OT:Towing company. rant -Long!

redtom

Well-known Member
I said long, here it goes. My daughter spun out yesterday and totaled her car. It was a slush that froze at daybreak thing that caught commuters off guard. Lots of crashes. Cops came. Ambulance came cuz she had neck and back pain. Wife was close by and went. Told cop who we wanted to tow. Cop was typical-(making up for his short comings in life by getting a badge and gun)-story for another day. Different towing comp came that is local and owns a repo lot. When done the cop said the one we asked for was booked solid. They took her car to their lot. I called insur. comp a few hours later to file a claim. The lady took me through the process and told me I only had limited collision which I knew, which would only pay if it wasn't her fault. She was issued a ticket which I guess proves guilt. The ins lady said I had 24 hrs to go to towing place and get my plate and belongings and the adjuster would go there. Heres the fun part:We went this AM to towing place. They will NOT let us get our plate or stuff (which amounts to shoes, etc.) I told them what ins co said ab0out coming to get the plate etc. and they said so what. I MUST PAY the towing bill and impound fee ($285! 70 of which is for sweeping the road). if I want my stuff-not the car-just my stuff! I told him it was her stuff and he has no right but he said that's the only way he can keep from getting stuck with a junker (which is worth more in scrap than the towing bill). He equated it to a mechanics lein. Well if I had your car and held it for non payment of repairs The lein is on the car not the stuff. I am not dodging the bill at all, just waiting for the insurance company. We exchanged "pleasantries" and I left. A good friend from my church with a small garage is going to go tow it for a small fee and pay the fees which I will repay. When I got a hold of the adjuster today he said what the claims lady told me was not right at all. The point is If I had had them take it to a dealership or garage or even home this wouldn't have happened. It didn't matter if it was medicine in there or an important laptop, etc You can't get what is rightfully yours. How predatory can you get! NEVER let them take it to THEIR LOT!
 
Around here as long as the police call the tow truck they are likely to gouge the heck out of you. Had the same thing happen to my son. Lesson learned, even if you are darn near dead, call your own tow truck or you're gonna get screwed by some greasy low life. Mike
 
Not to beat you up, but towing is a pretty rough and tumble business, and usually the only way to keep them from taking it to their lot is to pay when they do the tow- most all of them carry a credit card reader with them, and will take car anywhere you want, once they're paid. But they will try to hold your stuff hostage until they're paid, and I guess I can't blame them- Once you get your personal gear, there's not much incentive for your to pay a towing bill on a car that's just going to the scrap yard. You said you were "waiting on insurance", but it sounds like insurance is not going to pay, anyway. Normally, you just need to pay the towing bill to free things up, and if anyone is going to wait on insurance, it should be the vehicle owner, not the towing company.
 
I learned long ago to not let a tow company take to their lot (they have no concern for your property, just making a buck). I know sometimes it is tough, but best to take home if at all possible. A few years ago my son was broadsided, and thankfully I was able to get there and tell them to take to our place (he intended to let them tow to their lot). His truck sat for weeks, then someone called him wanting to pick up the truck - said they had purchased from the insurance company. Thankfully (again) I was home and he asked me before allowing them to pick it up, as the other driver's insurance had not paid him off yet (so it was still his truck in my mind). I told him I would not allow them on the property until the truck was paid off. Apparently they had a buyer for the truck to sell to a rebuilder, or needing engine, etc badly. It sat another month before he finally got paid off, then another tow company came to pick up the truck. The storage fees would have been huge had we not had it sitting here. A former employee of mine had his car stolen - taken to a scrap yard, and cops recovered --- guess what - rather than ask him where he wanted it - they called a tow company and he took to his lot. He now owed the tow comapany about $250 for a car that was scrap, even though he never authorized the tow or where to take the vehicle. In my mind the cops should have been the ones responsible if they made the decision to remove the car and have it tow rather than call the owner and find out where to take. Best to let them sit, or have them towed home in all instances unless you have a shop who will repair without charging storage. You can always have it towed later, or let the insurance pick up AFTER they pay for it.
 
