Uh.. I'm pretty sure they don't have to get into your car when they tow it. The can just eye ball it and if it's a rear wheel drive, they'll pick up the back end. If it's a front wheel, they pick up the front end. If the front wheels are turned, then they'll turn back once the tow truck starts moving.
Am I right?
BTW, my friend has a 3000GT VR4.. His car is basically unable to be towed unless they break into his car. He's gotten away with illegal parking for a long time now. He just turns his wheel the whole way and both the front and back wheels turn. Then, he locks the steering wheel into place with some weird lock that's built into his car. He was towed by a flatbed.. only once.
sandorski
No Lifer
- Oct 10, 1999
- 70,621
- 6,184
- 126
I used to dispatch for a tow company. Depending on local laws and the procedure/circumstance of the "illegal parking", your friend may be in potential trouble or serious trouble. Let me explain some possibilities:
1) Illegaly parked on a Public Street: The tow company was either called by the city to tow or has a contract with the city to enforce parking laws. Getting nabbed for illegal parking within that city or perhaps some traffic violation within that city could result in confiscation of vehicle until the previous and current fees are paid. In this situation the tow company *is* the law, for all intents and purposes.
2) Parked on Private Company Pay Parking lot: If your friends car is even spotted on another lot owned by the same Pay Parking company, it will be towed. Expect to pay for previous fine and also the current tow(maybe same price as previous).
3) Private Property parking lot(such as resident parking for Apartment building) Property Owner calls for tow: The Property Owner will likely keep his eye out for your friends car. Don't ever park there again, unless things get smoothed over with Property Owner.
4) Same as 3, but Tow Company has Contract to enforce Parking: Tow companies love this type of arrangement! They cruise lots looking for infractions, if they see your friends car, they'll make sure it's there illegaly!
Your friend best find out exactly what circumstances his car was towed under, then decide what to do.
1) Illegaly parked on a Public Street: The tow company was either called by the city to tow or has a contract with the city to enforce parking laws. Getting nabbed for illegal parking within that city or perhaps some traffic violation within that city could result in confiscation of vehicle until the previous and current fees are paid. In this situation the tow company *is* the law, for all intents and purposes.
2) Parked on Private Company Pay Parking lot: If your friends car is even spotted on another lot owned by the same Pay Parking company, it will be towed. Expect to pay for previous fine and also the current tow(maybe same price as previous).
3) Private Property parking lot(such as resident parking for Apartment building) Property Owner calls for tow: The Property Owner will likely keep his eye out for your friends car. Don't ever park there again, unless things get smoothed over with Property Owner.
4) Same as 3, but Tow Company has Contract to enforce Parking: Tow companies love this type of arrangement! They cruise lots looking for infractions, if they see your friends car, they'll make sure it's there illegaly!
Your friend best find out exactly what circumstances his car was towed under, then decide what to do.
Towing companies suck. It's a big racket. Especially in cities.
That said, my ex-girlfriend's brother (he's 18) drives a tow truck after school. And they live right across the street from the police station. Anyway, one night he picked up a police car and we towed it into a cane field.....and left it there.
The guy is absolutely crazy.
That said, my ex-girlfriend's brother (he's 18) drives a tow truck after school. And they live right across the street from the police station. Anyway, one night he picked up a police car and we towed it into a cane field.....and left it there.
The guy is absolutely crazy.
Yeah go leave the car in some random place, then goto the tow truck place to pick it up, and then sue them for loosing ur car
how can you steal something that you own... nonetheless, ur friend better hide is car for a while
go back and demand to see the tow companies permit to tow from that location. I bet they don't have one.
one of my roommate's had his car towed from his apt complex even thou it was stickered and permitted to be there. The tow company slim jimmed the door took the parking pass out, threw it in the glove box and took the truck. We got it back and the drivers door was damaged, and the tires were messed up. We called the cops when we found the permit stuffed in the glove box. They actually investigated and found the tow truck drivers prints on the parking permit.
one of my roommate's had his car towed from his apt complex even thou it was stickered and permitted to be there. The tow company slim jimmed the door took the parking pass out, threw it in the glove box and took the truck. We got it back and the drivers door was damaged, and the tires were messed up. We called the cops when we found the permit stuffed in the glove box. They actually investigated and found the tow truck drivers prints on the parking permit.
Back when I lived near campus, I had an apartment with gated parking and reserved parking spots.
Imagine my dismay when, after coming home from a grueling 9-hour shift at a restaurant at 2:30AM, I found some jackass parked in my spot because the asswipe neighbor let him in. Diplomatic attempts to get the car moved didn't work; they were all out drinking. Fine.
Called the manager who called the tow company. Tow truck was there in less than three minutes (!!!). He came in, jacked up the truck, pulling it out SIDEWAYS using a couple dollys, and hauled it away.
I sat at my window in wait (my spot was DIRECTLY outside my door). 10 minutes later:
"What the..."
"DUDE! Where's your car!?" (this was the actual exclamation)
...30 minutes later...
"Man, $185 for a fsking parking ticket?! That's fsked up!"
:beer: <---me
Imagine my dismay when, after coming home from a grueling 9-hour shift at a restaurant at 2:30AM, I found some jackass parked in my spot because the asswipe neighbor let him in. Diplomatic attempts to get the car moved didn't work; they were all out drinking. Fine.
