Coined the city’s newest “superwomen,” two anonymous women are fighting back against the private parking industry’s practice of booting cars, saving the people of the Buckhead district of Atlanta from one metal boot at a time. Known as “The Boot Girls” on TikTok and Instagram, the best friend duo is going viral in hot pink and black bedazzled ski masks for freeing pedestrian cars caught in the traps of “booting predators” at a lesser fee than the parking companies.
According to WSB-TV, the two ladies of @bootgirlsinbuckhead will swoop in and remove a boot for a flat fee of $50. If the driver cannot afford that, they are willing to work something out with them. However, $50 is considerably less than most parking companies charge, and it’s all thanks to a magic key that unlocks a metal car boot.
My fav TikTok account are the two girls in ski mask taking off car boots in atl
— nariah (@hotbon79) May 6, 2023
A private parking enforcement company in Georgia can boot your car if the municipality has an ordinance. The City of Atlanta allows companies to charge up to $75 a day for each day the boot is on the car. Then, they’ll charge you to remove it; if you don’t pay in 24 hours, they’ll tow and impound your car.
“It’s holding someone hostage, you’re holding someone for ransom as opposed to a ticket. I saw a Door dash worker park illegally for a moment to drop off an order and came back to a boot. They’re just trying to do their job,” “The Boot Girls” told Atlanta News First.
The Atlanta natives spoke with WSB-TV, telling Channel 2′s Courtney Francisco that they got the idea when their own run-in with the city resulted in their own car being booted.
An online search revealed something called “ATL Boot Key,” — a business that sells copies of keys that unlock boots. The Black women say they bought the key for less than the parking company charged for the boot removal, and the idea grew from there.
“It expanded out of nowhere,” one of the ladies of their meteoric rise in virality said.
Recognizing the masks, a fan of the duo yelled out as they left their interview with WSB-TV, “That’s ‘The Boot Girls!’ We love you!”
They’re not the only fans. In fact, the people of Atlanta have spoken, and the consensus is clear: These women are the modern-day Robin Hoods of the Buckhead population, and the hope is that they continue their streak of good deeds.
Hopefully nobody gets shot over those boot girls .. they are out her being the Robin Hood to the buckhead population
— LOCK THE ROOM!! ☕️ (@Queendelastudio) May 7, 2023
I just want to say the boot girls in ATL are doing god’s work.
— JustDoneWithIt (@RemyGunnz) May 8, 2023
The Boot Girls in #Atlanta need to be protected at all costs.
— Yuriy Andriyashchuk🇺🇦 (@YuriyATL) May 8, 2023
Praying the girls in ATL who take boots off cars in pink ski mask sleep well tonight 🙏🏾💗
— okokokok (@TheeArika) May 8, 2023
But “The Boot Girls” aren’t the only ones with the key. Entrepreneur Christian Vernette owns ATL Boot Key. He told Channel 2 that he started selling them after getting booted about a year ago.
Those boot things in Atl are so predatory. A ticket I understand, but I’ve known girls that came out of the club at 3am and had to figure out how to get out of a bad area with a boot on their car. The people that take it off take hours to get there sometimes. It’s dangerous.
— La Tóxica (@fapqueen__) May 7, 2023
Although parking companies claim drivers should be punished for parking on private property without paying, Verrette argues ticketing is the better alternative.
The business owner has sold $50,000 worth of keys since videos of “The Boot Girls” took off on social media.
“I’m just trying to outright eliminate the boot,” Verrette insisted. “It is not about business for me. Business has been good, but still, at the end of the day, my heart is banning the boot.”
However, can this practice get the anonymous duo or others like Verrette in trouble? The answer is murky. 11Alive reported that purchasing a boot key isn’t illegal, but removing a boot on your own is if you’re not licensed, but it generally depends on where a person is in the state of Georgia.
The Atlanta Police Department is aware of the new practice.
“The Atlanta Police Department does not intervene between motorists and private business owners when vehicles are booted in violation unless a criminal matter arises,” APD said.
Here is what the public needs to know: It is not illegal to own a Boot Key. Suppose you use a Boot Key to modify, tamper or disengage a booting device from a vehicle. In that case, you can be charged with: Criminal Trespass (O.C.G.A. 16-7-21) and/or, Theft of Services (O.C.G.A. 16-8-5) and/or, Theft by Taking (O.C.G.A. 16-8-2) and/or Damage to Property 2nd Degree (O.C.G.A. 16-7-23),” they further warned.
People like Sen. McLaurin, a Democrat representative for North Fulton, want to ban booting entirely, he told Atlanta News First. And he fully supports creative ways for people to fight back.
“The Boot Girls” are indeed doing just that.