we do police towing here at the shop, both city and county. the municipalities here set the towing and storage rates.. there are a total of 4 tow companies that are on rotation thru the police department to handle police towing. all drivers have to have background checks done to be driving , no criminal records at all, whatsoever. we have a 20 minute response time to be on scene when there is a police call 24/7. our trucks accept credit cards. if the owner wants the car towed somewhere else, the bill must be paid before the car is dropped. otherwise it goes to our impound lot. per our state law, we are required to release medication, cash, important documents, and baby seats to the owner if the bill is not paid. no other items are to be released. in order for us to junk a car, we have to wait 90 days for a certificate of purchase from the police department for an abandoned vehicle, then post a notice for any bidders on the vehicles for 15 more days,they have to have either a salvagers license, dealer license, or rebuilders license. then apply to the state for a junk letter. then we have to tow the car to the scrapper where we get roughly 250 dollars. we eat the tow from the accident, we eat all the storage, and get to tow the car to the scrapper for free also. so, for three months storage, 2 tows and a couple hours of paperwork you make 250 dollars. i have about 16 junk cars in my lot going thru this process now. oh, i also have an old 20 ft fiberglass speed boat that i will need to haul to a landfill to dispose of. runs about 600 dollars to get rid of it.
 
point is pay your bills and you dont have anything to worry about. if they let you have her stuff the car sets there for god knows how long taking up space till someone gets ready to cut a check. around here you can pay the tow bill or sign the title over and we will let you have your stuff. but one way or another someone is going to pay the bill. don't like it buy a tow truck and try to make a living on goodwill and free rides.
 
Here is more of a question. I have AAA and have had a vehicle towed home twice. Would AAA also bring your car home after an accident? They are only like around $80.00 a year and I can't think of a better deal. I do know that it must be "on the road" and not out in a field or ditch. Thanks
 
I'm told that around here, if your vehicle is towed for any reason, the fee will be higher than that, PLUS when you get the vehicle back, you will find that the refrigerant has been extracted from the AC and the anti-freeze has been removed from the radiator. The towing company say that they remove those "for safety reasons" and they won't give it back to you!

Law enforcement here has a list of towing companies that they are supposed to call in rotation, regardless of who you want to tow your vehicle.

Me thinks there might be some kickback scheme working between the police and tow companies.
 
WEll If the little man behind the glass thought he was so smart he would know that if I was a deadbeat, which I made clear I was not, he would realize that a $10 pair of shoes wasn't really gonna make me come back if I ran. If he don't have the stomach for towing risks he should be in another business
 
Pretty obvious the reason for removing refrigerant, and anti-freeze is not safety, if they leave the fuel in them. I assume since this is for safety they are properly extracting before they attach the tow vehicle - even if it is -20, snowing and at night? Unbelievable, but most likely there is an addition $100 charge for that. I think I need to put plates back on my trailer, just in case I break down or get in an accident, but I expect it would be gone before I returned to retrieve my own vehicle. I know there are honest tow companies (I have met a few), but disabling a vehicle, and retaining other property is uncalled for. I do understand not releasing it until tow is paid, provided the owner authorized the two or is unable to authorize.
 
no risk to us towing guys we are going to get payed one way or the other. all we want is our money for the job done same as the next guy in line.
 
So, if you take your tractor into the dealer for repair and accidently leave your cel phone in the cab You should not be able to retrieve it until your bill is paid? Or leave it in your coat and drop it off at the dry cleaners then go back to get it. Nope! not till you pay for the cleaning. Its blackmail plain and simple.
 
I'm sorry about your daughter's accident.

My son operates tow trucks through their repair shop. You wouldn't believe the stories he can tell - you meet every kind of person imaginable when you op a tow service. And at all hours of the day. And all by yourself. And in the worst places. I'm saying that to give you an idea why tow people have to be skeptics to survive. There are laws though that govern their behavior in this modern world. When I was a teenager, we were hooking a chain to my buddies pickup bumper when the lot owner unlocked the gate for us. The other end of the chain was already tied to the gate. You'd go to jail for that today.
 
And if they tow it in at say 10 p.m. and you go check it out at say 8 a.m. you get charged for 2 days storage on top of the tow charge! I must be bad at math cause 10 hours is not 2 days...I think.
 
