surprise parking bill of $90 from trader joes lot in Bethesda

[Anonymous]

Silly question, how do these companies get access to license plates databases with citizens addresses? I thought that was police business.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Silly question, how do these companies get access to license plates databases with citizens addresses? I thought that was police business.

It’s police and certain entities. My guess would be that there’s a provision for parking enforcement companies, and this is legit enough to pass that test (since it’s authorized by the (distressed and/or malicious) property owner). They’re kind of threading the needle here and presumably they’re just sucking up as much cash as they can before local government catches up to them with better rules against this stuff. Or enforces the laws they already have.

At first glance it doesn’t make sense that a Trader Joe’s would want to bring this negativity/scam to its parking lot but I suspect this one is a zombie in some way anyway. It must be doomed and so the manager or operator or whoever just doesn’t care. That shopping center has always been cursed honestly.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Silly question, how do these companies get access to license plates databases with citizens addresses? I thought that was police business.

It’s police and certain entities. My guess would be that there’s a provision for parking enforcement companies, and this is legit enough to pass that test (since it’s authorized by the (distressed and/or malicious) property owner). They’re kind of threading the needle here and presumably they’re just sucking up as much cash as they can before local government catches up to them with better rules against this stuff. Or enforces the laws they already have.

At first glance it doesn’t make sense that a Trader Joe’s would want to bring this negativity/scam to its parking lot but I suspect this one is a zombie in some way anyway. It must be doomed and so the manager or operator or whoever just doesn’t care. That shopping center has always been cursed honestly.

Thanks! I get the need for license plate billing for highway tolls. I absolutely do. But for a parking vendor to be so utterly fraudulent that they just smack up QR codes and cameras. There's no investment in machines to pay or anything else, and then no in-person people to check that fees are paid and to write tickets. They sit back and scan license plates and send fines. It's abhorrent and I do hope that they are denied license plate data for this purpose. As a taxpayer I'm very much against a for-profit company doing that vs. hiring meter maids, etc.

[Anonymous]

I have reason to think the company collecting the plates (for anyone who parks there) also sells the data (maybe including whatever app you have to download on your phone).

I think this has nothing to do with Trader Joe's and is more about other things.

Do NOT give them any of your financial info (bank routing # if a check, cc info onto their site) if you get a ticket.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If helpful to know, this is apparently a new business model with some parking lots, but this particular one has a complaint here:

https://www.bbb.org/us/fl/hollywood/profile/parking-facilities/vanguard-parking-solutions-inc-0633-92026845/complaints?page=1

and here, for example: https://www.reddit.com/r/florida/comments/1e1j4ct/i_received_a_parking_ticket_in_st_pete_for/

Be aware!!!

In the Reddit example, I would argue the person’s activity did not meet the definition of “park.” And I’d challenge that charge.

But they entered at 9:18 and left at 3:58....according to the photos.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Silly question, how do these companies get access to license plates databases with citizens addresses? I thought that was police business.

Slate article states that many of these companies are being sued

https://slate.com/technology/2024/09/parking-lot-fines-ai-privacy-regal-movie-theaters-abm-industries.html

[Anonymous]

Great article. Thanks for sharing.

Good to know about this federal law and need for strengthening + enforcing it.

[Anonymous]

What happens if you don’t pay it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think this is the most relevant forum for this but pls correct if wrong. Hope to make people aware of this to prevent harm.

I got a surprise bill in the mail from Vanguard Parking Solutions in Hollywood Florida, with photos of my license plate, for $58+ (more if not paid now, with threat of collections) for parking there for 2 hours on the day of a tornado and failing to see a barcode to scan. This is new there. Warning ppl--I'm not sure how folks will deal with this who are don't see the sign, don't scan barcodes (I asked around and many ppl I know esp elderly ones who shop there don't even do this) etc.

fwiw I called them and left a message explaining, with my phone # listed 3 times, no response and today got another bill for $90 with same threat.

It's a thread on reddit, mostly in Florida but new to Bethesda.

Any insights--should I just pay this, do my civic duty with MD Atty General's office, and never park there again?

Let me guess, some hedge fund or parasite investor umbrella owns this company?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That location is just so annoying anyway! The parking lot is cramped with tight turns, the building is dingy and has a weird, unpleasant, layout. The elevators take forever and the stairs are outside. The aisles of the TJ's are super narrow. The Target had sewer smells the last time I went, and always looks like a dump.

I bet this extra issue brings a lot more business to the new Trader Joe's, also in downtown Bethesda. Parking is great there.

Have they resolved the walk-off parking issue at the new TJ's in Bethesda? I stopped going there because the garage was full of cars but clearly not all of those people were in the store. The last time I was there, I had to wait for a spot, and there were maybe 3 other people shopping in the store. Even factoring in employees, that's a lot of other cars.

The parking situation at the new TJs in Bethesda is really bad. Every once in a while now, they have an employee checking car plates. So that’s some progress. But it seems that many many people from the apartment building over TJ and also just folks going to other stores are parking there, especially when the lot is full but then the store itself is not busy at all. I have literally driven out several times after unsuccessfully finding parking even at odd hours. It’s super annoying for those of us who want to do our shopping at TJs.

Come on out to Rockville. We have two TJs with nice free surface lots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That location is just so annoying anyway! The parking lot is cramped with tight turns, the building is dingy and has a weird, unpleasant, layout. The elevators take forever and the stairs are outside. The aisles of the TJ's are super narrow. The Target had sewer smells the last time I went, and always looks like a dump.

I bet this extra issue brings a lot more business to the new Trader Joe's, also in downtown Bethesda. Parking is great there.

Have they resolved the walk-off parking issue at the new TJ's in Bethesda? I stopped going there because the garage was full of cars but clearly not all of those people were in the store. The last time I was there, I had to wait for a spot, and there were maybe 3 other people shopping in the store. Even factoring in employees, that's a lot of other cars.

The parking situation at the new TJs in Bethesda is really bad. Every once in a while now, they have an employee checking car plates. So that’s some progress. But it seems that many many people from the apartment building over TJ and also just folks going to other stores are parking there, especially when the lot is full but then the store itself is not busy at all. I have literally driven out several times after unsuccessfully finding parking even at odd hours. It’s super annoying for those of us who want to do our shopping at TJs.

Come on out to Rockville. We have two TJs with nice free surface lots.

There's another nicer TJs just down Wisconsin Ave in Bethesda. So far with free (although underground) parking. And there will be one in Friendship Heights soon, hopefully with validated parking. I personally like the Glover Park one the best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What happens if you don’t pay it?

Collections and ruined credit. Enjoy that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Silly question, how do these companies get access to license plates databases with citizens addresses? I thought that was police business.

It’s police and certain entities. My guess would be that there’s a provision for parking enforcement companies, and this is legit enough to pass that test (since it’s authorized by the (distressed and/or malicious) property owner). They’re kind of threading the needle here and presumably they’re just sucking up as much cash as they can before local government catches up to them with better rules against this stuff. Or enforces the laws they already have.

At first glance it doesn’t make sense that a Trader Joe’s would want to bring this negativity/scam to its parking lot but I suspect this one is a zombie in some way anyway. It must be doomed and so the manager or operator or whoever just doesn’t care. That shopping center has always been cursed honestly.

If only we have California data laws because a CCPA request would be the perfect response to the ticket

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What happens if you don’t pay it?

Collections and ruined credit. Enjoy that.

Challenging the debt would be easy and they have no proof

[Anonymous]

They should stick to FL and TX. So. many. DOJ lawyers and IRS folks around here.