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-   -   Parking lot attendants using cars for driving lessons - Racket unearthed (https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/street-experiences/120000-parking-lot-attendants-using-cars-driving-lessons-racket-unearthed.html)

Came across this shocking news in the TOI about the parking lot attendants using the car for giving driving lessons. The racket was unearthed when one such outing resulted in the death of a pedestrian.:Shockked: One thing that puzzles me is that are the keys normally handed over to the attendants after parking? I was under the impression that the parking lots are given to private contractors and generally used to park, not hand over the keys to attendants:Frustrati. Has any BHPian experienced this?

The link is below for further details. Again this is TOI report which needs to be confirmed.

Parking lot attendants use our cars to give driving lessons, with deadly effect - The Times of India

At least in congested office/market/metro station parking areas of Delhi, Attendants take the keys and tie it in a big bunch having 50-60 keys for cars which are parked back to back. I used hesitate a lot in handing over the keys and preferred to park somewhere safe. While reversing the cars for taking out a car which is behind that car, the way they do it, will put professional car drifters to shame. So its highly unsafe to fall into this scenario.

One more thing they do is to ask the owner to leave the car in neutral, disengage the parking brake, so that they could push the vehicle back and front in order to make space for the cars behind.

Not sure but i have never seen this in Bangalore, other than the wallet parking areas you never need to give keys to the parking attendants, although i must add i have not used the Metro parking areas it might happen there.

Is there any area in Bangalore where one has to hand over the car keys?

It happens a lot in congested office areas in Gurgaon. I usually avoid such situations and tell the attendant that I will not give him the keys. This is because I have seen these guys ruthlessly reverse the cars in the lot. Though, on odd days, when I am rushing for office, and do not have the time to bargain my place, I have to agree to give them my keys.

I have seen my meter go up by upto 1 km in their custody. Though I doubt, it could provide somebody a driving lesson.

Cheers,
Tapish

This happens at Pune Railway Station. At the peak hours, due to lack of parking space we need to give the keys to the attendant. Though, I have never experienced any increase in the odo reading.

I have seen this at the open parking space next to Manipal Center.

How do ensure he is an authorized attendant, does he wear some badge? The only time when I have handed over my car keys to an attendant is when I used to visit the star rated hotels for official meetings or parties. That wayI know for sure that the hotel will be ensuring nothing happens to my car. At all other times nayy.

This is India, that too Pune Railyway Station :) No Badge/ID proof.

Though I had to give him keys only once or twice rest all times I luckily got the parking.

Almost all the star hotels in Bangalore have valet parking and we typically leave the keys with the parking attendants.

The Lifestyle stores in Magrath road have valet parking as well but I've observed that the keys are kept in the front of the store in a numbered box. Once we give the valet parking coupon to the valets, they ask the security guard who hands them the keys after checking the number on the coupon.

Well, one more reason for me to continue with my valet parking averseness. Last time in Chennai I refused to give the keys to valet in Lifestyle/ fame cinemas mall in Virugambakkam on seeing the way they were driving cars in basement. Same in Brand Factory Marthahalli, Bangalore.

Made me remember another scam that had happened in Calicut many years back. While a family was having dinner at a resturant one guy posing as valet came and asked key from the owner saying they need to re park his car to help another vehicle to be driven out. Unsuspecting owner gave the keys only to find his car and also the so called valet missing after his dinner

This is appalling!
With the amount of casualness with which we hand over our keys to random cleaning-boys and parking attendants, this was bound to happen sometime.

I have myself caught my car-cleaning-boy driving my car in the compound. He no longer works for me. For the current one, I typically unlock the car myself and take the keys with me.

One question -> Would the car owner also be booked in a scenario like this where somebody dies or gets seriously hurt under his/her car?

This incident is shocking but not surprising. What a crude way to earn a living at the expense of someone's life.

I have always been averse to handing my car to the valet guys be it the malls, hotels or anywhere. This incident only reinforces my stance against the valet parking system. If you can drive, why not take the effort and park your car yourself! As such, the parking attendants/valet guys never have any accountability. They can get away with anything.

Yes, the car owner is liable for anything that happens with the car since the car is registered in his name. Like the example mentioned in the link, the Jeweller was held responsible for the accident and had to pay the TP liability to the deceased.

It makes it all imp to ensure that even when you have sold you car the transfer of ownership takes place at the earliest so that the liability is no longer yours.:Frustrati

ghodlur, what you are saying is absolutely correct if the car is driven by a minor. In such cases, the owner gets booked for the offence on the grounds of negligence on his/her part that the minor got access to the car.

The TOI link does not mention the jewller's name. The report says, he was called to the police station for questioning. There is no mention of him being booked for any offence. It mentions that Umesh Pawar (who was at the wheel) has been arrrested. The parking-lot attendent Mahendra Bhoir and the parking-lot contractor Shankar Jha 'might' be booked. The jewller's name apprears nowhere in the list of probable offenders. In fact, he is one of the victims here.

In my opinion, the jewller can take a stand that the vehicle was driven without his knowledge and without his consent. So in a way, its a theft and neither him nor his insurance company are liable for paying any compensation/damages.

I remember reading the clauses of my bike's insurance policy a few years back and it mentioned something to the tune of 'if the vehicle is used for any criminal activities, any damage is not covered'. So not sure, if a vehicle is stolen, is the owner still responsible for any damage done to other cars/property/life by the thief?

Sorry for the OT on this thread. May be I should take this query to the insurance thread.