Why towing companies are the scum of the earth

FROM: Tony
DATE: Monday August 7, 2000 -- 7:19:35AM

I had real bad time with a Towing place in Port Charlotte. A few friends and myself were driving back from Ft.Meyers, (about 40mi from Pt. Charlotte) When my 93' Mitsubishi Diamante broke down, about 1/2 way there. So first a cop pulls over and tells me about all the mexican carjackings going on here...thanks, now Im really comfortable. So the lazy ass towing company takes upwards of 4 hours to go 20 mi ! When they got there, I asked the driver what took so long, he just ignored me the rest of the trip. (whitch we promptly returned in a mere 15min. to the towing place.)

FROM: TetsuBeav
DATE: Monday August 7, 2000 -- 10:06:36AM

I've always looked at towing as state-sponsored grand theft auto. Don't see how they get away with some of that shit.

FROM: Aydi in Chicago
DATE: Wednesday June 6, 2001 -- 3:28:41PM

Cool - I just did a search on google for "Towing +Scum" and found this little rant. You think you have it bad - chicago is the worst. Who knows what kind of ties these scum bags have with the city.

First off - my girlfriend and I have been parking in this small dirt lot off of the alley behind my building for quite awhile. Not even a hint that anyone would care seeing as we live in a pissy neighborhood where parking isn't even a problem. I wake up this morning to find that both of our cars along with the rest of the regular cars in that lot are gone. After about 20 calls, it seems as if they have been towed from Chicago all the way out to Melrose Park - the most corrupt, mafia ran, teamster hangout capital of the midwest. In other words - it's like somebody from the scummiest part of New Jersey packed up a caravan of croanies and hauled their asses off to Illinois to settle in Melsrose Park. 4 bus transfers, a ride from a friend, and 3 hours later - I arrive at S & S towing ( 2503 N. Manheim - Melrose Park IL - 708-344-6208 ).

Ok - this place is your average scum hole - everyone there looks like they just got out of jail, big barbed wire fence with "TOW ZONE" signs surounding the tow comound - duh, really rude and raspy secretary smoking newport 100s, the office is actually just an old trailer home - you get the picture.

After paying, I walk out to my car to see the front tires on boards... I say "hmmmm... I wonder why they did that - something fishy here". I pull the thing out of it's space and get out to do a quick walk around to look for damage. There we have it - the whole bumper (plastic - honda accord bumper) is cracked and partially ripped off the front right side. Oh.. that's nice. They had the car on boards because THEY KNEW the thing was probably too low for them to get their hooks out from underneath it. Well - they didn't use enough boards aparently, but the worst thing is - they didn't even tell me they did it. Like they didn't hear/feel the tugging and ripping? Are these guys really that useless in this world that they couldn't notice they were pulling the body off of a car? Ok that was a rhetorical question - I mean they chose Towing as their profession for christ sakes.

Anyway - after getting "the boss" outside to look at it - he says "we'll take care of it, but we'll have to wait until Friday" - today being wednesday. I tell him I'm going to just call the police to fill out a report just for safe measure and his eyes light up - "why do that? that's a waste of time - we'll do it". Hmm.. I wonder if this guy is just trying to get me to pass the 24 hour time limit to file a report so he can tell me to piss off on Friday. Nah - a tow truck driver from melrose park? He wouldn't do that. Anyway - after telling him that I wouldn't file one, I went straight to the police station and did what I said I wouldn't. I really hope he DOES tell me to piss off on Friday - "ooops, I forgot to tell you.. I changed my mind on wednesday and DID decide to file a report, sorry about that dude".

FROM: Robert
DATE: Wednesday June 6, 2001 -- 3:43:54PM

Ryan--How uncanny is it that someone commented on this Ping, eh?

FROM: Robert
DATE: Wednesday June 6, 2001 -- 3:46:09PM

Dude, that was sheer genius playing the fake. I hope you had the foresight to get everything in writing.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Wednesday June 6, 2001 -- 5:09:05PM

Aydi, S&S Towing is the worst. I have no personal experiences to share but given yours, and their incessant signs across the city and suburbs, I concur.

Melrose Park does blow, too. :)

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday June 6, 2001 -- 5:12:40PM

Robert -- That is funny!

Aydi -- Thanks for sharing your story. I mean, people just need to make money, but sheesh -- 3 hours to get to the towing company? That would be like someone in DC finding out their car was towed to New Jersey.

I'm kind of hoping that Blair's Towing from Virginia finds this Ping so they can read the crappy experience I had with them -- even when I needed their help. Maybe the same will happen with S&S Towing (although if they do have the mafia connections you mentioned, you may want to move!). :)

FROM: R. BLAIR
DATE: Friday November 1, 2002 -- 2:07:54 pm

IT IS UNFORTUNATE THAT SOMEBODY HAD A BAD EXPERIENCE WITH MY COMPANY BUT PLEASE TAKE INTO CONSIDERATION THAT WE ARE LOCATED IN A VERY BUSY AREA AND SOME THINGS ARE OUT OF OUR CONTROL!!(TRAFFIC,WEATHER,LOCATIONS AND BAD PHONE#S)WE TRY TO PLEASE EVERYBODY BUT MOST PEOPLE THINK WE JUST SIT WAITING FOR THE PHONE TO RING WHEN THE CASE IS WE STAY EXTREMELY BUSY.OUR DRIVERS LEAVE THE OFFICE(NOT TRAILER)IN THE A.M. AND GO FROM CALL TO CALL. I AM UPSET THAT WE CANNOT SERVICE EVERYBODY IN A TIMELY MANNER BUT WE TRY VERY HARD!! BEFORE WE HIRE ANY DRIVER THEY HAVE A CRIMINAL RECORD CHECK,DRUG TESTED AND SAFTEY TESTED.SURE I COULD HIRE ANYBODY BUT IS THAT WHAT YOU REALLY WANT? AS FAR AS PRIVATE PROPERTY TOWING IS CONCERNED WHAT GIVES SOMEBODY THAT DOSENT HAVE PERMISSION TO PARK ON PRIVATE PROPERTY THE RIGHT TO COMPLAIN?? THEY ARE TRESPASSING!!! NOW IF YOU FORGET TO PUT YOUR PERMIT IN THE CAR WHO IS RESPONSIBLE?HOW DOES A TOW DRIVER KNOW YOU LIVE THERE?(REMEMBER MOT PEOPLE ASSUME WE ARE UNDEREDUCATED FOOLS BUT NOT MINDREADERS DO THEY?)BLAIRS'S TOWING DOES NOT DO A LOT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY PARKING ENFORCEMENT BUT AS A PROPERTY OWNER WOULNDNT YOU GET A FRUSTRATED IF SOMEBODY PARKED THEIR CAR ON YOUR FRONT YARD? ALL I AM TRYING TO SAY IS IF YOU DONT OWN THE PROPERTY YOU BETTER THINK ABOUT WHERE YOU PARK AND IF YOU FORGET TO PUT YOUR PERMIT UP BE RESPONSIBLE FOR YOUR OWN ACTIONS.IF WE DAMAGE A CAR (AND IT DOES HAPPEN FROM TIME TO TIME REMEMBER WE ARE HUMAN)WE ARE EXPECTED TO BE RESPONSIBLE RIGHT??

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday November 1, 2002 -- 2:27:36 pm

Rick -- If you read my original Ping a little more closely, you'll see that when I was towed from my townhouse lot I had a permit in the window allowing me to park there. Instead, the towing company (not yours, incidentally) took it upon themselves to look at my license plates and tow my car because the stickers hadn't been updated. Since when are towing companies expected to do the police's job?

In addition, a towing company (again, not yours) towed my wife's car because one of her tires was *touching* the white line. Not over the line, but TOUCHING it. That's a shitty way to do business.

With regards to your company, my main beef is that I was told somebody drove around and didn't see me despite the fact I was there the *entire* 3 1/2 hours waiting and not a single truck drove anywhere in the vicinity of where I was. I don't like being bullshitted, Rick.

Instead of making excuses, an apology might help.

(If it means anything, the guy that eventually DID show up was friendly and helpful.)

FROM: Ron Dilworth
DATE: Friday November 29, 2002 -- 3:47:37 am

Bravo! Excellent comment. here's a link about a corrupt otw truck company in Canada.

http://kelowna11.tripod.com/

Link it where you can.

Ron

FROM: Andrew
DATE: Wednesday December 11, 2002 -- 2:12:40 am

wow!
Its a pity to see people bashing an industry whose prime purpose is to help people...
Yes I drive for a towing outfit in Calgary Canada , City Wide Towing ,
to be specific and we have the city account which means towing illegal parking , derelict abandoned , uninsured non registered vehicles etc etc etc...
I dont particularly enjoy every aspect of the job such as some types of parking related city towing but we are directed by city bylaw to tow and if we dont tow it we lose the contract and someone else does the towing.
Unfortunately rules are rules and rules are implemented due to the stress of population increase.
So parking control becomes a necessity..
I think I could speak for the majority of towing operators when I say that 99% of the time we offer a service that not only benefits the comunity as a whole but puts a smile on our customers face.
Yes , like all aspects of life there are those who represent a certain industry who make the whole industry look bad.
I particularly dont like being stereotyped as I am far from being a part of the "scum" you like to bash on this site..
I for example am clean cut well spoken and have an education. Yes my spelling sucks....
I also have a book published with two more on the way have travelled the world for the last 10 years neither smoke nor do drugs of any sort and though I dont aspire to driving a tow truck for the rest of my life ; while I am here , in this country in this capacity I will consider myself a professional and conduct myself as such for a company that I dont consider to be the most wisely run but nevertheless a very professional towing company that certainly doesnt warrant the term " scum"...
We also do all of the towing for the city police and the term "scum" , I can assure you would be best used to describe the human garbage that the police and my fellow drivers have to deal with on a day to day basis during the execution of our duties , such as the drunk driving " scum" that just killed a pedestrian and didnt bother to stop , or the the thieving "scum" that stole somebody's car that they worked hard to pay off that's now damaged beyond repair and which insurance will only pay out a fraction of the vehicles original cost leaving the owner with no car not enough cash to replace it with and increased insurance premiums through no fault of their own!!!!!!
Anyway I sympathise with your rare and unfortunate "run ins" with perhaps an unscrupulous possibly unprofessional or maybe just overzealous towing operator..
I can assure you , we are not all like that and it would be unfortunate to tar us all with the same brush.
I like so many others venture out into our cities highways and byways evey day even placing ourselves at great personal risk to help people not hinder them.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday December 11, 2002 -- 9:33:25 am

Andrew -- thank you for your well-presented response. I agree with you that towing companies do offer a good service to people in need of a jump or a tow.

Unfortunately, at the time I wrote this, I was witness to some very unscrupulous towing companies whose "policy" was simply to tow for the most minor of infractions (like having a wheel touching the white line of the parking space), and in the Northern VA area near DC, I've seen and heard of far more problems with either unethical or unresponsive towing companies than I have of ones that really want to help people.

Thanks for weighing in, though. It's good to get another side of the story (especially when it's not posted in all CAPS).

FROM: james watwood
DATE: Friday December 27, 2002 -- 9:23:29 pm

Teamster Betrayal & Drug Testing


Imagine that you have been working for the same employer for more than 20 years. Imagine you are a good employee with no injuries or accidents An almost perfect attendance record. You never damaged company equipment or took any chances with other peoples health and safety. You came to work on time got your job assignment and did your job. Imagine that no member of management complained about you or your work habits. You got along with management and with your coworkers. Imagine, When you look over your personnel folder it reveals you are pretty close to being a model employee. One that any employer would like to have working for him or her. You never stole from your employer even though at times it was vogue to do so. You never did drugs or alcohol while on duty even though you may have seen others do so. You have no drug or alcohol problem because you are old enough and smart enough to know where it leads. Now imagine, you have the same rapport with the teamsters union as you do with the company you work for when the union asks you to do something you go ahead and do it because you feel it will benefit yourself and others. When you go on strike, you show up and do your duty on the picket line without complaining. Imagine, you take money out of your own pocket to cover expensences for items needed to make picket signs, posters, camera film, and everything else needed to make the strike a success, you give without question. Then, suddenly one day without any warning or provocation, You are doing your job as you have always done. A foreman from the company comes up to you, requests that you come to his office. In the office you see a union steward and an additional foreman as a witness for the company. Imagine, the foreman tells you, "He believes you are on drugs or alcohol and you are going to be taken down for a urine test" The foreman proceeds to explain, the reason is "probable cause" because he sees your "eyes are red" and that you "stumble over your words." He considers you are using drugs or alcohol even though he has seen you like this for more than 20 years and knows there is nothing out of the ordinary about you. You think he is joking and ask to speak to your union steward alone he says no. You now realize this is a set up. Not a very clever one but still a set up. You know the teamsters union will never stand for this and wonder why they would go to the trouble. At the collection Laboratory where the urine test was given was a comedy of errors. 40% of the test was done wrong. These were not simple administration errors. But major gross errors including not being allowed to have your reading glasses to see the printed page of the document they want you to sign. They have your union steward fill the form out for you. They force you to sign it. So you do. But just to play it safe, next to your name you put "signed under protest." Imagine, while your at the laboratory you call your teamster business agent thinking he could probably use a good laugh. You relate to him the mistakes being made here at the lab and that the test being given to you is not contractual and ask him for assistance. Imagine your business agent tells you "to go ahead with the test" because "the company will @!#$ up on the procedure," this was already all to obvious to you already. Now imagine that the business agent calls you up three days later and wants you to meet with the company. So you and your union steward (at the laboratory) tell the terminal manager, and the company lawyer all the mistakes done at the lab. You think the company will realize they have no case and this will be the end of it. You tell the company how the laboratory control and custody form was forged, important items omitted, wrong time (three hours difference), wrong accession number, missing sample, (two samples taken, only one recorded) . Sample was put on a try with other samples one of those samples was named 'Ellen Allen." People were putting samples on and taking samples off to where you could not tell which was which. Imagine, to your horror, instead of investigating your concerns of laboratory errors the company instead covers these errors up. And the business agent is sitting there observing the company do this. Furthermore, this was not a real hearing as called for in the contract as you thought but was only an opportunity for the company to extract information and alter the truth. Imagine, a month and a half later you get a real hearing with an equal number of managers and teamsters. But even prior to this your business agent has already arranged an arbitration hearing even before you have had a chance to resolve the matter with the company as called for in the contract. Imagine you start to realize that your business agent is on the side of the company and a "fair trial" is not part of his agenda. Your union steward was not invited to your hearing with the company. Exactly one week later your union steward was not invited to your arbitration hearing either. Neither did your business agent even get a statement from him. So the proof of what really went on at the Laboratory was covered up intentionally. The arbitration hearing was controlled by the company completely. One week earlier the company and the union agreed to submit as evidence only what we had agreed on in that hearing. At the arbitration hearing the company was allowed to submit new evidence only minutes before the hearing was over. This was done with high ranking teamsters officials looking on. Who were supposed to be there for teamster interest. These union officials were cowards. To your horror you realize they are going to let roadway break the rules of evidence. And you realize they plan to have you fired without a fair trial. Their names are Ralph Taurone, "Buck Holiday, Bill Buccellato. Imagine, Your horror when you realize these scumbags all sided with the company. and saw first had that you did not get a fair trial as called for in the contract. You suddenly realize, the teamsters union considers 40% errors on a urine test OK as long as it's OK with the company. You can hardly wait to get back home and write all this up to the International Brotherhood of Teamsters because you know they won't let a 23 year teamster in good standing be fired without a fair trial. But you realize the I B of T is not going to investigate it's own as it has promised in it's "Constitution." The story you have just heard is true, Offered to you without exaggeration or lies. My name is James Watwood. My local union was Teamsters local # 63 The company was Roadway Express Inc. My business agent was Bob Paffenrolf. I dare any of you scumbug teamster officials to challenge me on any part of this text. You won't, because you know what kind of documentation I have. You coward bastards can only look pretty for the membership around election time and continue to convince the gullible, how you are "champions of freedom and rights." You are nothing but bottom feeding scum. I am sure some of you would even sell your own mothers if the price was right. You discust me. You have the audacity to allow this company to frame me on a phoney drug charge? Maybe you pieces of @!#$ should take drugs. This would afford you to blame your sordid behavior on the drug itself, instead of your cockroach charactor. Now you are stuck with the fact that your whole stinking anti social behavior is genetically related. Meaning that, your "mommy" and "daddy" and even your children are as screwed up as yourselves. You Mafioso scumbags always want "respect" But you know dam well, there is nothing about you or your rotten families worthy of any respect. A hundred of you wouldn,t make a pimple on an honest mans ass, and you know it .You are the living, breathing, proof that scum floats to the very top.

FROM: Justine
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 4:49:09 pm

Ryan, In your first story, you said your "girlfriend" and a later comment it was your "wife". Sounds like you are an all around liar and have to pick on a tow company to show your manhood in front of your friends. Look in the mirror if you want a loser to blame. So many people don't look at their own faults. They always have to put the blame on someone else. That's the problem with this world.....little scum like you.

