Falcondrivr

If the dash cam records sound, and the valet's voice winds up on the recording without his knowledge, you will be guilty of illegal wiretapping.

Marshal_Mercer

Have the valet sign a disclosure agreement.

Petza914

Doubt it. You aren't listening in on a communication device of his, and he's inside your property (car). It wouldn't be any different than recording a conversation in your own house. Doing it in his car, not allowed - in your car, should be fine.

Nonetheless, the problem with the motion sensing dash cams is that unless they're hooked up to a battery backup, they'll kill your battery in short order, especially in a 911.

Mumbles

Maybe better to just rent a car for the day

CAVU

I don't think a dashcam will make any difference

I just needed one data point to answer the question. Valet parkers could give a $hit.

I had words with the hotel manager and he was not pleased either. I learned that most hotels contract out their valet parking.

The manager did comp my valet parking for the duration of the stay and there was no harm to the car.

Fined

I'm going with this one.


I don't do valet. No way, no how.

9nein7

Just valeted mine last week at a mall here. All it takes is a polite, "Would it be possible to park it myself? Would it also be too much trouble to leave it there untouched if space permits?"

I've never gotten a valet that's objected yet. They're usually super nice and even offer to look after your car if you don't immediately sound suspicious/defensive or "pull rank on them."

Iceter

Be friendly, smile at them. When you hand the keys over, take a pic of he odometer and all four wheels.

Your car will probably come back just as you left it.

I do this when I drop my cars off for service, too. No one has ever been offended.

surfinglbi23

I would be really stressed out worrying about my car this much!

mreloc

Well, I think I'm set. As many have suggested, it's not that hard to ask for an exception to valet policy. Spoke to the valet manager on the phone today, I was very nice (non-condescending) to him and he offered to let me to back it in to a spot at the side in front of the entrance without issue when I arrive on Thursday. He offered his name, and the only concession I'll have to make is leaving my keys- he says it won't be moved, but they have to have them in case of emergency.


There are very few material things in my life that I'm a little OCD over, but even after all these years, my car is one of them- granted I'm not afraid to use it, but I just want to avoid it being abused at the hands of someone else.