Bad Bad Towing...

chixSI · 02-16-2005, 12:14 PM

Last night i went out with my sister, her two friends, and my best friend to College Park (University of Maryland) to hit up a couple of bars. I parked my car, rolled up my windows, took off my face plate, made sure i switched both my kill switches, got out of the car, and locked my doors. I noticed that there were parking meters saying that i had to pay between the hours of 8am-10pm. When i got there the time was 9:40 so i went ahead and put an hours worth in (just to be on the safe side) and walked away from my car and towards the bars. 5 hours later, walked back to my car, laughing and having a great time with my girls. It all came to a stop when i noticed my car wasn't there anymore. Since my car has been stolen twice in the past three years and the last time it got stolen it was found in College Park (thanks to Lo-Jack) i thought for sure my car was stolen. I grabbed my cell phone and called the police right away. When they got to the parking lot and started to take a police report, they discovered that my car has been towed. They said i was parked in a non-parking zone. I knew that i was parked in a parking zone since i've parked there many times before. So the police gave me the infomation to where i can pick my car up in the morning.

So early this morning with a slight hangover, I had to miss out on work. i got dropped off at the gas station to where my car was at. Turned out i had to pay them $100.00 for towing and storage fee. I asked the guy for the reason why my car was towed and he couldn't give me an answer. I took a look at my car to make sure nothing has been screwed up. Everything seemed fine until i noticed my exhaust was all scrapped up. I got on my knees and started to feel around. MOTHER FU**ER...there was a big hole in my exhaust

i got so pissed off!

so i went back to the place where i parked my car and took pictures to show that it says nothing about it being a non-parking zone. Does anyone know if i could sue the towing company to get a new exhaust??? Everyone know that it's not cheap to get an exhaust... and to make matters worse, this exhaust is only 2 months old.

so since they damaged it, what chance do i have to get it replaced? what should i do???

notyouraveragegirl · 02-16-2005, 12:42 PM

Nice job on taking pictures and everything -- do you have any "disinterested third party witnesses (i.e. people that aren't your close friends who could back you up)? if not, your friends as witnesses could help you out -- i'd say if its a little mom-and-pop towing operation take them to small claims court

i had a similar thing happen to me out at penn state, university park a couple years back -- the right whell of the front of my car apparently was over the property line so the landlord nextdoor had the tow company tow my car by pulling it all the way onto their property and then taking it away - basically stealing it - i sued and won for towing, court fees, and the cost of me missing two days of work and having to run all over town trying to find my car

hope that helps - good luck

S13wanabe · 02-16-2005, 12:43 PM

You showed the police where the car sat. You will need to get a police report for it. Find the cop that came out and have him right up a report for where you car sat. You have whitnesses too. Your friends will have to testify that you parked where you say you did, put money in the meter, the time you parked, and that you did if fact have a police officer come out. With all this sue for damages, towing fee, inconvenience for not being able to go to work and get home from the bars, and mental anguish. Since your car has been stolen many times this incident you feel is taking you over the edge. You now have a chronic fear of leaving your car. Sue for a couple million, and then you will either win or settle for 1 or 2 million. It really shouldn't be hard at all if you are telling the truth. Go talk to a lawyer also. Good luck.

Integragrl · 02-16-2005, 12:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S13wanabe

You showed the police where the car sat. You will need to get a police report for it. Find the cop that came out and have him right up a report for where you car sat. You have whitnesses too. Your friends will have to testify that you parked where you say you did, put money in the meter, the time you parked, and that you did if fact have a police officer come out. With all this sue for damages, towing fee, inconvenience for not being able to go to work and get home from the bars, and mental anguish. Since your car has been stolen many times this incident you feel is taking you over the edge. You now have a chronic fear of leaving your car. Sue for a couple million, and then you will either win or settle for 1 or 2 million. It really shouldn't be hard at all if you are telling the truth. Go talk to a lawyer also. Good luck.