Unless it is some type of epa or dot requirement, i cannot see a reason to remove refrigerant or af. Here both are classified as hazardous waste. Freon has to be captured in a recycler type charge station. Used antifreeze is spendy to dispose of. You need a hazardous waste generator number, a manifest, and keep records for the epa, and pay to get rid of it.
 
very good point. I am going to have to remember to clean out my vehicle before taking to the shop or getting a tow. No - wait. I do that anyhow since my wife's car had all the change stolen out of the ash trays when she had it serviced at a dealership under warranty. Perhaps they just took the change in case GM did not pay for the services. I took a pickup in for warranty work several years ago, and the service mgr came out and told me he had good news, and bad. I asked for the bad first, and he informed me I would have to have my windshield replaced as they broke it while test driving it. Short version is that the owner was called, and the dealership paid for my windshield even though the told me to get my insurance to pay and that I supposedly signed a fine print agreement that they were not responsible for damages. Owner of the dealership felt differently and I guess he felt he did not want to lose a customer over it, and that I might also tell others of my experience (good or bad). In your case, I doubt this tow operator will be the one you call if your vehicle breaks down in the future, and you are likely to tell others of their practices.
 
My wife had an accident 600 feet from our drive way and asked to have the truck towed back to our property. The cop said no and it was towed 10 miles to their lot so they could charge storage and anything else they could think of.

Nice bunch of people cops, and towing company's.
 
The cops and the towing company are NOT the problem.

The problem is with the city or county officials that have signed on with the towing Co. (for whatever reason) and given them the exclusive right (with the blessing of the PD) to RAPE you.

Sounds like a few need to get voted out!
 
Thats about average here in il bill because the cars have junk letters on them, no title. Its a very involved process in our state to get. Roadable title. After the junk letter is issued, only a licensed rebuilder can apply for a salvage certificate from the state. Then the vehicle is repaired at the licensed rebuilder. Every part installed must have a receipt. Any salvage parts must have the vin number from the donor vehicle and be documented thru a licensed salvage yard. Then the sec of state police inspect the vehicle and all documentation. If rejected, it gets junked. Then, it goes to a state licensed safety inspection facility for final certification. Then all the documentation and application and fee is sent to the state. They can accept or reject it. Once finally approved, you get a branded title that states the vehicle is rebuilt. Takes anywhere from 6 months to a year for the entire process.
 
If towing is covered by your insurance, you should be able to file a claim and get reimbursed. $285 total is not very high for towing. In the Twin Cities it can be close to $600 if you park in the wrong place during a snow emergency and get towed.

I hope your daughter wasn't seriously hurt and she recovers soon.
 
(quoted from post at 12:30:11 04/16/14) I said long, here it goes. My daughter spun out yesterday and totaled her car. It was a slush that froze at daybreak thing that caught commuters off guard. Lots of crashes. Cops came. Ambulance came cuz she had neck and back pain. Wife was close by and went. Told cop who we wanted to tow. Cop was typical-(making up for his short comings in life by getting a badge and gun)-story for another day. Different towing comp came that is local and owns a repo lot. When done the cop said the one we asked for was booked solid. They took her car to their lot. I called insur. comp a few hours later to file a claim. The lady took me through the process and told me I only had limited collision which I knew, which would only pay if it wasn't her fault. She was issued a ticket which I guess proves guilt. The ins lady said I had 24 hrs to go to towing place and get my plate and belongings and the adjuster would go there. Heres the fun part:We went this AM to towing place. They will NOT let us get our plate or stuff (which amounts to shoes, etc.) I told them what ins co said ab0out coming to get the plate etc. and they said so what. I MUST PAY the towing bill and impound fee ($285! 70 of which is for sweeping the road). if I want my stuff-not the car-just my stuff! I told him it was her stuff and he has no right but he said that's the only way he can keep from getting stuck with a junker (which is worth more in scrap than the towing bill). He equated it to a mechanics lein. Well if I had your car and held it for non payment of repairs The lein is on the car not the stuff. I am not dodging the bill at all, just waiting for the insurance company. We exchanged "pleasantries" and I left. A good friend from my church with a small garage is going to go tow it for a small fee and pay the fees which I will repay. When I got a hold of the adjuster today he said what the claims lady told me was not right at all. The point is If I had had them take it to a dealership or garage or even home this wouldn't have happened. It didn't matter if it was medicine in there or an important laptop, etc You can't get what is rightfully yours. How predatory can you get! NEVER let them take it to THEIR LOT!

