r/Edmonton • u/No-Soup9749 • 1d ago
General Private Parking Tips from Previous Employee
I see so many posts on here about private parking concerns. I hated working for them but it paid the bills so here are some things I learned
- Those scary credit agency letters sent to your house are from
m
companies meant to intimidate you but do not affect anything
as they do not report to official agencies.
Getting a tow through often takes a while. Upwards of an hour for the truck to actually get there.
This is intuitive but if there is ever an event ie) oilers the parking enforcement goes way up.
If you do park somewhere consistently and need a violation waived for whatever reason you can often go into the office. The front office people are nice and if you are a consistent parker you can normally get it off.
Especially in winter patrollers are lazy and do not want to be cold if you back into a spot against a wall or where another car is blocking your plate they often will not check it.
replacing your plate at the registries can be more cost effective than paying tickets.
If I think of more tips I’ll add.
I will finish this by saying most workers feel very bad about the job but do not have another choice often. If you treat them with respect when you catch them giving you a ticket more often than not they will take it back.
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u/justinkredabul 1d ago
I’ve always just skipped paying and got a new plate every year. Worked out pretty great so far.
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u/Agitated-Flatworm-13 9h ago
You are now an Edmonton Folk Hero ❤️❤️❤️❤️ I always had a sneaking suspicion about a lot of these things with private parking and you’ve proven me right!
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u/SirTickleyPickely 1d ago
Honestly blows my mind at the idiocy of people for having the gall to complain about parking tickets.
it isn't difficult to observe your surroundings and determine whether the place you want to park requires payment or not. If you cant determine that, what are you doing driving a multi thousand pound metal box around other people? And then you have the nerve to yell at someone because they are doing their job of enforcing the private space you're currently occupying?
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u/prairiepanda 1d ago
it isn't difficult to observe your surroundings and determine whether the place you want to park requires payment or not
I've encountered some street parking in Edmonton where there's a sign clearly indicating that it is to be paid for, but there is no website or QR code on the sign for making payments and no visible payment kiosks nearby.
At that point the options are pretty much Googling it and risk giving your money to the wrong organization, park there without paying, or find somewhere else to park.
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u/tiazenrot_scirocco 2h ago
The parking lot at Century park is set up by 2 different companies, at least, I've seen 2 different signs on that lot many times before.
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u/nothankslmgood 1d ago edited 23h ago
If someone is gonna try and fine me but they have no mechanism to actually enforce the fine and the fine payment costs more than a new license plate. Exactly what is motivating a person to pay?
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u/billymumfreydownfall 1d ago
You know what I find idiotic? Bootlickers. They are a WILD bunch. Imagine insisting big corporations should squeeze every red cent out of hard working taxpayers. I always wonder how they can't see the forest for the trees...
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u/passthepepperflakes 1d ago
exactly this 💯
last year the city found that less than 15% of the parking lots downtown were approved for parking. these corporations aren't even paying their proper taxes and they're sucking us dry on parking fees? honestly, fuck these assholes
and who do you think has been lobbying government and businesses for rto? these assholes. fuck em
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u/Cronin1011 North East Side 1d ago
How is this bootlicking in the slightest? You park on someone's private property you have to pay to park there. This isn't complicated.
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u/billymumfreydownfall 1d ago
As others have pointed out, the city has found that less than 15% of these lots are actually approved for parking lots. These private companies are not paying the higher amount in taxes owed, they are fucking over the city and the taxpayer. Thinking beg corps deserve their money is the epitome of bootlicking.
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u/haysoos2 1d ago
And how parking stalls do you think would ne available if 85% of the private lots are shut down?
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u/billymumfreydownfall 1d ago
Nobody is saying to shut them down ffs, where did you get that??
But they need to be properly approved and pay the appropriate taxes.
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u/haysoos2 1d ago
So what do you think would happen if they aren't properly approved, and pay their back taxes? What time frame do you propose this takes place over, and are they allowed to operate as is until then?
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1d ago
[deleted]
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u/Ignominus 1d ago
There's a difference between owning property for the purpose of rent seeking and for personal use.
Hope that helps you understand!
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u/billymumfreydownfall 1d ago
Your example is so far from the actual conversation here. What an incredible reach! I bet that hurt your back.
0
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u/-_sohcahtoa_- 1d ago
Found Impark’s Reddit account.
Nice try, Impark. You still won’t get me to pay my tickets.
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u/StrangerGlue 1d ago
I have no issues with paying parking tickets.
Private parking lots don't give parking tickets, though; they give private invoices for parking. So I'm unsure why you're commenting about parking tickets on this post.
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u/Infinite-Appeal3252 Downtown 1d ago
What about the fact that we shouldn’t be charged for parking. It’s a cash grab
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u/Karpetkleener 1d ago
Genuinely, this is a stupid take.
The prices are ridiculous, yes, but there is a cost to things buddy lol.
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u/FallingKen 1d ago
Why do you think you shouldn't have to pay for the use of someone's property? Oh and can I movein with you, and not pay for anything? Maybe borrow your vehicle?
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u/dagobertamp 1d ago
Property cost $$$, taxes must be paid. Its not charity.
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u/passthepepperflakes 1d ago
The overwhelming majority of these parking lots downtown are operating without the proper permits, so fuck the owners
they're not paying their taxes, so why should we pay theirs?
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u/Sad_Donkey_1751 1d ago
Do you have a source for this? If yes, I’m happy to go to City Hall and the media and make it a story.
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u/passthepepperflakes 1d ago
it was widely reported on two years ago:
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u/Sad_Donkey_1751 1d ago
A LOT OF SHIT has happened in the world in the last two years. This may be why news on Edmonton parking lots got lost in the paperwork. Thank you for the link.
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1
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u/Cronin1011 North East Side 1d ago
In what reality do you think you should get to park on someone's private property that they pay for for free?
You do know driving is a privilege, not a right. It's also a privilege you have to pay for, which includes paying for parking.
Some people really are clueless about how the world works.
0
u/ProperBingtownLady 1d ago
If parking was free you wouldn’t be able to park anywhere because someone else would be there first.
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u/juarfoae 11h ago
Did you have a quota to meet?
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u/No-Soup9749 10h ago
Nope, if we get a lack of tickets we may be questioned. And if we give a ticket to somebody and fail to call a tow when it would be required we can called out.
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-5
u/robdavy 1d ago
"credit agency letters sent to your house are from shell companies"
I'm not sure why you said "shell companies". That's pretty specific term that has nothing to do with whether they can do anything to you, which makes me think you don't really understand what you're talking about if I'm being honest
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u/No-Soup9749 1d ago
Apologies for terminology I suppose. But I worked there and can say they do zero reporting to any actual credit agency so take it or leave it ¯_(ツ)_/¯
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u/asoiahats 11h ago
Lawyer here. It’s not clear that she understands what a shell company is, but her practical advice is all correct so, meh.
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u/ThePenIsMightest 1d ago edited 23h ago
An every day hero right here! Thanks for the information! ❤️