It's a FINE not a PRICE!

[Argabarga]

No, it really isn't.

Then the towing company needs to invest in a bigger lot.

If the Borough would approve any of our requests to expand, we would, but we already own all the property arround us. Three years ago, we bought an ajoining lot, but the Borough won't let us park anything on it because it's not zoned for commercial/industrial use, and they shoot down every request we put in for re-zoning.

This could easily go off track, so I'll just say

Nobody gets towed who didn't break the law

To legaly tow from an area, it must be marked, you cannot be towed unless you have disobeyed posted warnings

What constitutes "legaly marked" is set by Borough ordinance "1 sign per "X" number of spaces, measuring this-by-thus in size, with at least one at the lot entrance" If that's not enough, take it up with the Borough and see if they'll make it stricter. If anything, most of our lots are OVER-marked, and people STILL complain that it wasn't clear enough. I once showed a complaining person that there were no fewer than EIGHT signs in a 20 space lot, and he STILL insisted it wasn't clear.

I have no sympathy for those who will not take the time to be observant or think they are above the property rights of others.

Don't blame the people who enforce the laws.

The storage rates are fixed by Borough ordinance, not us.

[underemployeed]

I used to park illegally all the time on campus but everyone did because they didn't have crap for 15minute parking or meters close to my dorm, except for a few forever meters that people had no reason to move from, I always made it out before the Nazis arrived except once and got $10 for being in short term parking my last month but I knew the risks (was glad I never got the $50s for fire lane or $25 for grass). Also, when the whether was nice we were hanging outside of the fraternity houses as one was strolling down hitting the meters and people in fire line. He stood around talking with us for a bit while waiting for one of my brothers to get his ass down and move his car, found out they really were reasonable if you didn't got SC on them. He mentioned actually tearing up a fire lane ticket because a guy asked nicely since he ran in only for his lunch and wasn't in to long. Although, the guy who screamed everything but his name actually was so irate he let the parking assistant get into his truck and back it up to the front of the car and then he went and stood behind it while he called for a tow-truck. Oh yeah, SC also learned too you don't tell the PA that your going to run him over because he already called the campus police for backup.

[ExiledV20]

Ah well, it still makes more sense than the boot. "You can't park here, so your car has to stay where it can't be?" What loon thought that up?

It allows for a company to forgo towing a car but still reclaim the fine for parking illegally. I should note that in Atlanta, if you get booted you will also pay per-day parking fees till the boot is removed. They just tack 'em on. The angle-grinder trick doesn't work too well either; Atlanta PD tends to arrest on sight now if you're toting one about.

No, it really isn't.

I highly recommend you do not visit Atlanta if driving. $30/day is the cheap price if you are in the downtown. It tends to be a little less during convention season, but you also have a MUCH higher chance of break-ins.

Then the towing company needs to invest in a bigger lot.

If I may ask, how long should a towing company keep dead weight that lowers profitability by removing additional space?

And *everybody* has parked illegally by mistake at least once.

That is a very broad assumption. I would recommend revising it. I can certainly state that I have never parked illegaly by mistake. Nor will I.

[Boozy]

Somehow, this has turned into an argument about the policies of Argabarga's employer. That's not why he posted. He posted about the sucky customer he was dealing with. Please respect that and get back on topic.

[lordlundar]

I would imagine option B would become very interesting if the car is a rental/leased vehicle, or if payments are still owed on it.

Usually they contact the leasing company who pays the fines to get it released back to them directly. The leasing company then passes the bill onto the renter.

[ralerin]

To agree with HYHYBT, in my city, towing zones are NOT clearly marked with red or yellow curbs-just a set of really tiny, 4"x8" "TOWING ZONE -----> <-----TOWING ZONE" signs. Therefore, any driver can, in theory, park in a towing zone without knowing.

To agree with everyone else: The observant driver LOOKS AROUND them before pulling into a space and parking. If there's no one parking where you are, chances are good there's a reason for it. If you incur a fine, oh well, pay it up and move on.

[morgana]

And *everybody* has parked illegally by mistake at least once.

Actually, no. I've been driving for 41 years, and I've *never* parked illegally by mistake.

The SC in the OP is just another example of someone who thinks the rules don't apply to them. Haven't we all ranted here about someone like that?

[bsaana]

That is, don't park illegally! I've only received *one* parking ticket. That one was simply because I didn't have any change (someone else borrowed the car and took it)...and when I was in the nearest store getting change, the meter maid busted me. Ticket was only $7.00, so no big deal. Moved the car, paid the fine, and that was it.

My wife and I have only gotten 1 parking ticket also. We were out and about off the US Navy base in Sicily and we parked in a "blue line" zone. We would have been safe had we bought a permit for like 1 Euro, but didn't know and understand that. We ended up with a 25 Euro ticket. Yes, their police wait to give people time to run into a store and get said permit.

[AccountingDrone]

There's also this thing called a credit card. I know a lot of people already have a lot of credit card debt, or else don't like to "pay" for something that they can't afford right away by using a credit card, but it's better than racking up a couple hundred more dollars in storage fines.

We don't have a credit card ... and we aren't also pounded down with debt other than the mortgage on our house [which we made sure was within the means of 1 navy income to pay for]

Many people *don't* have credit cards ... and prefer it that way as we don't get swamped with debt.

[mikoyan29]

I'm sorry about your sucky customers and all, but that $30/day thing still ought to be illegal. I know (or at least assume) that it's not your fault, but if someone doesn't have $105 today (and many people don't, as you can see), by the time payday comes around the fees will be more than their check, which means they can *never* get their car back, which is hardly a reasonable punishment for one instance of illegal parking.

No, what ought to be illegal is the practice of some towing companies to do their towing around 11:30 P.M. or whatever time so that the car gets to the impound lot around 11:59 P.M. and they can magically charge for 2 days at the lot.

As far as your comment, if you don't want to pay the fine don't park in spot that says they tow.

[Andara Bledin]

Then the towing company needs to invest in a bigger lot.

They'll just pull that out of their back room, then, right?

Actually, no. I've been driving for 41 years, and I've *never* parked illegally by mistake.

I haven't been driving as long as you, but I've also never parked illegally by mistake. On purpose, once or twice only, but never without full knowledge.

^-.-^

[Argabarga]

No, what ought to be illegal is the practice of some towing companies to do their towing around 11:30 P.M. or whatever time so that the car gets to the impound lot around 11:59 P.M. and they can magically charge for 2 days at the lot.

As far as your comment, if you don't want to pay the fine don't park in spot that says they tow.

Storage for us is based on real 24 hour incriments. You get towed at 11:59pm, you don't owe storage until 11:59pm the next day.

[MadMike]

OK, people! Second warning! The thread is about sucky customers complaining about fines for parking illegally, not the policy of any towing company, and not the laws. If you want to discuss the last two, take it to Fratching. Any more of this, and the thread is getting shut down and infractions will be issued.