Sounds like a lot of sour grapes to me from someone trying to make up the short coming in his life by blaming everyone else. Your daughter was at fault, you blame the cop somehow for the towing company you wanted being unavailable and you blame the towing company that did come for trying to protect their interests. On top of that, you seem to assume that what your insurance company says is somehow "law".

I think I see where the problem is.
 
My wife had her car towed from a handicap parking spot one night. At an apartment complex. Handicap tag hanging from the mirror and handicap plates on the car. I called the towing company. Said they were sorry for the mix up. Tow driver didn't see the tag or plates. I told him BS and he said it would still cost me 300.00 to get the car back.

Apartment manager called the towing company. Told them to either bring the car back or lose your contract with our company. We had the car back in two hours. Guy that towed the car was fired.
 
What does not make sense is that a tow company can set their price, and retain not only the vehicle, but everything in the vehicle to satisfy their charges. I realize that in your situation you merely wanted a pair of shoes out of the vehicle, however if they can keep your shoes, they could keep an item worth far more. Somehow I do not think this thinking would hold up in court. I believe I would research and see if they are really within their rights to retain personal property in the vehicle, then if you find they are not, I would make it a point to enlighten the tow company and probably local law enforcement that may be involved.

Here is one excerpt from a legal document in one state (no idea where, but this is just common sense to me). There is an old saying "possession is 9/10ths of the law", so it is a tough situation, but I doubt they have legal right to hold personal possessions inside the vehicle. But lesson learned to be careful who tows your vehicle, and where it goes, and make sure to clean it out before letting it away.

"(b) No lien shall attach to any personal property in or on the
vehicle. The personal property in or on the vehicle shall be given to
the current registered owner or the owner's authorized agent upon
demand and without charge during normal business hours."
 
Why did you let the cop call the tow truck if you knew who you wanted? As for the tow fee - why didn't you just pay it and get your stuff it really doesn't sound that high.
 
i was in the tow business back in the late 70's and up to the mid 80's ,stopped due to a injury, the reason they wont let you have your stuff and plates is they dont want to get stuck with the car, having something in it you want is their only way to recover the expense of the tow, its not the sweeping the street, that costs, its the cost of the 150000 + dollar truck, its operater, the millions of dollars worth of insurance they have to have, the business assetts, ie buildings lots licences, ect and other factors, the tow company must charge for everything it does, the insurance companies are responsible for this happening, too many times a adjuster will send in his estimats and pictures to the insurance company, the company decides the car isnt worth the cost of picking it up , not enough salvage left to intrest buyers, and just leaves it at the tow lot, now the space that car is sitting in is worth money, outside its about 10 to 20 bucks a day, every day your car sits in that space is money out of the tow companies pocket as they cant park another vehicle in that space and make money, there is a long and expensive court procedure to go thru to obtain the salvage title and the right to sell that car , if anybody will buy it, if its a total loss with no salvagable pieces on it buyers wont touch it, it will go to the crusher, now unless your insurance company has already made out the check in which case its their car, its still right now your car, me id make a deal with the tow company for the car,buy the car from the insurance company for its salvage value, you have the right to do that, salvage value is usually 10% of trade in, then trade the car for the bill to the tow company,or whatever if its that wrecked, and if the stuff in it is worth it, that way you get your stuff, they get a title and a chance to get rid of it without going to court over it, you have your check for the car less its salvage value, just a take from the other side
 
I got pulled over for an expired registration - 2 in the morning.

I pulled into a parking lot on the side of the road.

Cop explained the expired reg. car has to be towed. Good enough my fault - I must have missed the registry notification - won't get any argument from me - ya got me.

He called for the tow truck, I asked where it's going to be towed to...

He points across the street - "the lot's right there".

And I mean - DIRECTLY across the street, the gate was exactly opposite where I was parked. Not 10 feet further down the road - but right THERE.

I asked - "couldn't I just drive it over there instead of towing it??"

No sir - the car can't be driven on the road.

mind you - it's 2am and there's NO other traffic - nothing but crickets.

"I'd be willing to just push it over, it's very flat, an easy push..."

"No sir, the car cannot go on the road" - now talking to ME like *I* have some kind of mental problem not understanding that the car can't be on the road!

... well, not to argue the point, but I could always push my dirt bike on the road if the engine wasn't running, you sure I can't legally push a non running car across a road?

