I'm a divorced middle-aged white male. I own a 1991 Volvo turbo wagon with 165,000 miles on it. I have a college degree from Penn and a graduate degree from Rutgers in zoology.  I used to work in public health but I contracted legionnaires disease now I sell antiques, books, art and phonograph records, both in Lancaster county PA. and on the Internet.  Back in late October I was having electrical problems with my car, so I made arrangements with Avis to rent a car on Tuesday the 26th for 1 day so that I could get my picture taken at the state license center to get a photo drivers license which was about to expire on my birthday, October 30th, the day turned in to a real trick or treat night. Also I needed to close out a PO box in New Jersey where I formerly lived.  I also made arrangements to rent a car from that Thursday until Sunday because I had antique business in Lancaster county. I had an appointment with an auction company to drop off items. This appointment had been made 6 weeks in advance. I also needed to straighten my booths out, go through my garages and various other chores. I had hotel reservations for 3 nights, so I picked up the one car on Tuesday, a huge Grand Futuro, Torrino Ford, a definite machismo car. Not what I asked for and not  what a 56-year-old antique dealer needs. I couldn't differentiate between the wipers, headlights, horn or turn signal levers and buttons!!  But I did manage to get my photo drivers license and close out my PO box. Arriving home i parked right in front of my apartment building where I share a 2-bedroom apartment with my roommate. I saw her returning from the gym as I was parking and asked her if she wanted to go someplace in this grand macho-mobile. She declined at that point we entered the building where she went about her work and i got on the computer. Later that night I thought I might as well bring the car back since I had no further use for it and did not want to get up the next day, Wednesday to start feeding the parking meters at 8:00 am. I walked down the stairs got in the car and drove across the street to the avis company lot. OH I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THEY ARE RIGHT ACROSS THE STREET FROM ME!! I could hit their building with a well formed and thrown hard-boiled egg. Now I usually use enterprise when my car is drivable and needs repair. My mechanic who I've used for 12 or so years is about 20 miles away where I bought the Volvo. Plus I can leave their car at my mechanic's shop and enterprise WILL PICK IT UP. My Volvo was not drivable and that is one of the reasons I used Avis.

As I approached the Avis lot about 50 yards away another person was trying to return their car. Repair work had been going on at the Avis lot on their gates and spike treads and other security items for a few weeks. There are cameras and signs all over saying this premises IS UNDER SURVEILLANCE, PROTECTED BY CLOSED CIRCUIT TV CAMERAS!!  THE OTHER RETURNEE AND I WERE TOLD TO GO TO ANOTHER GATE about 20 feet away. The office was closed which did not seem to be a big deal at this time. The attendant closed 1 gate and opened the other for us TO LET US ENTER THE LOT! We both entered and parked our cars. UNDER FULL SURVEILLANCE OF THE CAMERAS! I gave my receipt to the attendant; after that I'm not certain what he did. We both left. He heading south on Arch Street, I heading across the street to 20th and home got back on the computer when I got home which is my usual nighttime activity. My roommate was still there since this only took about 20 minutes or so. THE NEXT DAY WEDNESDAY I GOT MY ITEMS TOGETHER CARRIED THEM DOWN 4 FLIGHTS OF STAIRS and left them in the apartment hallway, ready for the next day's trip to ADAMSTOWN. TRICK OR TREAT WAS ONLY JUST BEGINNING! 

A day later, Thursday I walked across the street ready to get a new rental vehicle and begin my trip.  THEY QUICKLY INFORMED ME… 'WE CAN'T RENT YOU ANOTHER CAR UNTIL YOU BRING THE OTHER ONE BACK!!" I was flabbergasted, shocked. I figured though that this must be a mistake. I had heard stories about employees picking cars up at night and running them to the airport, this must certainly be the case. Well it wasn't!! After getting a letter from their Virginia office, calling and talking to the security person there I figured this was over. I had also stopped at the avis office 2 or 3 x to find out if they had found the car, if they had watched the tape or if they had talked to the attendant who was working that night. NEVER DID ANYONE AT AVIS say or ask anything about my aborted trip, ruined hotel accommodations, ruined appointments or credit card mix up. They could have cared less. Avis does not accept bank debit cards in the Philadelphia area because of the large number of stolen vehicles I was once told by a clerk so I guess to them this was just business as usual.  2 months later the police came and arrested me, even the arresting officer said sounds like you have a case. But his superior who he said would probably release me after hearing the story was not at the district jail. So I spent 10 hours in Philly jail. Since then I've been to court 4 times and am due to be indicted in 2 weeks at which time a trial date will be set. While in jail though a conversation interesting, serious, sad and lighthearted took place between myself and other prisoner's who were black Muslims. At one point they ASKED what's a guy like you doing here?? All I could think to say was, THAT I TOO WAS A VICTIM OF OUR CALLOUS SOCIETY AND WAS HERE BECAUSE…AVIS RENT A CAR 'IS A CORPORATE THIEF THAT TRIES HARDER TO SCREW ITS CLIENTS!"

Send your complaints regarding such issues to me, Mike Smith (mikesmith@travelersdigest.com) and we will gladly post any and all valid grievances and claims against any car rental company, regardless of its location.