Secrets of the City

Car booting is a pain in the backside. The thing is, there are too many complaints. They should booting pointlessly. Yawn! My night shift’s ended.

MNspeak has been infiltrated by 12 year olds. Who are these fucking morons? I think severe beatings should be handed out. Let’s invite them to a mnspeak get together in the alley behind Pizza Luce.

I’m completely sick of people. I long for zombies.

Hmm, this oddity again.

Anyway, I’m fine with it, conceptually, even if it means more people getting towed. A $100 charge to un-boot your car because you left the property line isn’t punitive, it’s extortion.

Simpleton: You’ve just noticed this now?

I’m sure there are examples of booting abuse, but the times my friends have gotten them – they so deserved it. Plus, it’s easier and cheaper to deal with the boot than having dealing with the impound lot.

I always think of the “Simpsons in NYC” episode when this subject comes up.

Vendor: We have crab juice and Mountain Dew.
Homer: Bleah! I’ll take the crab juice.

I worked with someone who just took off his booted wheel and replaced it with the spare to move his car.

That’s classic, Elizabeth.

btw: How’s Chicago treating you?

It’s great–I love it. If only I could find some sort of Chi-speak.

Good on ya’! Well, maybe a Chi-speak could be a new venture for you.

It could be the next step in the (insert new location her)speak world takeover.

Glad to hear it’s going well.

Minneapolis: slave to drivers

maybe they should consider banning cars instead of car boots?
THEN ONLY THE OUTLAWS WOULD DRIVE

Parking at the French Meadow is a mofo. Predatory booting/towing IS extortion.

That said, I’d love it if we as a city could be more dependent on transit and less dependent on our cars.

seriously, you put your car on someone else’s private property and don’t act in accordance with their policies for using space on their property to store your car, then get all upset that they take action?

I guess I’m gonna get a car and park it on your lawn and see how well you enjoy it. Or maybe just take up half your driveway if you have one. I’m sure you won’t mind if I just run across the street to visit someone for a few hours.

also that’s not directed at anyone in particular, just people who complain about booting.

I tend to agree with you, wayno. People should just follow the damned rules instead of bitching about photo cops and parking boots. Memo to world: it’s not that hard to stop on red and find a legal parking spot.

and this is entirely different than mazapasshole’s ‘vigilante justice’ of slashing tires of cars parked legally on a public street. in fact, it’s the antithesis.

seriously, kurtis. Considering how much of the land area of this city is devoted to parking, it should never be a problem to find any.

but oooh, booo-hooo, poow widdle feetsies not used to walking can’t stand to park a block or two away!

Wayne: It’s too damn early to be so combative.
Plus, my head hurts so quit yelling.

I have to drive for the job, but I’m pleased to see that things are changing and I’m able to do more without driving so much.

Actually, I think they should boot and not tow – less chance of damage, cheaper, and most times you get your car back right away.

I agree with wayne and kurtis, Dinkytown businesses frequently have to deal with kids who will park in their lots under the auspices of buying something or getting a movie, and then walk down to the bar for a few hours. And seriously, it’s not that hard to find parking in the Lyndale area, unless these people are terrified of parallel parking or that someone will ding their precious Audi.

At least with booting you still have the opportunity to “remove” the boot yourself and get your car back.

it’s never too early to be combatative.

in any case I’m really stressed out lately because my grandmother is on her death bed, so if I’m a little pissier than usual that’s part of it.

Wayne – sorry about your grandma. That said, find some other outlet for your pent up passive-aggression than mnspeak. Almost every thread you are in turns into a “people are f’ing morons, people who drive suck, people who don’t ride bikes should die…” etc etc. It gets really old and comes off as trolling. Try having a mature conversation about the subject and you might get better responses.

That said… parking in uptown blows. If you’re driving down there for shopping, eating, what have you… be prepared to walk a block or two. It won’t kill anybody. I work in a store on the weekends at Lyn/Lake and get so tired of hearing people whine about having to park 2 blocks away. Its Uptown people… get a clue.

