When I came home the other day, a car right in front of my building had The Denver Boot affixed to its left front wheel. I was concerned that it would be in my favorite parking spot for long time, but, amazingly, it was gone within a few hours. The device is called "The Denver Boot" because the city of Denver was the first to employ them(surprise, surprise). I always assumed it was because John Denver was a parking ticket scofflaw, but that isn't the case. He only encountered problems in the air.

The Denver Boot was invented by a violinist named Frank Marugg. Marugg was in the Denver Symphony Orchestra and was a friend to the police community. In 1953, the sheriff approached Marugg, seeking a solution to the city's illegal parking problems. I can't imagine why he turned to a violinist for help, but it paid off. Marugg came up with the wheel clamp which came to be known as The Denver Boot. On a side note, I heard Rod Blagoevich consulted cellist Yo-Yo Ma shortly before announcing his "seniors ride free" program to save the CTA.

I recently took in an afternoon television showing of the movie Coyote Ugly, in which a guy places a fake Denver Boot on his car to keep the cops from putting a real one on. I don't think that would work, but who am I to question the plot of a Piper Perabo movie? I'm willing to suspend disbelief in order to watch 90 minutes of hot chicks dancing on the bar while Def Leppard blasts. Matt and I have been talking for a long time about hitting the Coyote Ugly club that's here in town. We've yet to follow through on that mission. I think I'm going to make it a priority. (See, sometimes you don't have to set New Year's resolutions, sometimes they find you.) Although I question whether it's anything like the movie. I imagine a bunch of guys turning out to see hot chicks and it becoming a dude fest. We'll see. I'm not sure what came first, the movie or the club. I guess I'd like to think that there was a real bar that spawned the film. On the other hand, if the movie inspired the club, it would give me hope for my line of Training Day clubs, where you sit there and drink until Denzel Washington comes and beats the hell out of you before forcing you to smoke PCP. I realize the insurance costs will be sky high, but the aspiration remains. Now that I think of it, Alonzo Harris(Denzel's character) would've made for a heck of a parking enforcement officer. Although, admittedly, narcotics detail made for a slightly more interesting storyline.