Reply With Quoteafter a set amount of time they can apply for a permit to sell and sell the damn thing, or run up such a storage bill that it'd be cheeper to let then have it, i've seen it several times(and bought a few)
Big, Big Time Poster
OT: Car got towed
So my buddy was at a gold's gym in the DC area, he parked in the firelane (no signs indicating towing would take place), was working out for like 2 hours or so.. comes back and his car had been towed.
He goes to the towing agency his car is parked right out front, not behind any locked gates or anything like that.
He called and asked me what would happen if he got in his car and drove away. I honestly didn't know, it isn't like he is stealing the car (he owns it, title is in his name all that jazz)...
He ended up paying the $120 fee, and the tow company said if he had just taken the car there would have been a $1500 fine. They claimed it was because they temporarly "owned" his car because they had towed it, and becuase it was on their property.
So I'm wondering, what would happen, would he just have a big bill from the tow company?? How could they legally come after him for the money other than collection agencies.
I'd be tempted to get in my car and drive home......
any thoughts??
Former: 95-530iM
Current: 99 GMC Seirra 1500
5-10 Grand Master
after a set amount of time they can apply for a permit to sell and sell the damn thing, or run up such a storage bill that it'd be cheeper to let then have it, i've seen it several times(and bought a few)
all america wants is cold beer warm cat and a place to take a poop with a door on it
Big, Big Time Poster
My buddy just talked to some lawyer types.... I guess when they tow your car, they put some sort of lein against it....
guess the moral of the story is not to park in fire lanes...
Former: 95-530iM
Current: 99 GMC Seirra 1500
Exactly. They have a lein against it until you pay, it's technically "theirs". If they have the lein for 30 days, they can file with the state (at least here in CA), and once the paperwork processes, it's their car, regardless of how much you owe.Originally Posted by PhilipJCaputo
My buddy's dad owns a tow yard, and he just got a pretty nice Caddy STS, for whatever reason, the owner never came and picked it up. Oops!
3 Grand Master
ya borrow another tow truck, tell em your da police, and that the car was involved in a murdereither that or ambush the driver before he can slim jim the lock (if that's the case).
Grand Master
Mabye he just reported it stolen and the insurance paid for it? Although I would think if you report your car stolen the first place the insurance would look is tow yards
93 525i / 01 330Ci / 98 Camry / 91 Volvo 240 / 99 Jeep GC
Big Time Poster
I think tow companies make a substantial amount of money every year in the cars they keep and sell. It's a ****ing racket for sure. Theives, all of them. Stole a car from me they did. Bastards.
Big Time Poster
Towing Rant
I live in a neighborhood where most of the residents park on the street and drive to their day jobs. 7 a.m. I find a crew of flat bed tow trucks hauling away car after car to make room for construction equipment. Now most of the street is empty by 8, why couldn't they wait an hour and make life easier for everyone?
/rant mode off
Major Contributor
In Boston... Fries Towin has trucks out 24/7 Towin cars double for a min
Use to see them all the time when doing my laundry.... someone parks illegally and goes into the store for 90 seconds... bam its hitched up... and once hitched you gotta pay them.... real nasty altercations I've seen... there just as bad as lawyers trail an ambulance... driving around the main streets constantly and boooy do they do a quick hack tow to get em quick... almost guarenteed damage...
Major Contributor
First off, your buddy sounds like a real "Alfred Einstein", you know, a real genius. Parking in a FIRE LANE for like 2 HOURS ??!!!!!!!!
Anyway, the tow company, like it or not, is right here. Since this was a FIRE LANE (sorry, I still have trouble with 2 HOURS in this spot...), the city or town or county or whatever is the agency who makes it illegal to park here, so they use the tow company to enforce the law. If your buddy chose to get in his car and drive away, I imagine the city could/would simply report this to the DMV or whatever and make it so that he could never renew his registration or LEGALLY do anything with the car until the fine was paid.
IMHO, what he did was alot different than parking in the Mr Pizza parking lot, then going to Dr Linguine to eat instead, then having his car towed because he was not a customer of Mr Pizza. I'm sure he would have thought it was really funny if the fire dept used the biggest fire truck they own as a bulldozer to push his car out of the way if they were responding to an alarm and his car was in the way. Believe me, they would not hesitate to do this if necessary, and I'm glad.
Bret.
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