"No sir the car cannot go on the road."

To make matters worse we had to sit and wait over half an hour for the tow truck to show up.

Tow truck finally showed up - the drive's first words were - "be easier to just drive it over".

no sir... the car can't go on the road. - I almost answered for him.

So the driver hooked it up - drove it into the lot and put it back down.

$65 tow fee.

whatever -

It's easy to lose respect for the police at times like that.

I know one bad egg doesn't represent them all - but I also seem to meet a lot of bad eggs.
 
In Internet slang, a troll is a person who sows discord on the Internet by starting arguments or upsetting people, by posting inflammatory, extraneous, or off-topic messages in an online community (such as a forum, chat room, or blog), either accidently or with the deliberate intent of provoking readers into an emotional response or of otherwise disrupting normal on-topic discussion
(Wikipedia)
 
The difference between your examples and the towing deal is that presumably, you'll want your tractor or dry cleaning when they're done, so they still have some leverage to get you to pay. On the towing deal, they got nothin'- only a wrecked car that won't even belong to you anymore, after you get your insurance money (if you do).

Business is all about leverage, and trying to make sure you get paid for your work. Same reason movies and sporting events make you pay in advance- because after you've seen the event, they got no way short of a lawsuit to make you pay.
 
(quoted from post at 07:22:17 04/17/14) I got pulled over for an expired registration - 2 in the morning.

I pulled into a parking lot on the side of the road.

Cop explained the expired reg. car has to be towed. Good enough my fault - I must have missed the registry notification - won't get any argument from me - ya got me.

He called for the tow truck, I asked where it's going to be towed to...

He points across the street - "the lot's right there".

And I mean - DIRECTLY across the street, the gate was exactly opposite where I was parked. Not 10 feet further down the road - but right THERE.

I asked - "couldn't I just drive it over there instead of towing it??"

No sir - the car can't be driven on the road.

mind you - it's 2am and there's NO other traffic - nothing but crickets.

"I'd be willing to just push it over, it's very flat, an easy push..."

"No sir, the car cannot go on the road" - now talking to ME like *I* have some kind of mental problem not understanding that the car can't be on the road!

... well, not to argue the point, but I could always push my dirt bike on the road if the engine wasn't running, you sure I can't legally push a non running car across a road?

"No sir the car cannot go on the road."

To make matters worse we had to sit and wait over half an hour for the tow truck to show up.

Tow truck finally showed up - the drive's first words were - "be easier to just drive it over".

no sir... the car can't go on the road. - I almost answered for him.

So the driver hooked it up - drove it into the lot and put it back down.

$65 tow fee.

whatever -

It's easy to lose respect for the police at times like that.

I know one bad egg doesn't represent them all - but I also seem to meet a lot of bad eggs.


How is he a bad egg? If it's like where I worked there are rules and policies in place regarding events like yours. If the cop had let you or the tow truck guy drive it over and something had happened the cop would be liable, in which case everyone would say it's the cops problem and too bad for him. You or your insurance co would sue the cop and the police agency for every nickle you could get and if there'd been another car involved they'd do the same thing. You don't get anywhere being Mr. Nice Guy in police work, or in too many other businesses for that matter.

Funny how folks never look at both sides of the issue.
 
(quoted from post at 14:56:12 04/16/14) WEll If the little man behind the glass thought he was so smart he would know that if I was a deadbeat, which I made clear I was not, he would realize that a $10 pair of shoes wasn't really gonna make me come back if I ran. If he don't have the stomach for towing risks he should be in another business

You *told* him that you weren't a deadbeat? Well, that changes everything!

Except, what do deadbeats tell the towing company when they try the same thing? Hmm? OH YEAH, "I'm not a deadbeat!"

They don't know you from Adam. Your word is worth as much as the paper it's printed on.
 
(quoted from post at 15:43:47 04/16/14) So, if you take your tractor into the dealer for repair and accidently leave your cel phone in the cab You should not be able to retrieve it until your bill is paid? Or leave it in your coat and drop it off at the dry cleaners then go back to get it. Nope! not till you pay for the cleaning. Its blackmail plain and simple.

Yes, it is.

However, there's a huge difference between a tractor that you need to make a living, and a virtually worthless wrecked car.

