“We are not honest people”

I found this tucked in a response to a blog entry below and thought it needed some comment:

I have
been in the "Valet Parking" profession for quite some time now, and I
have seen a lot, heard a lot and swallowed a lot too. It seems to be an almost general tendency from the public that we try to serve and to assist the believe that
generally we are not honest people, or that we have no regard for other
people’s personal property. I know that you all cover the world with this site called JVH, and I would like to know if it is the worldwide feeling since I only know from experiencing this one at good old USA.

Actually, parking pros are disliked equally world wide. Its horrendous in the UK, with folks attacking parking wardens and there are big issues in the Philippines, India, and across Europe. People are people and everywhere they believe that parking should be free, and that those who charge for parking are ripping them off.

Its this "parking should be free" notion that causes all the problems. Nothing else on earth, except perhaps air, is free. However we park free in front of our houses, and businesses and cities subsidize parking everywhere, so naturally when you find a lot that charges, you think someone is ripping you off.

And of course, the people that run those garages (and Valet operations) are caught up in the feeling. From time to time, a Valet strays from the straight and narrow, and CNN is on the spot with cameras and microphones, doing an expose. There is no expose about the people who yell at valets, who don’t tip, who complain about paying $5 to valet their car after they paid $20 for a Martini or $75 for a steak dinner. Its the way it is, if it bleeds it leads.

We have to keep our wits about us and deal with it. Just remember, they are the ones that are turning over a $30,000 car and getting a 1 cent piece of paper in return. There has to be some trust there somewhere.

All the best

JVH