If you’re like me, you’ve been stuck in a parking garage only to realize you’ve gone past your exit. Instead of paying the fee to get out all over again, here are a few ways to get out without paying:
How to get out of a parking garage without paying?
If you want to get out of paying for parking, the best way to do it is by getting a receipt. If you have a receipt, then all you have to do is dispute the charge on your bank statement and it will be removed automatically within 24 hours.
If you don’t get a receipt and pay at the machine, then all bets are off: You’ll have to pay up no matter what. However, if you’re worried about this happening or just want proof that someone charged your card without authorization (in case they try again), there’s no reason why they can’t give it to you!
You should always ask for one anyway—they look much more professional than cash or credit card slips stapled together in an envelope.
If you’re able to, enter the garage when it’s not busy
For the first step in getting out of a parking garage without paying, you need to find the right time to do it.
- Avoid peak hours (7 am-9 am, 5 pm-7 pm) and holidays
- You can also avoid rush hour by going during off hours (11:30 am-1:30 pm or 4:30 pm-6:30 pm).
- Avoid weekends at all costs. Parking garages are busiest on Fridays and Saturdays—you’re bound to run into someone who knows what they’re doing here! If at all possible, try parking during weekday evenings when there’s less traffic in the lot. The fewer people there are in general will help you blend in better when you’re trying not to pay for your spot.
Look for any kind of malfunctioning machine or sensor
Look for any kind of malfunctioning machine or sensor. If you’re in a parking garage that uses credit cards to pay, look for a machine that isn’t working properly. If you don’t see one, ask if there’s another one nearby and try swiping your card there instead. You can also try swiping your card at the exit gate even if there are other ways to pay inside the garage (e.g., cashier kiosks). Sometimes the sensors that detect when people come and go get confused by shiny surfaces like mirrors and sunglasses lenses!
Another way to get out without paying is by following someone who has just paid with cash. They’ll often have someone holding open the exit gate until they are safely through it so no one else tries sneaking through after them—you can use this opportunity to sneak in as well!
If you miss your exit, get off at the next one
If you miss your exit, get off at the next one. If you can’t find your car, ask someone for help or call the police. You’re not going to get out of paying by getting angry at the people trying to help you—you’re only going to end up being a jerk and still paying. If you still can’t find your car and have already called the police and/or parking garage, don’t panic! They’ll probably be able to figure out which exit you came out of based on where they found your car (assuming it wasn’t towed).
Learn about the garage’s policies ahead of time
You can’t get out of a parking garage without paying if you don’t know how the garage works. Although this might seem like an obvious thing to do, many people are so focused on finding an exit that they don’t take the time to find out what they need to get out.
Before trying to escape from a parking garage, make sure that you know whether it’s monitored by security cameras and whether there are any nearby businesses that may be willing to help you out. You also want to think about how far away the call button is from your car and whether it will work once inside a structure like this one (you may have better luck at first asking for someone’s help when getting into your car).
You can get around parking garage fees by acting quickly and taking advantage of loopholes
If you find yourself stuck in a garage, you may be able to find a way out. Here are some of the most common ways to get out:
- If you can’t get out, look for a way to avoid paying. Parking garages will often have an exit (or an entrance) that doesn’t require payment. Look for one of these and make your way through it without having to pay the fee.
- If there’s no way around paying and if avoiding paying isn’t possible either, look for ways to pay less than what was initially asked for by the parking garage attendant or machine when entering their lot. There are sometimes coupons available online that offer discounts on parking fees; check if any are available before entering any lot so that even if all else fails, at least one part of this mission is accomplished successfully!
Conclusion
Parking garages are a great resource that can help you get around town. However, if you don’t want to pay for them, there are ways to avoid paying the fees. If you follow these tips, you’ll be able to avoid paying parking garage fees without much hassle!
