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2013-07-15 1:09 PM

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Regular
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10010025
Waterloo
Subject: Legal question regarding towing
So I recently had my car towed and I have a legal question regarding the whole process. I'm guessing I am SOL but I'm interested in hearing the opinions of the legal best and brightest on here.

The situation is my car was towed from the parking lot at work. We have parking placards to hang on the rearview mirror, and I do have one, but I have 2 cars, and company policy is one per employee no exceptions. Not sure how they expect someone would be driving 2 cars to work at the same time (and there is a large excess of parking, and the facility is not near ANYTHING that anyone else would use the lot for), but that is a different story. I usually swap the placard if I take my other car, but I forgot one too many times, and it was towed on a Friday afternoon. I didn't find out until after 6 PM, towing company is already closed. So I call early Saturday morning, and a woman answers the phone and says [name removed] Towing, Connie speaking. I state my car has been towed to the facility, and asked what their hours are. I'm told they're closed until Monday morning. That would suck for someone with one car, but I didn't really think much of it at the time. So I call this morning to confirm someone will be there so I can get my car at lunch time, and I'm told I'll be charged the storage fee for the days over the weekend when their facility was closed. I asked why, and she quite nastily snapped back that no one called to even try to get the car back over the weekend, as if it would have been possible. I told her that was untrue, that we had spoken Saturday morning and I was told Monday morning would be the earliest. She then said "policy" was the the fee is charged regardless of whether they are open or not, and that cash was required (despite the fact that their website states they accept credit cards). So I picked up the car at lunch and just paid the fee as requested. The staff was incredibly rude the entire time I was there. Connie looked me in the eye and said we never spoke on the phone. I requested a written copy of their tow and impound fee policy, and they did not have one. I did get an itemized receipt though. At that point I just left because I did not want a tense situation to escalate further. It doesn't seem right if they do not have a written policy and allow no opportunity to get the car that I should be charged the fee for the 2 days over the weekend. I'm considering a small claims case. It's not really the money, it's more the attitude of the staff I take issue with. What do you think, do I have a leg to stand on?

Understand that I take full responsibility for the towing and accept I need to pay the tow fee and 2 days of storage, so I'm not trying to get out of that altogether or anything. Also, this company has a number of bad reviews on yelp and yahoo, so perhaps it's not surprising.


2013-07-15 1:33 PM
in reply to: ersnyder3654

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Subject: RE: Legal question regarding towing
Bluntly, I think you're going to lose the small claims case. If you do end up "winning" you'll get two days of storage fees. Is that worth the time and effort?

However, I also do believe you need to take this up with your work and let them know what kind of business they're contracting with and what happened.

2013-07-15 1:38 PM
in reply to: DanielG

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Regular
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10010025
Waterloo
Subject: RE: Legal question regarding towing
Originally posted by DanielG

Bluntly, I think you're going to lose the small claims case. If you do end up "winning" you'll get two days of storage fees. Is that worth the time and effort?

However, I also do believe you need to take this up with your work and let them know what kind of business they're contracting with and what happened.




Yes, I plan to discuss with HR, I asked around and others have had issues with this towing company.
2013-07-16 1:43 PM
in reply to: ersnyder3654

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Southwest Iowa
Subject: RE: Legal question regarding towing

Are you only allowed one sticker per employee?  My problem is that I own multiple vehicles and drive whatever works that day.  Sometimes I trade off vehicles with daughters so they can use my bigger vehicles to load or carry stuff they can't do in their cars.  I know I would forget the tag on things like that.

 

 

2013-07-16 2:59 PM
in reply to: 0

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Elite
3091
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Spokane, WA
Subject: RE: Legal question regarding towing

I'm pretty sure that the one-placard-per-employee policy is they don't want employees "sharing" placards. Heaven forbid someone get free parking at their work!

I think it's industry standard that they can charge for weekends, so I doubt you have a leg to stand on there. I just remember when I got my daughter's car out of tow that we had to hustle in before they closed or we'd be charged for the weekend. Sorry I'm not more help



Edited by zed707 2013-07-16 3:01 PM
2013-07-16 3:18 PM
in reply to: zed707

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Subject: RE: Legal question regarding towing
I live a sheltered life whenit comes to employers and jobs......what kind of employer has their own employee's vehicles towed?


2013-07-16 3:21 PM
in reply to: zed707

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Champion
10020
50005000
, Minnesota
Bronze member
Subject: RE: Legal question regarding towing
When you say "but I forgot one too many times, and it was towed on a Friday afternoon" had you gotten warnings/tickets?  Just curious.  Or, do they tow immediately?
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