COMMENT OF THE DAY: ONE WEIRD TRICK TO AVOID VALET PARKING 
“Oh, and if you want to valet your car for free, ride a motorcycle; most valet services aren’t insured to park motorcycles, and they’ll tell you to park over there (really close, but out of their way). Try to toss them the keys and they won’t accept them.
So yeah, motorcycle means you can go to places like this that practically force valet, and park right up close. This requires a motorcycle and usually all the accouterments that come along with it though, but I’ve never had someone tell me to go park somewhere else. Basically, if I know it’s valet, I ride, if it’s self park, I’ll usually just drive.” [toasty, commenting on New Galleria-Area H-E-B Will Feature an In-House Restaurant; Behind the Movement for a Swimming Hole in Houston] Illustration: Lulu
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Yeah, I hear you on that. I hate Valet parking. No only does it cost but they block all the close places and then park there! I thought the point of Valet was to take your car far away so as to keep the front uncluttered. Unfortunately Valet now is just an added income stream without any value added.
I mean…really? You’ll park it right here?…right in front? …like I could have except you won’t let me? Please…and I’m going somewhere else now.
I also like making sure my change stays in the car…
If I’m going to a popular restaurant one of the first things I do is check to see if they have a valet. If they don’t I probably won’t go there. It’s gotten to difficult to park in some areas of Houston without one. The people that want permitted parking on public streets have seen to that. Getting towed once can cost you as much as paying for a valet 20 times. I like the free enterprise method of parking. Those who are willing to pay get the good spots.
Agreed, but only if the sky is sapphire-blue, the forecast is 0%, and the establishment has room for my date and I to check our helmets, leathers, and boots at the door. In practice, all that heavy gear will be left at home (but keep the helmets on the pegs, looks badass), and if she’s classy (like all of mine—NOT), would greatly prefer it if you drove the cage to go pick her up. What’s that, you don’t have a car? Put your entire net worth into that new Gixxer? Well, you can always try your luck at the Diamond Club towards the end of a shift (she’ll fit on the pillion seat just fine, but I’d remove those helmets and, you know, wear them), so you’ll still be golden (from all that stripper dust)!
another valet parking gripe: I went to the new Cyclone Anaya’s in Hanovers mixed use project in the village last night(very nice BTW). Searched for parking all over, the ‘retail’ spots in garage were full. Parked somewhere close and walked. In front of Cyclones and Punks, all the 15 or 20 head-in street parking was coned off for valet-only, and TOTALLY EMPTY. Isn’t that considered ‘public’ street parking in the R.O.W? Really pissed me off that they do this. Why don’t the valet’s use the parking garage(oh, there were places in the garage marked ‘valet only’ too) and leave the street parking RIGHT IN FRONT for folks. The valets can run back-and-forth to the dang garage. SHEESH.
I wonder how the valet would handle my 53′ Ford with no power steering and the shifter on the column…
I do this at Glass Wall and have done it at Cyclone’s on Durham.