Dude, you’re fucking lucky if you find a parking spot only 2 blocks away!

the times my friends have gotten them – they so deserved it. Plus, it’s easier and cheaper to deal with the boot than having dealing with the impound lot.

Yes and yes.

I see how booting a car doesn’t solve the problem when a car is somewhere it’s not supposed to be, especially if it’s downtown, it’s the weekend, and there are other people perfectly willing to pay exorbitant parking rates for that spot.

Although the hovering around waiting for someone to meander just a little too far to slap the boot on and then demand cash on the spot is right on par with towing practices during snow emergency.

Gosh, Wayne. Sorry to hear as that’s a tough haul.

Ok – so let’s compromise – Get your rage on, but can we hold down the yelling?

They plan on banning car boots, but in it’s place they plan on releasing the new MazTireMaster4000 that’ll aggravate the car owner until they agree to pay $200.

oh sure, delete my posts max but leave her bitchy little diatribe about me up?

fuck that.

Sorry you’re under a lot of street, Wayne. It’s a rough spot, I know.

But get it under control, please.

Accidentally deleted your most recent comment. Meant to delete the previous one, which I just did. You know the one I meant to delete. Go ahead and repost the other one.

Sorry, wayne, she’s dead right in her “bitchy little diatribe.”

nah, it doesn’t matter anyway.

but uh, I do take issue with little miss thang calling me a troll.

She said it comes off as trollish. That’s a fair assessment. You do have a few issues and tend to turn a thread toward them.

This has been debated for some time. I see my old pal Sue Jeffers was in the pro-boot camp.

Oh come on, Wayne. I’m sorry to hear about your grandma, but taking it out on us isn’t going to help you cope. If you want to talk to someone about it, just say so.

Sorry to hear about your grandmother, Wayne.

because no one ever turns threads to bacon or ethanol here.

nope, never.

Bob has been warned, and when he posts unrelated links, he’s been deleted.

As to bacon, well, any thread can turn to bacon at any moment. That’s just the MnSpeak way.

The derailment isn’t the issue.

Look, I can’t yell at you for having a hard time with what you’re going through; I lost my grandma very recently. But you’ve already warned us your attitude is going to be poor, so perhaps you need to step away to get a handle on things instead of yelling at or to us.

I’m still pretty confused what I said in here that was SOO offensive, though.

Nothing, really. You might want to monitor your tone a little in general. Sometimes it slips into sarcasm and negativity, and I think that’s what people don’t react especially well too, and what they’re seeing more of today.

It’s just sort of a conversation killer, although I am guilty of it too.

and here I thought internet forums were THE place for bile and vitriol.
oh well.

There ARE places like that on the Internet. Something Rotten forums, I hear, are especially good for that.

I dunno. I’d just rather MnSpeakers try for a modicum of civility. I don’t want to tame the Wild West that is the Internets. I just don’t want to be Tombstone.

There’s always an appropriate time for bile and vitriol on the internet. It is, after all, the internet. However, MNSpeak has been absolutely soaked in bullshit lately, as I’m sure nobody has been able to ignore completely. It would be nice if the intelligent and reasonable among us were able to balance it out with some civility.

You’ll never tame me … bwahahahahaha!

*blows on finger guns*

Maybe we could aim for a Wild West mentality that is compaitble with somewhere like Lincoln, Nebraska. You know, wild and western, but nothing too wild, and there’s a nice barbershop and haberdashery for the gents. And the schoolmarms are sassy, but not too sassy.

That’s exactly what MnSpeak should be.

@Andyst – Will there be ample parking?

tie your horses up, people.

I ain’t no schoolmarm. I want to be a saloon girl. Sassy and packin’ heat.

And by heat I mean a double barreled shocker.

Parking for your wagons is out back. Please monitor the two whiskey time limit.

I wanna be the Padre.

Can I be Otis?

