'I'm Going To Remove It Myself': Woman Parks On the Street In Her Own Neighborhood. Then Her 'Karen' Neighbor Boots Her Car

"This was not put on our car by the police."

Their Neighbor Doesn’t Like Them Parking In Front Of Her House. So She Booted Their Car

Photo by: trickstergrandpashow & Kaufman

Nina Hernandez

By: Nina Hernandez

Jan 7, at 6:00am ET

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A couple’s neighbor decided to boot their car for parking on the street in front of her house. Instead of arguing, they took matters into their own hands.

TikTok creator Trickster Grandpa Show (@trickstergrandpashow) posted a video about the alleged incident on Nov. 11. It has since amassed more than 700,000 views.

The woman films her partner kneeling by the booted wheel. "This was not put on her car by the police," she explains. "This was our Karen neighbor. She decided she doesn’t like us parking in front of her house. Not legal."

The man says, "So I’m going to remove it myself. Check that out. I got the lock there open—that’s pretty easy—but inside here there are two security screws. These security screws are a triangle shape. I don’t have anything like that, but I have a flat head and a Phillips head screwdriver that goes over the top. And once it’s unscrewed we should be able to get this thing off completely."

He’s correct: As the last screws come out, he’s able to completely remove the boot from the wheel with absolutely no damage. It seems arguable that this contraption is more about messaging than outcome.

Is It Legal to Boot Someone’s Car on a Public Roadway?

Booting laws vary by state; however, municipalities generally govern who can boot vehicles on private property via licensing programs.

In Texas, for instance, booting is legally limited to local enforcement agencies and licensed companies. And those actors are generally limited to targeting vehicles with unpaid citations or that are parked in private parking lots in violation of posted signage.

Neighbors often argue over street parking, but it’s generally legal to park in front of someone’s house on a public roadway. Of course, that doesn’t apply to neighborhoods with restricted parking, as is the case in parts of Florida.

None of this applies to abandoned vehicles, which are generally removed by local governments if left on a public roadway for an extended period. Importantly, there is typically a required notice before action.

If a vehicle is booted on a public roadway and no entity leaves a notice behind explaining the violations and how to resolve them, the boot may have been placed illegally. In that case, experts generally recommend photographing the boot and calling the authorities.

‘Karen’ Neighbor Booed for Booting

In the comments section, viewers reacted to the neighbor’s decision to put a boot on the couple’s car and questioned whether it was really the best tactic to achieve her preferred outcome.

"She doesn’t want them parking in front of her house…so she puts a boot on so they can’t leave," observed one shrewd viewer.

"Time to call the police," suggested a second person.

What do you think?

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A third person suggested this was another of the couple’s signature pranks. "Guys, it’s OK," they said. "This didn’t happen. They just want to show us how to remove a boot."

Motor1 contacted Trickster Grandpa Show via TikTok comment and direct message for comment. We'll update this article if they reply.

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