Comments on: Did Mickey take my SUV for a spin?

By: Matt

Matt — Fri, 12 Sep 2008 21:38:54 +0000

I cant say much at this point as there is pending legal action. But i was the victim of this…the only difference is that the SECURITY GUARD at the hotel i was staying at STOLE my car.

I will say this. The hotel CAN be held liable, as can the valet company if it is an overt action by one of its employees.

By: Chicky

Chicky — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 14:47:34 +0000

Or, do both. Even if the photo doesn’t come out, if the valet sees you taking a photo of the odometer AND writing the mileage on the claim check, he or she will be much less likely to do anything with your car other than park it.

However, on my cell phone, I can immediately see whether the photo is clear or not, and can opt to delete it and take another one. Most phones have this feature, I believe. With the claim check and a time-stamped photo from the cell phone, you’ve got two sources of solid backup — just in case.

By: Lyngengr

Lyngengr — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 17:37:49 +0000

Rather than take a picture of your odometer with a cell phone camera, which may or may not come out, why not write down your mileage on the claim ticket they give you? Make a big deal out of it – when they hand you the ticket, sit back down in the drivers seat, jot down the odometer reading, and then let them know you don’t expect more than a tenth of a mile difference when you pick it up.

By: Victor

Victor — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:36:29 +0000

When I was in college, I worked as a parking valet and bellman at the Omni International Hotel (now the Sheraton Norfolk Waterside) in Virginia. I can tell you that perhaps 87% off all the horror stories you’ve heard about valets are true. We’d race through the parking garage at blistering speeds, blasting the radio, burning rubber, and having near-collisions on an almost-daily basis. Of course, now I regret having done this, but it was the culture of the place at the time. If someone brought in a fancy sports car, we’d keep it near the front until another sports car came in, and then we’d have a little drag race for about a quarter mile along Waterside Drive on route to the garage. If you drive a boring old SUV, however, you probably don’t have too much to worry about.

By: Genna R.

Genna R. — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 15:23:58 +0000

I appreciate Chicky’s suggestion that you take a photo of the odometer. My husband had this happen once in a hotel in Wash, D.C. He was driving his sporty BWM M3 (which may have been his mistake.) For a variety of specific reasons (including odometer irregularities), he was certain that his car had been driven during his stay. Conveniently, the hotel investigation concluded that security camera had been ‘out of focus’ for that period. Without concrete proof, there was nothing he could do. He’ll be ‘documenting’ the odometer reading from now on.

By: Chicky

Chicky — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:42:01 +0000

Just goes to show you why it’s a good idea to take out your handy-dandy cell phone camera and take a photo of the odometer right before you hand over the keys. Remember what happened with the Porsche in “Ferris Bueller’s Day Off”?

It’s a shame you have to be so suspicious these days.

Disney can afford four park passes. They do understand the concept that goodwill is more valuable than good advertising, and reaches a lot more people. Heck, those park passes didn’t cost a tenth of what they spend on one TV spot.

By: Passing Through

Passing Through — Sun, 17 Aug 2008 13:36:06 +0000

Four park tickets? They’re making up for something… thats for sure.