You have every incentive in the world to come back and pay for the tractor repairs, but almost no incentive to come back for the wrecked car.

Simply put, you are not going to abandon your tractor at the dealership.
 
(quoted from post at 17:53:05 04/16/14) My wife had an accident 600 feet from our drive way and asked to have the truck towed back to our property. The cop said no and it was towed 10 miles to their lot so they could charge storage and anything else they could think of.

Nice bunch of people cops, and towing company's.
had an accident with my truck 4 ml from home on a country road.
Cop had called a tow truck without asking me first.(My wife was already on her way to tow me home).
Cop said truck is going to the impound in town 30 ml away.
I said like "ell it is,..this truck is going to my yard and nowhere else.
Cop tapped on his badge,..i told him to stick it up his arse.
Tow truck came and loaded the truck up.
I told the driver to take the truck to my yard and that is what he did. Still a $ 300 bill though.
Cops be damned, it is still my truck and i decide were it goes.
 
Sorry, but if he didn't want to risk getting sued
he could have explained it a little.

The ridiculousness of the situation warranted SOME kind of explanation.

There's no law saying police officers have to give
minimal, robotic answers. Or that they CAN'T be nice.

We were just two guys sitting there in the dark staring at each other's feet for 45 minutes, waiting for a tow truck.

Not saying he HAD to give me an explanation - just saying he was a jack a## about it - as a person.
 
Being a volunteer fire fighter and responding to many many motor vehicle accidents, I have seen my share of flubbs by both tow companies and the police. I have seen tow companies do more damage to vehicles than that which was caused by the accident. Tow operators dragging cars that had rolled over and on there roof and the roll back driver dragging it down the road trying to flip it up on it's wheels.
Was at an accident where the driver was not seriously hurt but was drunk and could hardly stand up. The ambulance took him to the hospital. He was hideing his beer cans in the trunk upon our arrival. A local tower was on scene in minutes but the cop would not let him tow the car. Instead he waited for over an hour for another tower, and the cop missed the timeline to legaly have a blood test for DUI on the driver.
 
Some cops would have issued a written or verbal warning. An expired registration does not make the car any less safe does it? I can see it differently if the insurance had expired.

My friend had his triaxle red tagged by DOT on I 81. He had to have it towed, but when the tow company showed up, they said they did not have to tow the truck but could just drive it to their yard because they are an official inspection station. That makes no sense to me, if the truck is unsafe.
 
Let me see if I can translate your post correctly:

If someone expresses an opinion you don't agree with they are 'sowing discord' and are a troll.

I might interject 'put your big boy pants on if you want to have adult conversations'.


Brad
 
Brad,

A number of people responded to the original poster's message with sentiments very similar to what Bret4207 said, and yet managed to do so without insults and personal attacks directed at that person. Is your definition of an "adult conversation" one that introduces hostility where none is called for? I'm not crazy about guys who try to pick fights in bars, either, but at least they are on the scene and have to accept whatever happens. People who hang out on the internet and start trouble are not even up to that level.

Stan
 
Stan.

I put my real name on the internet and most who frequent this board know where I live.

I apologize If I am not as tough as you and have to make do with words and not altercations.

Good luck and no hard feelins'.

Brad
 
In some jurisdictions... such as 'here', expired licence tags mean no insurance... so no insurance and the vehicle is involved in an accident while in custody of the law.... that is on the cops head. While the premise of towing the car across the street does seem ridiculous, the lawsuit that could result from an accident is quite real and highly probably. This situation, much like the original poster is all about chain of custody. We no longer live in a society where people are reasonable so the law has to adapt to deal with them...

Rod
 
Wow, did this grow legs! First thanks for all the varied points. Second, some clarification. I am not blaming the cop for anything other than being a jerk. He insisted she get her info from the glove box repeatedly even though the EMTS had her immobilized and would not let her move- one of them got it. HE asked who we wanted for tow! He did NOT inform my wife that company "A" was not available and that he had called company "B" or ask if we had a second choice. Had he, we never would have asked for these guys. Third, I don't care one bit how much the tow owner pays for his equipment , lot, or insurance. That's his problem. Obviously he has an excellent business model, with his new buildings, prime location and late model trucks. If he's getting stiffed, it can't be too often. All, and I repeat, all business caries risk of non payment! I can site numerous examples but some will not hear it. My tractor example may not have been a good one, but I tried. Should one keep the truck keys of a roofer until he finishes the job? Should the dentist seize your coat off the hook until you pay his bill? Selling a service carries risk! Don't like it? Demand full payment up front or drive away. Is non payment right? Of course not! And its why his rates are what they are and its why all prices of anything are what they are-to cover those things such as insurance, capital, and of course "retail shrinkage" (theft). My point I guess was, I don't know of any other business that can seize and hold someone's property that is unrelated to the debt. I paid the bill! The car is home. I have an offer for it for 2 1/2 times the towing bill. ;)
 
