CompUSA parking fiasco

[DannyWilliams]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

Ok so you are TIMED when parking there?
No make sense....
Let's assume that customers parking there are shopping inside the store.
If they feel that this given car has been sitting there way too long, shouldn't they be making a overhead page too make sure the customer is in the store before calling the tow company?


What is the exact wording COMP USA posts in their lot?
Unless I missed it in this thread I think they need to spell it out crystal clear.

This is why I think every car should come equipped with some deterrent to harm people who touch or come near cars.

You just made me think of that scene in the 1981 movie "For Your Eyes Only" where the bad guys was coming upon the nice white sports car Roger Moore parked and they were banging on the windows with their shotguns and *KA-BOOM*

[scrivener]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

Ok so you are TIMED when parking there?
No make sense.

Sure it does. If the store is going to tow your vehicle, it's going to document events as they happen. When someone first notices a car being left in the lot while the driver goes elsewhere, it's going to be somebody's job to make sure that's recorded.

Let's assume that customers parking there are shopping inside the store. If they feel that this given car has been sitting there way too long, shouldn't they be making a overhead page too make sure the customer is in the store before calling the tow company?

Of course, but that doesn't have anything to do with what happened. The store was closed, remember? So there would be no point in paging the customer. Plus, these people were observed to be leaving their cars in the CompUSA lot and going elsewhere.

[DannyWilliams]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

I aint talking about the ppl that got their cars towed.
If you take too long while shopping at the store

DO YOU GET YOUR CAR TOWED NO MATTER WHAT?

People do spend at least an hour or more shopping at a store like COMP USA.


It is obvious that you are being observed when you misuse and abuse their parking lot space that a tow truck is on it way to take your vehicle away.

[tvguy]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

When your car gets towed, it's easy to feel like a victim. Especially since the initial fear is that you car's been stolen. I live in an area where I have to park on the street, and in the morning on one side, your car has to be moved by 6:30am and in the afternoons, by 3:30pm on the other side. Since it's near downtown, these things are strictly enforced. I've unfortunately missed the 6:30 am deadline a couple times and was very pissed off. BUT, rules are rules, and while it sucks to have to pay the towing fee on top of your parking ticket, well, it's the law.

While I can't speak for the terrible treatment these folks got at 24/7, I'd have to side with CompUSA for enforcing the regulations posted on their property. The lady can't make any excuse for not following what's posted on the signs. But their treatment at the tow company was awful.

That said, the towing company contracted by the city to remove cars in my area has acted in the past in my eyes as satisfactorily as one would expect a tow company to. Can't remember their name off-hand, but it's never been a problem getting my car back from their Sand Island lot and they've always let me know how much I needed to pay and that I had to pay cash....they have an ATM on-site. Even though the trucks are out ready to go right before the enforcement times, they follow the law and cannot and will not tow a car until it has been cited by an HPD officer. I've had two occasions where I got to my car past the time and the tow truck was waiting. But with no HPD citation, they could do nothing but drive off. Predatory? To an extent, but they gotta make a living to and if people are violating the law, then too bad for them. Of course i've never thought like that when my car was towed! As for me? I've learned my lesson.

[buzz1941]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

The petite Lily parked at 8:30a and was towed at 8:34a.

Four minutes later? Holy cow. That's pretty aggressive. And deliberate.

[Hellbent]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

So obviously an attendant or someone watches the lot.
But what if I go into compusa and buy something. Then I decide I want a Bale sandwich? I guess the black/white version says I must move my car to the street to buy my sandwich? Or having bought something at compusa, do I get a few minutes leeway?
I'm pretty sure its the former, but that sucks.

[anapuni808]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

why should it suck? parking in a private lot is a privilege, not a right. If the lot has signage stating its policies and I choose to not respect that (as apparently was the case with these two ladies), then I have to take responsiblity for the consequences. The towing company was rude? so what? They don't have to be nice. They are going to get the towing business anyway. So, why should they care? I'm so tired of hearing people whining about the consequences of their actions or for assuming the rules don't apply to them.

and this whole issue has been blown WAY out of proportion. Surely there are other issues that should take precedence over this one? This was nothing more than an expensive inconvenience.

[tutusue]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

Four minutes later? Holy cow. That's pretty aggressive. And deliberate.

