June 05, 2010

Predatory Towing

Continues.  People I know got towed from Remax, they are not the owner of the lot (just a tenant) on Shrewsbury Street.   Conveniently they did not have far to walk to the towing facilities.   I drove by the lot afterwards, very small signs.  Bottom line add this lot to your list on places that you will be towed in 10 minutes if you park there.

13 comments:

signman said...

Happened to my employee by this company downtown... they watch the lot and watch you park then when you go else where.. bang they get you.. same story small sign and the lot was next to the building he went into... he thought it was for Deholms...My guy went out before he hooked up and the guy would not let him go he called me down... driver gave me two choices pay cash then or pay cash and storage after... top it off no receipt when I asked,,, did not see a story about him in the paper...

JSF said...

I don't understand why people think they can park wherever they want. If someone comes and parks in your driveway, are you going to simply ignore it?

On the other hand, there are strict requirements the tow company must follow before towing a car, which they almost never do. I suggest paying the towing charge, and filing a small claims case against the tow company, alleging their failure to follow the towing laws.

Bill Randell said...

JSF

If you put up big signs that say parking not allowed, then I agree with you. On the other hand, if you put up small signs (to cover the law) then hire a tow company to snatch up cars who then call the police department as they are driving away with your car that is wrong.

Bill

signman said...

JSF

Trust me I agree totally... But my case they parked in the lot attached to the building they went into... looked a if it belonged to Denholms...The sign was two feet square on the wall of Denholms...could barley read what it said... and to have the tow company drive by and do what they did is wrong...especially when we went out before he even put it on the hook... charge cash and no reciept?? We were in the wrong but need better SIGNAGE!!! signed signman

JSF said...

OK, I'll drive by your house this afternoon and see how big the signs are on your driveway.

My point is that if the land does not belong to you, have no "right" to park there. If you are visiting a business, you are likely a licensee of invitee, otherwise you are trespassing.

Public parking lots are pretty clearly marked.

Bill Randell said...

JSF:

I have private parking and it bothers me when people park there that are not suppose to.

There are businesses that deliberately put up small signs and hire a towing company to drive buy the lots constantly. They are not doing to stop people from parking in their lots but as a way to make money.

Bill

Jahn said...

Is Remax the owner of the site or are they a (the) tenant?

Regardless they kinda get tainted, esp if it's at 800pm on a fri or Sat night.

Inquiring minds would like to be enlighten re the towing co's name or initial(s) Does the letter "P" play a prominent part in the name?

This motis operandi is not unlike like going 37 MPH in a 35 zone and getting whacked for a speeding tix....esp. if one is only parked illegally for a few minutes. Reminds of a big ole hawk slowly circling the environs looking for its next meal.

Where are the requiremtns posted that towing co's must follow before they take possession of your vehicle and during the time they are acting as bailor or agent for bailor.

This would never happen to me as I park in the library when I am downtown, for example, and walk to my destination.

Bill Randell said...

lot is owned by Shrewsbury Street General Partnership.

The owner of which is Marcelo Mallegni.

Believ he was mentioned many times in the various lawsuite as a partner of Duddie.

My apoligies to Remax and I will change the blow post

Jahn said...

Is that the old Lawless Cadillac building before which it was Heywood Ford?

Duddie owed (or still owns?) that back in the 90's and ran a low end used car auction there every Monday or Tuesday night?

Bill Randell said...

It was a funeral home before Remax moved in

Anonymous said...

What laws do tow companies operate under? Meaning if the tow operator prevents me from moving my car, and hooks up AFTER i arrive cant i call the cops? Can i sue for theft? Can i just cut the chain from his truck with my bolt cutters? Do these guys actually hook into the RMV computers? Cant i just take my car back? What prevents anyone from taking their own car back after it has been towed by a private operator not working for the state?

Jim Savage 3 said...

Chief Gemme supports predatory towing and that is why it is widespread and the local companies charge more than the public utility companies permit. No one should be towed from a downtown parking lot that is not locked up on a weekend. The parking lot owner needs to have an attendant available either to do the warning or collecting a parking fee before anyone can be towed. A Tow Truck should be required to be present for 5 minutes and wait until then before it can remove a car. If the owner shows up within the first 3 minutes, the car should be released immediately. After that the truck could start lifting the car and wait for at least two minutes. IF the owner shows up during that period, then a small fee should be permitted and the car released. The Chief of Police does a poor job in setting the local regulations. !rofl

Lacey Briggs said...

I feel its people's own fault when they are towed! Then they get upset about it and go running to the news about their sob story of why they had to park illegally and then it makes the towing companies look bad. Yes, there are some very shady companies they are doing it illegally. But most of them aren't! I did some searching and found this article that really swayed my option on towing companies and their side of this controversy.Wow, I'm glad that someone was able to put them in there place. So many good towing companies, like the one I have help me with my beater that I find I'm having towed more than driving, really are great guys. It's companies like this that give towing bad reps. An article that I recently stumbled on about predatory towing from the towing companies themselves I found pretty interesting on what they had to say about this topic..
https://omadi.com/don’t-park-where-you-shouldn’t-predatory-towing-tow-company’s-perspective
Gives you a different point of view huh ?