On January 27th, 2015 around 11:00 PM, I drove into my apartment complex's (Park Plaza) parking lot and parked in what I thought was a legitimate parking spot. There were 4 other people with me in the car (we had just gotten back from the gym) and all of them were convinced it was a spot as well, it wasn't just me. I went to my apartment for about a half an hour but heard the sound of a large deisel truck outside my window and went to go investigate. It was the Parkway Authorities putting a boot on my car. I walked up to the man and asked him why he was booting me. He said I was parked in motorcycle parking.
I then explained to him that I had no idea it wasn't a parking spot because the paint was so faded, it was an honest mistake. He claimed that there was a sign so I should have known. I tried to explain to him that because there was enough room between the sign and the car to my right, I assumed I could park there since there was no red curb or visible paint to indicate otherwise. I told him I would gladly move my car and he said I would have to pay for him to remove the boot since he had already finished putting it on my tire.
It got heated because I felt like I was being unfairly treated and had offered to move my car, and because I called him out on being predatory and he got offended. He threatened to call the cops on me unless I calmed down. I realized it was an empty threat but I did anyway. He then explained to me that he couldn't remove the boot without me paying because he needed to teach me and the other young adults in Provo a lesson and hoped that I would learn to be more careful next time. I (against my better judgement) gave him my credit card to pay to get the boot off and moved my car to a different spot.
Since being booted, I have called the company to try to explain the situation and get my money back. According to their policies, I needed to fill out a form, send a copy of the receipt and write a detailed letter explaining the situation, and they would get back to me within 6 weeks. I also sent them a picture of what it looked like to help them realize that it was poorly marked and therefore confusing. I went to my aparment complex's office and talked to the manager, who informed me that they couldn't do anything for me and I would have to deal with Parkway Authorities.
I have called Parkway Authorities a couple times, since I turned in the requested documents over 8 weeks ago, to check in and see what the status of my dispute was. Most of the time I have left a message, but even when I spoke to an actual person they just took my name and told me someone would get back to me. That has never happened. I even called my credit card company to dispote the charge as a last-ditch effort to get my money back. I explained the situation and they told me that because it was a service and I signed for the charge there was nothing they could do. They connected me to Parkway Authorities, who once again took my name and number and failed to return my call. The person who booted me is apparently one of the managers, so that makes it even more difficult to get my money back since he will be biased.
All I wanted was closure, and hopefully to get my money back. I felt EXTREMELY unfairly treated. It was an honest mistake and since then the motorcycle parking spot has been repainted and they added a red curb as well. If that isn't the biggest admission of guilt, I don't know what is. Honestly, these booters are predetory. They are paid by commisions, which is why they are so insensitive and unwilling to listen or compromise. They take advantage of young adults and steal their money. I hear them drive through my apartment complex every night just looking for their next victim. If they were really trying to educate and teach a lesson as they have claimed to me, they could at least let you off with a warning for your first offense. I know that the Mayor of Provo has been in dealings with predatory booting and towing companies in the past, I just hope that this report serves as some help in that case.
Parkway Authority Reviews
On January 27th, 2015 around 11:00 PM, I drove into my apartment complex's (Park Plaza) parking lot and parked in what I thought was a legitimate parking spot. There were 4 other people with me in the car (we had just gotten back from the gym) and all of them were convinced it was a spot as well, it wasn't just me. I went to my apartment for about a half an hour but heard the sound of a large deisel truck outside my window and went to go investigate. It was the Parkway Authorities putting a boot on my car. I walked up to the man and asked him why he was booting me. He said I was parked in motorcycle parking.
I then explained to him that I had no idea it wasn't a parking spot because the paint was so faded, it was an honest mistake. He claimed that there was a sign so I should have known. I tried to explain to him that because there was enough room between the sign and the car to my right, I assumed I could park there since there was no red curb or visible paint to indicate otherwise. I told him I would gladly move my car and he said I would have to pay for him to remove the boot since he had already finished putting it on my tire.
It got heated because I felt like I was being unfairly treated and had offered to move my car, and because I called him out on being predatory and he got offended. He threatened to call the cops on me unless I calmed down. I realized it was an empty threat but I did anyway. He then explained to me that he couldn't remove the boot without me paying because he needed to teach me and the other young adults in Provo a lesson and hoped that I would learn to be more careful next time. I (against my better judgement) gave him my credit card to pay to get the boot off and moved my car to a different spot.
Since being booted, I have called the company to try to explain the situation and get my money back. According to their policies, I needed to fill out a form, send a copy of the receipt and write a detailed letter explaining the situation, and they would get back to me within 6 weeks. I also sent them a picture of what it looked like to help them realize that it was poorly marked and therefore confusing. I went to my aparment complex's office and talked to the manager, who informed me that they couldn't do anything for me and I would have to deal with Parkway Authorities.
I have called Parkway Authorities a couple times, since I turned in the requested documents over 8 weeks ago, to check in and see what the status of my dispute was. Most of the time I have left a message, but even when I spoke to an actual person they just took my name and told me someone would get back to me. That has never happened. I even called my credit card company to dispote the charge as a last-ditch effort to get my money back. I explained the situation and they told me that because it was a service and I signed for the charge there was nothing they could do. They connected me to Parkway Authorities, who once again took my name and number and failed to return my call. The person who booted me is apparently one of the managers, so that makes it even more difficult to get my money back since he will be biased.
All I wanted was closure, and hopefully to get my money back. I felt EXTREMELY unfairly treated. It was an honest mistake and since then the motorcycle parking spot has been repainted and they added a red curb as well. If that isn't the biggest admission of guilt, I don't know what is. Honestly, these booters are predetory. They are paid by commisions, which is why they are so insensitive and unwilling to listen or compromise. They take advantage of young adults and steal their money. I hear them drive through my apartment complex every night just looking for their next victim. If they were really trying to educate and teach a lesson as they have claimed to me, they could at least let you off with a warning for your first offense. I know that the Mayor of Provo has been in dealings with predatory booting and towing companies in the past, I just hope that this report serves as some help in that case.