FROM: Terrina
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 5:07:01 pm

I am a female tow truck operator in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada and I feel sorry for the people on this site that have had such pitiful people assist them when they need help. I have never in all my years of towing come across a person I have left the impression that I am scum or that I am there to take advantage of them. Except for the ones that have broken the law and are upset at the law officials thay are dealing with we don't issue the tickets we just tow them because we have to! As a service person I am there to assist in making an already difficult situation better for someone who is stranded on the highway etc... What a lot of people do not realize is that when someone is stranded on the road They Are Our Priority! Not the person sitting at home in a nice warm place with all the amenities! Those are usually the one's phoning a million times to find out how long we will be like we can just appear on their doorstep. If we are unavailable we have friends that tow and they do the call. I have rescued many people off a main highway near our town and take great pride in saying that it does not matter what tow club calls it matters who needs us the most! And yes we do assist the RCMP or Local Law Enforcement and we have to be there within a reasonable amount of time. We do deal a lot with the scum that kill people driving impaired and I might add that it is usually children and families that are killed. A lot of people drive without licences or valid insurance without us they would continue to do so and with that said we do help in protecting the public with our services. Yes there are bad towing companies in the world but not all of us are the scum of the earth! We are honest (very) hard working people who at 4o'clock in the morning get out of our nice warm beds to come pull you out of the ditch, bring you fuel, change your tire, unlock your vehicle or tow you into a safe warm place. I am very proud of the job I do and I will continue to be as long as we own our Towing Company. I sold cars for many years and just like in that industry there are stories to be told just don't forget that for every bad towing company you hear about there is always one that shines!

FROM: sp
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 5:52:20 pm

I think that you are like the rest of the people out there that smokes or does something else that you not need to be doing because you all cant seem to remerber what or who you were doing on a dirt road or in the parking lot of the walmart,gas station, side road, someones drive way, in the middle of the road because you decided to stop.
IF the towing world knows what i am talking about. please find a friend that works at a towing com. and have them e-mail this site. because they still cant seem to figure it out were they left their car etc.
and by the way read the signs in or out the place you are renting or get someone to read them for you all that cant seem to understand the concept.

FROM: Haleiwa Off Road Towing Co.
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 6:12:33 pm

Just a few comments on the prime article. #1 a tower is at the command of the parking complex where he has his contract. If the resident manager calls the towing company, he has to respond. However, it might be a more polite process to call you first, but then he's gone all the way to the complex at whatever hour in the morning for nothing then. If he tows you, at least he gets paid.

As far a the jump start goes, no tower should take more than 60 minutes to get to a call, unless the companies are extremely busy in your area. But then KIA should have given you their ETA, if they didn't meet it, call back and complain, they'll track him down for you and straighten out the issue. No one should have to wait 3 1/2 hours for a jump. But in general, the towers (companies) are really a great bunch of hard working guys and girls that are deeply concerned about your welfare and service. We're not scum, even though the ones that you ran across treated you poorly. Come to Hawaii, we'll take good care of you.

Aloha

FROM: FRAN MURRAY
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 6:18:45 pm

DONT BLAME TOW CO. FOR THE FACT YOU ARE A MORON. wHAT DO U DO BESIDES WINE CAUSE YOU ILLEGALLY PARKED? wE DONT WANT TO GO PULL YOUR CARS. WE ARE REQUESTED BY PROPERTY OWNERS. BLAME THEM, IT COSTS 50K FOR A WRECKER AND INS. PLUS HELP, DO YOU MIND PAYING FOR A COMPUTER?

FROM: NICK STONEBALLS
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 6:36:09 pm

I WOULD LIKE TO TELL YOU A LITTLE STORY ABOUT A MAN NAMED JED HE WAS A POOR MOUNTINEER WHO BARELY KEPT HIS FAMILY FED OH YEAH HE DROVE A TOW TRUCK TOO HE WOULD JUST TAKE VEHICLES AND SELL THEM IN ANOTHER STATE OR COUNTY AND HE HAS BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH THIS FOR WELL OVER FIVE YEARS NOW. YES THERE HAVE BEEN PEOPLE WHO HAVE COMPLAINED BUT THEY WOULD EITHER DISSAPEAR OR TURN UP DEAD! THE POLICE ARE OBVIOUSLY IN ON THE WHOLE THING BECAUSE JEDS BROTHER IS CHIEF OF POLICE AND HE RUNS THIS TOWN WITH A HEAVY HAND IF YOU KNOW WHAT I MEAN.

FROM: John
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 6:38:05 pm

As an owner of a towing co I resent the trailer remark and the stereo type ideas that have been put in everyones head. Not all towing co are like this, you will find many operations are top notch. Many use uniformed clean drivers, and have clean smoke free offices. They also train the staff and hold certifications thru one of several training programs.I am sorry for your experiance but not all are like this. It is easy for people like your self to cast stones at our line of work but you need to walk in our shoes for a day to understand . Oh by the way it would be a week before you got in a truck to drive because we have a training program. But you could ride along. This is typical of someone who knows nothing of the towing industry. You should also know I tow Kia roadside and there is a writen policy on your warranty. If we bend for you then what is the sense of having the policy , then everyone would want us to just do it for them . Again I am sorry for your experiance.

FROM: NICK STONEBALLS
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 6:49:21 pm

DO YOU SEE ANYONE CAN MAKE UP A STORY
TOW TRUCKERS RULE

FROM: jim mckinzie
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 7:24:26 pm

hope thse people need help from a towing c. sometime

FROM: Nick
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 7:30:36 pm

I would like to say that I for one definitely do not fall into the stereotypes that the general public has about us, I do drive a tow truck but my main job is to service my customers and chase accidents, I DO NOT work for a contract company meaning that I don't work for any of the companies that hold a police contract for various parts of my city, so in short I don't give a rats ass where anyone parks as I am a bigger target for the taggers to ticket me than the general public is and the city taggers where I live just love trying to have my truck towed beleive it or not. I like to service my customers as quickly as possible and granted that I am not overflowing with work but I am quite busy on a daily basis so for one guy I think I do really well keeping my clients happy. What the general public doesn't know is that anyone with any kind of roadside assistance is not going to be really happy with it because for example the people up here where I live who service CAA/AAA are in no real hurry to come and unlock your door or change your flat because CAA/AAA or any other type of service like a manufacturers roadside are NOT paying good money to these guys that are contracted to help for example up here CAA is paying $28.00 Canadian to a towing company to change a flat, now imagine at -25 degrees how much of a hurry is the tow operator in to change your tire. But other than that just try to be upset at the ones who tow your car/STEAL YOU CAR from illegal paking spots or private property but try to think about guys like me who have been working the highways for years and at all hours of the night and for what? To be hit by cars on the roads as I have twice thank god I'm still here. Also how many times I have pulled people off the highway who had NO money and I didn't just leave them sitting there I at least got them off the highway, or women with kids and some elderly I have alot of these to share with you about my 9 years in this business, so don't be so quik to put labels on people because remember like any trade or profession there are some bad apples, after all not all lawyers are scum right? Also I am not an undereducated person neither I do have 2 trades behind me to go to if I really want.

FROM: Jay
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 7:34:36 pm

I thinks towing companies are great they do their job the best they can for the little money they get paid, and the high fees,Taxes,Truck payments,and insurance, they are doing the best they can.

FROM: LeeI
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 7:47:54 pm

Sorry about your experiences,but you most likely read and signed an agreement as far as the parking rules at your Townhouse,therefore it's kind of hard to feel real sorry for you!
I run a Towing business,and I probably give a little more than most,I have responded to private property impound calls and knocked on doors until I found the vehicle owner and got them to move the vehicle,but if I had wanted to,I had every right in the world to hook up that car and go!
As far as corruption goes,tell me what kind of business you are in and I'll find an example of corruption for you,it's not limited to any particular company. Most Towing companies are just trying to help people and trying to make a living.

FROM: ERIC L. [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 7:59:43 pm

I'am very sorry for all you losers that have nothing better to do than sit on your ass all day and criticize tow truck drivers/companies. I'am only 19 and I own a successful tow truck/auto transport company. All you dumbasses think tow truck drivers are stupid,smelly,non educated idiots, we are just hard working men that work hard for our money I have over 20 trucks and all worth more than 60k. Can all you stupid dumbasses afford that ? no I doubt it I think all you losers live in something worse than a trailer home. All my drivers are given a background check, they take a drug test every 2 weeks and are certified by the CTTA (California tow truck association) my divers are all clean cut and very very respectful and not stupid,smelly non educated idiots. My company is in top notch we are also members of the BBB (Better Business Bureau) so that can tell you something about customer satisfaction.

FROM: Kevin
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 8:26:24 pm

I am really sad that people care to ding us who are there to help people most of the time. The company I work for DOESN'T DO TOWAWAYS, and if your car is impounded, the reason is either the Police Dept, Sheriff's Dept or Highway Patrol had GOOD REASON to impound your car. It is not our fault that your car got impounded. It is YOURS!

FROM: jason
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 8:36:03 pm

I'm sorry if you guys have all had bad times with a few towing company's in our town Ill tell you we are not all the same trust me

FROM: Randy Taylor
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 8:45:39 pm

Owner of Interstate Towing Don't call us scum . What do you do for a living . Let me tell you what scum is the A## hole that call us at 4 am to give him a jump and when we get thier he has gone ,the a## hole that just came down the hwy at 90 mph and killed 4 people cause he didn't see all the lights flashing,the A## the police had his stolen car towed and stored that thinks a towing company should give him his Da## car cause he didn't have it towed some B###### stole it ,The A## hole drunk that didn't know he left his car in the middle of I-95 and said he park his car to go to the bath room and he ain't paying no D## tow bill . So Buddy you want to call some body scum call the bas## that towed you scum and leave the rest of us out of it. Or you might need us one day and we just might be scum thank about that for a while. And if you come throuh Roanoke Rapids N.C. and need a tow call a PRO 252-537-2613. we ain't cheap but we will be thier in 30 min or less or it is free, on a less than 3 year old truck and a nice neat driver and a 16,000 sq ft. building to keep your car safe in .Sorry we don't do private property towes unless the Police or thier with the property owner.

PS please post what you do for a living hear so that us in towing can tell you how how we were riped off and thier is a lot to tell. have blessed day

check this out another mad A## Hole!!!!!!! www.frankstowing.com

FROM: Jim
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 8:58:36 pm

OK Folks, Now admit it. Each and every one of you did something you shouldn't have. In keeping with the spirit of the new Millenium you all need someone to blame for your snafu. "It's not my fault" so it must be the towing company is corrupt, the cops are all no good and so on.

I manage one of the most reputable towing companies on Long Island. We impound from apartment complex's, town code enforcement, police, sherrif etc. Rare is the occasion when someone admits they were wrong. It's usually someone else that should take the blame.

Come on people. Face it, you did something wrong and had to pay the price. Get over it, learn a lesson and life goes on.

FROM: DAVE ALTOM
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 9:05:01 pm

SORRY THAT YOU HAD A BAD TIME WITH THE TOWING CO. HOWEVER ALL TOWERS ARE NOT LIKE THAT. WHEN YOU CLIMB IN A TRUCK AND YOU HAVE BEEN THERE ALL DAY TRYING TO MAKE EVERYONE HAPPY THERE IS SOME THAT SLIPS BY THE WAY SIDE.MAYBE YOU OUGHT TO RIDE WITH SOMEONE AND SEE FRIST HAND ON WHAT GOES ON. I THINK YOU WILL FIND OUT THAT WE SEE A LOT OF STUFF OUT HERE THAT WOULD MAKE YOU SICK. THINK THAT YOU OUTH TO RETHINK ABOUT US TOWERS WE ARE NOT ALL BAD. SOME DAY YOU MIGHT NEED ONE AGAIN. AND LETTERS LIKE THIS AND POEPLE LIKE YOU RERALLY GIVE ME A PAIN. AND YOU HAVE THIS TOWER REALLY STIRED UP. HAVE A NICE DAY.

FROM: Mike Joy
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 9:33:47 pm

I say, you the people . The people made the laws , you the people set the laws . If you dont like what we do and how we handle our job help us change the laws. You get the laws changed and we will change. We the tow companys don't like most of the laws that we have to follow. You Pay a little tow bill if you dont follow the law. We the tow company's pay thousands if we dont
thank you !!!!!!!

FROM: CB
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 10:05:50 pm

It is regretfulll that so many people have had such poor experiences with an industry which was born out of a desire to HELP people in the first place. There are many good & hopefully not so many bad Towing companies out there.
I made a living for over 10 years as a Towing Technician,doing everything from Road Service to car & truck towing,private property , Police calls & AAA & Motorclub calls (no repo's though) and it is an honest profession. As honest as the buisness owner & employees. mind you. I came to know my share of theives & scum bags , but at least in the area where I worked (So. Connecticut) they were the minority.
It is ridiculous to tow a vehicle for the tire touching the "white line" as one person stated earlier, but it is entirely another situation to tow a vehicle for having an expired tag. Many property owners will have their security people or the tow company which patrols their lots place a warning sticker on the vehicle in violation,giving some notice. Unfortunatley many do not. And most people never notice in the fine print of their lease agreements or condo rules that unregistered vehicles are not allowed & will be towed at their expense. Like the old saying goes, ignorance is no excuse for innocence.
Well anyway ,I hope that when any of you NEED a tow truck ,(and chances are sometime you will)one will be dispatched in a timely matter and service you with the respect & courtesy you deserve. And if your towed for no ones fault but your own,then place the blame where it really belongs....
Thank You

FROM: Scott [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday January 15, 2003 -- 11:17:34 pm

I don't agree that "all tow drivers are scumbags", but quite a few are. The tow business is one industry that sorely lacks professionals. To a large degree that's due to the large predominance of motor clubs like AAA. Ever hear the expression "When you pay peanuts you get monkeys"? The average rate per call paid out by the motor clubs is a measly $16., but the motor clubs don't make that known to their members. For that kind of money what do you expect? You're not going to get an experienced, well educated professional, driving modern equiptment. You're more likely to get some nitwit fresh out of highschool who dosen't know how to use a lugwrench. And in the meantime, if any other call comes in that pays more than your AAA flat tire, you can bet who's going to wait longer for service. If you want a PROFESSIONAL you have to pay the price for a PROFESSIONAL. Here are some recent examples: I get a call from one of the regular dealerships we tow for. The problem was rather unusual, but not unheard of. The customer had a Mercury Villager in her garage with a jammed ingnition cylinder. The key wouldn't turn no way, no how. It's front wheel drive, nosed in, locked in park. How do you get it out of the garage to tow it? Simple. Reach under the dash, disconnect the shift linkage, push it out into the driveway and hook it up. I was gone with it in 5 minutes, but the 3 different idiots that AAA sent, over the course of 2 days, basically told the lady she was screwed and couldn't do anything for her. (BTW, they still got paid by AAA just for going out there) See, you pay peanuts and you get monkeys. Here's another recent example: We get a call from another dealership to get go a car with a dead starter. The car was in a tricky position, backed into a narrow dog-leg driveway. Again, the owner was a AAA member and tried them first. The first guy came. looked at where the car was and said he couldn't get to it then drove away. She then called AAA back, and they sent out a different driver who gave her the same story. Third call to AAA produced a third driver who said the same thing. These idiots didn't even try! (BTW, this whole episode with AAA wasted an entire day for the car owner) Next day she calls her dealership, who called us. I got there, looked over the situation and gave it my best shot. Granted, it wasn't easy, but with a little pushing and steering I was able to positon the car in a way which enabled me to hook it up with the truck. With a little extra effort, I got the job done, and the customer was so grateful she threw me a $25 tip! She also said she was going to write a nasty letter to AAA! Again, you pay peanuts and you get monkeys.
Another part of the business is trespass towing. This is the aspect that usually generates the most hostile and irate customers, thus earning tow companies the "scum of the earth" reputations. I've personally done thousands of trespass tows in my 18+ years of driving a tow truck and I have absolutely no pity for anyone who parks illegally. I've had my share of run-ins with these types and very few of them are willing to admit that they are wrong. If you paid $150 a month for a parking space and came home to find someone else in it, would you be pissed off? The fun really begins when the car owner comes out while you're hooking up their car! I have a few good stories about doing "drops" buyt here's one of my favorites. I get a call from an apartment house resident who has a car in his space. I get down there and sure enough there's a Camaro backed into this guys numbered space, without a parking sticker for that building. I get the car hooked-up then crawled under and disconnected the transmission. Just as I was pulling out, the owner jumps in front of my truck! So obviously I stop. I told her it would be $35 to drop the car. She flat out refused to pay and demanded that I release her car. So basically, we were at a standoff. She began yelling for her boyfriend to come out, which he did. He was a resident of the building and knew very well the rules, but he wasn't going to pay me either and also demanded I drop the car. I refused. Then he pulls out a badge and proclaims that he's a police officer from a neighboring city and he was going to cause me all sorts of trouble if I didn't give his girlfriend back her car. I said OK, I'll give her the car back. I then unhooked the car and started to drive away, then I stopped and yelled out the window "Oh, by the way, you do know how to reconnect the transmission, right?". Both their jaws dropped open wide! I said "I had to disconnect the tranny to tow it, but for $50 I'll reconnect it". The looks on their faces was precious! Yes, they paid. If that makes me a scumbag than so be it, but I wasn't the one who was wrong. When the day comes that I'm peeling their sorry asses off a guardrail they'll change their tune. They alway do.
Scott
http://towzone.com

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 12:14:03 am

Wow. Getting noisy around here.