My times were off a bit. Here's a quote from one of the links...it's from the general manager of 24/7:

CompUSA opens at 8am.
Violator Aldinger arrived @ 7:45am in a Dodge PJR-xxx walked directly across Ala Manoa Blvd. towards Homeland Security Bldg.
HPD cleared vehicle for tow @ 7:58am
Towed @ 8:18am
_______________________
Violator Lilly Chou arrived @ 8:30am in a Ford GVV xxx walked directly to Restaurant Row
HPD cleared vehicle for tow @ 8:34am
Towed at 8:45am

[TuNnL]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

why should it suck?

Regardless of who had the legal upper hand, it sucks when a paying customer of a store gets her car towed, just because the store wasn’t open at the time she parked. It’s a customer courtesy thing. Rules are created to serve a purpose. That purpose wasn’t being served if the store wasn’t serving customers.

The towing company was rude? so what? They don't have to be nice. They are going to get the towing business anyway. So, why should they care?

Because if they want any chance at landing such lucrative contracts as city and state towing, they will have to demonstrate they have better service then the current vendors who hold those deals. This company it seems, didn’t even have the respect of HPD.

[tutusue]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

The towing company was rude? so what? They don't have to be nice. They are going to get the towing business anyway. So, why should they care?[...]

Because they're human beings, that's why. I hope I never get to the point of expecting people to be rude and uncaring. I know when my 2 competitors are busy on features or episodics that I'm going to get all the commercials. That's no excuse for me to mistreat my clients by being rude, unkind and uncaring.

That said...it's gotta suck to be a towing company employee and be on the receiving end of endless verbal ca-ca every working day.

[joshuatree]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

So obviously an attendant or someone watches the lot.
But what if I go into compusa and buy something. Then I decide I want a Bale sandwich? I guess the black/white version says I must move my car to the street to buy my sandwich? Or having bought something at compusa, do I get a few minutes leeway?
I'm pretty sure its the former, but that sucks.

The answer would be the former, since the parking lot belongs entirely to Comp USA. And the courts would see it in black and white. In the real world, most of us probably play russian roulette so if we get caught, we just need to bite the bullet because we know what we were doing.

This complaint from the two ladies quite honestly has no merit with the exception of the tow company because the tow company did do things wrong, bad attitude, and more importantly, not releasing the cars in an appropriate time frame. If the two ladies focused their complaint on the tow company, I think they would make more progress.

So what can Comp USA do to remedy the bad PR? Perhaps switch tow companies to show their disdain for tow companies that mistreat clients. Maybe convert the parking lot into a paid parking lot so people can use it for other purposes. Those that end up shopping at Comp USA can then get a validation for free parking.

[buzz1941]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

Sounds like the towing was very aggressive, happening just minutes after parking. But if you get there before the store opens, where are you supposed to go? Should be amnesty there.
If you get there AFTER the store opens, and head immediately away from the lot to elsewhere, then you're a fair target.
I wonder how many people have left CompUSA to find their car gone.
BTW, I've never seen CompUSA's parking lot completely full.

[Hellbent]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

why should it suck?
and this whole issue has been blown WAY out of proportion. Surely there are other issues that should take precedence over this one? This was nothing more than an expensive inconvenience.

Why should it suck? Well, I feel that if I bought something at compusa, I should have a little bit of leeway (say 15 minutes) to hop over to Bale to get a quick bite to eat. Of course, legally it doesnt work this way.
I think I agree tho, front page news? not really.

...BTW, I've never seen CompUSA's parking lot completely full.

When they first opened, parking was tough. But now that its more like TVusa now (30% of the store is now TVs) and the fact that best buy opened up, its rarely full. I am guessing, as i go to best buy now =p

[tutusue]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

[...]
I wonder how many people have left CompUSA to find their car gone.

According to yesterday's article in the Advertiser, 100 cars in 2 weeks. Let's see...$195. x 100! And, that's just one parking lot.

BTW, I've never seen CompUSA's parking lot completely full.

Nor have I! Just yesterday there was a bunch of parking available between 12n & 1p when I passed by. Then, again, maybe people are now parking at Restaurant Row while they shop at CompUSA or, maybe, Best Buy is reaping the rewards of the competitor's bad press!

[Hellbent]

Re: CompUSA parking fiasco

OT but I go wherever the price is lowest AND doesnt have a mail in rebate. For now its BB or online.