Oops, wrong show.

msparber: “There ARE places like that on the Internet. Something Rotten forums, I hear, are especially good for that.”

I am thinking you either mean Rotten.com or Something Awful?

I MEAN THEM BOTH.

I like it when Max gets mad…

He’s the ornery sheriff.

With the big rifle.

That’s not a euphemism, either. My Levermatic is pretty big.

He’s just like Matt Dillon.

I mean the Matt Dillon from “Gunsmoke.” Although the one from You, Me and Dupree is pretty good, too.

Actually, I’m more like The Rifleman:

So, exactly what kind of locks do these boots have on them? Standard pin-timbler masterlock padlocks? Very easily beatable with a set of Jiggler Keys. Somthing a little more complex? Padlock Shims are another viable option if Jiggler Keys don’t do the trick.

To move up the scale, a Dewalt Drill, a Milwaukee Sawzall (they do sell cordless models), or an Angle Grinder might do the trick if all else fails.

It seems to me if the person “booting” my car is too lazy to stand around and get my money, face to face, they will be S.O.L. If they had any actual clout with the legal system, they would just ticket the car like a real cop, not a pretend one.

Too bad for them.

in any case I’m really stressed out lately because my grandmother is on her death bed, so if I’m a little pissier than usual that’s part of it

Sorry to hear that wanyo. thoughts are with you swandog.

I don’t know what kind of boots we have in these parts, but I’ve read some are as easy to remove by simply partially deflating your tire, using a heavy hammer and chisel, or by bending back the the piece that covers the lugnuts and removing the whole wheel. I like the Sawzall approach mentioned above.

Calhoun Square has parking-abuse deterrence. Your first violation at the meters will get you a legally-unenforceable ticket, which turns into a tow if you don’t pay up and violate the policy again.

The SA at 22nd & Lyndale uses boots as extortion. Cross their property line for any reason, and a boot goes on your car. Gee, they put up a sign, why are you trying to argue with the ambiguities (and conflicting consequences) of “unauthorized” parking? We’re only talking $100 here.

i got booted in the cc club parking lot a while back. he’s in his truck right there though, so a) don’t mess with the boot and b) he takes off the boot as soon as you pay him. cash.

why the hell did i got to the french meadow instead of the cc club anydamnways? serves me right.

Honestly this is one case where I agree with the typically-conservative line about property rights and side with business owners. They’re providing you free parking as a convenience for spending money at their business. Why on earth would you expect to get a free ride if you’re using their parking lot and going other places to spend money? Other paying customers could be using those parking spaces, and considering there *is* some marginal upkeep to having parking spaces, it just doesn’t make sense to let people freeload.

Just like that article about wifi and outlets the other day. Some things are provided as a convenience to bring in business, but if people start abusing it, it’s perfectly acceptable for the owner to take it away. I just don’t understand why anyone feels like they have a right to get pissy when something free that doesn’t belong to them is taken away.

Binky, the city can only establish and enforce parking rules on public property.

Booters have a towing license from the city. Their equipment is private property, they are at acting as agents of the property owner, and anything done to the boot would constitute vandalism. The law is the law, right? Have fun with your new cellmate.

Yeah, I don’t get why people complain so much about this. I parked illegally once when I first moved to Stevens (parked on the east side of 1st ave during rush and didn’t notice the sign) and was towed. That’s the only time I’ve ever been towed because it was such a chunk outta my wallet that I tend to pay closer attention now. Pay attention to signage and you won’t have any problems.

Their equipment is private property, they are at acting as agents of the property owner, and anything done to the boot would constitute vandalism. The law is the law, right? Have fun with your new cellmate.

Well, it’s not necessarily vandalism if the object isn’t defaced or destroyed. In fact, with the first two alternatives, the boot is still perfectly usable as there is no damage.

Just leave the boot in front of the parking space with a note saying the following:

“You left your private property attatched to my private property. I took the liberty of removing it for you. Better luck next time. I won’t be back, nor will I ever shop/use your business in the future.”

