill!"

"I didn't ask for the tow! If the apartment did, it's THEIR bill!"





And we do have an issue with the local Dazed Inn having plenty of parking, assuming you get there early, and don't have some ginormous F-200000000000 brodozer pickup that won't fit in the last 3 spaces they have that are small and in the corner that obviously nobody likes, because they fill up last, so these people go across the street to the apartments and park there and feel like it's the hotel's fault when their car, that they didn't park on hotel property, isn't there in the morning....

[wolfie]

What a moron! First, not checking that there was a way to solve his own problem before calling for help. Next, ignoring the BIG hint (tow operator didn't really have to do it) that the situation didn't require professional help. Then, after the professional did what he was called in to do (unlock the car), bitching about it and giving the TOW OPERATOR the opportunity to get (perfectly legal) revenge by having the authorities order the vehicle towed out of the spot where it was ILLEGALLY PARKED.

[Marmalady]

While Guy is inside complaining to the front desk of the hotel, Tow Driver calls NPS Law Enforcement and gets approval to tow vehicle from the handicapped space where Guy had illegally parked it. Nobody was around when he came out to find his car towed.

Oh now that is just beautiful... *sniff*

[alogram]

One of my favorites from the National Park I worked at:


Tow driver walks around vehicle, reaches in through passenger window and unlocks vehicle.

Guy is now furious that he's actually going to be charged for unlocking the vehicle. Says he is going inside to complain to the front desk (why he thought that would work is a mystery to this day).

While Guy is inside complaining to the front desk of the hotel, Tow Driver calls NPS Law Enforcement and gets approval to tow vehicle from the handicapped space where Guy had illegally parked it. Nobody was around when he came out to find his car towed.

Please tell me he got to charge the guy double? (Once for the original call, once for being in a handicapped spot!)

[wheeitsmee]

Please tell me he got to charge the guy double? (Once for the original call, once for being in a handicapped spot!)

Actually, Guy might have had to pay for 3 things.

I know he had to pay for the unlock. I know he had to pay to get his car out of the NPS impound lot. I don't remember if he got charged a fine for the illegal parking, or whether the Park Service considered the impound charge enough.

Interesting fact, you break the law in a US National Park and it's a Federal crime.

I also remember when an idiot left his daughter's wedding cake (the wedding was the next day) in the car overnight. As anyone could have warned him (and all the paperwork he accepted when he entered the park told him), a bear broke into the car and ate the cake. He threatened to sue the Hotel/Concessionaire. The front desk person called an NPS LEO Ranger. The Ranger told him that he could try to sue the Hotel/concessionaire, but then the Park service would have to charge him for feeding the wildlife (Federal crime, remember?).

[Nunavut Pants]

Interesting fact, you break the law in a US National Park and it's a Federal crime.

I was once charged in a Federal court for breaking the California Vehicle Code--speeding on a federal/no-longer-military base. (They dropped the charge; the base rent-a-cops suddenly decided that going anywhere from 0-5 MPH over the limit meant you were almost double the limit, and there were ~25 of us in court at the same time.)