Getting towed for parking on private property

FenderGuy · 03-14-2005, 11:02 AM

Need some advice on a towing incident that happened. Go out and 2 of my friends get towed. This happened on a Sunday night, we call the cops since the Towing Company was being rude and saying it could either take 15 minutes or 1 hour. The Tempe, Arizona cops tells us we don’t have to pay at the spot and the must release your car if you sign a promissory note if your going to fight the charges. We go to the towing company and you know how these people are, I proceed to tell the person to get somebody down here with a promissory letter, he scoffs at me and says he’s never heard of such a thing. He tells me if I want to get my car in a threating tone, which I ask him,” are you threating me?” at the time my friend intervenes. The tow truck person now explains to us (Now hes heard of the promissory note) that if we choose to go this route and that if the fees are not paid within 24 hours that, these fees will be sent to a collection agency, and within 24 hours to our credit reports. I know this is wrong due to fact that I am trying to get some credit issues taken care of. The collection must inform us that they are going to give us a negative on our credit reports and give us the right to dispute these charges. Well the guy proceeds to write down all the paperwork and I mean all the paper works on these so called contracts, he even writes down my friends printed names were they are supposed to sign them, all he asks is they sign the paper. Which they do, but they sign thier names illegible. Now am I wrong to believe that he is not supposed to sign all the paperwork himself along were my friends are supposed to sign thier printed names? He also did not provide copies of the paperwork that he signed all himself and that had my friend illegible handwriting...advice please

RANDY P · RANDY P's Garage

Were you in fact, illegally parked?

If so, pay your tab.

rjp

FenderGuy · 03-14-2005, 11:25 AM

Went back to our spots I would say the answer to that is, 50/50 due to the sign being around the corner and not in front of our parking spots.... The question I ask is, did the guy void these contracts by signing my friends names in the printed spot? If it is a legal and binding contract, my friends have to sign certain articles in order for them to be held reasonable for their actions, other concern is guy took both my friends Drivers License information and signed all the info on the document with out given them copies.

I don’t think they should pay their tab from this person, the guy tried to get them to give him their tow insurance information, saying he would claim they broke down and the insurance company would reimburse them for the tow, yeah this guy sounds legit.

legion · 03-14-2005, 11:31 AM

It sounds like an operation where the towing company has removed signs or intentionally posted signs far away from the affected area. They probably have the tow truck parked around the corner and wait for people to take the bait...

Get pictures of the area and signage. You might be able to make the case that the parking was not clearly labeled as private.

john70t · 03-14-2005, 02:38 PM

San Francisco's (King Willie Brown) city-designated "CityTow" had oversteped their boundry a few years back and started towing from peoples backyards (a.k.a. their castle), and from legal parking areas. Intentionally and with malicious intent.

Az. may have it's own troubles, best way is to seperate yourself from the temporarys.

juanbenae · juanbenae's Garage

did you ever get a 911, or a porsche for that matter? it is relivant.

john70t · 03-14-2005, 02:49 PM

Get in the car and sit there with the door open and your leg out.

If the tow driver damages your car, or your person, as a result it is their fault.

FenderGuy · 03-14-2005, 02:57 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by k911sc
did you ever get a 911, or a porsche for that matter? it is relivant.

nope almost had a 83 SC Targa , was ready to get a PPI , then seller says hes selling to his uncle for now the search has stopped,
I will wait for a 911 that a guy is restoring in california he said the car should be ready summer....But I'll still keep a look out

mikester · 03-14-2005, 07:47 PM

We've had problems like this in LA where towing companies tow legit parking.

Fight it. The docs are likely fine though.