To clairfy, “…I won’t use the business you’re pretending to be a real police officer for in the furure.”

oh by all means, have the police come by and cite you for illegal dumping or tresspassing or something else. that would be SO much better.

How would my hypothetical actions be any different than those goddam kids playing with their bikes in the street and justifying it as “civil disobedience” by calling it critical mass?

As for the illegal dumping, they pretend traffic cops are the ones leaving shit behind, I’m merely removing it from my vehicle. As for tresspassing, the property owner, in most cases, has to inform you that you’re tresspassing before it holds legal clout.

Once again, too bad for them.

Which is usually covered by those signs that tell you CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY. All others will be towed/booted.

Apparently it’s totally okay to break the law because other people do it. I am off the hook for so much shit.

Well, then they should spend a little more that $1.50 and get something a little more effective than a piss-ant masterlock that can be picked/dealt with in less than 10 seconds.

The bigger question is, what is the rationale behind getting pissed at someone using “your” parking lot to run across the street for 2 minutes, or 5 minutes, or 10 minutes, and so immobilizing them for half an hour or longer while they call their friend with the generator and the plasma-cutter or angle-grinder to “civilly disobey” the pretend “police officer”?

It really is no different than having to deal with the kids blocking the streets with their toys… I’m a grown-up and have real places to go and real jobs to do. I don’t have time for your petty BS no matter what you call it.

I don’t think the business owner owes anyone a justification to why they don’t want a non-customer parking in that spot. And sure it’s a minor inconvience for the business owner that the car hangs out there, but it’s a financial inconvience for the illegal parker, and makes a helluva point.

Really, dude. You don’t give a fuck which law we’re talking about, you just want to dispute the whole. Rules don’t apply you. You’re awesome. We get it.

Which is usually covered by those signs that tell you CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY. All others will be towed/booted.

…and if I’ve bought anything, even a $1 bottle of pop, I’ve become a customer, even if other shopping takes me to the store next door, or across the street, or halfway down the block.

For someone who is so protective of their own property, you sure don’t give a flying rat’s ass about the property of others or how they want it treated. But that doesn’t really surprise me.

you can buy a pop for $1?

You don’t give a fuck which law we’re talking about, you just want to dispute the whole. Rules don’t apply you.

Never said any such thing.

Funny that people say I’m the territorial one, yet they justify attatching undesired objects to my vehicle for having the audacity to use their store and then walk down the street to get a pack of cigarettes, or whatever else I chose to do.

Anyway, I gotta learn to practice what I preach, which means stop responding this crap and being bitchy.

It all just comes down to following the rules that the property owners have set up. If you don’t like those rules, don’t park there, and if you’re totally put off by them, don’t patronize the business. Pretty simple.

If you don’t like those rules, don’t park there, and if you’re totally put off by them, don’t patronize the business. Pretty simple.

Believe me, if I they ever make me cut one of their stupid extortion devices off of my tire, I won’t be going back. Ever.

You say that like it’s a threat. If you can’t respect their rules, they don’t want you as a customer.

the difference is that roads are public places where bikes are allowed (we pay taxes too, dipshit!)

whereas a private lot is privately owned and the owner can do as they please with it. you’re taking the risk of getting booted if you choose to park on their lot when they clearly notify you that it’s for use only when you’re patronizing their establishment.

seriously, how about I come lock my bike up to your front porch for a bit while I take care of some errands. How’d you like that? Knowing you, you’d saw off my lock and destroy my bike because it was infringing on your property rights.

Holy crap, Binky. What about taking the bus?

This accomplishes three things:

(1) Your car cannot be booted or towed because it is safely in the garage at home.
(2) You spew less greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, thereby declining to help destroy the planet.
(3) If your attitude on the road matches your attitude on this board, it relieves our highways of another angry, self-important driver.

Win-win-win.

If your attitude on the road matches your attitude on this board, it relieves our highways of another angry, self-important driver.