Ryan, In your first story, you said your "girlfriend" and a later comment it was your "wife". Sounds like you are an all around liar

Justine -- clearly the concept of a wedding is foreign to you.

FROM: Murdoch
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 2:34:08 am

I am the owner/operater of two trucks in Perth Western Australia.
First of yes there is alot off scum in this bussiness BUT not all of us are.
As in any bussiness you always get bad apples we are no different if you heard some of the things one of the larger companies here have done you would wonder how they are still operating ,but they do cause they wangle their way out of it.
As in all things if you are not happy with the service complain if you are waiting longer than neccassary ring up and ask why if not happy call someone else.
I am invovled with the police contract here and if we are not at the scene within 30 minutes besides losing the job we lose the contract.
Basically dont tarnish the industry with the same brush because of bad expeiriences with dickheads.
Come to Australia and see what happens

FROM: Christine Roberts
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 9:10:43 am

On new years we had a few too many drinks and Taxis we jacking up their prices to pay for a ride home. We noticed several different tow trucks driving through downtown with large banners on the side offering free rides home and you get to take your car with you. Needless to say we took the offer with our cars and our friends did the same and we all got a lift home safely with our car intact. Also at my son's High School where M.A.D.D supporters were having a speaker we noticed several tow trucks with bashed up car at the seminar with banners quoting "Don't drink & drive" or this is what happens when you do.

Tampa Florida

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 11:35:18 am

Ryan: Justine -- clearly the concept of a wedding is foreign to you.

You got married? When the hell did that happen? Why I'm I always the last to know....

FROM: j martinez
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 1:33:43 pm

first of all iwould like to say that there are some good towing companies out there all american serivce in jersey i feel is one of the best they have a you breakit you bought it policy for there drivers while they may look like kids and or raging alcoholics i was extremely satisfied and if more people had triple a {aaa} nobody would wait as long oh yeah you said it was raining buckets too well duh every car has electrical problems in the rain and that's a towers busiest time so deal wiht it

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 2:07:19 pm

every car has electrical problems in the rain

I was in a covered parking area. The rain had nothing to do with it.

And since when does every car have electrical problems in the rain? If that was true, the roads would become parking lots during storms.

FROM: mike saward [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 4:17:51 pm

the recovery industry is the best in the world in the uk

FROM: E.J.
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 6:15:57 pm

As a Towing Professional in Massachusetts, I do in part agree with many of the negative opinions of our industry. There are far more "scumbag" companies, than legit honest companies. I however work for the latter. Here is my opinion. Motorclubs are a farse, for both the tower and the towee. Tow co. ownwers are generally dishonest, cheap, and poor business men&women. If a co. was established in 1950, and a family business your dealing with a second or third generation spoiled little bastard that has had everything handed to him including a very lucrative business. If the tow co. just started up then they are out stealing and soliciting on public ways, usually in improperly registered, poorly maintained, under equiped truck(if you can call them that), with an unqualified, unshowered, and sometimes unlicensed driver. If you tow, clean up your act, stay out of other peoples areas, and be carefull, no one cares that you risk your life EVERY time you go out to the highway to do your job.

FROM: corey [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 6:18:54 pm

this is insane. i can't believe i just read all that.

50% intelligent arguments, 50% blathering idiots.

towing is such an odd thing to be so passionate about.

FROM: Cynthia
DATE: Thursday January 16, 2003 -- 9:30:38 pm

I spent over an hour reading all this crap and only a few had their heads on. I have been a towing professional for over 6 years with heavy towing and several years with the small stuff. Let those people who gripe so much ride a day with me. There little eyes will be open forever. I studied long hours and received a wreckmaster certificate to get where I am. Many tow operators are highly skilled, hard working, and crazy to do the kind of work we do. Who else is brave enough to go in the cold night to the hills and slap through mud, rain, or snow to chain up your junky car to winch it out, because you were too tired to pay attention to where you were driving (or on the phone) and went in the ditch? I sure would like to hear more good things about us out there. We rescue a lot of dumb folks out there. Of course, there is the unfornate one who hasn't checked the oil in their car in months, who can't figure why the car broke down in the middle of nowhere. And I know there is the few that are totally innocent. But all in all, There are alot of great, professional tow operators out there and honest companies too. I know, I work for one who would not consider damaging their name, for they deal with special equipment. Maybe the next time you brake down, you will get a taste of the new tow operators that are out there especially in the N.W.

FROM: Karen [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday January 17, 2003 -- 12:01:31 am

Dear avid readers,
Obviously a few of you have had problems with your local tow companies. For that I truly am sorry, however, having been the owner /operator of a tow company for 19 years, I cannot express how your comments(granted everyone is entitled to their opinion) and catagorizing "The Industry" as a whole for the less than perfect response you experienced is not fair. We all play a role in life, what do you do for a living? Is it completely without condemnation? We. as business people, who do our job with dedication and care are revolted by your comments.
Who are you to say we are all the same? Do you work outdoors, in the rain, snow, mud? Have you ever had to repel down a 50 -100 foot cliff to retrieve someones dead son? We have.
Our job, as an industry is not what the average person thinks of. Lock-out, tire changes, jump starts etc. are a big part of our work, but you have to understand that these "guys" go out of their way, go the extra mile at 2-3-4 a.m. so we can all be safe.
Who are you to condemn the entire industry for purely selfish reasons? Are you just trying to get back at the company that you are upset with? Or, do really have a firm grasp of what we are all about, our liabilities, our problems? Do you?
When you do, let me know. We belong to all thew major Trade Associations, as well as the BBB, the local state and US Chambers of Congress, and we just awarded the ACE AWARD in Nov. 2002 by the "Industry" FOR BEING IN THE TOP 1% OF OUR INDUSTRY FOR PROFESSIONAL SERVICE. I don't know your area, but California is a tough state for regulations, try it. I await your rebuttal. K

FROM: John [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday January 17, 2003 -- 7:28:19 am

As several other people have mentioned, if you think towing companies are scum you should see some of the customers that we have to put up with (and I mean way beyond the customer is paying the bill so he's always right). Interesting that in the original post our home area (Port Charlotte, FL) is mentioned. Fortunately the company slammed was not us (our average response time is under 45 minutes and we have a high rate of getting to people in under 30 minutes). One common thread in these arguments tends to be the size of the metro area served. I think the larger serving areas (DC, NYC, Chi, etc) would tend to have more problems pleasing customers. In addition, a towing company's contracts have an impact. Like someone else mentioned, we do NOT do police rotation, we do NOT do AAA, and we do NOT do non-consent tow-aways. We also have no written contracts for any services. This allows us to be best able to rapidly respond to our customers.
One note on cars having been towed away as having been illegally parked: If you feel you are the victim of an unscrupulous tow-away, research the laws for your area (in the state of Florida the info is available on-line). You may find you have leverage. In this state (Florida), there are strict guidlines on tow-aways such as the mandatory placement and wording of signs that include the name and phone # of the company covering the lot. Additionally, the local police jurisdiction has to be notified of the tow-away and there is an extensive list of requirements that the towing company must comply with.

And to add a little light-hearted humor to the discussion:

Favorite customer-isms in my line:

1. "Why are you towing it from the rear; it's front wheel drive?" (would have to be the only fwd Mustand in existance; actually had customers on two separate occasions insist their Mustang was fwd - one even said her mechanic told her that and was I saying that he was lieing?).

2. "Don't you have to tow it from the rear?" (No, your car is front wheel drive)

3. "Are you sure?" (Well, I've never seen a rear wheel drive car with a transverse engine...)

4. "My battery is dead, can you bring me one?" (Sorry, we don't carry 27 different size spare batteries on our trucks)

5. "Oh, I thought you would just fix the tire" (No, our insurance doesn't cover us for making repairs; I can put your spare on for you)

6. "That much!" (Afraid so; if you saw what our overhead was in this business you'ld wonder why it wan't more)

7. "Is that all?" (Well, I can charge you more if you'ld like, LOL).

8. "Do I need to give you hand signals so you can get hooked up?" (No thanks, I do this a couple of hundred times a month)

9. "Are you sure? (YES, see #8 above)

10. "Do you take triple A?" (No, we prefer to make a profit and you can't call directly for towing with AAA anyway, you have to call AAA)

11. "I shouldn't have to pay for this tow; I just had the tires rotated there two days ago and now it won't start!!" (Oh, yeah; I'm sure there's some connection there! LOL)

12. "If I get you to tow my car, can I make payments?" (Yes, you can make one payment for the full amount when we drop the car. *Note: I do NOT make these up*)

13. "Do I need to put it in neutral?" (No, "park" is fine; the drive wheels are stationary on my wheel lift)

14. "Are you sure?" (YES!!!)

14a. "It doesn't have to be in neutral???" [NOOOOOOOOOOO!]

15. "That much? It's only 1/2 mile!" (Yeeees; I could charge you by the mile, but the next time you wanted a 10 mile tow it would be $300)

16. "We tried towing it with a rope to start it....." (Ahhh, you do realize this is an automatic, right?)

17. [The owner of a Lincoln with a broken ball joint that is sitting on the ground blocking traffic in a parking lot] "Can't I just go inside and get some people and we can lift it up and get it in the parking space?" (Well, if you try that it's a good thing this is a hospital parking lot)

18. "All-wheel drive???" [Yeeees; that means when you request a tow you need to specify our flatbed. We can tow 99% of the vehicles on the road with a wheel lift; but your's isn't one of them]

19. "You guys just worked on the ______________ the other day and now it's doing_____________!" ["We guys" are independent tow'ers; we didn't work on your car]

20. "I have __________ insurance; can't you just bill them?"
[Nooooo; you have to pay us for the tow and submit the bill to your company for reimbursement]

21. [At the end of the tow when presented with bill] "Oh, I have triple A!" [That's nice; now you get to pay me for the tow and try to get reimbursed from them - good luck!]

22. "Can't you just spray some ether in it to get it going?" [Where I would find ether starting fluid in sw Fla, I have no idea; beside which this AIN'T a '57 Chevy you got here]

Probably a bunch more I'm forgetting.

FROM: John [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday January 17, 2003 -- 7:35:05 am

Oh, and FYI, our current towing rate is $36 first 5 miles then additional $2.50/mi. (a 15 mile tow is $61). Check the tow rates in YOUR area and then figure out how we get people who think that's too much!

FROM: kingsley Foreman [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday January 17, 2003 -- 1:23:41 pm

I don,t know what towing compies are like in the U.S. but here in Australia people would die miles out in the Outback hundreds of miles from any were.
Its the towers who drive hundreds of miles on the smaller roads who come across people in cars most of them with out water to keep them alive.
It is days or longer that you may not see another car.
Tow truck drivers don,t get payed for driving hundreds of mile on bad roads and they will tow your car back before getting payed, most people are more than happy with the service.
The people pay us and are happy to do so all though they are safe and could get away with not paying us.
Kingsley Foreman
www.inselfdefense.net/outbacktowing

FROM: Greg
DATE: Friday January 17, 2003 -- 3:20:45 pm

Ryan: "And since when does every car have electrical problems in the rain? If that was true, the roads would become parking lots during storms."

Obviously Ryan, you've never been to Chicago when it rains.

And as with any industry/trade, there's a general professionalism but you'll always have those "bad apples".

FROM: mel
DATE: Friday January 17, 2003 -- 5:39:25 pm

Hmm. I've lived in Chicago for 25 years and never had a car crap out on me in the rain. Nor have I had the experience of not being able to get anywhere in the rain because the highways were littered with cars that don't work in the rain. What am I missing?

FROM:
DATE: Saturday January 18, 2003 -- 12:29:35 am

FROM: Jeff
DATE: Saturday January 18, 2003 -- 12:46:30 am

I think all of you sorry people need to understand that if a towing service takes a long time to get to you it might be because they are having to take care of all the other idiots. Everyone that we deal with think that you are the only person that is broke down at that time. I have breaking news for all the idiots out there YOU ARE NOT THE ONLY ONES OUT THERE WITH VEHICLE PROBLEMS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Now stop your crying and deal with life.

FROM: BILLY
DATE: Saturday January 18, 2003 -- 10:49:02 am

Think about what you just said. If it were'nt for towtrucks, the streets would be like parking lots. You disgust me with your whining. Take responsibility for your own actions. You were illegal and you know it. You had plenty of time to fix the problem before there evar was a problem. Sounds to me like you only have yourself to blame. And asfor the tire "just a little on the line", are we allowed to break the law a little bit, maybe just steal a little of the money from the bank, or we'll just murder a little bit, maybe just a small rape, maybe just a little too drunk to drive home, maybe just kill one or two members of the family in the car we hit because we were just a little drunk. So maybe you are watching the Superbowl and your team is behind by four points, they are on the one yard line, the final seconds are counting down, time for one more play and the running back leaps for the endzone but the ball only touches the whiteline, is he in, is he out? Well, I guess that depends on whether it's good for you or not.
27 years in the towing business and not one time have I ever come to work dirty or out of uniform or with the intent on ruining someones day. They usually do a bang up job of their own. I've been there and done it all including getting my own car out of hock because I was'nt paying attention. Sure it was tough paying out all that money, but I think we all need to learn from these little lifes moments and move on. Name calling and bashing is not the answer. And Jeff, your not helping matters by calling our customers idiots, you are being just as bad as those who call us scum. Pick yourself up man, don't stoop to their level. If it were a perfect world we would not be having this conversation, but it's not.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Saturday January 18, 2003 -- 12:38:23 pm

Hey, Jeff, I'd agree with you, but when someone quotes me one hour, I don't expect to wait 3 1/2. Now excuse me, I need to go deal with life.

FROM: Cj
DATE: Monday January 20, 2003 -- 7:22:00 pm

I work in the towing business, and so does my dad and his dad. You people for one have any clue what you are talking about. If you think we charge to much why don't you buy a towtruck and see if it would be cheaper that way? Towtrucks cost over $60,000.00. Then you have the cost of fuel, employees, insurance, and repair work done on the truck. It's a hard life being on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Most of you people that are putting towers down are most likely working a 9-5 job 5 days a week and sitting in front of the computer all day! When I was reading a persons comment he said stealing for a living. IF YOU WOULD PAY ON THE CAR PAYMENTS WE WOULD NOT TAKE IT. You people need to GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FROM: Cj
DATE: Tuesday January 21, 2003 -- 3:20:23 pm

I need to add one more thing. If you park in a parking lot and see a sign in front of your face (NO PARKING) don't park there and we will not take it!!!!!!!! If you do park there, when you come for the car don't get pissed at us because you are the person that parked there. You can park yor peace of junk some where else!

FROM: Paul
DATE: Tuesday January 21, 2003 -- 3:35:13 pm

CJ: You people for one have any clue what you are talking about.

That's very nice of you to say, thank you.

You people need to GET A LIFE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone needs to get his keyboard fixed.

FROM: Frank
DATE: Tuesday January 21, 2003 -- 5:33:21 pm

Cj tells it like it is!
As for all of you people talking trash about towers not knowing what you are talking about. I can not say what I want to say. It would kind of look like this...F@#% YOU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

FROM: jusjon51
DATE: Wednesday January 22, 2003 -- 9:42:42 pm

In the AM the roads into the city are a rush hour route ie two lane roads
that if a vehicle is there between eg
7-9 AM BLOCK the road and cause a Bottleneck The same in the PM,park in either and I will tow your ass,Now autoclubs you pay your $80 a year to get a pretty card dont cry to me that you have been waiting 2 hours for me too show up. I go when I get dispatched,You get what you pay for
I make 60- 65K a year Whine all you want about Towing I dont give a crap
If you are stupid enough to have one-way insurance on your car
then dont cry when you wreck it and have to pay the tow truck driver $$$$
I sleep good at night jj51

FROM:
DATE: Wednesday January 22, 2003 -- 11:45:21 pm

FROM: Nick
DATE: Wednesday January 22, 2003 -- 11:56:41 pm

First off I'd like to say Randy Taylor and Dave Altom you two guys are not doing too good as far as making us towers look even remotely educated with what I have just read from you two, but anyway you still do the same job as I do and regardless we all have to stick together. Now as I said last week I work for myself not the cops or property owners or the motor leagues, I chase wrecks and service my clients ONLY but I have always found that the general public thinks that for some reason our service is negotiable, (YEAH RIGHT!!!) I'd like to see these same people who try to get cheaper deals from us on the towing walk into a gas bar and offer the attendant behind the counter what they think is reasonable for the gas they want, or how about walking into Sears and making an offer on the jeans they want, as far as I'm concerned these same fools who sit there and try to weasel a good deal on a tow are the same one's that see me walk into their stores and see that I pay the price that's on the tag WITHOUT even so much as a peep about the price.As for the cheapos I always do this to people that I stop for on the highway for example when they ask how much I tell them the price then when they offer me something (usually $30 less at first) I raise the price by $20, for the next round of offers they raise it $10 so I raise it $10 then they get all freaked out about what's going on right at this point, so my next response is "You want a cheap tow?" They say yes I say buy your own truck and drive off. So the next time you call a tow truck or flag one over think before you open your pie hole our equpment isn't cheap an neither is our insurance and our licenses and so on and so on. For those of you who live in colder climates and can't stand the cold try standing in it for over half your work day like we do and think twice about what we do and the risks we take to service you on the tragedy filled highways of North America, think before you speak, because we don't like when we all get painted with the same brush because I'm sure in what ever profession you are in there are some bad apples aswell. I would like to stress to everyone that as far as the AAA or the CAA is concerned or any other motor league DO NOT BUY THIS CRAP they are the cheapest around and somehow they will find some tow company to service their customers but at what cost, at your expense, you have to remember they are not paying good money to have the sub contacted towing companies come get you so that means they are not going to be coming to get you anytime soon now are they, no they're not so save the $50,60 or 70 plus that you spend on that crap because logically in the course of a year you may only need them once so you might as well pay the tow truck the $50 or $60 for that tow and get serviced quickly and freeze your ass off. I could probably go on night with what I have experienced over the years but I'll save it for another night, just remember when you're broken down you need me more than I need you so be nice because I really have NO problem driving right by you.

