Mustang Sadly: Portland Lassos $16,000 Traffic Scofflaw

Well, that didn't take long.

Hours into their new effort to boot traffic scofflaws, the Portland Bureau of Transportation added a new high-tech piece of fashion to the wheel of a red Mustang.

The owner of the Mustang - which was located downtown - had racked up $15,956 in unpaid parking tickets.

One more time. $15,956 in unpaid parking tickets.

On top of that, PBOT attached boots to three other cars. The first four cars had accumulated $25,026 in unpaid parking tickets.

It's part of PBOT's new campaign to start booting up traffic scofflaws - people who have racked up wither six citations or $500 worth of fines.

"I asked the Council to allow PBOT to boot, rather than tow, vehicles with outstanding parking citations and fees," said Commissioner Steve Novick, who oversees PBOT. "I wanted to make this change largely because the towing and vehicle storage fees are an unnecessary penalty that is particularly burdensome for people with low incomes.

"Booting gives folks the opportunity to pay their citations or appear in front of a judge at Multnomah County Court to resolve their outstanding citations, before they start getting hit with additional towing charges."

Cars that are booted will be immobilized for 36 hours - giving people a chance to go to court and either pay or work out a payment plan. As courts are closed over the weekend, there will be no booting on Fridays.

If 36 hours comes and goes, the cars will then be towed, which will bring more fines and fees.

Photos Portland Bureau of Transportation.