Jesus, are you people serious? Read your own damn posts you bunch crabby assed hypocrites.

…and if I’ve bought anything, even a $1 bottle of pop, I’ve become a customer, even if other shopping takes me to the store next door, or across the street, or halfway down the block.

And once you’ve left the property to shop elsewhere, you are no longer their customer. If you leave your car there while shopping elsewhere, you’re preventing them from offering that space to another paying customer.

If you can’t respect their rules, they don’t want you as a customer.

The thing is, they’re not following their own rules. If I’ve gotten anything from their store, I AM a customer. If they were too boneheaded to put a time limit on their sign, or conditions, that’s their problem.

whereas a private lot is privately owned and the owner can do as they please with it. you’re taking the risk of getting booted if you choose to park on their lot when they clearly notify you that it’s for use only when you’re patronizing their establishment.

And the boot they’re attatching to something? That’s MY personal property. If I need to separate their property from mine I will do so, with whatever means necessary.

seriously, how about I come lock my bike up to your front porch for a bit while I take care of some errands. How’d you like that? Knowing you, you’d saw off my lock and destroy my bike because it was infringing on your property rights.

First of all, I’m not inviting people to my house to buy things from my shelves or my fridge. If I start inviting people over to do that, you can run across the street to buy something from my neighbors, whatever. Jsut remember to come back for your little toy later.

And as usual, Binky is always right.

It’s way too nice of a day for this bullshit. I’m out.

Solution:

Don’t let the booting technician(BT) apply said boot without a signed authorization from the property owner, or designated agent. No more patrolling by the BT.

Currently, the BT is financially incentivized, or encouraged by his employer, to apply the boot as often as possible. Remove this motivation.

Also, cap boot fee at $75, and require BT to accept credit cards (manual swiper).

I’m with Ang. Day is beautiful.

Boot or don’t boot. Whatevs.

Joe, I went to the Sportsman’s last week for some chili (great as usual!) and a brew. The new addition is really comming along! Very nice…kudos!

Isn’t it illegal to own lock picking tools?

If I’ve gotten anything from their store, I AM a customer. If they were too boneheaded to put a time limit on their sign, or conditions, that’s their problem.

Apparently we need signage for common sense now too.

“WARNING, DO NOT OPERATE HAIR DRYER IN BATHTUB”

Isn’t it illegal to own lock picking tools?

Only if you intend to commit burglary with them.

See MN Statute 609.59

Whoever has in possession any device, explosive, or other instrumentality with intent to use
or permit the use of the same to commit burglary or theft may be sentenced to imprisonment for
not more than three years or to payment of a fine of not more than $5,000, or both.

See, now, if I were the owner of said boot and saw someone picking the lock, I may determine it’s that person’s intent to steal my boot and call the cops. Just sayin’ you may want to be careful if you ever actually intend to employ this tactic.

Apparently we need signage for common sense now too.

…and “Do not operate this bicycle where doing so may obstruct traffic.”

Funny how that works.

See, now, if I were the owner of said boot and saw someone picking the lock, I may determine it’s that person’s intent to steal my boot and call the cops.

You may have a point, but taking for granted the average police response times in most situations is a minimum of 5 minutes (I actually timed this a couple times) from the point the call is dispatched to the point whenthe first squad rolls up, I’d probably be long gone.

…and “Do not operate this bicycle where doing so may obstruct traffic.”

If you’re going to plow me down for being part of the traffic on my bike, I assume that you are going to be plowing down the senior citizens that drive 20 on a 30 mph street? Because under the law, they’re the ones that would actually be obstructing traffic. I’m operating my bike at or near it’s maximum speed. They’re not.

…besides, would you put a bumper sticker on someone elses car and then bitch if they drove away with your bumper sticker.

Sorry, but as soon as something becomes attached to my vehicle I consider it mine.

I’ll leave it in the lot as a courtesy to the “Pretend Cop” though.

