But our sources in Washington tell us they have taken off dozens of boots over the years, often by simply letting the air of the booted tire, and they have never faced prosecution. The Boot was originally a French invention. It was first employed in this country in Denver, in 1953. But in recent years, use of the boot has spread to cities in all corners of the country. Today, virtually every major city uses the device.
Several manufacturers make versions of the boot, but all are very similar.
A notice is then attached to the car, warning the driver not to move the vehicle unless he or she wants to risk severe damage. Denver Parking Authority boss Ken Jaeger told the Bay Guardian that his city has some 150 boots, and immobilizes 7,000 cars a year. In Denver, a city of 500,000 people, a car is eligible for the boot if it is found to have three or more unpaid parking tickets more than 30 days old. He said the city boots between 15 and 20 cars a day, with a five-person boot crew. San Francisco's boot program is scheduled to begin operation sometime in October, according to Rina Cutler, who will be administering the new plan.