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The Tow Files: Drips n' Drabs

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  • #31
    Quoth mjr View Post
    They think they can change their story to the police, and that Mean Mr. Tow Truck Driver is stealing their car to run some sort of scam...

    Or something.
    Actually, most don't change their story at all. Some do, and it's fairly transparent to all that they're lying, but, a few will actually say, to the cops, that yes, they were parked where they shouldn't have been, yes, they were aware they weren't allowed here before they even parked, yes, they were informed what they owe under BOROUGH LAW, and yes, they're just refusing to pay..... because they don't want to.

    And they are to a man flabbergasted that the cops say "pay".
    - They say nothing good happens at 2AM, they're right, I happen at 2AM.

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    • #32
      Quoth Argabarga View Post
      they're just refusing to pay..... because they don't want to.
      Ha...

      That's like saying "Yeah, I know that TV is $1,200...but I'm just gonna go ahead and leave with it, because I Don't wanna pay for it."
      Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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      • #33
        Quoth FredKlein View Post
        I'm surprised no one has ever replied "Then make THEM pay!"
        Argabarga has posted about that at least once.
        Quoth FredKlein View Post
        I've never heard of another business where a 3rd party has to pay for a service provided by the company to their customer.
        Autobody repairs (billed to one of the insurance companies involved)?
        Last edited by Argus; 10-05-2015, 04:20 PM.

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        • #34
          Quoth FredKlein View Post
          I'm surprised no one has ever replied "Then make THEM pay!" I've never heard of another business where a 3rd party has to pay for a service provided by the company to their customer.
          Because the service provided is enforcement. It's not just a Global Domination Reality that say you cannot park in that spot. The law says you need permission to park somewhere. In a public lot- or street parking- permission is implied by it being a public lot. Hence, Argabarga is enforcing paring laws- the $130 is not a few for towing the vehicle, but a penalty assessed under the law for violating the laws on illegal parking. It's the equivalent of a speeding ticket, not of a library fine.

          If someone calls Argabarga for a tow because they've broken down- hence, it's not a situation where a legal penalty applies- the customer does indeed pay ( and, for that matter, pays less- I think Argabarga said once they charge $65 if you call them for a tow if it's a breakdown)

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          • #35
            Quoth sstabeler View Post
            but a penalty assessed under the law for violating the laws on illegal parking. It's the equivalent of a speeding ticket, not of a library fine.
            I was out and about in the Major City where I work, after having lunch with a colleague. We were waiting on the bus to come for him (he works at a different place than I do), and we saw a Mercedes parked partially in the bus lane, with a parking ticket under the windshield wiper.

            Miss Fancy Dress (TM) gets to her car, gets the ticket, gets in, opens said ticket, closes the envelope, tosses it into her passenger seat, and drives off...

            I looked at my friend and said, "She probably doesn't even care."
            Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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            • #36
              Quoth mjr View Post
              Miss Fancy Dress (TM) gets to her car, gets the ticket, gets in, opens said ticket, closes the envelope, tosses it into her passenger seat, and drives off...

              I looked at my friend and said, "She probably doesn't even care."
              Some people don't care. It makes me wish the punishment for those people would be something which they do care about. Obviously not for real, just in my imaginary world. Like, if they drink a really complicated latte every day, then the punishment would be only drinking black coffee, or herbal tea or something they don't want. I remember in a movie (10 Things I Hate About You) the main character gets blocked in by a super douche. So she repeatedly backs into his car that he loves so much. Not that I'm condoning violence. But that guy really liked his car, so I saw it as fitting punishment.
              Replace anger management with stupidity management.

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              • #37
                Quoth notalwaysright View Post
                Some people don't care. It makes me wish the punishment for those people would be something which they do care about. Obviously not for real, just in my imaginary world. Like, if they drink a really complicated latte every day, then the punishment would be only drinking black coffee, or herbal tea or something they don't want. I remember in a movie (10 Things I Hate About You) the main character gets blocked in by a super douche. So she repeatedly backs into his car that he loves so much. Not that I'm condoning violence. But that guy really liked his car, so I saw it as fitting punishment.
                I don't know for sure, but it's possible it wasn't her car. It may have been, and she's just that nonchalant because Miss Fancy Dress (TM) was in a Mercedes. Of course, she could have been nonchalant because it's Husband/Boyfriend's car...