You may have a point, but taking for granted the average police response times in most situations is a minimum of 5 minutes (I actually timed this a couple times) from the point the call is dispatched to the point whenthe first squad rolls up, I’d probably be long gone.

Unless said boot owner decides to take the reasonable position to protect their property, and detain you under a citizens arrest (given their line of work, that might even include detaining you a the point of a gun.

As long as we’re discussing hypotheticals, I hope the boot guy didn’t write your licsense plate down then…and they would, too, cuz that’s what kind of a-holes they are.

If you’re going to plow me down for being part of the traffic on my bike

Yeah, see… if you can’t go 55 (or the posted speed), get on the shoulder, the sidewalk or the bikepath, or get the fuck out of the way. Grandma and grandpa usually have the potential to go at least the speed limit, and besides, their vehicle registration fees, the $$$ they pay for gas and the other associated fees grown-ups pay for vehicle ownership pays for the roads you play on.

Now make way for the grown-ups, okay?

Unless said boot owner decides to take the reasonable position to protect their property, and detain you under a citizens arrest (given their line of work, that might even include detaining you a the point of a gun.

You need to talk to either a cop or a lawyer about citizens arrests. There is no such thing. And to protect property (READ: PROPERTY not LIFE) with lethal force is generally referred to as assault. Probably felony assault.

And a reasonable position to protect their property would probably be to refrain from attatching it to a large mobile object in the first place. Or, barring that, to remove it when the plasma cutter come out. Simple, huh?

As long as we’re discussing hypotheticals, I hope the boot guy didn’t write your licsense plate down then…and they would, too, cuz that’s what kind of a-holes they are.

So what. I wouldn’t plan on going back to that parking lot, that’s all. What are they gonna do? Get the real cops to hunt me down for a pretend offense that really has no legal clout unless the police wrote the initial ticket in the first place?

Funny how people imply that I’m one to take the law into my own hands and condemn me for it, yet think it’s ok for a glorified mechanic to do the same thing.

That 55 is a maximum, not a minimum (and I said a 30 zone, not a 55).

You really need to get better acquainted with the law regarding what is and is not a vehicle, and what is and is not obstructing traffic.

I do pay vehicle registration and other associated fees (never mind that those don’t even come close to paying the full costs of the roads, and even people who don’t own cars pay for the roads through the various other taxes they pay). If I choose to legally utilize the roads that I helped pay for with a bicycle, there’s not much that you can do about that.

Yeah, see… if you can’t go 55
I. CAN’T. DRIVE.

FIFTY FIVE!!!!!!!!!

You need to talk to either a cop or a lawyer about citizens arrests. There is no such thing.

I beg to differ (although perhaps detention might be more accurate than arrest.

You really need to get better acquainted with the law regarding what is and is not a vehicle, and what is and is not obstructing traffic.

We’ve been over this before, and the law says obstructing a right of way is illegal.

I gotta go plow down some bikers now.

I’ll be back.

I beg to differ (although perhaps detention might be more accurate than arrest.

You talked (well, signed… )(forget that, it was mean) to a cop or a lawyer aready?

Did they tell you how assinine it is to attach property to a large moveable object and expect it to stay in one place? Especially if that large moveable object is someone elses private property?

Binky, you know I love it when you call me ‘bikers’.

Binky, instead of making mean comments and crossing them out, why don’t you just try not making them at all?

And mnblrmkr is hard of hearing, not deaf or mute.

kthxbai.

Fair ’nuff, max.

Now make way for the grown-ups, okay?

»» Submitted by Binky .357 at 4:27 PM on May 22

You talked (well, signed… )(forget that, it was mean) to a cop or a lawyer aready?

»» Submitted by Binky .357 at 4:51 PM on May 22

Binky…take your own advice and make way for the grown-ups.

wow, do we REALLY have to post the law stating that bicycles are street-legal vehicles on everything except highways again?

