As many of you are part of the import scene, and probably have a hang out spot where you go every weekend to hang out with other likeminded people.

Give me your opinions, experiences.


We hang out in a parking lot, that hardly anybody ever uses, it was built for the sheer purpose of being there. Every satuday night a group of us, about 200 people or more, meet there and just stand around. we don't really do anything other than talk, and look at other people's cars. Some people go off and race somewhere, but overall we don't do anything. We used to get together and grab $2 from everyone and buy snacks, the cops used to come out there and we'd welcome them for any refreshments, chips, or food we'd bought. Now-a-days, the cops come out there and harrass us, telling us it is against the law for us to be there. For the past 30 years, no one was ever told anybody, domestic, import, etc to leave until about 6 months ago. I am thinking about making a huge deal about it, this is a direct violation of our rights.

 

As corny as this may seem, me a bunch of other people hang out at the McDonalds here in our town. The cops never really cared til a short while ago when they would kick us out at 11, then it started to be 8. Well, I know a people of the managers there and I asked them if they cared if we sat there, and they told me no, cause we parked in a corner of the lot and did buy food there so they had absolutly no problem with it. The last time we got booted it was by a cop I knew and I went up to him and asked him what the deal was. He claimed that the managers were complaining about us taking up the lot, which I know was total BS. I guess cops just like going on a power trip, cause from what I've seen, 95% of the time, thats the only reason anyone ever gets in trouble.

 

a parking lot is considered private property. so, if the owner of that property don't want you there, they have every right to have the police ask you to leave.

 

Well, i guess I shoulda said that the cop that kicked us out had driven by 2 minutes before, turned around, and came back. And no, I know the owners don't mind us being there, considering we do et food there.

 

its public property we looked into it, and one of the officers told us we needed a permit to congregate within the city limits. Thats BS because not to long ago, they had a religous play at one end of the parking lot, and I asked them if they had a permit, and they said The city manager told them they didn't need one.

The parking lot is there for just that, public use. Its brightly lighted, with about 200 - 250 parking spaces.

 

the point is, where are we all gonna hang out if we keep getting kicked out of places? It seems like they just want us to go home.

 

it really seems like the people who hang out there dont care

I remember Dallas tried to start a petition for us to be allowed to stay there, but nobody signed it

and it could also be cus of the fact that there have been fights out there and that time somebody got stabbed out there

I think its time to find a new spot

 

Nope, sorry to say that a parking lot is not public property unless it is owned by your local government... the land in front of a store is included in its lease agreement with any strip mall it may be a part of, or it will be outright owned by the establishment.

It is considered public property for the purposes of law enforcement, meaning that police officers can give tickets for speeding, parking illegally, etc.

The only way a parking lot is exempt from law enforcement is if you are charged to park there. For example, police officers cannot give out tickets in school (high school or college) parking lots if the students pay for a parking pass, UNLESS the officers are deputized.


However, if you purchase from the establishment, you can be in their parking lot. Period. Get reciepts, show them to the officers.

 

So if I went and bought something from say Best Buy, then me and my friends have the right to hang out and talk cars in there parking lot?

 

Over here, we went to chill at a Miami Subs parking lot in Davie in the Tower Shops. We chilled inside also, and they didn't care. Then they made it into this huge organized deal in the parking lot of the Tower Shops so we just go there. No real problems from cops.