FROM: EJM
DATE: Thursday January 23, 2003 -- 2:23:53 pm

My car was towed while parked in a snow route in chicago last weekend. I have retrieved my car from the pound at 702 Sacremento Ave with extensive transmission damage and also damage to the grille and bumper. Does anybody know what action I can take. From what I am hearing, legal action is expensive and usually futile. If anybody can help please email me at emurtagh1@yahoo.com Thanks

FROM: CJ
DATE: Thursday January 23, 2003 -- 4:17:11 pm

Paul: S&S Towing is the worst. I have no personal experiences.

Paul you have no personal experiences...so shut up!!!!!

FROM: CJ
DATE: Thursday January 23, 2003 -- 4:23:29 pm

Paul: S&S Towing with their incessant signs across the city and suburbs.

Paul S&S Towing puts those signs up for people like you that park their.

Think about it!

FROM: Haleiwa Off Road Towing Co.
DATE: Saturday January 25, 2003 -- 7:30:42 pm

In response to EJM: What type of car was towed? If you claim you had damage to the grill, (which is located on the front of the car) you would have to show evidence that the vehicle was either towed by the front and the driver backed into it, or #2 you would have to show evidence that the driver towed the vehicle from the rear and that he backed your vehicle into something. Question is: where was the damaged debris found? At the scene of the pick up? or at the scene of the drop off? or somewhere in route? If it's front wheel drive and you claim he picked up the vehicle from the front by damaging the grill, then damage to the transmission is impossible. If your transmission is standard, then no matter how he picked up your vehicle, damage to the transmission is impossible. There's really nothing hard about presenting a case, as long as you have the facts, irrefutible evidence and a proper presentation showing beyond a reasonable doubt that the tower caused the damage by a re-construction of the accident scene. Remember though the burden of proof lies with the prosecution. The reason why people in general claim that it's not always easy to present a case such as this against a defendant is because most people don't know how to assemble a case and always try to stretch the truth to the point of being unbelievable even to the point of telling lies. You do have to remember that we are professionals in the field and can easily identify and overcome a lie by using not only logic, but we have abundant case history with which we are very familiar with on our side. We also have a tight network wherein we can obtain additional experiences that can strengthen our defenses.

Aloha a me kapono kahiko

FROM: jerry
DATE: Sunday January 26, 2003 -- 6:03:07 pm

There is a tow company in toronto canada that is called Diamond Towing..They are real crooks! They pay there driver fuck all and nickle and dime them to death!

FROM: Paul
DATE: Sunday January 26, 2003 -- 6:16:45 pm

CJ, have you heard of a dictionary? No, I'm serious.

FROM: EJM
DATE: Monday January 27, 2003 -- 1:36:39 pm

In response to the reply from Haleiwa Off Road Towing Co. My car is an Audi A4 Quattro, all wheel drive.
The car was parked in second gear and remained in second gear while being towed. When I went to pick up the car at 702 Sacremento I could see that the grille on the front (just below the bumper) was damaged, piece knocked out. When I got into the car, it was still in second gear. I started up the car and put it into first gear only to be greeted with a sound of gravel where there used to be gears.
The car was dragged in second gear, it doesn't matter whether it was from the front or back being a quattro. Anyway. Like any business, there are good and bad examples, I was unlucky enough to be towed by a bad one. You are right though, it is hard for me to prove that my car was in absolutely immaculate condition before it was towed (which it was), now it looks and is a mess.

FROM: Haleiwa Off Road Towing Co.
DATE: Tuesday January 28, 2003 -- 6:28:39 pm

Document your issues one step at a time. Then print it out. Then re-read what you wrote and fill in any blanks. Don't forget 1. where you parked. 2. How you parked. 2.1. condition or direction of the tires, 2.2. what gear you left the vehicle in 2.3. the parking brake 2.4. other vehicles surrounding your vehicle 2.5. direction of the vehicle (facing the road, or facing away from the road etc.) 2.6. Any witnesses as to the validation of the above parking issues. 3. Collect together any recent pictures of your vehicle. 4. Return to the scene and look for evidence of the broken grill, if nothing, note your findings 4.1. return to the garage where you first saw the vehicle and look around on the ground for evidence of breakage there. 5. Note any weather conditions on the day of your parking as well as the day of your picking up your vehicle. 6. Find any witnesses at the scene of the drop off. If they're gonna lie, then make them lie. Don't just not ask them questions under the atmosphere of a deposition because you already know are are afraid that they're gonna lie. Ask them. Make them lie if that's what they're gonna do. You'd be surprised how the truth comes out when a person is being grilled by a proper and well trained griller (attorney). If the facts don't appear to be on your side at first, get more facts that put the issue on your side. If you are in fact right and not at fault, the more facts, the better.

Hope this helps.

FROM: Haleiwa Off Road Towing co.
DATE: Tuesday January 28, 2003 -- 6:31:09 pm

Another issue is: Were you billed for a dolly tow? Or was this vehicle towed on a flatbed? Being an all wheel drive. The vehicle has to have been towed on a dolly or a flatbed. There is no other way. If you weren't billed for it, you have a strong case right there.

aloha

FROM: EJM
DATE: Monday February 3, 2003 -- 3:49:58 pm

Thanks Haleiwa Off Road Towing co,you have given me a lot of good info there. I was not charged for a dolly tow or for a flatbed, at least it isn't itemized that way. Thx

FROM: Paul
DATE: Monday February 3, 2003 -- 7:45:15 pm

The Daily Ping: Bringing Haleiwa Off Road Towing and Its Customers Closer Together.

FROM: Haleiwa Off Road Towing co.
DATE: Tuesday February 4, 2003 -- 3:57:27 am

Aloha a me kapono kahiko

FROM: The Happy Huker
DATE: Thursday February 6, 2003 -- 1:17:42 pm

Sounds like in the first two "Pings" that you need to take up the problem with your apartment complex management. I, too, am a "towing nazi"... but, we only tow the cars as specified by the managment of the complex. First of all, if your girlfriend can't hit the stall without parking on the line (very rude of her to expect someone else to have to crowd themselves because she can't drive), maybe she should take driving lessons! (By the way, we take photos of all the vehicles we tow so that any violations, as specified by the apartment complex management are clearly shown)! And the second time, when you were on expired plates, that too seems to be a policy of your apartment complex... if you have a problem with it, maye you should move. As for the last problem... maybe you should look at your own story a little closer- you said in one part that you told the towing company that you had never left your car when they said they had been there and you were not present, but earlier in your little story you stated that during the 3 1/2 hour wait, you to the police station and asked them to jump start your car... unless you can be in two places at once, how were you at your car the whole time? Sounds like you are just a habitual complainer...

FROM: Michael Smith
DATE: Thursday February 6, 2003 -- 1:31:46 pm

I am a student at Trinity College. My research method project is what makes patrons have attitudes toward tow truck companies that tow their cars or vehicles for parking illegally. Some of my understanding has lead me to know that the police and only resident managers have the power to have vehicles towed. Of course some of the literature that I have retrieved from the internet is conflicting. This will be an indepth research project with uncertainty in my final conclusion.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday February 6, 2003 -- 1:53:20 pm

First of all, if your girlfriend can't hit the stall without parking on the line (very rude of her to expect someone else to have to crowd themselves because she can't drive), maybe she should take driving lessons!

They were small spaces. It was unusual for cars NOT to be touching one of the two lines in that lot.

By the way, we take photos of all the vehicles we tow so that any violations, as specified by the apartment complex management are clearly shown

When we asked them to produce pictures to prove that she was over the line, they couldn't do it. And that's with good reason: she wasn't. I can only assume those jackasses towed her, figured she'd pay without challenging them. But she did and they weren't able to produce any evidence, so she got off without having to pay.

If you have a problem with it, maye you should move.

We did. Quite a while ago.

you said in one part that you told the towing company that you had never left your car when they said they had been there and you were not present, but earlier in your little story you stated that during the 3 1/2 hour wait, you to the police station and asked them to jump start your car... unless you can be in two places at once, how were you at your car the whole time?

The police station was directly across the street from where I was parked. The police were outside the building, so for the 30 seconds I was talking to them, my car and the parking lot were in my view, less than 100 feet away.

Sounds like you are just a habitual complainer...

Only when there's a valid reason, sir.

FROM: Keith Werner
DATE: Thursday February 6, 2003 -- 9:01:46 pm

What really bothers me is that fact that most of the people on this ping know nothing about the towing industry! They think about the times they were broken down and may have had to wait. They don't think about the long hours we work, the harsh weather we endure, spending hours at a time going from call to call. Making sure the people in the community where we serve are dealt with in as timely manner as possible. Or the fact that we put our life on the line every time we step out of our trucks to provide a service of some sort. Are they aware of the towing profesionals who are killed in the process of doing their job, which is providing a service to community? People think it is scary sitting on the side of the road broken down and the people who have no consideration as they fly by heading to where they need to get to in such a hurry. But a wrecker operator is put in that position sometimes 5 to 15 times in one week yet most people break down on the interstate only once or twice a year. As far as private property impounds, rules are posted on the property in visible sight, if you have a lease read it , but don't blame the wrecker operator who was called by the property management to do his/her job. For those who get behind the wheel of their vehicle either intoxicated or breaking the laws on vehicle registration, those choices come with consequences.

FROM: Kathy
DATE: Thursday February 6, 2003 -- 10:04:16 pm

First of all, my fiance is a tow truck driver and I am VERY proud of his work ethics he has for his job. Granted I don't like not seeing him for the majority of the day because he's always working, but that's just something I (and everyone else that is in a relationship) have to deal with. Secondly, the towing company he works for has a very good reputation where we live. I have ridden with him on quite a few occassions and most of you don't know what these fine men and women have to do. There are a lot of times that he tells me that he's had to hook a car up on an interstate with cars driving past 80-85 miles an hour. Now if that doesn't take guts and skills I don't know what does. I know for a fact that I wouldn't be brave enough to be on the side of the road doing that. I know of quite a few close calls that a lot of his colleagues have had to deal with i.e. one guy had the door of the car he was loading up on the side of the road ripped right out of his hands by a motorist that crossed over the flares that had been set up by the police. As for the days that it is raining outside, it is usually a lot busier and the calls do tend to pile up and they get to the next call as soon as they can. Granted 3 1/2 hrs. is way too long to wait, but like most everyone else is saying, that's only one or two towing companys out of many that ruin the reputation for all the others. I have also seen many a time with AAA where they don't read the calls as soon as they get them, they let them pile up and then tell their station that there are 4 or 5 holding when not 2 min. before they said they were clear. When the towers finally get to the scene where the members are waiting, it makes it look like their fault that it took so long, when in fact it was the dispatchers mistake. Reading all of these comments about towers being the scum of the earth really bother me because they are out there doing things that half of you people don't think about doing or want to deal with. Aparently, there are a lot of people that have nothing better to do out there than complain about the way other people do their jobs. The only thing they are doing is what the dispatchers tell them to do. They are making a living just like everyone else. All I have to say to summarize this comment up is:
THANKS TO ALL YOU TOW TRUCK DRIVERS OUT THERE FOR EVERYTHING YOU DO. I APPRECIATE YOU EVEN IF NO ONE ELSE DOES! : )

FROM: Haleiwa Off Road Towing co.
DATE: Friday February 14, 2003 -- 7:07:37 pm

Actually, I think most if not almost all appreciate towers. There are a very few small minority of people who have had problems with individuals who claim to be towers who probaly have no business in this industry anyways. The real towers go to the expo's and have been in classes learning how to become better towers. They are insured. They are concerned about their image in the industry and they deeply care about their customers because they want and need their returned business. Towers support each other because it's our nature. But when a tower makes a mistake, he also is not afraid to admit it and pay his fair share. The problem is, all to often there are some customers that want more than his fair share and that's partially where the problems arise.

Aloha

FROM: John
DATE: Monday February 17, 2003 -- 7:39:38 pm

For a in depth feel of what working conditions the towers have to put up with imagine your boss getting paid
$100 for a call ,you are to get 40%,
now imagine he says he is only paying you on $40 you get $16 because the whole industry is corrupt from the auto clubs with their over inflated salaries to the owners and their admin fees, The Drivers mostly have to fend for themselves
as the towing company owners like to call the drivers self employed contractors now that is a pantload.
visit
www.selfemployedmyass.com
I am fed up with the lack of RESPECT
that the Drivers receive from Members and auto clubs et al and Owners as well. To educate the general public of the dangers of the job is beyond my reach as our rep has been soiled for years

FROM: steve
DATE: Thursday February 20, 2003 -- 8:05:18 pm

I parked in a spot for 5 minutes to run into a new school to get a temporary parking permit for the main parking lot. when i came out some worthless piece of trash towed my vehicle away. i did not know where to park because the visitor parking had no available spots.
five minutes and i had to pay these THIEVES $150.00 to get it out. If this were a country in the middle east these thieving tow truck drivers would probably get their hand cut off like they deserve.

FROM: Nick
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 11:18:11 am

As I said before I do not do private proerty towing and nor will I ever do that but it's amazing how everyone always says I was only in there 5 minutes and I came out and my car was gone, well I have news for you in order for the car to be towed someone had to CALL the tow truck so don't go into your bullshit rant about I had to pay these theives $150.00 because he/she wasn't sitting in his/her tow truck hiding behind the maple tree waiting for you to jump out, you shouldn't have been parked there so the person in charge of security or parking CALLED the tow truck, and it's not like I approve of this practice but when this happens to people they label all the towers as theives, but when you're on the highway in the middle of the night and broken down and in need of a tow remember one thing the guy in the tow truck knows that chances are the person in this broken down car more than likely thinks he's a crook so try not to put on that fake nice guy front to weasel a $30 tow out of him/her when you're really think "Great here comes one of those theives let's see how much he wants to go 15-20 miles or kilometers" because when we approach you we know what the general public is thinking, and if you have had the unfortunate luck of being towed away because of where you parked beleive me I know how it feels because when I was young I had my 69 Camaro towed away because of where I parked and I sold the car to a guy in the pound for half what I paid for it because I didn't have the money to get it out after all I spent all I had buying the car and was unemployed at the time so guess what I've been there too, by the way I loved that Camaro

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday February 26, 2003 -- 12:59:43 pm

I don't think there was a period in that entire paragraph.

FROM: john
DATE: Friday February 28, 2003 -- 10:23:53 pm

hey Nick i before e except after c

FROM: Kaleimomiokuupuuwai
DATE: Sunday March 9, 2003 -- 11:45:37 am

Hey Steve: Don't you think that your statement about being parked in a "no parking" zone for 5 minutes is a little under stated? C'mon. Tell the truth. You parked, it took some time for the security to find your car and call it in. I doubt if that was less than 20-30 minutes. Then he had to call his supervisor and then he called the towing company, another 5-10 minutes. Then the towing company had to drive over there another 20-30 minutes. That's probably at least an hour that you were improperly parked. Then it took another 3-5 minutes hooking you up, while security was waiting at your vehicle in case you returned. But you didn't. You also probably left no note on your car explaining to security where you were. Nobody was out to "get you". Not the security or the tower. They were both just doing their jobs. You blew it. Now just pay your fines and learn from your mistakes. Don't blame others for your problems.

FROM: Anon
DATE: Sunday March 23, 2003 -- 10:59:36 pm

You people defending the tow truck drivers are out of your frickin skull. Let me tell you a little something about a town full of tow truck nazis known as State College, PA. I lived in a small apartment complex, Sutton Court, and they charged outrageous parking $, so I paid to park at another lot that was about a 15 min walk away. So, it was time for fall break. I was going home to see my parents. I had all my shit ready to go, I only needed 1 bag of clothes for the extended weekend. So I walked and picked up my car. I parked out front, with the flashers on, and opened the trunk. I ran inside to grab my bag, and saw my car up on a tow truck. I was like what the fuck are you doing??? He said my car was illegally parked and was being towed. I said it wasn't parked, I was just loading my car. Nothing. I had to pay him $40 just to put my car down. I was pissed. Later on in the year I noticed that the tow truck driver would watch from across the street and wait for people to leave there cars out front. And we knew that's all he was looking for b/c he couldn't even see the parking lot from there, the lot was behind the building. I was very glad to see, near the end of the year, someone else had this problem and things got out of control and the cops got involved. The cop made the tow truck driver put down the kids car for free. Tow truck drivers are not only the scum of the earth, they should be tortured and killed. The rest of the time I was at school we enjoyed throwing many a beer bottle at tow trucks.

