Councilman warns residents about ‘predatory booters’ in private lots

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Councilman Nicholas Joanow is attempting to warn Bloomfield residents not to park in the McDonald’s parking lot on Broad Street if they have a destination other than the fast food franchise. His warning is that the lot is only for customers of McDonald’s. If anyone who is not a customer should park there, the car will quickly be booted, Joanow said, and it will cost the car owner $200 to have the boot removed.

A boot is a mechanical device that is attached to the wheel of a car, preventing it from rotating and thus preventing the vehicle from being driven.
Joanow said that at the McDonald’s “a predatory booter” is waiting in the lot for unauthorized parkers. He said they are predatory because the booter is waiting and watching.

“They are there, they are waiting, that’s the predatory nature of it,” he said.
At the council meeting on Monday night, Joanow said residents had brought the booting fine to his attention. The councilman does not understand why in some areas of town, to have the boot removed cost $100 but at McDonald’s it costs $200.
“I am offended that a company would prey on our residents for making a bad judgement,” he said.Joanow was emphatic with his warning.

“Don’t park in a private-parking lot,” he said. “Signs are clearly posted. They are in the right. Don’t do it.”

Joanow requested that Township Administrator Matt Watkins look into the matter of predatory booters.

“I have no qualms of saying it’s McDonald’s,” Joanow said. “They are bad actors. They are a family business. They are not treating Bloomfield well.