You may not know it but the Galleria parking patrol could put a boot on your car, something you would have to pay to get removed.
The Galleria wants to make sure only customers are parking in certain areas, and one frequent guest found spending too much time can lead to a parking notice and eventually a boot on your car.
Margarita Laritsky is planning her wedding so she can be forgiven for spending a few hours inside the Galleria.
"I came on a Thursday and a Friday, about two or three hours each, and on the second day, I got a parking ticket pretty much telling me that parking is only for visitors," she said.
The parking notice indicated that Laritsky was a contract parker not in her assigned area; in other words the parking patrol thought Laritsky worked in the Galleria. The notice said if she continues to park in a customer spot, her car would get a boot and Laritsky would have to pay $75 to get that boot removed.
"I kind of laughed, in my head thinking that's funny, I am here two days in a row, I come to the mall too much they think I work there but then it says if it is a mistake call us," she said.
Lartisky says standard parking, which operates the Galleria garages, wanted her to come to the office and register her car in person, but she felt that was extreme.
How did the parking patrol even know Laritsky was spending so much time at the mall?
"They go around with a hand-held computer and they put in your license plate number; if it shows up multiple times, they will give you a notice," Laritsky said.
It may sound far fetched but we when spoke with Galleria officials, they directed us to the mall's parking rules web site. It says, "Occasionally, frequent legitimate guests of the Galleria may receive a parking notice of violation. If you are a regular guest of the Galleria, you may be asked to submit a completed parking exemption form, available from the Galleria Parking Office. This form must be completed in its entirety and turned in to the parking office, in person, with proper photo identification."
Laritsky says she did register her car over the phone and says her fiancée had some advice.
"'You probably should not go to the mall as often as you do,' and I said, 'I don't,'" she said.
The Galleria parking rules are designed to keep spaces for customers. However, if you park there too much, you could get one of these notices and eventually a boot if you don't register your car.