FROM: Johnny Tower [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday March 28, 2003 -- 5:37:49 am

I'm a tow truck driver and I like rippin people off. You rich bitches think you are all that, but whe I GET THE ASS end of your car hausted up, I know I'm eatin good tonight.

I luv rippin you kids and older punks off. I am scum and I know it. Hey, at least I admit that I wait and watch cars and trucks so I can steal their car for afree $150. I have been in jail lots, and my bosses never check my criminal record.

http://kelowna11.tripod.com/

Seeya Biatch!

Johnny

FROM: sallie
DATE: Tuesday April 1, 2003 -- 2:55:29 am

My husbund and I own our towing
company. We do impounds and pvt prop impounds. We only can take them when the police or property owner call. We are not out to steal from anyone or any of that.We are inspected by the state patrol ever
year and I want you all to know that all impounds are at a state set rate and for all of you that think you know about tow companys but do not they set our price for all you people that park were your not suposed to.and for the kid that threw bottles at the tow truck you are no better than he is.not all tow companys are scum.I think you who say that about are rude.you know one day you will realy need a tow truck for something serious and I hope you feel like shit for what you said.I alsow want you to know that last summer we must of about 5 to 10 calls that people have locked their kids in the car with it running in the heat and guess who was their ? yep our tow company.We are good at what we do and Iam very proud of my husbund to go out and help people like you who just bash him. Well its midnight here and we have to go jump start someone who needs us.for all you good tow companys keep up the good work.

FROM: tow truck driver
DATE: Thursday April 3, 2003 -- 1:11:15 am

i want you to go out and run 12 13 calls a day and have to put up with certain members that have to wait there turn all companys arent bad

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday April 3, 2003 -- 9:49:14 am

Ryan, this Ping is crying out for Dumb-Ass mode. Look! Tons of 'em.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday April 3, 2003 -- 10:20:40 am

I'm having too much fun, though!

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday April 3, 2003 -- 1:11:14 pm

Ah, good point. Just look at 'em!

Let the dumb-assyness continue.

FROM: john
DATE: Tuesday April 15, 2003 -- 8:09:50 pm

Driving a Tow Truck is not a easy job
Paul and Ryan can make all the jokes they want, but I'll bet if they ever need a Tow Truck they wouldn't even say BOO. I think that they are both Members of AAA and have a superiority complex. Two A-holes that dont even Know how to put oil in the cars they drive every day. No doubt they get it up the butt from the garages that they use. IDIOTS

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Tuesday April 15, 2003 -- 10:16:43 pm

Thanks, John, for weighing in! Your opinions are valuable to us!

FROM: Dave Walls
DATE: Tuesday April 15, 2003 -- 11:13:57 pm

Hi, I'm doing a report in school on Progeria, and I was wondering if.......

FROM: GP
DATE: Friday April 18, 2003 -- 5:48:05 pm

What a shame it is that you are unable to accept the responsibility of driving. I suppose that when you failed a class in school that it was the teachers fault because they didn't teach properly, right? And when the cop gave you a ticket it was entrapment huh? Maybe it is time for you to grow up and be responsible for your own actions or lack there of. I wonder how many of you whining little wussies would like to live in a world with out tow trucks. I would like to see the entire towing industry go on strike for two weeks and not tow any cars for any reason. It would be real funny too see some of you sniveling yuppies try to drive on streets and freeways that are clogged and littered with broken and wrecked vehicles all over the place. Face it crybaby, TOW TRUCK DRIVERS ARE THE HEROES OF THE HIWAY! Life for all would be much better without morons like you!
GET OFF OF MY PLANET!

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Friday April 18, 2003 -- 9:06:43 pm

Yet another friendly tow-truck supporter!

FROM: Cindy [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday April 27, 2003 -- 10:28:03 pm

Well, After reading all of this material I have to say, I am an owner of 9 trucks in Toronto, I refuse to do private property tows,(I once was towed from private prop. and was furious considering I was less than 5 minutes away from my car(roadside doesn't give that kinda of ETA.) But anyway my company services the 400 series Highways and Metro Toronto, people that need our help I offer a 30 Minute ETA anywhere in our Municipality(weather permitting)
There is good and bad in every single industry and please do not refer to the Towing Industry as SCUM.. Make your complaints to the proper management(ON PAPER) and allow the better companies to service the public.

FROM: Joe Revees
DATE: Monday April 28, 2003 -- 4:06:47 pm

Are people coming to this thread after searching for the words tow, truck and scum? If so, why are they searching for that if they are upright honest drivers...

BTW, I've had two great tow truck experiences and one very shady one in my 25 years (only one was my car. though).

FROM: Dave Walls
DATE: Monday April 28, 2003 -- 7:43:02 pm

I agree, Joe. I didnt realize how many pissed off tow truck owners there were out there, who were just looking for a place to vent.

As for me, I have actually had great experiences with tow trucks, even in downtown Philadelphia. Whilst living in Lynchburg, VA in 2001, my alternator went dead on a Sunday afternoon. I was fortunate enough to get a tow truck operator out (Very rare on a Sunday in the South), who not only got there when he said he would, he also refused to accept a tip for the prompt and courteous service. (You're gonna need that later, he said).

Folks, what Ryan's ping is about is not about YOUR company or the ENTIRE industry. He blasted the people with whom he had experiences with in the DC Metro area. That's all.

This Ping is almost like writing that you went to a bad McDonalds in Walla Walla, Washington, and having 500 other McDonalds saying "We wouldn't mess up your order!!!"

To those who do great work in the industry, keep it up. It's a tough and stressfull time for anyone having their car towed, because the towing is usually only the beginning.

To those who are upset, Click here, and get a free pen.

I think we all need a hug. :)

FROM: Vince
DATE: Thursday May 1, 2003 -- 6:39:47 pm

I Have been working for a large and very respectful tow service in california for several years,I'v been doing private property towaways for 14 years.I started in towing 1988,I got into towing for ppt's.you have to run 6 or more motorclub calls to equal 1 ppt,on a good nite you can haul in 10-15 towaways($120 depending on the city)For tow company owners out there who don't want to do ppt's,you have no idea what kind of revenue that it generates and alot of police depts. across the country will support you if you follow the vehicle codes.I have no desire to do roadside service.Drivers can make 60K a year if they hustle. I support all you ppt drivers out there who do things by the book

FROM: Matt
DATE: Saturday May 10, 2003 -- 7:28:15 pm

What I find so funny here is that all the "towing professionals" can hardly write a complete sentence, yet they decide the legality of things. Maybe if the towing industry was regulated by the federal government they would clean up their act a little.

FROM: connecticut
DATE: Thursday May 15, 2003 -- 1:39:45 pm

just gotta comment on this one . . .

First, let me tell you that my husband is a tow truck driver. He has been in the business for 21 years, basically because it was family owned and then because where else could you make that kind of money for driving around all day.

I do want to address the TIME issue - we live in an area where AAA (who is the main supplier of tow calls for the shop he drives for) has the shop cover 6 towns. Now in some areas, this wouldn't be a big deal, but in the NorthEast, that is alot of people. Let's say all 8 trucks are in the field, covering 6 towns. You break down and call for a tow in the town that happens to have two trucks stationed. If you are lucky, you call in and the driver can get to where you are from where he is stationed during down time (usually on the side of the road somewhere, as most businesses won't let them just park in the lot - go figure). Then there is the time you call and have to wait because there are already 3 other people that have called in and need service from the two trucks stationed in the area. Granted if it is available, one of the other trucks from the nearest location will head toward your vehicle, but there is still the travel time. It is all relative.

But let's lool a little further - if you are not being hauled to a dealer for repair, the towing company MAKES the drivers haul your car back to thier shop for an automatic $85 "repair evaluation" charge. This plus the "storage fee" and believe me, they could care less if anything is stolen from your car, cause you can't prove it was ever there.

It is not so much the Tow Drivers, as it is the companies they work for that are crooks and scum.

I should know.

FROM: bear
DATE: Wednesday May 21, 2003 -- 1:26:35 pm

Sounds to me like you idiots don't know how to handle your own business so that someone can't take advantage of you. If you are on top of your game, then no one can swindle you punks.

FROM: cw
DATE: Friday June 6, 2003 -- 8:06:01 pm

Ping !!go smoke another bowl and find something else to whine about. I despise it when I go out to the freeway in the middle of the night to tow your car and it smells like a hotbox.

FROM: John
DATE: Saturday June 21, 2003 -- 9:20:06 pm

Message to Matt: If you don't like the towing industry NOW, I'll wager you'd sell your car and WALK if the feds ever decide to stick their fingers into it. Just for starters, figure the tow rates would double. Don't believe me? In our area, where there is "0" regulation by any government entity (other than standard business licenses, etc) the average tow rate is in the $35-45/$2.50 mi range. Compare that with areas that are heavily regulated by the city/county/state. I understand in some jurisdictions the interstates and turnpikes are contracted to tow companies for particular stretches (let's see, I-xx mile marker 203? That'll be XYZ Towing). Want to take a guess whether that results in lower towing rates???

FROM: JOY
DATE: Tuesday July 8, 2003 -- 12:37:00 pm

I THINK THAT ALL OF YOU COMPLAINERS NEED TO TAKE A LOOK AT THE WHOLE PICURE. I AM THE OWNER OF A TOWINGCOMPANY IN FLORIDA, AND THERE ARE LAWS THAT DO PROTECT THE PUBLIC. FOR THE GENTLEMAN THAT WROTE THE ABOVE STORY ABOUT GETTING HIS CAR TOWED FOR EXPIRED TAGS, YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD YOUR TAGS REGISTERED ON TIME. AND IT IS NOT THE TOWING COMPANY DRIVING AROUND THESE COMPLEXES LOOKING FOR ILLEGALLY PARKED VEHICLES TO TOW. IT IS THE MANAGERS OF THESE COMPLEXES THAT CALL US TO COME TOW YOUR VEHICLE FOR BEING ILLEGALLY PARKED, AND THAT INCLUDES HAVING EXPIRED TAGS. YOU COMPLAIN ABOUT NO PARKING, DO YOU REALIZE HOW MANY PEOPLE ABANDON VEHICLES IN THESE COMPLEXES? THEREFORE, THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS YOU HAVE NO PARKING, AND THAT IS WHY MANAGEMENT HAS THESE VEHICLES TOWED AWAY, TO TRY TO PROVIDE MORE PARKING FOR YOU. SO BEFORE YOU START RUNNING YOUR MOUTH, YOU REALLY NEED TO DO YOUR HOMEWORK, AND MAKE SURE THAT YOU REGISTER YOUR VEHICLE ON TIME EVERY YEAR!!!!!!!

FROM: Paul
DATE: Tuesday July 8, 2003 -- 12:42:08 pm

Well, at least everything was spelled correctly.

FROM: Joe Revees
DATE: Tuesday July 8, 2003 -- 2:44:53 pm

I think it's hilarious that, like clockwork, every couple weeks, a new tow truck operator/owner/fan finds this site and defends tow truck companies.

I thought it was perfectly clear that the Pingers here don't hate all tow truck drivers and owners. It's just a place where people have vented their frustration with companies they've dealt with. A tow truck driver has even vented about bad customers.

That's it...

so the tow truck operators/owners/fans need to stop worrying visitors to the Ping are perched in front of their computer plotting the demise of their industry.

Some of us have had bad experiences with tow truck companies, and if there is competition in that market, I'd sure want to know which company took 4 hours to pick up my car. Perhaps another company could do better...

(I think my caps lock key is broken, or I would have yelled this entire Ping)

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Tuesday July 8, 2003 -- 5:12:46 pm

This may be one of my all-time favorite Pings.

FROM: Paul J Williams - Towman1
DATE: Thursday July 10, 2003 -- 4:04:20 pm

I have read with great interests the comments here. I operate Foothills
Recovery & Towing in North Caroliona.

FROM:
DATE: Thursday July 10, 2003 -- 4:29:32 pm

FROM: Olga
DATE: Tuesday July 29, 2003 -- 3:01:46 pm

Well, let me tell you I feel the same as the story above. We are having the same problem at our townhouse complex.

If the tow truck company are doing their jobs, then they would know if the car is abandoned. As they work very well with the police. My car was taken one night for no good reason. I call the cops cause as I said, there was no reason why my car should of been towed. The cops told me that the car was at a towing company. It was taken because it was involved in a hit and run. Yea Ok! Then I found out that the towing company works for/with the police. The officer I talked to on the phone told me some bogus address where they found my car and that I should receive the paper work to go to court soon. I'm still waiting.

I don't see (other reason than the $100. a car) for taking a car when is parked on their own private parking space. The lady on front of my house car was taken the 1st of July 2003. Right out of her parking space. Where we have a gate that no one can come in a leave a stolen car. Her tag was expired (one day). She had to replace the sticker on the 30th of June and on July 1, 2am the tow truck took her car. This guy comes in just about everyday after 1am/2am. He drives around with a flash light looking at all the tags. Yea, he is looking for a abandoned car. Every one that lives here own their townhouse. The car parked on their space is their car. If not they would find a way of getting the car out. Like looking for the owner or calling the tow truck.

I'm not saying that every towing company is the same way. But, I yet need to find an honest one.

Every one needs to make money. I understand that.

But, the honest way!

FROM: Louis
DATE: Wednesday August 13, 2003 -- 11:46:37 pm

hey man wanna go check some propertys and get fucking stoned

FROM: sb
DATE: Friday August 29, 2003 -- 7:12:44 am

In tampa we had a tow company that would open a no parking area, put signs over the no parking signs, and charge 30 bucks to park there during an event. Then they would tow the cars while the event was in progress. They charged 150 to get the cars out. Good scam till a woman spotted one of the guys that she gave the money to park there.

FROM: joseph
DATE: Saturday August 30, 2003 -- 2:34:48 am

Ryan
Seems that all your horror stories about your experiences with towing companies have a common theme: they are your version of what happened. Why is is that we have to take your word for gospel?
All your stories also seem to be inconsistent. Your girlfriends car was "touching" the white line? What does that mean? To me, it sounds like she was parked in some one elses spot. As far as your jump start horror story, when you were told by the towing company that a truck was already there to service you, you said that was impossible because you were there the whole time. I thought you also said you went into the police station to ask for assistance?Is it possible the truck could have come then? Oh no that couldn't be the case could it. That would cut your wait time down considerably and make your story not as bad. And then we have your expired car registration. Again, not your fault, right? It's not your fault the DMV sent you a letter telling you your registration was aboutto expire. It's not your fault they probably sent you a renewal form in that same letter. I'll bet the towing company was open on Sunday to release your car. Why didn't you mention that? Does some one wipe your fat lazy ass too? Your story makes you look like a whiny bitch who gets pissed off when things don't go your way. Grow up. By the way, Kia? Nice car, loser.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Saturday August 30, 2003 -- 12:12:01 pm

Ah, I see someone woke up on the wrong side of the rubber room this morning.

Grow up. By the way, Kia? Nice car, loser.

Oooh. What a burn from an Aztek driver. (awww, snaps!)

FROM: Cindy [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday September 7, 2003 -- 8:04:13 pm

Helping people on the streets and highways is what we all do 70% off our time. In Toronto in the last five years to my knowledge, EIGHT drivers have been crushed between the vehicle and the tow truck. please tell me if you would risk your life to help someone for about $ 50.00.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Sunday September 7, 2003 -- 9:25:38 pm

A late response, but what the hell:

Seems that all your horror stories about your experiences with towing companies have a common theme: they are your version of what happened.

Imagine that... on MY web site, MY take on events! It's absurd!

All your stories also seem to be inconsistent. Your girlfriends car was "touching" the white line? What does that mean? To me, it sounds like she was parked in some one elses spot.

"Touching" isn't such a hard concept to grasp. And, no, she wasn't in someone else's spot. There were no assigned spots in this particular lot.

I thought you also said you went into the police station to ask for assistance?Is it possible the truck could have come then? Oh no that couldn't be the case could it.

The police statoion was maybe 30 feet away and my car was in my sight the entire 30 seconds I was away. I didn't go inside the station, I merely talked to the officers outside.

Again, not your fault, right? It's not your fault the DMV sent you a letter telling you your registration was aboutto expire. It's not your fault they probably sent you a renewal form in that same letter.

Actually, they didn't.

Does some one wipe your fat lazy ass too?

You're welcome to the job if you'd like it.

By the way, Kia? Nice car, loser.

*Yawn* Keep 'em comin', genius.

FROM: Tow-Ho
DATE: Thursday September 25, 2003 -- 3:45:20 am

I was passing by to see if the company I work for was being put down. Hmmm... I haven't seen anything on it yet.

I have a Q.

Knowing that I work for a towing company.. I got pulled over by a cop, was arrested and they had to tow my car. The company I work for was less than 5 minutes away! Why????

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday September 25, 2003 -- 9:37:43 am

Knowing that I work for a towing company.. I got pulled over by a cop, was arrested and they had to tow my car. The company I work for was less than 5 minutes away! Why????

It might depend on why you were arrested...

FROM: Tina
DATE: Thursday September 25, 2003 -- 12:14:22 pm

So when is this ping going into dumb ass mode? BTW, what are the qualifiers for dum ass mode, anyway? :)

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Thursday September 25, 2003 -- 12:56:25 pm

I enjoy the comments on this one too much to put it in Dumb-Ass Mode.