Called the manager who called the tow company. Tow truck was there in less than three minutes (!!!). He came in, jacked up the truck, pulling it out SIDEWAYS using a couple dollys, and hauled it away.
I sat at my window in wait (my spot was DIRECTLY outside my door). 10 minutes later:
"What the..."
"DUDE! Where's your car!?" (this was the actual exclamation)
...30 minutes later...
"Man, $185 for a fsking parking ticket?! That's fsked up!"
:beer: <---me
GoodRevrnd
Diamond Member
- Dec 27, 2001
- 6,801
- 581
- 126
I helped a friend do this in college. I dropped him off at the tow yard and he managed to drive his car back to the dorm. Same situation with being towed for parking in a no-parking zone. The tow company wanted to bend him over and charge him a huge $ amount for the tow and storage.
He paid the parking ticket and never heard from the tow company again.
He paid the parking ticket and never heard from the tow company again.
The towing company is still charging you to store the car, even though they no longer have it in their possesion. When they get back in touch with your friend (assuming that his plates are properly registered for his current address), he'll also have to pay the $25 - $100 dollar a day "Storage Fee." The police know they've towed the car. With no exceptions I know of, they are required to notify the cops, so if the car is reported stolen, the cops don't waste time trying to find it (including Repos).
Until the bill is payed, they (the towing company) have a lein on the car .. it can't be sold or traded (legally).... kinda like a mechanic's lein - they get to keep it until the bill is paid.
Failure to pay will probably also show up on his credit report. Then he can explain to the bank that he didn't REALLY owe that money, because he STOLE the car back long before all those charges accrued .....
The high fees are meant to be a deterrent. Once you go through a Tow, you'll never want to go through it again .... then you'll COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
Aside from the criminal charges, the towing company can also whack your friend with Civil Law and get even more money out of him.
Did he really think that noone's ever done that before? The towing company is gonna forgive a $200 debt? Not likely. IMHO, your friend is hosed (and rightfully so).
FWIW
Scott
Until the bill is payed, they (the towing company) have a lein on the car .. it can't be sold or traded (legally).... kinda like a mechanic's lein - they get to keep it until the bill is paid.
Failure to pay will probably also show up on his credit report. Then he can explain to the bank that he didn't REALLY owe that money, because he STOLE the car back long before all those charges accrued .....
The high fees are meant to be a deterrent. Once you go through a Tow, you'll never want to go through it again .... then you'll COMPLY WITH THE LAW.
Aside from the criminal charges, the towing company can also whack your friend with Civil Law and get even more money out of him.
Did he really think that noone's ever done that before? The towing company is gonna forgive a $200 debt? Not likely. IMHO, your friend is hosed (and rightfully so).
FWIW
Scott
I still don't understand why the tow company has such broad powers, if they sto - err towed this guys car from a private property. If they were just cruisin around like they do here and towed it because they thought it shouldn't be there, then what legal right do they have to call the cops if his friend takes his car back? I can understand charging him for trespassing, but all of the other laws here that people are saying he's breaking seem irrelevant.
And the tow companies don't charge high fees to teach people a lesson, they teach high fees because they know they can screw people over.
The only problem I see is if he was illegally parked on a public street then he might have to pay the $200 next time he registers his car. If it was a private lot of any type id bet money he'll never have to pay the $200. no way this will be on his credit report. no way he will be taken to court or his car will be repo'd.
storage fees? im so sure they can charge storage fees when they dont even have your car
criminal charges? have to be proven guilty of something first buddy
civil court? the tow company isnt going to spend 10's or 100's of man hours simply to collect $200
storage fees? im so sure they can charge storage fees when they dont even have your car
criminal charges? have to be proven guilty of something first buddy
civil court? the tow company isnt going to spend 10's or 100's of man hours simply to collect $200
Originally posted by: josphII
The only problem I see is if he was illegally parked on a public street then he might have to pay the $200 next time he registers his car. If it was a private lot of any type id bet money he'll never have to pay the $200. no way this will be on his credit report. no way he will be taken to court or his car will be repo'd.
storage fees? im so sure they can charge storage fees when they dont even have your car
criminal charges? have to be proven guilty of something first buddy
civil court? the tow company isnt going to spend 10's or 100's of man hours simply to collect $200
[edit] i really like the show up at the tow company and try to get your car back idea. also even if they did request that he pay the fine the next time he registered his car he can always argue the fact that he has his car is proof he already paid![/edit]
Good for you. Good for the mofos who think they're above the law. No sympathy here!Originally posted by: amnesiac
Back when I lived near campus, I had an apartment with gated parking and reserved parking spots.
Imagine my dismay when, after coming home from a grueling 9-hour shift at a restaurant at 2:30AM, I found some jackass parked in my spot because the asswipe neighbor let him in. Diplomatic attempts to get the car moved didn't work; they were all out drinking. Fine.
Called the manager who called the tow company. Tow truck was there in less than three minutes (!!!). He came in, jacked up the truck, pulling it out SIDEWAYS using a couple dollys, and hauled it away.
I sat at my window in wait (my spot was DIRECTLY outside my door). 10 minutes later:
"What the..."
"DUDE! Where's your car!?" (this was the actual exclamation)
...30 minutes later...
"Man, $185 for a fsking parking ticket?! That's fsked up!"
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