On Wednesday night my girlfriend and I went out to a resturaunt we always eat at twice a month. I valeted the car as usual (noticed a few new faces) and went in for dinner. After dinner (about 2 hours) came out and gave the guy my ticket, paid the valet fee and left him his tip. Got into the car and drove away and noticed my girlfriends window was down so I asked her "Did you roll the window down just now?!" She replied with a "No, why?!". So I got to a stop light about 2 blocks down and started to look for my phone (which I decided to leave so no one would bother me during dinner with her). Noticed it was missing?! Then I looked in the back seat for my briefcase GONE my day planner GONE my new Nextel Blackberry Box (2 days old by the way ) my 3 coats I just bought earlier that day from Nordstroms that was hanging in the coat hanger behind my seat GONE

I immediatly pulled over and checked the trunk thinking the guy for whatever reason threw my stuff in the trunk, NOTHING! At that point I was pissed and annoyed. So I bolted back to the Valet, pulled up and asked the guy where the hell my stuff was?!!?

He replied
"It was all in the car when I parked it dood"
Me: "Well obviosuly it's not in the car anymore, so where could it be?!"
My girlfriend "When I first entered the car my window was down?! Did you roll it up before you left the car?!"
Valet guy: "I believe so?!?!"
Me "Well when I left the car with you ALL the windows were up bro?!"

So his manager just came back from I guess a break and I expalined everything, this guy had the nerve to suggest that I might of threw everything out to get new stuff

I replied
"I eat here every Friday, infact I have a Executive Pass to this resutraunt bud and have been eating here for the past 2 years! Don't get me wrong, but I have no reason to throw my own stuff out which holds alot of valuable clientel information in means to get it replaced for free by you?! I have no problem buying it new with my own money!"

At that point the Valet manager went inside and got the Westgate Hotel Manager.

After all that the guy that valeted my car explained how busy it was when I droppped off my car (which it was) when he was going to park my car (which they own a lot 2 blocks down is where they park the cars I just learned then) he rolled my windows down. He parked the car, hit the window switches and hit the lock button and ran back to the Valet area to park more cars. I guess he didn't hit the passenger front switch hard enough and it didn't roll up IDIOT By the way this resutraunt is loacted downtown San Diego (so it's got its ups and downs every other block with alot of bums). The police officer said some bum problably got into the car and took everything, luck me it wasn't a car thief or I could of lost my screens and sound system, DVDs CDS etc etc.

In the end I'm getting a new Blackberry (again!) and new briefcase and coats. But all...ALL that client information is lost. There is sensitive information in some files but not to the extent of SSN#'s and such. After 3 hours of explaining and police reports etc etc and going through reciepts providing proof and serial numbers the hotel is going to replace my items and charge it to the valet guy that parked my car Kinda sucks but hey its called R E S P O N S I B I L I T Y

Be careful people with these valet people, what a night *sigh*

 

Sucks for the Valet guy, but if I were him i'd get a lawyer (unless that hotel pays him really well and doens't want to lose his job) Hotel's have insurance for those types of things.

Glad to hear you're getting compensated for the missing items.

 

Damn man that sucks! I'm a valet at a casino here in New Orleans and we can't even change the radio station. Where we valet our cars is a block and a half away so we have to get on the road too. I'm about to move downtown in the Franch Quater so I can make a lot more money, hope this never happens to me.
Richard

 

sorry to hear that, really sad experience. i do feel bad about the valet guy though, it's his responsiblity but i really don't know if he should be financially responsible. like someone said, there is something called insurance that the hotel bought, which will cover this. they can fire this peson in the worst case for failing his job duty, but i don't think it's right that they put him financially responsible.

moreover, even more importantly, i would file formal complain about the valet manager about his rude behavior and what i consider as insulting comments. i wouldn't even blind my eyes twice if he get fired coz' of that.

btw i am moving this thread, definitely has nothing to do with racing

 

Little secret, theyre not really going to charge it to the valet guy. Thats a little white lie they say to make the angry customer, feel better. Happens in the retail and customer service world all the time.
Odds are if he is a good employee besides this, he still wont get fired, at worst case scenario hell get some sort of disciplinary paper work to fill out. But honestly, most likely scenario is he gets a stern "Dont do it again" talk.

The guy did a human error, think about it, your busting your *** parking all these cars, sooner or later youre prone to making a mistake.

What you think they dont have insurance policies just for this kinda things?

His manager though is an idiot for saying such things, If I were the supervisor, id would be much more harsh on this guy then on the actual valet driver.

 

most likely the guy wont have to pay for it but be put on probation. Doesnt valet parking lots have cameras? if so arent you curious as to what happened?

 

Yes, but what about your responsibility not to leave personal client information lying around the back seat or expensive clothes hanging in plain sight? I've never used a valet that didn't have disclaimers all over the place (posted signs, on the back of the ticket, etc.) absolving them of responsibility for damage to the car or loss of contents within. I'm also shocked that they didn't give you a hard time for driving away, feeding you a line about how all claims must be filed before leaving the premises.

This is why, when I do have to leave valuable items in my car when using a valet, I put everything in the trunk and/or glove box and actually use the "valet key" that doesn't give them access to those areas. I also check my car for damage before driving away, just in case.

I'm glad it's going to work out for you, but just remember that responsibility is a two-way street. You have to accept responsibility for your own actions as well, which includes some degree of poor judgement in this case.

 

no one touches my car except for me, if something happens its my fault only, dont have to risk other people screwing up

 

I am soo glad we don't have much in the way of valet parking here in Oklahoma. I don't let anyone drive my car and would drive the extra distance to park it myself.

Glad it got taken care of man

Jonny

 

What he said.

This is one reason I don't valet my car. My wife does but I refuse. I have a bad temper and I would have ripped everyone a new one. To protect myself, I don't valet. When I am with my wife in her car, she insists on valeting but we put everything in the trunk and walk around the car when it comes back.

 

I probably woulda lost it, punched out some people, got arrested....

Sorry to hear about your experience.

 

Never leave anything, especially of value, in sight in your car. Everything goes in the trunk or hidden and out of sight.

I learned this lesson the hard way.

 

Man, that really sucks.
That's why I NEVER valet my car. I've left clubs/bars before because they only did valet. I don't trust anyone with my cars.

 

I would NEVER valet park my car. I've witnessed way too many accidents at the hands of valet staff, especially in downtown San Diego. It's not worth the risk for the convenience IMHO.

 

This actually reminds me of a valet expierence of my own. I valet my car at the Hyatt hotel in downtown SD for a wedding, so it was parked for several hours. After the reception was over and I went to grab my car, the valet driver, as he hands my cousin the keys (I was a bit tipsy) says "man, that's a fast car" my immediate response was "how would you know, all you're suppose to do is park it!" he shrugged and just walked away. I was too tired and drunk to persue it any further, just got in the car and went home.