Qualifiers? If it starts annoying Paul or me too much. :)

FROM: Tina
DATE: Thursday September 25, 2003 -- 1:11:59 pm

Oh, I thought dumb ass mode resulted from bad spelling, flying insults and pejorative comments, all-capital letters and too many Britney Spears references...my bad. :)

FROM: Jay Toronto Canada
DATE: Friday September 26, 2003 -- 2:27:12 pm

All I can see here is alot of people that are bitchin about things they don't understand. Let me see if I can help. Our trucks cost $50,000 cdn. Then the wreckers cost $20,000 cdn. at the min.. then we have a min amount of insurance we have to have which costs $8,000 to $15,000 per year. Then fuel operating costs about $20,000 per year. I don't really know how it works in the U.S. but in Canada we have 2 types of towing, contract and independents. Me I'm a independent and proud of it. I work my own hours which to make money here is 20 hours a day. 7 days a week. our chrarges are set by some clown in a office who has never stood on the side of a highway with cars and trucks go by at 75miles per hour. in the rain,snow,on sunshine or in the middle of the night with no help for anybody but our fellow towtruckers or maybe a helpful cop... We do all this so you people have somthing to bitch about.. And one last thing. THe computer that runs our trucks holds the value of $1500-$3500 cdn. so since you have nothing to do but bitch why don't you figure out how many jump starts it would take to replace the computer if a charge back blows the computer. There is no law that states we have to take your creditcard and stop whinning about it. I hope to see you in Canada and the maybe you might take the time and jump in one of our chase trucks (independents) and see how it works and the maybe you can judge us but intill then shut your mouth

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Friday September 26, 2003 -- 5:07:25 pm

but intill then shut your mouth

Tina, maybe you were right... perhaps spelling should qualify Dumb Ass Mode.

Unless "intill" is actually a word...

FROM: Lee
DATE: Thursday October 9, 2003 -- 9:10:24 pm

Sigmund C. Warburg, the found of modern International finance power house S. C. Warburg once said in the 70s in the context of the dollar crisis, "Americans are worried mostly about two things: Where do I park my car and how do I lose 25 pounds." This still holds true today. We should just all forget about living where parking is not ample. I learned this mistake from a being towed while I was there! The tow companies are crooks and should be considered "thief". Towing should be a government job, not a private company job. Most of them are unprofessional, igorant, rude and criminal-like.

FROM: Tara
DATE: Saturday October 11, 2003 -- 4:06:39 pm

I am a college student who pays 375 dollars per semester to park my car in a long term storage lot. Last week I parked my car as usual in my spot after returning from work and walked a mile and a half back to my home. Four days later I returned to my spot to retrieve my car for work. When I returned to my spot my car was missing. When I went into the reality office they called the towing company who told me that I had parked in the spot next to mine and the leasor of that spot had parked in my spot. Therefore, they claimed by law they had to tow both of our cars. I was extremely upset because I knew that I had parked in my spot and I felt that they had lied. Then they charged me 115 dollars and an extra 35 dollars because I did not come to get my car right away. Furthermore, the person parked next to me did not realize that her car had been towed until two weeks later because it was long term parking. She claims that she believes she was in her right spot as well. After calling the police they suggested to file a civil complaint agains the company but I don't know if I have the money or the time to do such a thing that may prove to be a futile attempt. Any suggestions?

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday October 11, 2003 -- 6:22:32 pm

I would think that you'd have a pretty strong chance in a civil suit -- that would pretty much force the company to prove that you were in opposite spots, and if they don't have the proof (photographic proof, perhaps), I would think that you'd be off the hook.

Good luck.

FROM:
DATE: Wednesday October 15, 2003 -- 1:57:26 am

I really don't think its our problem how much you pay for your stuff. Its like every one else that made their own choice of work. Still! Doesn't give you guys the rights to take our car, because you need to pay for your crap, so you can F**** people over. So PLEASE GIVE ME A BRAKE!!! You just waist my time and everyone else's by writing all that trash. So you should think about it. Too bad you pay Our trucks cost $50,000 cdn. Then the wreckers cost $20,000 cdn. at the min.. then we have a min amount of insurance we have to have which costs $8,000 to $15,000 per year. Then fuel operating costs about $20,000 per year. and And one last thing. THe computer that runs our trucks holds the value of $1500-$3500 cdn Don't even try to use this as you poor excuse.

FROM: Ryan
DATE: Wednesday October 15, 2003 -- 7:52:06 am

Wow... that one's littered with so many grammatical mistakes I don't know where to begin... its... brake... waist...

FROM: Bebe
DATE: Wednesday October 15, 2003 -- 4:04:43 pm

Well let�s see here I work for a towing company. Trust me there are some companies that are bad, but saying that all tow truck drivers are bad, is not cool.
Oh I thought I would tell you guys I�m talking about the first one I read of this site.
In your town housing it's not the towing company�s decision on what they tow. It is all up to the housing owners. We just do the job we are asked to do. We aren't trying to be hard asses about stuff like that.
For you girlfriend�s car being illegally parked that is the right amount of money, because that means the police were called out on that and they cost $90 just for them. So really the towing company only charged you for your one day of storage, which at our lot is $15 a day. So you weren't dick over at all. But I can see how you'd be pissed because I�d be pissed too if my car was towed when I thought it was fine to park there. But just remember it's not the towing companies fault!!
Thank You
And have a nice day!!

FROM: -40towing
DATE: Wednesday October 15, 2003 -- 7:26:43 pm

Please remember, unscrupulous towing companies are just as big a problem for ethical towing companies as they are for the public. Maybe we should work together to correct the problem rather than cursing each other.

FROM: Joe
DATE: Thursday October 30, 2003 -- 11:58:55 am

please remember,everyone want's something for nothing.and it doesn't work that way.i've ben towing for many years in the boston area and i'm here to tell you that no one has any respect for towdrivers.they don't think of what we go through every day.7 days a week,10 to 12hour shifts,rain,snow on call they don,t care.we are the bad guys.as they like to say.but when they break down who do they calllllllllllllll.and most of us have families&kids that we are trying to support the best way we can.if that means that i have to get you assholes out of a ditch,snowbank,flood,don,t give me lipe. you will stay behine.don't treat us drivers like were scum.give us respect you might just get it back.I sleep good at night. see you all in the ditch

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday October 30, 2003 -- 3:06:54 pm

And now, that previous post in English:

"Please remember, everyone want is something for nothing. And it doesn't work that way. I've, Ben, towing for many years in the Boston area and I'm here to tell you that no one has any respect for tow truck drivers. They don't think of what we go through every day, 7 days a week: 10 to 12 hour shifts, rain, snow, on call - they, Don, 't care. We are the "bad guys," as they like to say. But when they break down, who do they call? And most of us have families and kids that we are trying to support the best way we can. If that means I have to get you assholes out of a ditch, snowbank, flood, Don - 't give me lipe. You will stay, behine! Don't treat us drives like we were scum. Give us respect - you might get it back. I sleep well at night. See you all in the ditch."

[Apparently, the ditch of crappy grammar and misspellings. Oh, the humanity!]

FROM: Mike
DATE: Thursday November 6, 2003 -- 2:12:17 am

To Tara:
Ask to see the photo they took of your car prior to towing. There is a law that states that if there is not a third party that a photo must be taken prior to towing to prove that you were in the wrong.

FROM: john
DATE: Friday November 7, 2003 -- 7:44:15 pm

A tow truck driver can not just hook your car up.They must have a bylaw enforcement officer present to write the ticket and a impound.Now I know that you only left your car parked illegally for 5 minutes!!! and when you got back it was gone.Learn anything yet ?

FROM: MIKE
DATE: Saturday November 15, 2003 -- 8:43:25 am

To: John;
A tow truck driver does not need law enforcement for private property impounds. P.P.I's are a civil matter and local law enforcement will not get involved. City streets and government property are a different story, that will require a law enforcement to be present.

FROM: john
DATE: Monday November 17, 2003 -- 7:34:50 pm

A bylaw enforcement officer is not a LAW enforcement officer.As for taking a photo unless it is a city bylaw you are SOL

FROM: Psycho on the verge of exploding!
DATE: Saturday November 22, 2003 -- 9:21:44 pm

When I go crazy I'm going after the tow truck drivers first. HA HA HA HA HA HA HA!

FROM: Rick (Land of AUS)
DATE: Tuesday December 2, 2003 -- 5:56:46 am

I have never read so much crap sooner or later most people need a tow truck. Some of the comments make me laugh. As for you phycho you sound like a real idiot you're probably one of those drink drivers that we have to deal with every day. The type that kill or put innocent people lives at risk. Some of the drivers on the road need to spend time in a tow truck to find out what it is really like. So stuff all those people with negative views.

FROM: Rick (Land of AUS)
DATE: Tuesday December 2, 2003 -- 5:56:48 am

I have never read so much crap sooner or later most people need a tow truck. Some of the comments make me laugh. As for you phycho you sound like a real idiot you're probably one of those drink drivers that we have to deal with every day. The type that kill or put innocent people lives at risk. Some of the drivers on the road need to spend time in a tow truck to find out what it is really like. So stuff all those people with negative views.

FROM: Antonio
DATE: Thursday December 4, 2003 -- 9:18:28 pm

Melrose Park , is a nice town , it just so happens it has a large italian - american population , your an idiot if you think everyone is in the mob, what nationality are you so i can stereotype your ass too

FROM: Darryl
DATE: Thursday December 11, 2003 -- 3:14:26 am

Just think. If there were no tow trucks how would your drive through your town or interstates be? If tow trucks ceased to exist, Cities would shut down.

FROM: Mike
DATE: Thursday December 11, 2003 -- 3:19:49 am

Why cant people take responsibilities for themselves? You gambled parking in the red or in violation of some rules. Sometimes you win and sometimes you loose.

You idiots probably think that a tow truck driver stopped you from writing a check to the department of motor vehicles and you also probably think we shoved those drinks down your throat before you were arrested and or towed. JERKS

FROM: Joe Revees
DATE: Thursday December 11, 2003 -- 10:26:05 am

This is never going to end...

FROM: Bob Johnston [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday December 14, 2003 -- 11:35:10 pm

I have actually read all the posts and yes, I found this site by doing a search for tow truck scum. I live in Kelowna, B.C., Canada and I have a little story to tell you about Mario's Towing and Recovery. This company and its undereducated buffons have just one real talent in life: How to rip you and me off. They having little scams going with various securtity personel to get vehicles towed away illegally and unscroupulously(big word eh?). There was a site made by a fellow Kelownian at I think: http://kelowna11.tripod.com about this totallt corrupt and crooked towing company. A really funny site until someone at Mario's Towing cried the blues to Tripod and had it removed.

So for an update on Mario's Towing: Right now they are suing an almost bankrupt old woman for storage fees regarding a vehicle that was scammed from her by a former house maid of hers. Mario wants his money and he will even sue old ladies to get it. I saw the interview on TV and Mario looked and talked like a real dreg of society. Just scum, the lot of them.

Towing should be removed from the private sector and totally unde government control. This is the only way to eliminate the crookedness that goes on with this lot of crooks and fools.

Now I am not saying all tow truck operators are crooks by the majority of them are. They are basically jailbirds who can't get a job at anything else.

So the next time you are in Kelowna, avoid Mario's Towing as they really are crooks and low lives. Most of his staff live in RUTLAND and party on Hein Road( a scummy street in Kelowna) with the pimps, hookers, drug dealers, and other scum suckers.

I hope this post is put on your wonderful site. Keep up the good work. I would suggest encorporating(for the tow truck scum: that means put in) pictures of their hanous(that means evil) acts on the public.

Cheers,
Bobby

FROM: Bob Johnston [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday December 14, 2003 -- 11:48:10 pm

I wanted to add some more known and unknown facts about Mario's towing in Kelowna, Canada. Also I would like to stress that these are my opinions and heresay that I have heard from other sources.

1) Crooked deals with security guards and informants to easily and illegally tow your vehicle.

2) They wait around Orchard Park Mall and look at the 15 minute park zone. Once the car is even a second over 15 minutes, Mario's Towing swoops in for the kill and tows the vehicle away. Talk about compassion for your fellow man.

3) Their tow yard(Located in Kelowna on Highway 97) consists on an old rundown house from the 40's, some 1980's tow trucks, a bunch of scrap vehicles, some unlucky suckers' vehicles, enclosed in a rusty chainlink fence with barbed wire on the top.

4) Very stupid employees. such as:
Q-Ball- a dumbass with a shaved head who does B&Es in Rutland

Josh-really dull and dumb kid in his late 20's. Not a bad bloke, but he won't amount to much due to his lack of wits(That mean brains).

Hammer-Man:-A nickname(real name unknown) who hangs out at the Willow Strip Club most nights off and occassionally purchases the favors a young working gals on Water Street.

Josie Jingles- She sometimes works in the office in the old shack of ahouse and even does a couple tows. She the Biker Bang Bitch of the group(you can guess the rest) Scarry looking fat chick, but pretty face despite the piercings and tatooes.

Slogan: From-Rip-jobs to Hand-jobs. WE do it all!

Hope this helps.

Bob

FROM: Bob Johnston [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday December 15, 2003 -- 12:07:08 am

Here's some links about the Tow Truck Industry:

http://towinglinks.com/TowTruckDrivers/articles/scharles/indiana_tower_gets_sued_for

http://www.mail-archive.com/mpls@mnforum.org/msg24430.html

http://www.dontshakethebaby.com/newmail

http://www.mnforum.org/pipermail/mpls/2003-November/028906.html

http://www.sfbg.com/SFLife/34/26/lead.html

http://www.kaoslabs.com/scum2.html

http://www.okmapguides.com/kelowna/automotive/towingandrecovery

http://www.chbc.com/news/articles_files/5722/news_14_5722.shtml

And the STORY about Mario's Towing:

Fraud fallout continues

Web Posted April 2, 2003

A legal dispute between the Kelowna RCMP and a local towing company could further victimize an elderly woman who was hurt in a criminal fraud. When the dust settles in an upcoming lawsuit, she may not get her money back. An $85,000 pickup truck and travel trailer have been locked up in the storage compound of Mario's Towing since November 2000. That's when they were seized by the Mounties as evidence in a fraud investigation. Since then, the storage charges have added up to almost $26,000.

The RCMP doesn't want to pay, citing a fixed price contract with Mario�s to store police seized vehicles. But Mario�s disputes the terms of the contract and has now sued. The towing company wants permission to sell the vehicles to cover the storage costs. The two vehicles were seized from Suzanne Brand, who bought them with money she had obtained from a 91-year-old woman who Brand worked for as a housekeeper. Brand was later convicted and sentenced to house arrest for fraud. The victim's family is hoping to get possession of the two vehicles to recover some of the fraud losses.


Hope this helps, Bob

FROM: Greg Williams [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday December 15, 2003 -- 7:06:51 pm

Right on Bob. I live in Westbank but work in Kelowna. My girlfriend got her car jacked by these knuckheads. She had to pay too. Man was she pissed. She fell victim to the "Orchard Park 15 minute Scam." Yeah dude, most people in Kelowna know about Mario's Towing's scams and rip-offs, even the cops know but their hands are tied. The worst is when Mario's Towing goes after the elderly. That just makes them scum.

Yo! To the dude to runs and maintains this site, Keep up the great work. You are doing every honest person a service. Maybe it'll get harder for thses tow truck scammers to rip people off due to this site.

FROM: Tanja
DATE: Tuesday December 16, 2003 -- 6:57:31 am

I doubt this site is really going to help people from those tow truck scams.

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday December 16, 2003 -- 9:25:45 am

Probably not Tanja, but it's funny to read..really funny to read.

FROM: Dennis
DATE: Thursday December 25, 2003 -- 7:18:54 pm

I ran across this site just today I had to add my two cents...if am accountant is caught funding the books (Enron) are all accountants scum? If a doctor is doing illigal perscriptions for cash, are all doctors scum? If a cop is taking bribes, are all cops scum? I guess the point I'm trying to make is that every industry has their criminals...I design and implement dispatching software to towing companies all across North America and have not found a more likeable, straight forward group of business people in all my business years. Curtious, professional, well educated and ambitious would be my description of the industry as a whole.

As with every business you find your drug users, drunks, theifs and low lifes...does this have anything to do with the fact that they are towers?...Not at all...

I'd like to see what you had to say about the blacks, hispanics, jews and orientals if you are so quick to sterotype an entire industry based a bad experience from so few...plus I'm not toally convinced you were as innocent as you would like everyone to believe...don't want to get towed? Don't park where you aren't suppose to...seems pretty straight forward...

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday December 26, 2003 -- 11:17:38 am

Dennis: I'd like to see what you had to say about the blacks, hispanics, jews and orientals if you are so quick to sterotype [sic] an entire industry based a bad experience from so few.

Oh, yeah, one's experience with an industry whose goal is to make money will have a direct bearing on how one feels about various races. That's as logical as, well, posting a comment without reading the very first paragraph on the damn page.

