COMMENT OF THE DAY: VALET CONFIDENTIAL “My first job was as a valet at a dinner club, and it was a great job. I set the policy for the lot, and I never restricted or blocked any spaces. Some people would have me park their cars even when all the front spaces were open. Others would cruise the far reaches of the lot rather than let me do it. That was OK with me. There are some good reasons not to turn your car over to a stranger – such as valuables or guns in the car or peculiarities about how the car runs. Also OK was the small percentage of non-tippers. I figured that some people mistakenly though sincerely believed that the service was complimentary by the restaurant. Others did not have the change on hand but would make it up the next time. What I hated was when the driver had a tip ready but put it back in his pocket as soon as he saw that I was not going to pressure him for it. I always ran for the cars and made it a point to remember who drove what car, so I made patrons feel important instead of turning them into claim check numbers. I am particularly offended by shopping centers that block all of the close spaces for valet service. It’s fine to provide the service for those who need or want it, but hogging the front spaces sends the message ‘We’re fancier than you, so you have to pay to get near our stores.’” [erasmus, commenting on Hooked on Valet: The Folks Scaring Away Your Strip Center Parking Spots]