The Tow Files: June, bugs.

[Jay 2K Winger]

Maybe his coworkers could livestream his exploits. Like on Twitch or something.

Livestream both Arga and his coworkers.

Then we could have Twitch on Twitch!

[notalwaysright]

Could make up a drinking game. One drink every time someone says "but I just parked there for a minute!" and "this is illegal!" I mean, we'd all get alcohol poisoning, but it'd be fun until that point.

[Jetfire]

Arga, we're still waiting for another Tow Files. If the idiots have gone into hiding lately, maybe a "greatest hits" or something?

While I love his stories, I'd rather wait until he has the time/desire/muse to post them than to try and feel obligated to post.

Thus whenever a new story is ready, I'll cherish it like a well grown pearl, built upon the seed of parking stupidity.

[WishfulSpirit]

Ya I guess that's fair Jetfire. I'll have to content myself with reading his old ones for now.

[mjr]

...most people aren't up at that hour to even NOTICE their car getting towed, you pretty much never get a drop between 1 am and 6 am.

Got a question about this...

As someone who has never had my car towed for illegal parking (though I have been towed because my car broke down), this brings up an interesting question.

When someone's car is towed at night, I get that they wake up in the morning and realize their car is gone. But how do they know exactly who to call? I mean, the first thing I'd think most people would think is that their car was stolen.

And judging by the clientele of Arga's "Friendly Neighborhood Towing", people seem to think that the tow people are "stealing" their cars anyway in some sort of weird-ass elaborate scam, so a stolen car might be the first thing.

And how would they know to call Friendly Neighborhood Towing instead of police? Unless they call the police to report a stolen vehicle, and the police tell them "Oh, your car was towed by Friendly Neighborhood Towing".

How's that work? I mean, I doubt you leave a note in the spot..."We towed your car..."

[Jetfire]

I believe that they normally tow from parking lots. The parking lot legally has to have clearly visible signs saying something akin to "Parking enforced by <Company_X>" with the Company's contact information. So if you get towed for parking illegally in those lots, you should have the contact info readily available.

For Street parking, that's the City's responsibility. Some cities will have their own tow companies and such to handle street parking issues (Philly's PPA from "Parking Wars" ) so you would call that authority.

Otherwise, I guess you would have to call the city and/or non-emergency police number to find out who was in charge of towing that night.

[wolfie]

My understanding is that if a tow company (or repo company) takes a car, they MUST notify the police - so when the car is reported stolen, the police don't waste resources looking for it, but can tell the owner where to go to get it back.

[ladyjaneinmd]

My understanding is that if a tow company (or repo company) takes a car, they MUST notify the police - so when the car is reported stolen, the police don't waste resources looking for it, but can tell the owner where to go to get it back.

And that's exactly what happened. I thought my car was stolen, and it turned out I was parked illegally (I blame the extremely early hour and lack of coffee). The police told me where to pick it up. This was in the middle of Washington D.C. and it was all very civilized. My car had been towed a few blocks away, and there it sat with the ticket in an envelope on the front windsheild. No remote lot, nobody for me to yell at (not that I would), and I got my car back quickly.

[Ironclad Alibi]

This was in the middle of Washington D.C.

Many of the main streets in DC allow for parking during non-rush hour, but not during rush hour. DC police are very concerned with keeping rush hour lanes open. They will tow illegally parked cars to a side street, which is quicker than towing to an impound lot.

[Argabarga]

I believe that they normally tow from parking lots. The parking lot legally has to have clearly visible signs saying something akin to "Parking enforced by <Company_X>" with the Company's contact information. So if you get towed for parking illegally in those lots, you should have the contact info readily available.

For Street parking, that's the City's responsibility. Some cities will have their own tow companies and such to handle street parking issues (Philly's PPA from "Parking Wars" ) so you would call that authority.

Otherwise, I guess you would have to call the city and/or non-emergency police number to find out who was in charge of towing that night.

That's pretty much it, except, we get calls all the time for cars we didn't tow because as the biggest towing outfit in town, people assume we're the ONLY one, despite the fact I know that the lot they're standing in has like 10 signs saying "OTHER GUYS TOWING" but they still called us...... oh well, can't read the no parking sign? No surprise you can't read the towing enforcement ones either, huh?

And then they get mad because I don't know if they got towed by someone who WASN'T us? I don't even know where some of these other companies impound lots ARE, let alone what's in them.....

And occasionally, after telling them this, I get a call from the police informing me our little mensa-member-in-training called THEM after me to report the car stolen anyway... even though I told them who to call...

Eventually, they'll legalize the hunting of humans... they'll HAVE to, otherwise we'll NEVER keep them out of my garbage cans at night!