I mean, REALLY? Are you just that much of an ignorant twat that you still don’t realize that bikes are just as legal on the streets as cars?

Why do we even bother? This guy’s a joke.

Or maybe you could just avoid the whole absurd situation and, oh gee…and this is just a stab in the dark, follow the rules of the owner of the lot. Seems like a silliness that’s easily avoided.

I agree that there may be no point arguing, Wayne, but please steer clear of calling other commentors “twats.”

I’m pretty sure Binky says things like that just to get a reaction. Also, I’d wager he rides a bike and wears patchouli oil on his 357.

wow, do we REALLY have to post the law stating that bicycles are street-legal vehicles on everything except highways again?

Seems to me the law said that bikes are not to obstruct traffic, right?

Or maybe you could just avoid the whole absurd situation and, oh gee…and this is just a stab in the dark, follow the rules of the owner of the lot. Seems like a silliness that’s easily avoided.

Sure… and like I said, the minute I buy a can of pop, a pack of gum, postage stamps, whatever the case, I’m a customer. And I’m entitled to use that lot.

Unless you’re advocating destruction of the environment by driving my gas guzzling SUV up and down that block, looking for parking spots at each place I stop instead of walking, which would seem to be the “eco friendly” choice here…

I guess it would all come out in the wash though, firing up the generator for that angle grinder or the plasma cutter may generate a large carbon footprint, too.

The absurd part, to me, is affixing an object to someone elses private property and then whining to the police when said property meets its inevitable destruction.

minimum speeds.

Impeding traffic.

Sure… and like I said, the minute I buy a can of pop, a pack of gum, postage stamps, whatever the case, I’m a customer. And I’m entitled to use that lot.

Not once you’ve stepped off their property to do business elsewhere, you are then no longer their customer, and your vehicle is no longer parked in compliance with the property owners requirements.

They want that parking spot turned over for the next paying customer, because chances are, while you’re doing additional shopping down the block, they’re going to lose that next customer because there’s no parking spot for him.

So you really drive around with a plasma cutter in your car all the time???

I think it’s bad form for a company to boot someone’s car. I don’t think it’s a good approach and it doesn’t build good customer relations.

Super America should reconsider.

So you really drive around with a plasma cutter in your car all the time???

I have friends in construction.

As for my lock picks, I was able to put my slim jim set to good use… when I went to buy some beer, a lady was asking for a coat hanger at the customer service counter. She said she locked her keys in her car.

Less than two minutes later I’d opened her car and she was on her way home, at least $50 richer for not having had to pay a locksmith.

they’re going to lose that next customer because there’s no parking spot for him.

Does that mean I’m stealing business and ultimately money, from the locksmith, by virtue of being a good samaritan? That, by doing a good deed I’m taking food off his, and his families plate?

Does that mean I’m stealing business and ultimately money, from the locksmith, by virtue of being a good samaritan? That, by doing a good deed I’m taking food off his, and his families plate?

Not sure what the locksmith has to do with anything. Of course the locksmith has no expectation of any specific business. Neither does the Super America have any right to expect you will shop at their store instead of the Holiday across the street. But the SA does have the right to expect that the parking they provide will be utilized by people shopping in their store, rather than people shopping across the street.

If you wanna make a statement: a half-dozen people could buy $200 cars, buy a Slurpee-type drink leave them to get booted, and let them sit.

Better yet: Groups of people on consecutive busy Saturday afternoons for a month.

Yeah, there’s be some towing and some fines. But SA might get the message after they have lost enough customers that this isn’t good business practice.

I like the way u think, Rat.

But SA might get the message after they have lost enough customers that this isn’t good business practice

Do you have a Speedy Rewards card for that towing?

ARRRRRRRGH arrgh arrrrgharrrgharrrgh mooooooo

idiots

Minneapolis just needs its own ANGLE GRINDER-MAN!

http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&q=angle%20grinder%20man&um=1&ie=UTF-8&sa=N&tab=wi

I nominate Binky!