                Either way, something about the way she handled it rubbed us wrong.
                Skilled programmers aren't cheap. Cheap programmers aren't skilled.

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                • #38
                  Quoth sstabeler View Post
                  If someone calls Argabarga for a tow because they've broken down- hence, it's not a situation where a legal penalty applies- the customer does indeed pay ( and, for that matter, pays less- I think Argabarga said once they charge $65 if you call them for a tow if it's a breakdown)
                  Hypothetical situation: Person without a cellphone is driving along and their car suddenly starts misbehaving BADLY. They pull off the street into the first open driveway, and park in a lot owned by Global Domination Realty. They see that it's patrolled by Friendly Neighbourhood Towing, jot down the phone number, and go to find a pay phone to call for a tow. They make the call to arrange a tow to their mechanic, go back to where they're parked, and their car is gone - while they were making the call, Argabarga did a lot check and towed a car that didn't have a permit.

                  Does this wind up as a $130 (illegal parking) tow, or a $65 (vehicle owner called for a tow) job?
                  Any fool can piss on the floor. It takes a talented SC to shit on the ceiling.

                  Comment


                  • #39
                    Quoth wolfie View Post
                    Hypothetical situation: Person without a cellphone is driving along and their car suddenly starts misbehaving BADLY. They pull off the street into the first open driveway, and park in a lot owned by Global Domination Realty. They see that it's patrolled by Friendly Neighbourhood Towing, jot down the phone number, and go to find a pay phone to call for a tow. They make the call to arrange a tow to their mechanic, go back to where they're parked, and their car is gone - while they were making the call, Argabarga did a lot check and towed a car that didn't have a permit.

                    Does this wind up as a $130 (illegal parking) tow, or a $65 (vehicle owner called for a tow) job?
                    I see where you're going with this, but there's a flaw in this situation. It is DAMN hard to find a payphone just about anywhere these days!

                    As to your scenario, I would hope someone at Friendly Neighborhood Towing would have their shit together enough to realize that the dude that called for a tow and the vehicle Arga towed around that time are one and the same. The driver would have had to give a detailed description of the vehicle I assume, which would obviously match the one Arga towed in.
                    "If we refund your money, give you a free replacement and shoot the manager, then will you be happy?" - sign seen in a restaurant

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                    • #40
                      Quoth notalwaysright View Post
                      So she repeatedly backs into his car that he loves so much. Not that I'm condoning violence. But that guy really liked his car, so I saw it as fitting punishment.
                      I know it's a movie, but i have an uncle (not known for being the best at logical thinking) who actually did just that, until he'd removed said other car from his driveway. Uncle ended up in court (charges brought by city, not other driver) but the judge had a fit laughing, told Uncle "my job is really boring, thanks for the entertainment" and dropped the charges. EDIT: I think the charges were for recklessness or endangering public safety or something, since the other car was on his property, but he pushed it into a road where it could have (but didn't) cause an accident.
                      Last edited by WishfulSpirit; 10-08-2015, 04:59 PM.
                      "I try to be curious about everything, even things that don't interest me." -Alex Trebek

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                      • #41
                        Quoth wolfie View Post
                        Hypothetical situation: Person without a cellphone is driving along and their car suddenly starts misbehaving BADLY. They pull off the street into the first open driveway, and park in a lot owned by Global Domination Realty. They see that it's patrolled by Friendly Neighbourhood Towing, jot down the phone number, and go to find a pay phone to call for a tow. They make the call to arrange a tow to their mechanic, go back to where they're parked, and their car is gone - while they were making the call, Argabarga did a lot check and towed a car that didn't have a permit.

                        Does this wind up as a $130 (illegal parking) tow, or a $65 (vehicle owner called for a tow) job?
                        Probably depends on how much of an asshole the driver is. If he goes sucky customer, that's likely to make Argabarga's crew tune him out and it stays an illegal tow job.

                        If it's a friendly driver, possibly a bit exasperated, then FNT would probably take the extra few steps to put 2 and 2 together and realize what happened and flip it over.

                        Ideally in that sort of parking/stopping situation, the driver should also do their best to alleviate the situation. Things like finding someone on site if possible to explain why they are there and/or to ask them to watch the car or to call for them (not always possible granted).

                        A windshield note might help as well: "Car broke down. Calling X Towing company. Will be back in 5 minutes." While Argabarga has said in the past that notes don't work, if the driver is right, it's part of that "2+2" proof that could flip things around.

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