The Tow Files: The Winter of YOUR Discontent!

[Chromatix]

The petrol-can story is reasonably easy to verify. On the one hand, simply coming back a bit later, especially around the time written on the note, would show up most cases, one way or another. On the other hand, spotting someone walking determinedly towards the nearest petrol station with can in hand tends to help, too.

[Dave1982]

I believe Arga addressed this once in another thread. IIRC, the mistake people make is leaving, whereas if they'd stayed with the vehicle awaiting a tow truck or other assistance that they'd called themselves, then they probably would not be trespass-towed. That makes perfect sense to me. After all, if you're actually there to explain "yeah I know I'm not supposed to park here but the timing belt just broke and I'm waiting for AAA" you're a lot more likely to garner sympathy than if you just left a note that they have no way to determine the legitimacy of.

[greek_jester]

I could actually see various valid "don't tow" notes. None that Arga has ever reported, of course, but I could see situations that would be valid for such things. But they'd be extreme, to be sure.

Arga, I've often wondered, what's the legality behind running out of petrol and having to coast into the nearest safe space i.e. illegally parking in a lot? If you leave a note with the date and time of leaving for petrol, and something along the lines of "I'll be gone as soon as I can get back from {petrol station at address}, estimated eta with full petrol can {time}, please give me enough time to get back before towing me", are you able to give them a break, or do you have to tow them regardless?

[DGoddessChardonnay]

Business is changing; Changing at the speed of information. Whoever adapts first wins - in order to compete we Innovate; in order to Innovate we redefine; and how do we redefine? With a New Definition!

And that, sadly, is usually the total syntax of our weekly sales meetings at work.

Or, as Shakespeare would have put it: Much Ado About Nothing.

[Argabarga]

I don't have one either.

[Teskeria]

The most I could understand the Do Not Tow thing is if somehow one didn't have a cell phone and they went to get gas/arrange a service to show up to help. But it's hard to figure who doesn't have even a basic cell phone anymore. Even my grandparents and their siblings do!

me. (sorry for short answer)

[wolfie]

That earned your car a free trip to the auto-pokey.

Misleading advertising! While the trip TO the auto-pokey was free, you guys charged a hefty fee to get it OUT.

[fireheart]

Although I've never read Alice in Wonderland, I have seen the tv show Better off Ted, and there is an episode called Jabberwocky. The main character "steals" some money (I believe he was going to give it back) and has to cover it up on the fly, so he claims it's for the Jabberwocky project. Nobody wants to admit that they don't know what it is, so he ends up doing a presentation about absolutely nothing. An example:

Business is changing; Changing at the speed of information. Whoever adapts first wins - in order to compete we Innovate; in order to Innovate we redefine; and how do we redefine? With a New Definition!

This was the reference I was going for. ^^

[Jester]

I will never, never, never get the logic behind the "No Tow PlZ Guize!" notes.

I could actually see various valid "don't tow" notes. None that Arga has ever reported, of course, but I could see situations that would be valid for such things. But they'd be extreme, to be sure.

[Geek King]

Dang, wish I'd thought of that.

(as a joke, not a way into college)

Don't feel bad Arga, even the Late Night guys don't write most of their own material.

[Ironclad Alibi]

Interestingly on at least one test I've sat, we were told that ANY message to the markers would result in an instant 0.

I wonder what sort of messages were passed to the markers to bring this about?

[notalwaysright]

That's what I thought fireheart was referring to.

Although I've never read Alice in Wonderland, I have seen the tv show Better off Ted, and there is an episode called Jabberwocky. The main character "steals" some money (I believe he was going to give it back) and has to cover it up on the fly, so he claims it's for the Jabberwocky project. Nobody wants to admit that they don't know what it is, so he ends up doing a presentation about absolutely nothing. An example:

Business is changing; Changing at the speed of information. Whoever adapts first wins - in order to compete we Innovate; in order to Innovate we redefine; and how do we redefine? With a New Definition!

[siskaren]

On another side note, maybe everyone knew this, but did you know Jabberwocky is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll?

That's what I thought fireheart was referring to.

[notalwaysright]

Off-topic, but I love your avatar. Are you promoting Jabberwocky by any chance?

Duh, it's going to revolutionize the way we do business. On another side note, maybe everyone knew this, but did you know Jabberwocky is a nonsense poem written by Lewis Carroll? That show worked on so many levels.

[Sapphire Silk]

Obviously not a math or business major, is he?

Are you kidding?! He'll probably become a Wall Street CEO.