Brad,

No, no hard feelings. You do put your name out, which I very definitely noticed, and you've got my respect for that.

I'm not tough, and words are my choice of method for dealing with people, too. I think most of the people who participate on this forum are about the best people in the world, and as far as I can tell, we don't lose anything by treating each other with no less than basic civility.

Take care, and good luck to you, too.

Stan
 
(quoted from post at 16:55:35 04/17/14) Some cops would have issued a written or verbal warning. An expired registration does not make the car any less safe does it? I can see it differently if the insurance had expired.

My friend had his triaxle red tagged by DOT on I 81. He had to have it towed, but when the tow company showed up, they said they did not have to tow the truck but could just drive it to their yard because they are an official inspection station. That makes no sense to me, if the truck is unsafe.


It's going to depend on what state or jurisdiction you are in. The rules and regulations in NY with the NYSP are likely different from the rules and regs for the Anytown PD in Arkansas. There are no written warnings in some states and in some places not following the rules gets a cop fired. If the law said an unregistered vehicle was a major thing and the rules said it had to be towed and not driven, then whats a man to do?

As far as the tri-ax, the tow company was stretching a rule in the FMCSR IIRC. It's an issue of "Well, yeah, it says that, but you aren't using what it says the way it's meant to be used." if you follow my drift.
 
(quoted from post at 07:04:49 04/18/14) Wow, did this grow legs! First thanks for all the varied points. Second, some clarification. I am not blaming the cop for anything other than being a jerk. He insisted she get her info from the glove box repeatedly even though the EMTS had her immobilized and would not let her move- one of them got it. HE asked who we wanted for tow! He did NOT inform my wife that company "A" was not available and that he had called company "B" or ask if we had a second choice. Had he, we never would have asked for these guys. Third, I don't care one bit how much the tow owner pays for his equipment , lot, or insurance. That's his problem. Obviously he has an excellent business model, with his new buildings, prime location and late model trucks. If he's getting stiffed, it can't be too often. All, and I repeat, all business caries risk of non payment! I can site numerous examples but some will not hear it. My tractor example may not have been a good one, but I tried. Should one keep the truck keys of a roofer until he finishes the job? Should the dentist seize your coat off the hook until you pay his bill? Selling a service carries risk! Don't like it? Demand full payment up front or drive away. Is non payment right? Of course not! And its why his rates are what they are and its why all prices of anything are what they are-to cover those things such as insurance, capital, and of course "retail shrinkage" (theft). My point I guess was, I don't know of any other business that can seize and hold someone's property that is unrelated to the debt. I paid the bill! The car is home. I have an offer for it for 2 1/2 times the towing bill. ;)

Lets say he released all tows on the owners word he would pay the bill next week... What are his odds he gets paid I would guess it would be less than a 50/50 chance BTDT...

Once he releases the car he has lost his chance to put a lean on a vehicle.. About all he could do then in go to court and get a judgment for what that's worth..

Lets say your boss pays you when the customer pays him how long would it take you to tell your boss how to run his business...

The towing business is not all that Rosie...
 
Please reread my original post. It was NOT about releasing the cars at all. The lein is on the vehicle, not its contents. The post was about personal posessions in the car.
 
i thought it was common knowledge that tow truck owners/drivers eat their young. i mean it's on the written part of the license test and covered extensively in drivers ed courses, is it not ?
 
(quoted from post at 17:56:12 04/16/14) WEll If the little man behind the glass thought he was so smart he would know that if I was a deadbeat, which I made clear I was not, he would realize that a $10 pair of shoes wasn't really gonna make me come back if I ran. If he don't have the stomach for towing risks he should be in another business

Just pay the man to prove you are not a deadbeat.
 

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