Booting is on the rise in New York City.
Drivers who don’t pay up for traffic tickets are more likely to have their cars ensnared than they have been at any point since before the pandemic all but shut down enforcement, according to city data.
New Yorkers’ vehicles were immobilized 134,945 times in 2023. That’s more than quadruple the number of boots clamped onto wheels throughout the city in 2020, when only 31,379 vehicles were captured by the devices’ metal fangs.
Drivers who fail to pay $350 or more in parking or traffic camera tickets within 100 days of their issuance are subject to booting.
Many booted vehicles get towed away. If their owners don’t retrieve them, the city can sell them at auction.
…
Replace with spare tire: 10-15 minutes.
Chopping “revenue generator” off with angle grinder: 10-15 minutes.
Total costs: 20-30 minutes.
For anyone seriously considering this tactic, they already have your license plate and VIN when they boot your car. If you manage to remove the wheel and destroy the boot, many jurisdictions will come after you for damage to city property and it will cost you a lot more than paying to get the boot off. I had a buddy who found this out the hard way.
It was tongue in cheek. I only ever do this with my neighbors ride anyway.
Hey, while we’re on the subject, does anyone remember the forum thread that went viral a few years ago of a guy whose HOA booted his car, and he managed to hide the booted car in his garage and the towing company freaked out? He updated the forum posts as the saga developed, and it’s a very funny read.
https://www.jeepforum.com/threads/epic-hoa-parking-boot-battle.572540/
I loved that story but felt it was left unresolved.
I haven’t seen that before, it was marvellous, thanks for sharing. What an epic