My car was towed...

[HipChick]

$150 dollars...+ the $60 cab ride I had to get to get other there

While I was at trying to retrieve it, about 20+ people came by to get their cars...

20x$150 per hour? Towing...not bad sleazy work if you can get it...they even have their terrorities


my crime?....I parked in my own assigned parking spot, that I pay a yearly assessment for, and monthly assessment that is larger than my actual mortgage...My actual car is in the repair getting fixed...they towed the fucking loaner

I hate HOA's...thanks for letting me vent

[marzipanni]

1. So what in H is the HOA approved method of informing them

that the car in your assigned spot is your temporarily assigned car?! Are you supposed to get a owner-visitor ticket to hang on your rear view mirror, or what?

[HipChick]

3. I had one hanging in the rear view mirror

The towing company said they didn't see it..

[marzipanni]

5. Was the tag on your rear view mirror when you retrieved your car?

(or did they take it off) Does the towing company normally go by the presence of a parking sticker on the rear bumper to determine if cars should be in the lot?
I would take them to small claims court, because they should have noticed the permit on the rear view mirror instead of playing dumb so they could charge someone for their "services".
$210.00 plus your inconvenience for their mistake.

[HipChick]

6. I plan to..

I took a photos with my phone...before and after...without even blowing them up...its clearly there

[magical thyme]

10. maybe the HOA should be liable. they're the ones who called the tow company

without bothering to check for the tag.

[HipChick]

13. Many of the HOA use management companies though..

and leave the ambiguity up to the towing companies to interpret...

[magical thyme]

14. oh, I get it. Remind me to never live in a neighborhood with an HOA

sounds as bad as a condo.

Good fences make good neighbors. That goes for metaphorical fences too!

Good thing you've got before and after pix!

[Hassin Bin Sober]

15. How big is your building?

I never understood why an HOA would turn over the decision making to the towing company.

We have 6 units with 9 assigned parking spaces clearly marked as private subject to tow. All the unit owners are on the authorized to order a tow list with the towing company. We have to call to order the tow.

So far, that has worked out just fine.

I hear too many horror stories like yours.

[Lil Missy]

2. I'm sorry that happened to you.

[HipChick]

4. It's such a scam...

[mnhtnbb]

7. What a bummer.

Oh, boy, I hope you are able to recover at least the fees.
Who reported it? Was the towing company trolling your lot?
Or were they called by somebody?

[Paulie]

8. Ah your own version of Lincoln Park Towing Co

[Hassin Bin Sober]

17. I know those guys up close and personal.

I think they used to be Lincoln Towing but now they go by E&T Towing.

Their yard is up on Clark not too far from my house. Drive by there on a weekend night about 2am and there is a line out the door of people collecting their cars. Often there is a couple cop cars there handling some beef.

I got to see one of their commando raids once. We were camped out overnight in the Clark street Sportmart parking lot in line for Dead tickets. From previous experience, I knew not to park in the lot. I tried to warn fellow campers but they ignored my advice. I guess they figured they would be able to move before they were hooked up.

The Pirates came in through the back alley (before the parking garage was built there) lights off and in stealth mode. They had 5 or 6 cars hooked up before sleepy Dead Heads could get out of their sleeping bags.

I think a few got unhooked with a $50 dollar "hook fee/bribe" but the rest got towed.

Nobody ever listens to Uncle Hassin.

[CherokeeDem]

9. Had the same experince...

Last edited Fri Jan 31, 2014, 02:57 PM - Edit history (1)

Lived in an apartment complex that required parking stickers... my car was in the shop and I had a rental. If my neighbors hadn't noticed the car would have been towed. However, I had a temp permit from the complex office and it was in the car, it had just fallen off the rear view mirror. It was Friday, and the tow company always came by on Friday evenings to look for visitors not parked in the visitor slots. The car was nearly out of the parking place when I stopped him, but the driver told me I either had to pay him $60 to get him to back it in (half the tow bill) cost $60. So sorry you had to go through all of this.

The whole thing is a racket... the tow company at my complex would make hundreds of dollars off their run through the complex. We can't win.

[HipChick]

12. I think that's what barbs me the most...the whole thing is a scam..

but easy money if you are on the other side...

Most of the owners just get upset and pay the money to get their car out of jail..

[MissMillie]

11. They're expensive even when you don't get towed.

My son slipped off the road during an ice storm once. There was nothing wrong w/ his car (and he was not injured, thank goodness) but he needed a winch to be pulled back on to the road.

$90

[TeeYiYi]

16. Emergency Road Service...

...on your insurance policy, pays for itself. I pay $12/yr. through Geico.

TYY

[HipChick]

18. Yes...I recommend Geico for those situations...