FROM: Pauly Wilkirk [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday January 4, 2004 -- 5:49:19 pm

I lived in Kelowna a few years back and Bob sure is right about Mario's Towing. They are as crooked as all get out. Their employees are a bunch of jailbirds. The owner is the worst. He's tryin to take an old lady for the last bit of money she has. The RCMP had a contract with Mario's Towing for storage, but good ole Mario got greedy. He just makes me sick. It's just not right that tow companies have so much power to steal cars from people. I have seen those suckers waiting for some chump to park in a 15 minute zone. Sheesh!

FROM: Greg Cortese
DATE: Friday January 16, 2004 -- 2:05:48 pm

Tow truck Company towed my illegally parked vehicle. When I picked it up at the imound lot the front bumper was cracked. Will they pay? Are are they usually pricks about it?

FROM: George LaCross
DATE: Tuesday February 3, 2004 -- 12:42:39 pm

The tow truck jerks will tell you to get lost. They're not going to own up. They'll just say the crack was there.

Keep us updated dude.

FROM: FumingFemale
DATE: Friday February 13, 2004 -- 4:33:03 am

For the guy complaining about the damage on his vehicle. If it's a proper company they will take your damage claim into consideration and if at fault will have the damage fixed. I happen to work for a company and trust me there are enough people who pick up their cars after being impounded and just complain that theres damage, even when there's not just because they're pissed off. Most places will fill out a report and have someone contact you and they'll come by and take a look at it, and or take pictures. it's not to hard for people that work in the industry to look at a vehicle and know whether the damage on it was caused from being towed.

As for anyone complaining about having to wait for a truck. Bottom line, you are not the only person in the world who needs a tow truck.. Especially with bad whether you can't belive the amount of calls that companies get. People who don't want to change their tire because it's raining, or they don't know how and you show up and there's 4 or 5 big guys there that could have easily changed it themselves. Also a lot more people have road side assistance now and CAA. So people are getting lazier. People who abuse this system because they want their broken down car moved so they can park the other one in the drive way or some crap like that. Now it's not like this "all" the time, but when it happens, it happens. Also you have to account for any other problems. You might have a truck on the way up to a call and it breaks down. So you have to send someone out to cover that call and someone else to tow in the broken truck. You might get a call for a lock out or something with a woman and her baby. In that case her call becomes a priority and moves straight to the top of the list. It sucks sometimes that people have to wait so long.. but unfortunately that's the way it sometimes is. We try and service everyone as quick as possible. Also you must consider these guys have to work in all this crappy weather to service the public. They get blamed and bitched at by pissed off customers whether it's their fault or not, and most work 12 hour shifts or so. No real chance for a break or anything, constantly on the road and in their trucks. Of course like any business you have your jerks, but hey that's the way of the world. You can't blame everyone for a few bad ones.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday February 13, 2004 -- 11:37:08 am

You can't blame everyone for a few bad ones.

But that's the American Way™!

FROM: Alex
DATE: Wednesday February 18, 2004 -- 3:48:52 pm

I beleive there are decent towers, but most of them are not. Mostly there are people who are after easy money. (Not blaming everyone)
To all the Towers who complain about Towing cars from dirt, cold weather, bad driving conditions and life threatening situations- if you don't like it don't do it. That�s your job and you knew what you were getting in to. Go find a different job that actually does not piss people off. Every job has some kind of danger in it's self, so lets not wine. What would you do if it was not for those people who brake down in the middle of the highway, lock their keys inside and go off road, including all those lazy asses who refuse to change their tire?
Exactly; no business for towers or we would have even more "scum" going on. Towers would be looking for small details with no reason to tow a car: "if its rear left tire parked in shit and it touches the white line or a tower decided to tow a legally parked car and then write down goofy address where car was not suppose to be parked or open the door of the car, replace the permit with a blank one, make a copy and then place it back on the window. All these examples are real life occurrences that actually happened. And please, talk about helping people, by the time you get there, I wouldn't call it a help any more, just a frustration. Also, someone above mentioned, the way towers get paid, they are not really in a hurry to be there. So, please, don't give me this "ohh, we are out there to help people" just to get money, nothing else.
You got to have it in your heart to help people out, not just to be there after their money. Cause if u use your heart in wad u do, money will be starting flowing.

FROM: John Smith
DATE: Thursday February 19, 2004 -- 2:12:08 pm

I was told about this site and I want to fill you in on the bad stuff going on in Kelowna, BC. I am using a fake name as I worked in the tow truck industry for many years and don't want any retribution against myself or my family.

I used to work for the fomrentioned tow company Mario's Towing and Recovery and for Captin' Hook. Here's the scams that I have done for both companies:

1) Wait in the parking lot of Superstore and Orchard Park. If someone has parkeed on the white line or has been parked for more than 15 minutes in a 15 minute zone, then I tow them.

2)Wait downtown and tow cars with an elapsed parking meter.

3)Always charge a drop fee. Mario makes us do this.

4)Side deals with security. Give them a cut if they give us a car. It's called a "Secured Cut."

5)Boosting old ladies cars and charging them $100 to do it. The usual price is 20-30 bucks.

6)Various scams involving extra storage costs for stupid things like size of vehicle, time of pick-up, type of pickup, etc.

7)Side deals with Hells.Angels. and moving company Two Small Men With Big Hearts involving stolen cars, trucks, mopeds, etc. There is a chop shop just off of sexsmith road.

I feel regret and remorse for the things that I have done. I needed the money at the time. I got out of it as soon as I could find a better job. I'm sorry to all of you who I directly or indirectly cheated.

John Smith

FROM: JOHN ARNOLD
DATE: Thursday February 19, 2004 -- 11:24:09 pm

I WENT TO GET MY TAG FOR MY CAR COME TO FIND OUT I HAVE A LEIN ON MY LICENSE FROM A TOWING COMPANY A YEAR AGO I SOLD A CAR AND THE BUYER NEVER CHANGE THE OWNER NAME SHOULD I SAY MORE HE HADE IT TOLD AND NEVER PICK IT UP 250 I HAVE TO PAY

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday February 20, 2004 -- 9:14:03 am

HE HADE IT TOLD

Wow. I believe that was supposed to be "he had it towed." Talk about taking liberties with the language...

FROM: Mike
DATE: Sunday February 22, 2004 -- 1:01:19 pm

To John Smith:

You have given the towing industry a black eye. Your the reason why people dont trust us anymore, or the reason why cops dont believe us when we tow a vehicle for being in violation. I hope the law enforcement in your area throws your ass in jail. There are some of us who keep things honest but have to take people's bulls**t because of you. I hope someone steals your car so that you may know how it feels to be victimized.

To Alex:

Sometimes towers need to vent like all people, I know I do at times. But your right in some ways. When your having a bad day it's not like you can really talk to someone about it. You may have anywhere from eight to twelve hours to ponder about your problems, sometimes you can work them out and others times it makes it worse. So try to understand that sometimes we vent or complain to get it off our chest. If we all got out of towing, there would be no-one to help you when your pile of crap car break down. Have a nice day.

FROM: Josh Burnell [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday February 26, 2004 -- 5:06:18 pm

If I could do one thing for the tow truck drivers who have responded to this thread, it would be to pay for English composition lessons. There are one or two exceptions, but the majority of you tow truck jocks are semi-literate boobs. Hence the career choice, I would venture to guess.

That said, my opinion is that most tow truck drivers are decent, hard-working professionals. I'm happy that they are available when my car breaks down. However, the ones who participate in search-and-tow scams are the scum of the Earth. They are stealing people's cars, time and money and contributing no valuable service to society in return.

The worst towing company in Virginia has to be Frank's Towing of Arlington. I spoofed them in a site called FranksTowing.com. Has anyone else set up a similar gag site?

Josh

FROM: Chris Williams
DATE: Sunday February 29, 2004 -- 4:17:29 pm

Hey dude,

I tried connecting to Franks Towing but it wouldn't go through. Maybe Franks Towing had it deleted. There was another spoof site based on Mario's Towing and Recouvery at:

http://kelowna11.tripod.com

but I think Mario got wind of it and had Tripod remove it. Really funny site. If anyone has that site saved as a web file or can find a mirror of it somewhere, please reput it up on the net and post the link here. Really funny site. There is one moving picture of Mario from Super Mario Bros and a quote underneath saying: "From Rip-Jobs to Handjobs, we do it all" Hillarious!

Chris

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday February 29, 2004 -- 9:26:02 pm

This might be a good time to note that all comments are the responsibility of their owners, not of the Daily Ping.

FROM: Rob up in the North
DATE: Thursday March 11, 2004 -- 2:48:30 am

I see a lot of comments here to the effect of 'don't blame me, blame yourself' in regards to residential towing. I also see some fairly professional people complaining about the public's view of their industry and also about the work conditions that they endure.

If you don't like the conditions, change jobs. If you don't like how the public views you, don't take police or residential contracts.

It's easy to say "you chose to park where you did", but in response I say that you also choose your job, and the company you work for chooses its contracts.

If you have no sympathy for those you tow, that's up to you; but then don't expect them to treat you like a human being either.

FROM: Rob up in the North
DATE: Thursday March 11, 2004 -- 2:57:26 am

John Smith: we ordinary people appreciate you coming clean, but I just wonder why Mario's still aboveground.

FROM: JJ
DATE: Monday March 15, 2004 -- 7:55:32 pm

The towing companies in Los Angeles are nightmares. They charged me $675.00 to pick my vehicle up the next day after they towed it. They might as well just put a gun to my head and said "give me your money"...but these jackasses do it the legal way...and they were all foreign scumbags.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday March 15, 2004 -- 10:01:11 pm

and they were all foreign scumbags

Nice way to end an otherwise well made point with a piece of irrelevant bigotry.

FROM: Stan Wilkonson
DATE: Tuesday March 16, 2004 -- 2:07:20 am

Came across this site surfin the web. Yeah, live in K-TOWN =kelowna=

I heard about that freak Mario and his scams. My bro who was a hard core basshead=drug fiend= worked for the guy. They got there marks and stoolies all over K-TOWN. Big rip-offs at Orchard Park and Orchard Plaza. Mario don't care nothin about age, income, whatever. He just wants the big bucks from towin, hoein and storin suckas cars n trucks in his shit tow yard. Man, youve never seen a piece of crap until you check out that sorry piece o shito house on his lot. Scum suckas the bunch.

My bro quit after pissed customer swung at him with a tire iron. That sissy farmboy Josh made a smart-a$$ed comment as my Bro was walkin' out for good. My Bro puched ol' Josh right square in the nose. Blood everywhere and Josh cryin like a baby. Man that guy is a puss and a thief.

PEACE OUT!

FROM: BoB
DATE: Sunday April 4, 2004 -- 2:15:46 am

My Brother Had his car towed from his in front of his own apartment one night when he was sleeping. It was towed becuuse he parked too close to another car? anyway, I took him to the impound to get the car and the lady said she had told him to bring cash only over the phone. She had never said that. Anyway she refused to wait 5 minute for us to go to an atm across the street. wE WERE told to come back a 8pm. we came back at 8 and she was not there we called and she sai we will have to wait till monday morning because she was too busy to go to the lo. Well this just pissed him offf. He dicovered that she had left the gate unlocked from earlier in the day so he just to0ok his car back. she called and said she reported the car stolen and he will be arrested. He called the police and told them what happened and they said that since he owned the car it cannot be reported stolen and that the lot never had any proof that they ever had the car so he was off the hook. ONE THE THE LITTLE MAN!!!!!! Ha ha , those sick sons of ******* got a taste of thier own medicine!!!!

FROM: Sandra
DATE: Saturday April 10, 2004 -- 5:51:59 pm

I can't beleive people have such terrible things to say about towing companies in general. There are a lot of crooks out there in every business, that doesn't make all towing companies bad apples. My towing company has always put our customers first. We are very sympathetic when you have to pay us for a tow you didn't request, but if we hadn't towed it, someone else would have. We have cheaper rates than our competitors, just be glad they didn't get it.

FROM: Mario\'s Towing and Recouvery [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday April 10, 2004 -- 9:51:02 pm

Ive been done readin this crap sade aboot my compony in Kelowna, Britash Columbia. You chumps are just pissed off that we gotcha and gitcha good. Stan, yur bro was a puss and I fired the chump. Josh is my main man. He doos the best werk fur me. Ya, hes a dummy but he shure can get those car hooked up and back at the towyard!!!Kelowna City Hall won't do nuthin to me. I got connections. I can do what I want in K TOWN. I'm the big dog in the junkyard. So go cry to the cops, they wont do nuthin to me. Just pay up and don't cry. Be glad we dont charge double!!!! For you pussys, phone me!! I dare ya!!!!

Mario
Mario's Towing & Recovery
Phone: (250) 765-6009

FROM: A Very Concerned Citizen
DATE: Friday April 23, 2004 -- 1:32:29 am

I get pulled over for an expired tag. I'm not complaining about that. I'll cheerfully pay the city fine, and cheerfully pay the state fine (which probably is better for the state than if they'd invested the original fee). I would have signed a promise that I'd go to jail if I didn't pay within a week. Fair's fair.

But no, the car has to be impounded. I'm left stranded by the side of the road. (Thank Gord I wasn't left stranded out in the middle of nowhere.) I have to waste half a day getting somebody else to drive me around to blow the appropriate officials. Many hours of human productivity are destroyed. It's like impounding my checkbook for being late on my tax return.

It's also a loss for the state. If they didn't impound, they could increase the fine by the average towing/storage fee plus value of inconvenience. It also makes it very likely that I'll get my tag up to date very fast, which means they can't catch me again for another round of fines. The gov't is walking away from hundreds of dollars of free revenue.

All this so the contracted tower can make a buck doing make-work. I pay them extra to cover the kickbacks to the legislature to keep this cozy affair going.

So I say fuck the gov't contract towers. They enrich themselves with a dirty, corrupt business, then they are dirty and corrupt.

FROM: ken
DATE: Friday May 7, 2004 -- 1:26:06 pm

FROM: DAVE
DATE: Monday May 24, 2004 -- 1:32:51 am

FROM: DAVE
DATE: Monday May 24, 2004 -- 1:42:26 am

You think tow truck drivers are a scam the gye that said this crap is a scam im a driver myself and I never ever scamed anybody whats that where out her to help nobodys knows how hard it is out there you get what you pay for 90% of the guys out on the road in scarbough ont are ther to help you talk a scam no wait to when you out side in 40 bolow your car brakes down how the frist person you call crying on the phone your cold help help come fast the when the driver shows up or im so glad your here save me oh you where fast thank you then whos a scam now you see like pick on someone else loser

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday May 24, 2004 -- 9:24:26 am

Holy crap that was hard to read.

FROM: Dave Walls [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday May 24, 2004 -- 9:38:15 am

For the record...different Dave. This one knows English.

FROM: RCMP Kelowna Detachment
DATE: Wednesday June 2, 2004 -- 6:18:47 pm

We have been investigating the occurences between Mario's Towing and Recouvery, its employees, its contracts, and contacts in the city of Kelowna.

Currently, although we have proof of shady dealings regarding kickbacks and other scams perpetrated by Mario's Towing, we are waiting for more evidence to build our case.

If anyone has anymore information regarding Mario's Towing and Recouvery, then contact our Kelowna Detachment located in downtown Kelowna.

RCMP
Kelowna Detachment

FROM: Dawn
DATE: Tuesday June 15, 2004 -- 4:12:34 pm

Wow..there seems to be alot of people who are angry with menber of the owing profession...and to be honest, I can't say that I blame them. My husband and I have owned a tow-a-way service for the past 2 years, and worked for others for 5-7 yrs prior....trust me, they taught us what NOT to do.....

I have read all theses posts and it seems to be all these stories of towing companies that screwed people...and...it happens....every minute of everyday....but I thougth that I would speak up about those of us who actually do it right...Keep in mind that I am in TN but have benn DOT compliance officer for 5 yrs. so I am not just blowing smoke...

FIrst, I should explain what a ligitimate tow-away service does (TN rules)...
-Some apartment customers call us for every tow-whether it is blocking firelane, on grass, busted windows, expired tage (MORE that 30 out of date), etc., etc. A letter is sent to all residents informing them of when inforcement will be started. These properties are only patrolled during the day and violated (stickered) based upon an already notified parking plat...and a written notice of when it will be inforced. Once this notice has been sent to all residents, we begin our job. We make ALL properties with 'no parking' metal signs. The wrecker OPERATOR job is simply to answer a call and p/u or deliver a vehicle...the wrecker company is only doing what our CUSTOMER has asked us to do. They are our boss and how we pay our bills...we have to do what we are asked to do. As we are a small company, my hubby was usually going to all towaways by himself..,he has had guns pulled on him, a drunk man tried to stab him...but what thay don't get is that they are in the wrong in the first place... It just seems to me that when you get caught, we become the "badguy".. not true....you wouldn't even know us if you would read the signs....but a I said, I know that are many companies that have rally given all of us a bad name....so the industry is really to blame....

But please be aware that some towing companies are out there to make a fast buck...they are some of us who go the extra mile, and strive to provide a good service to our customers, (although somtimes I am called not so nice names).

Just think about it...

FROM: kialadie
DATE: Thursday June 17, 2004 -- 6:24:51 pm

I found this ping while trying to locate the Virginia civil code on notification of a towed vehicle, and I'm having no luck. So if someone out there could help me it would be greatly appreciated.

