Man seeks to untie ABQ booting law

ALBUQUERQUE (KRQE) - A man who’s car was booted in a private parking lot took his fight to stop the practice to the City Council Monday.

Last August Jacob Vigil and his friends came to a Subway sandwich shop in downtown Albuquerque, but didn't pay to park in a private lot.

A ticked off Vigil took matters into his own hands and cut the boot off.

The boot man did press charges and Vigil fired right back, suing the company that boots cars for property owners.

“We did have to pay to replace the lock itself,” Vigil said.

The lock cost $12, and the charges and Vigil's suit have been dropped.

However, Vigil isn't giving up the fight.

With 200 signatures in tow, he took his hate of the booting process to the City Council chambers Monday night.

“I'm here to address a predatory business practice known as tire clamping or car booting on private parking lots.” Vigil told the council.

After reading his prepared speech, he was sent on his way but that's not discouraging him.

“I am going to keep coming back until the practice is criminalized, because you can't regulate something like this," he said.

Just last August, Dallas passed an ordinance to stop booters on private property.

The man who booted the car quit, saying the job was too stressful.