That stinks! 🙁 At least the rum punch helped. 😉

I guess someone was watching you the whole time and was looking at where you would go. The moment you crossed the street.... wham-o! That is so sad. Then again I guess they are protecting the interests of the shops of that side of the street.

If this story is true, then this practice doesn't seem tourist friendly. I understand that parking is rare in these parts. But is booting a typical practice on the islands? It seems like a pretty severe penalty. But then again, not sure of the whole story.

My question to you is were you parking illegally and taking the ferry over to STJ and hoping you wouldn't be penalized? Just wonder if maybe that wasn't the case. But if I'm wrong, I'll eat crow.

The plaza owners/security personnel may well have assumed when you crossed the street that you were going off to STJ and, yes, there are several shopping centers which boot cars here. Parking in Red Hook is a big problem while the new terminal and parking area is being constructed - something we all have to live with for the time being.

The local police appearing "useless" was because they have no jurisidiction to overturn such action taken by property owners when such property is clearly marked to designate who is allowed to park and who is not. Such signs are all over the Red Hook plaza and at American Yacht Harbor across the street too.

Glad the rum punch(es) reduced the sting!

Thanks STT for the info, it explains the parking problem. Glad we'll be up in the hills of STJ and not have to worry about this next year!

Dave: I have to tell you that I have also been booted there. There are clear signs that state that parking is for customers only and the penalty. Yes, they do check to see if you go across the street. (Sing: "They see you when you're sleeping- they know when you're awake...") I'm sorry for your boot and I do feel your pain... (P.S. It is the landlord, not the nice businesses who depend on parking availability for their customers.)

"P.S. It is the landlord, not the nice businesses who depend on parking availability for their customers."

So, you mean the landlords don't need to look out for the spaces their tenant's customers need when they come to shop EE?

RL

I'm wondering if the parking under those stores is the same story? Just what stores can you go to when you park there? We've parked underground, shopped and bought in those stores and then crossed the street to go to Duffy's without a problem.

Connie - As Dave Mac pointed out, his rental vehicle was booted in Red Hook Plaza, not in the lower level lot at American Yacht Harbor which is across the street.

Ronnie: Yes, you are right! I meant that it is the landlord that IS protecting the businesses. And what a wonderful landlord! 😉 I do have to say that people around here are so used ignoring rules that when someone actually enforces those rules, they get upset!

STT. I was a little confused exactly where he was. I was thinking he was on the other side, across the street from Duffy's.

We've parked in that parking lot, to go to the drugstore and then walked over to Duffy's for some drinks and something to eat and never had a problem.

In fact, if you want to go to Duffy's where do you park? I can see how people could get confused and think that the parking lot is ok to park in.