A South Florida veteran struggling to make ends meet says he was cited for taking a short cut. He says he drove through the private lot, but insists he did o’t park his car. When he couldn’t convince the company that sent the invoice, he called Help Me Howard with Brandon Beyer.
77-year-old Don Hanson has lived In Hollywood Beach since the late 1980s.
Don Hanson: “I just love it out here but now it’s getting too crowded.”
He’s also a proud veteran of the United States Coast Guard.
Don Hanson: “Taught me a lot of respect for the country and taught me how to deal with higher up officials.”
Most days you’ll find him out here, wearing one of his patriotic shirts.
Don Hanson: “I’m proud that I’m a veteran, I respect a lot of people who did spend the time. I lost a very good friend over in Vietnam back in 1969.”
Hollywood Beach is where Don ran into his problem, when he got a parking invoice from a private company which said he parked in their lot for 24 hours without paying.
Don Hanson: “I did not have my car there parked at all, period. I’ve never parked in that lot, never.”
Don admits he’s used the lot as a short cut.
Don Hanson: “Just to cut through, otherwise I’d have to go all the way down around the block.”
But swears he didn’t park there.
Don Hanson: “Pulled into the lot, drive right through, didn’t even take a minute, exit right here, come over and park next to my building.”
And he says he never would’ve left his car in this lot for 24 hours.
Don Hanson: “They took my entry from [June 20] just after midnight, didn’t show my exit that same night, which would’ve been about a minute or less after that.”
He says the picture of him leaving is actually from the following night when he took the same shortcut.
Don Hanson: “So they didn’t get the actual exit from the original entry, which means I didn’t park there.”
To prove it, Don says he went to work when the company claims his car was parked here.
We checked with his employer and they confirmed it.
His pay stub shows he clocked in at 3 p.m. and clocked out at 11:29 p.m. And they say he drove there.
It’s a $125 bill, and Don says he can’t afford it.
Don Hanson: “There’s no way I can pay it. I can’t even pay some bills coming up.”
Howard, he admits he drove his car through the lot but says he never parked there. Can the company charge him?
Howard Finkelstein: “Not for just driving through. Private parking companies were generating so many complaints, the Florida Legislature created laws to regulate them. And one of them is a 15-minute grace period, in case a driver can’t find a parking space or they simply change their mind. Don was well within the grace period and his invoice should be cancelled.”
We tested Don’s shortcut. We were in and out of the lot in 15 seconds.
Then we called the company who sent the invoice and explained to them Don was at work when they claimed he was parked here.
They called it a “camera capture error” and dismissed it.
Don Hanson: “You always get good results, you know how to investigate.”
Helping a veteran, our pleasure.
Don Hanson: “And I appreciate it and I think all the little guys out here, these little battles we try to fight everyday, there’s nowhere to turn sometimes, and it’s just one little thing I got off my back.”
The company asked Don to stop using their lot as a shortcut. He happily agreed.
Howard says if you wind up with one of these invoices, double check the details. Computers can sometimes make mistakes too.
Got a problem? Need a hand? Here’s how to find us below. It’s Help Me Howard. I’m Brandon Beyer, 7News.
CONTACT HELP ME HOWARD
Email: helpmehoward@wsvn.com
Reporter: Brandon Beyer at bbeyer@wsvn.com
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