Wow you really think a few million! Well.. as long as you can prove everything like they said you should be fine minus the footwork it'll take and all the run around you'll probably be given, but shoot for that much it'll be worth it. If for some reason there is a fault in all of your evidence then sad to say the towing company won't be held liable for any of your damage. My friend parked in a non-visitors spot at one of the apts. here, ran out and saw the towing guy, once it was established that the car had to be towed regardless of the fact that my friend was standing right there.. my friend asked if he could atleast release the parking break so that while it was being towed it would get all fucked up, with a NO the car was towed. Now the car makes a thumping sound as if he burned a part of his wheels jamming on the breaks. just goes thump thump thump. Now even though that problem couldve easily have been remedied by letting my friend pull the break, the towing company is not liable.. also, when I had my old car towed when i went to pick it up there are signs everywhere saying if things are stolen out of your car they're not liable, or even if your car itself is stolen! crazy.. but goodluck, sounds like with everything you've done you've got all of your bases covered.

S13wanabe · 02-16-2005, 01:07 PM

It won't be easy to get that much but it is very possible with a good lawyer.Like I said, she just needs to go talk to a lawyer and he can tell her everything she needs to do. She will have to show that she is now getting couseling or psychiatric help to get the millions.

notyouraveragegirl · 02-16-2005, 01:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by S13wanabe

You showed the police where the car sat. You will need to get a police report for it. Find the cop that came out and have him right up a report for where you car sat. You have whitnesses too. Your friends will have to testify that you parked where you say you did, put money in the meter, the time you parked, and that you did if fact have a police officer come out. With all this sue for damages, towing fee, inconvenience for not being able to go to work and get home from the bars, and mental anguish. Since your car has been stolen many times this incident you feel is taking you over the edge. You now have a chronic fear of leaving your car. Sue for a couple million, and then you will either win or settle for 1 or 2 million. It really shouldn't be hard at all if you are telling the truth. Go talk to a lawyer also. Good luck.

you know - i once had a friend who said "there's only so many times in your life you get a chance to sue somebody... "

chixSI · 02-16-2005, 03:26 PM

I was and still am pretty pissed about this whole situation. Usually if you park in a spot that's reserved (handicap, police, fire lane) you only get a ticket and that's what i don't understand...how come i didn't get a ticket but instead i got towed???

Another thing that pisses me off is that i bust my butt off working three jobs to only have nice things in life. i live in my own apartment, pay for my own school, and i have a very expensive hobby (my car). And when something happens to my car...i feel like all that hard work goes down the drain.

So here's the update on the whole issue. I called the office that came out and he was out of the office so i left a message for him to call me back. I'm going to see if there is a way he can write a report stating that not only was i parking in a legal spot, i was disrought because i thought my car was stolen. After the second time my car was stolen...i'm so nervous to leave it anywhere. (that's why i have lo-jack, alarm, and 2 kill switches) When i'm at home i'll wake up in the middle of the night just to check on it. I know my car is probably nothing special, but i have put lots of work and money into it...and it's the worst feeling to have that taken away from you.

Anyways i think i'm going to call a lawyer as soon as i hear back from the police officer. I just need to get some info and legal advise. I really don't care about getting millions for settlement, i just want a new exhaust since they aren't cheap and i just got it 2 months ago. But if i can get money...that's always good too

Anyway i'll keep you all updated! Thanks for the help!

chixSI · 02-17-2005, 12:38 PM

Okay so i got the rest of the story... and it's some pretty fu**ed up shit.

Appartently there was a 2001 Blue 4door civic parked in front of me and they had some mechanical problems with the car so they left it there. I'm guessing sometime during the day / night they called a tow truck company and told them the location of their car. So when the tow truck came out to tow it...they thought it was mine and towed it. SO DEF. NOW I'M GOING TO GET A LAWYER AND SUE! That's why i didn't receive a ticket first, and you damn well better believe i'm going to get myself a NEW NICE exhaust and my $100.00 back from me having to pay towing and storage fee.

So yeah i'm going to make sure that the TOW TRUCK Company is going to pay for exhaust, me missing all the days that i have to take off work to deal with this, $100.00 towing, and anything else i can get.

notyouraveragegirl · 02-17-2005, 03:30 PM

that is beyond messed up .. Is your car even blue? seriously -- its a tow company's JOB to know WHICH CAR TO TOW...

damn im surprised you haven't choked anybody yet (just kidding)

hope you find a good lawyer to help you out with that one -- keep us posted and good luck!!!!

chixSI · 02-17-2005, 04:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by notyouraveragegirl

that is beyond messed up .. Is your car even blue?

Yeah my car is blue (SI blue) but i have a two door and not a 4 door. The whole thing is messed up, but in the end i should get a fat check

notyouraveragegirl · 02-17-2005, 05:09 PM

i got my fingers crossed for ya