City officials on Tuesday unveiled a new, friendlier Denver Boot for parking scofflaws.
The city is phasing out the infamous, bulky boots that clamp onto the wheel of a car, rendering it undriveable. The newer SmartBoot system allows ticket-ignorers to free their cars by calling a 24-hour telephone number to pay outstanding fines by using a credit card, debit card or check.
Upon payment, the vehicle’s owner will receive a code that can be used to unlock the boot.
But don’t even think of using the new boot on an enemy’s car. They must be returned to the city – or drivers will face a $25 daily fine, up to a maximum of $500.
The Denver Boot was invented in 1953 by Frank Marugg, a musician and inventor who created the device at the request of the sheriff’s department. The new version is produced by New Jersey-based PayLock.
Last year, Denver booted 5,524 vehicles; 4,898 people paid the $50 release fee. The average person booted had $240 worth of unpaid tickets, and the boot system generated about $1.42 million in paid tickets and fees.
Christopher N. Osher: 303-954-1747 or cosher@denverpost.com
