Lawsuit bans car buffs from shopping center

[Got the Bug]

Lawsuit bans car buffs from shopping center (Woodland Hills, CA)

"Classic car owners park their rides at the Western Bagel on Plummer St. Sunday morning. The club use to hang out at the Coffee Depot in Woodland Hills until it's property owner kicked them out and filed a lawsuit in mid-October against the shop, which had spearheaded the informal car club meetings."

http://www.dailynews.com/ci_14003233

How stoooopid can they be?

[dcdoug]

What better way to enjoy your coffee than strolling among a bunch of classic cars. What a dumbass.

[RodKnock]

Here's your cup of coffee and, for your morning reading material in the John, here's a copy of the lawsuit for ya.

Since when did a 1979 MGB and 2008 Dodge Challengers become classics? (I'm kidding).

[jwd]

Sounds like those security guards have a case of "Barney Fife" syndrome. What a bunch of losers.

[Dangerous Doug]

Could have been handled much better, but look at the photo: the blue Cobra in the center of the picture is taking two parking spots. I'm sure he's not the only one, and that probably contributed to the problem.

I would be pissed if I showed up for coffee and a haircut appointment in a vintage car and told to leave simply because I was driving a vintage car---and by thugish "security" guys and a big dog? Following him into McD's and then a drug store?

If I had a shop in that mall, I'd be pissed at the owners of the mall. What stupidity, at a time when shops need the foot traffic.

DD

[*13*]

Too bad. Would be interesting to hear the other side of the story to see if the owners had valid complaints or if they are really being unreasonable.

[jhv48]

Why punish the Coffee Depot owner? He helped to promote the gathering and is being sued also?

Whatever happened to just asking nicely for some kind of cooperation.

Oh yeah, I forgot this is California. Home of 99% of all the a--hole lawyers on earth!

[*13*]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Why punish the Coffee Depot owner? He helped to promote the gathering and is being sued also?

Whatever happened to just asking nicely for some kind of cooperation.

Oh yeah, I forgot this is California. Home of 99% of all the a--hole lawyers on earth!

They aren't all Lawyers

[RedBarchetta]

"They said I couldn't park my car there because it was a classic."
"If you pull up in your Ferrari, you're told to get out. They will intimidate the hell out of you. But if you pull up in a minivan, you can stay."

Just begging for a discrimination counter-suit. Dumb azz property owner. So how come we haven't see Al Sharpton or Jesse Jackson grandstanding on this one?!?

"To be fair, several classic car enthusiasts admit, the Woodland Hills mall's large parking lot was occasionally near or at capacity with these tricked-out vehicles until about 10:30 a.m. on the last Sunday of the month. Some even parked illegally in the red zones."

Okay, so some enthusiasts abused the privilege. The local shopping mall commandant should have called the police and either had them ticketed or towed. Same goes for handicap spots (which people use at C&C in Irvine all the time, but since it's largely a private lot without shops people get away with it).

I hope the property owner gets rail-roaded (by the shop owners and auto enthusiasts) for their stupidity.

-Dean

[RedBarchetta]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Oh yeah, I forgot this is California. Home of 99% of all the a--hole lawyers on earth!

So what are you saying? That this places Jamo on the 1% side?

[Got the Bug]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Why punish the Coffee Depot owner? He helped to promote the gathering and is being sued also?
!

You're right Jim. It wasn't Coffee Depot that filed the lawsuit it was the owners of the strip mall. I edited my original post. Thanks for the clarification.

[oldman ohio]

Happened to us here in Boardman Ohio.
We would gather at the CHILLES Rest. at the corner of the local enclosed mall on Sat Nite. 500 cars normal , 750 on a good nite. Hundreds of people came WITH THE CARS and hundreds more came to see the cars and go to the mall. The rest. was jambed and there was no trouble from the car people. The proceeds were donated to a local Charity.
The Mall told them to leave unless the paid $ 2000.00 a week. They left and went to a lot at a storage center for free. The rest. next door provides food.
I don't blame the mall, why would they want all of "THOSE KIND OF PEOPLE" coming to their mall.
Dumb Bastards
jack

[khansmith]

At the caffeine and octane monthly show here in Atlanta, I have noticed that the police come and keep an eye on things but make sure we are out of there before a majority of the shops open. Seems to work OK. I can tell you that teh coffee shop is always packed with a line out the door.

[patrickt]

Originally Posted by jhv48

Oh yeah, I forgot this is California. Home of 99% of all the a--hole lawyers on earth!

No, Washington DC has that title -- hands down.

[bobcowan]

Here in Colorado Springs we've had a gathering just about every Saturday night for more than a decade. It was always held in the parking lot of a grocery store. The store woner even set up a hot dog and soda stand one year. Now the store is closed and empty, has been for about 3 years. But, the cars still gathered.

It's a pretty peacfull gathering. A few punks in ricers, but mostly older, more intelligent car owners. It could be 20 cars, or it could be 120 - you just never know. And the variety was amazing, everything from a well used Model A to a brand new Porsche. People brought their dogs, their kids, and their lawn chairs. The adjacent restaurant, stop and rob, gas station, and Sonic did a booming business.

This fall, the property owners decided they didn't like us there. At first they claimed "liability concerns". Then they decided we could stay if we payed rent.

The cars no longer gather anywhere. Maybe next year we'll find a place to roost.

[Gunner]

*shrug* For whatever small traffic hassles such gatherings might cause, they are almost always on weekend mornings when malls etc. are dead as a doornail. They bring in attention, and pizazz, and customers, and money in a time when traffic would normally be light. If any business owner is dumm enough to not only chase away that business but set it up so that some other schmo out for a Sunday drive in his Mustang gets chased away, let them have their effin' parking lot.

There's another diner/coffee shop/whatever down the road, red carpet ready to roll out.

[lineslinger]

This screams of idiocy.
There is absolutely no reason that a couple of discussions between the shop owners, the car owners and the pavement Nazi's could not have worked out a scenario/compromise that would have benefited all.

Now the coffee shop loses out, the mall stores lose out and the car owners lose out.

Ignoroids, throwing printed copies of some half-a$$ed law suit through your car window. Kind of sounds like that high end security force is trying to compensate for small appendage they were born with..........

[Bill Bess]

I agree with Hyde, love to hear the other side of the story.

Maybe too many vehicle violations, no parking for store customers, abusive language, gang bangers, dope sales over the top, booze flowing out of paper sacks that are stashed in those old cars, perverts wondering around and looking for small children, small children looking for dopy other kids out too late or not in church...and the biggest potential problem........Evil Terrorists with bombs......Yikkers!

Come to Havasu and park.

[dcdoug]

In my book as long as you are obeying posted parking rules the same as everyone else (time limits, no double parking, customers only, whatever) then I don't see how they can turn you away or legally tow your car. And until a court decides differently, I'd keep meeting in the same place (unless it was to my advantage to go elsewhere and not support the sh!tbag mall owner, which would be a good option, although I feel bad for the coffee shop). If I got hassled or someone tried to touch/tow my car, I'd just call 911 and let the cops sort it out.

[RedBarchetta]

Thank goodness I sold my daily driver ENZO so I won't get hassled any longer at the local coffee shop.