Sometimes you get a lucky break!

[Kimberly Berg]

When we logged into car wash cameras this morning, we saw a black oily mess in Bay 5. We watched this POS guy spray black oil from his truckbed, then scrub with our $100 hogs-hair brush!! We headed out early to clean it up... The hoses were covered in oil as was the foam brush and signs. Took 3 gallons of Purple Power & Greased Lightning cleaner, deck brush and 1 hour to remove the slickness & clean up the mess. We were fuming - what an idiot!!

Imagine my surprise when I logged back into my cameras 12 hours later and see that he's back! We raced to the car wash and confronted him before he started. We told him he owes us $100 for the cleaning chemicals and labor. I showed him photos of the mess he left. He mumbled something like "I get it." He took his mats, loaded up his stovepipe and left. I'm grateful we had the opportunity to confront this kid and tell him the impact his actions has on others. Yup, we got lucky today!

 

[traveler17]

When we logged into car wash cameras this morning, we saw a black oily mess in Bay 5. We watched this POS guy spray black oil from his truckbed, then scrub with our $100 hogs-hair brush!! We headed out early to clean it up... The hoses were covered in oil as was the foam brush and signs. Took 3 gallons of Purple Power & Greased Lightning cleaner, deck brush and 1 hour to remove the slickness & clean up the mess. We were fuming - what an idiot!!

Imagine my surprise when I logged back into my cameras 12 hours later and see that he's back! We raced to the car wash and confronted him before he started. We told him he owes us $100 for the cleaning chemicals and labor. I showed him photos of the mess he left. He mumbled something like "I get it." He took his mats, loaded up his stovepipe and left. I'm grateful we had the opportunity to confront this kid and tell him the impact his actions has on others. Yup, we got lucky today! View attachment 7733 View attachment 7734

Did he give you the $100? Similar situation a few months ago. People are the worst. It’s funny you have to explain to people what’s going to happen when the next customer pulls in and gets oil all
Over. It’s not that they don’t know, people just don’t care

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Nope, he didn't offer to pay us. I didn't think he would. No common sense. I just hope that my words & photos will help him think in the future. I know accidents happen. I hope we made a lasting enough impression that he'll think twice before washing out spilled oil at our car wash again.

 

[Randy]

That’s a smudge pot on the back of his pickup truck. They burn stove oil, kerosene or diesel. They get really nasty dirty with an oily black soot. What a nasty mess. I don't blame you for being pissed off.

 

[Kimberly Berg]

That’s a smudge pot on the back of his pickup truck. They burn stove oil, kerosene or diesel. They get really nasty dirty with an oily black soot. What a nasty mess. I don't blame you for being pissed off.

Thanks Randy! We were wondering what that thing was. His license plate is from OREGON. Since we're in California I hope he never returns, I don't need his kind of business!!

 

[MEP001]

Did you consider getting a criminal trespass warrant? If it's the same there as it is here, once that's done you can show the police video of him on the property and they'll go arrest him.

 

[mjwalsh]

Kimberly,

We had a rascal contractor crew once "upon a time" get extreme amounts of basement foundation sealing tar all over our two Alaskan polycarbonate doors... two hog hair brushes ruined in our tandem bay & also "much more difficult to remove than oil" on our FRP bay walls. It was like pulling teeth to get any restitution. IMHO ...the local PD & city attorney are sometimes too quick to try to make out like it is a civil matter ... which puts us car wash operators in a major disadvantaged postion!

 

[Kimberly Berg]

Did you consider getting a criminal trespass warrant? If it's the same there as it is here, once that's done you can show the police video of him on the property and they'll go arrest him.

Since we were able to speak with him personally, and made him aware of his poor actions, I don't think he'll do that again. I have had the police issue a "No Trespassing" order in the past. Mainly for homeless loitering. The police in California have their hands tied. Our jails are overcrowded & police are hesitant to arrest them for non-violent crimes. The best they can do is right him a ticket.

 

[Greg_T]

Stuff like this is certainly very annoying - you've done a great job of making this person aware that their actions create an impact that others have to deal with.

Personally, the whole process of going any further - reporting to police etc. - is just more trouble than it's worth. It takes time and effort, and doesn't get the mess cleaned up.