I own a 2002 Yamaha scooter, that I purchased for my son. He rode it over to a friends' house, who lives in an apartment complex. While there the scooter was stolen. They called the police that night to report it stolen, however were told that unless they knew who took it an officer would not be sent out. My son did not tell me about it for a couple of next, mainly because his friend had seen someone riding it a day later and was hoping to retrieve it. When I finally forced the issue and said I wanted it brought home (they told me the friend was working on it because it was stalling out) they finally told me it was stolen. I phoned the police and was told the same thing they were, until I told the officer that someone was seen riding it. He came out and took a report, then told me recovery was unlikely.

Then on June 16 I receive a letter from the DMV informing me that a towing company as requested to place a lien on a 2002 scooter registered to me for payment of repair or storage. Wow, I thought I located the scooter. I phoned the tow company and asked how they acquired the scooter and they told me it was from an apartment complex, which happens to the be the same one my son was at. However it was pulled from a different address. They want $900 to release it.

As it happens, the same day I received the DMV notification, I received a cerified letter from the towing company that unless I pay the fee they are going to sell it, and charge me the balance.

The officer was no help. He said he knew where it was, and had left me a message. I never got the message, although he insists he left it. My voice mail i password protected, no one could have deleted it, since I'm the only one with the code. And he tells me now this is a civil matter. Guess if stolen property is found, then it's no harm, no foul. Everyone's happy and there's no crime.

I went to the police station to talk to the magistrate, who told me to talk to the officier's supervisor and to file a civil suit with the towing company and the apartment complex. I talked to the police lt., who investigated for me and found the VIN showed up with my name and address, and the towing company filed with the DMV the day they took it, however I was not notified until the charges got so high I can't pay them.

At this point the police is trying to find if Virginia has a time limitation on notification of towing from private property. I talked to the police this evening and he said someone found something in the (possible) civil code stating that the when a vehicle is pulled from private property (such as an apartment complex) the owner must the notified within seven days. I didn't hear anything for almost 30 days, close to the time when the towing company can request a lien be placed on the vehicle. And if I didn't say it before, the same day I received the certified letter from the towing company stating they were going to sale it at auction. My insurance company is involved and I've contacted the apartment complex.

The scooter was stolen, yet I have to paid almost a thousand dollar to retrieve the stolen property.

When I contacted the towing company, they told me I could bring the title down and sign it over to them. This is highway robbery.

At this point I feel I have not been ripped off once, but many times. My next stopped will be the Seven on your side... because now it's not a matter of the scooter, but the principle. If there is not a time limitation on notification, then there should be.

FROM: kialadie
DATE: Thursday June 17, 2004 -- 7:20:55 pm

Sorry, I forgot to mention, the bike was stolen around the 18th or 19th of May. The tow company pulled it May 20th. I received notification June 16th ( I did say that before)

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday July 30, 2004 -- 9:34:57 am

I just deleted a large batch of comments from the same person who essentially cut-and-pasted a bunch of news stories and comments from another web site. However, there was one worthwhile link there to a news story here in the DC area.

FROM: Jared
DATE: Sunday August 1, 2004 -- 10:17:06 pm

Allright, here's my tale of woe.

The building I work at has limited parking space for the number of people that work there, so they just buy parking permits to nearby lots & garages. Mine is one of the ones down the road, so it takes me about 10 minutes to get to the office from the lot. During the day, this is what I do. But one time I needed to drop by the office at about midnight and the building lot was almost totally deserted; four other cars there and 100 empty spots. I come back down 20 minutes later and it's gone. _Fortunately_, since I was there on company business, they reimbursed me for the bill.

A few months later, same situation. I had to drop by at 2am and so this time, clever me, I park in the clearly labelled "One hour visitor parking" spot. I'm back down within 5 minutes but they're already off with it. So I call them up and they tell me that that whole visitor thing only applies before 9pm. This fact was not displayed anywhere, and when I handed the bill to my boss the next day, he, and his boss in turn, said they'd never heard of such a rule. In fact, while I was waiting for my g/f to come pick me up, I had watched the truck come by. The fatass took a quick sweep through the lot and stopped at one car he thought might not have been there his last time around.

So as far as I can tell, building management has contracted a towing company that does nothing but send its drivers from one deserted lot to the next at insanely hours of the night and enforce arbitarary rules with all the restraint of a rabid dog. I'm told that in addition to having towed the Big Boss's car once or twice (and yes, he has a permit), it's almost impossible to get them to actually show up when someone is parked illegally during the day, when the spots are actually needed.

My boss is great, he loaned me his permit and let me forge a copy of it with the understanding that I'd only ever use it on nights and weekends.

FROM: Towhottie
DATE: Saturday September 11, 2004 -- 12:17:54 pm

For those of you that down the industry because of your own stupidity are ignorant. Listen if you park somewhere your not supposed you deserve to be towed. If there are towing signs at the place your at then find out what the rules are before parking there. Next you people that get arrested & have your cars towed GOOD you deserve it. Next you people that complain towing companies take to long to respond well shit happens they may get an emergency call that needs immediate attention & of course that comes first. It maybe a busy day like any other company has busy day's. It could be your motorclub telling you one ETA when the towing company told them something different. I dispatch nationwide for towing companies and the bottom line is if you don't know what this industry is about then maybe you need to do some research before opening your mouth. The problem with some of you is you think your the only person in the world that needs service when your car breaks down, you think you should be number#1 well it just does not happen that way.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday September 11, 2004 -- 2:03:15 pm

I don't know why, but the name "Towhottie" makes me giggle.

FROM: Hyperlink
DATE: Thursday September 23, 2004 -- 2:57:52 am

Here in California, there is an obscure section in the Vehicle Code that states "... A person operating or in charge of any storage facility who refuses to accept a valid bank credit card shall be liable to the registered owner of the vehicle for four times the amount of towing and storage charges, but not to exceed five hundred dollars ($500).

Also...

(a) Every owner of person in lawful possession of any private property which is held open to the public, or a discernible portion thereof, for parking of vehicles at no fee, shall not tow or remove, or cause the towing or removal, of any vehicle within one hour of the vehicle being parked.

(b) Notwithstanding subdivision (a), a vehicle may be removed immediately after being illegally parked within 15 fee of a fire hydrant, in a fire lane, or in a parking space or stall legally designated for disabled persons.

(c) Subdivision (a) does not apply to property designated for parking at an apartment complex, or to property designated for parking at a hotel or motel where the parking stalls or spaces are clearly marked for a specific room. (This last C section requires a better interpretation, does it specify that both apartment and hotel must have numbered parking or just the hotel?)

Anyway, look up your Texas vehicle code and see if anything similar exists. If it does, sue the towing motherfuckers, if it doesn't, then it's time to write to your legistlators and sponsor a new bill. These dirty towing business has extreme predatory actions and will get anything they can, while they can. The cash-only is bullshit, it just helps them to evade tax. Do some investigations, you might dig up a lot of the dirt associated with the parent company.

I say towing should be regulated by the state government or even operated by the state agency. Such "legal" auto grand theft is not something to be entrusted into the hands of greedy and unscrupulous private enterprises.

FROM: Towing Company\'s Worst Nightmare
DATE: Thursday September 23, 2004 -- 3:04:58 am

Hey Towhottie, you are probably an ugly bitch sitting in a trailer home that you call an "office". That's why it's so hot in there huh? Listen babe, if you really think are you on the right side of the battle here, perhaps you should campaign to regulate the towing industry. If you had any brain, you probably wouldn't be working to in that trailer office you are. When your own car gets towed illegally, or in bad faith or the towing company treat you like shit, let's see how you respond. Oh wait, it's submissive whore like you that will take any shit from any one, is it? Watch it, when the industry is taken over by the state, you won't even have a trailer to call office.

FROM: Mike
DATE: Wednesday September 29, 2004 -- 10:37:31 pm

Somewhere in here someone mentioned how little operators get paid.....I make over 50,000 a year driving a Tow Truck...yes I have to deal with blood and guts and death and so on.......someone has to do it Try being polite when you see your vehicle is being hooked up when "you " are in the wrong, ask nice and be sincere and you may just get it back......I always return a polite persons car and then shake their hand and send them on their way.

FROM: jim
DATE: Friday October 1, 2004 -- 2:59:32 am

boy,ohh boy..let's see..first of all it's not the towing company it's your place of living, second of all it's your CAR, come on a kia, what a piece of junk, couldn't afford a good car huh... and third of all, it's people like you, that take up a towers time, an average tower does 20 to 40 calls in an 8hr shift, that also includes dealing with your nagging and crying, so just remember this, with out these towers your petty little self wouldn't even be able to move your car to where it needed to be junked..hahaha, and everyone needs to never forget if we didn't move you and the next person and the next person, the roads would go nowhere and neither would you, doofis......

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday October 2, 2004 -- 5:56:24 pm

Come on a kia, what a piece of junk, couldn't afford a good car huh

I just passed 100,000 miles on my Kia, get 30 miles to the gallon, and haven't had needed a single major repair.

it's people like you, that take up a towers time

Maybe towing companies like the ones that stake out parking lots wouldn't have such long hours if they didn't waste their time looking for people who parked with ONE TIRE TOUCHING THE FREAKING LINE.

doofis

'Nuff said. A doofus that can't spell "doofus."

FROM: jim
DATE: Monday October 4, 2004 -- 12:57:59 pm

a kia is a piece of junk, period.. and the word doofis, can be defined in different terms, and in different social situations, but i guess an ignoramis as yourself wouldn't comprehend this seeing that you drive one of the worst pieces' of crap to hit the US market, and as far as it goes with towing companies, you're a complete DOOFIS,,a typical tower does 20 to 40 calls in a 8hr shift, through bad and good weather, and sometimes more...let me put it this way when you break down with that junk..and you will or you crash it who do you call....not the police or emt's or FD, you call us to move that piece of junk, even if we do jobs on the side for property owners, we are still EMERGENCY VEHICLES and you are absolutly the type of person that would get in our way or cut us off when we're trying to get a motor vehicle out of the roadway....
DOOFIS...

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday October 4, 2004 -- 2:09:01 pm

I love responses that prove my point for me.

FROM: jim
DATE: Friday October 15, 2004 -- 1:45:42 am

you're absolutly correct doofis......
just for everyone that believes you, doofus, would be used if i were telling everyone that's what you are,talking directly to them,for example, if were to say (you know he's a real doofus) then that would be correct, but because i was speaking directly to you it's doofis, because that's what you are, a doofis...doofis.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday October 15, 2004 -- 7:21:37 am

Good call, Ryan. But come on, you're picking on a guy who thinks "doofis" is a word.

I guess they let anyone drive a tow truck nowadays....

(Note for the ignorant: I am kidding.)

FROM: cTech1
DATE: Tuesday November 9, 2004 -- 9:39:54 pm

S&S Towing on manheim in Melrose Park indeed is horrable.. Raspy ignorant people that dont help you out at all and go around ganking your car when they know darn well you live there. They dont help you and I had things in my car that I needed to pay my towing bill with and they wouldnt help me get them at all. The lady was horrably overwieght mean mexican radpy lady smoking cigs and hollering at some boss in the back i can imagine the roach infested pit he sits in back there laughing about all the cars and all the inconvienience he caused everyone. S&S Towing is the Worst most discourtious towing company I have ever encountered.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday November 10, 2004 -- 9:30:09 am

Was there a single word spelled right in that whole paragraph?

FROM: Ary
DATE: Sunday November 21, 2004 -- 4:31:27 am

Hi, i just have a question. I heard that if your car is towed and you go to where it is being held, that you can demand to have it back and the towing companies have to return it to you. Since they are not marshalls or agents of the state they are not permitted to hold the car. However, before returning the car they can demand for you to show them ID so they can take you to small claims court over the bill. This is in Indiana. If anyone can confirm or deny this please email me. Thanks

FROM: Freddy Walters [E-Mail]
DATE: Friday January 21, 2005 -- 9:25:16 pm

Hello all!

I was surfing the internet and I came across this site below:

http://www.laze.net/fait/archive/2003/01/16/the_towing_company_posse_hits_the_ping.php

that talks about how a towing company ping that hooked up to(linked) to this Towing Scum ping site.

I personally think that the tow truck companies should be entirely government run and government regulated. This way would reduce the massive amounts of scams and kickbacks and other shady dealing these Towing Scummers use to make a buck of the back of Joe Public. Oh, and don't hire questionable tow truck drivers like that Mario Fella and the rest of the crooks out there.

http://www.laze.net/fait/archive/2003/01/16/the_towing_company_posse_hits_the_ping.php

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday January 22, 2005 -- 7:10:50 am

That site looks mighty familiar...

FROM: Paul
DATE: Saturday January 22, 2005 -- 8:10:36 am

OMG, he totally stole your identity, Ryan!

FROM: Rhonda McMillian [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday February 5, 2005 -- 3:46:38 am

Those Towing scumbags even try to tow a vehicle with a little baby inside!

See link:

http://www.dvdtalk.com/forum/archive/index.php/t-258864.html

FROM: Rhonda McMillian [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday February 5, 2005 -- 3:50:13 am

Interesting short article on more Tow Truck a-holes!

So I went to my car today and there's a big fucking sticker on it that says "Improperly parked: Expired tag. This vehicle will be towed." The target date was the 10th, and the date of the sticker was given as the 1st (must I point out that it is actually the 6th?).

Under whose authority is my car to be towed, I wonder? This is not a public parking lot; it is for residents of the private properties of the condominiums. I can only conclude one of two things: Either some busybody neighbor who can't mind their own damn business called the towing company about this (my car was not the only one), or the towing company simply decided to make rounds on private fucking property and see who they could bother.

This, ladies and gentlemen, is unacceptable. I'm well aware that my license plate is expired, but without insurance there's nothing I can do about it. I'm aware of the situation and working as quickly as possible to resolve it....so if everyone could do me a great favor and get out of my face that'd be great. I've got a number of other very serious things to deal with, and this is the last bloody thing I need.


http://www.mirrorshades.org/wc/archives/000750.php

FROM: Debra DuBose
DATE: Tuesday February 8, 2005 -- 11:14:55 am

We were charged $300 to pull apiece of equipment out of mud in our yard, right after the last hurricane. It took 10 minutes.he said the reason he charged more than my doctor, is because my doctor didn'y have a tow truck after a hurricane.

FROM: whiteknight towing service
DATE: Monday February 28, 2005 -- 11:01:13 am

if it wasent for to
wtruck where would u be

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday February 28, 2005 -- 12:14:35 pm

Rhonda -- Sounds like you're in the same situation I was in a few years ago. I bet the owners of the condiminium complex are in bed with the tow truck company and get a piece of any cars that are towed/fined.

FROM: Spelling
DATE: Wednesday March 16, 2005 -- 12:06:29 am

Why is every single response from a tow truck company littered with spelling mistakes. Are these guys really that illiterate? I bet they know how to spell the words and phrases: Drop fee, Tow Impound, Tow Zone, Money, forty bucks, kickback, and a sortment of other scam phrases.

A concerned citizen

FROM: Spelang
DATE: Wednesday March 16, 2005 -- 12:11:04 am

Here is the translation into Tow Truck Tongue for those tow truck drivers out there:

Why is ivery #uckin talk from a tow truck buddie #ucked up wid shit words. Aint dese pricks dumb? I bet them #uckers know how to right: Drop fee, Tow Impound, Tow Zone, Money, forty bucks, kickback, and shitlode of odder bullshit

A conserned dude

FROM: Chris
DATE: Saturday April 9, 2005 -- 7:48:01 pm

Greetings,

I have been a victim myself. And I find that learning about Towing Companies, the laws/regulations/code/rules governing the

tow and impounds, and learning about how to recover from the money possibly lost wrongfully, are crucial.

First, here are a few key things to know:

1. In most places, private properties are required by County code to post a sign notifying of the possibility of tow and

impound at owners expense. This is e.g. applicable in Prince George's County Maryland as well as in District of Columbia.

2. In DC atleast, by means of the Municipal Regulations from the DCRA ie. Department of consumer and regulatory affairs,

towing companies are required to accept two major credit cards. check DCRA website for details. Towing companies are also

required to follow certain tow and impound charge $ rates which they can not exceed. Towing companies are also required under

these regulations to deal with customers in a courteous manner. If any of these condition are not met, consider filing a

complaint with DCRA if the tow/impound was by a company located in DC. In other cases, find the appropriate government agency

to file complaint with. E.g. The Department of Public Works, The Department of Environmental Resources, The Business

Licensing Section, etc. There is a whole long list of offices where you can file complaints.

3. In most cases, e.g. in DC, the Department of Public Works, the Police, etc, actually have contracts with towing companies

in order to enforce parking and transportation laws and regulations on the streets etc. E.g. on Feb 21/2005 there was a full

front page story in The Washington Times about a $50 Million contract. If ever in doubt, consider checking your local

transportation laws and regulations which will detail all about every tiny bit of technicality under which you can get towed

and impounded. If any of those laws seem a bit too much i.e. ridiculous, then voice your concerns with the appropriate

government officials and contact the media and write emails and get your opinions out.
Maybe if enough people write about the

same issue, a new local legislation or a bill etc could get introduced, by the General Assembly of your state, in order to

get votes on etc.

4. In most cases, e.g. property owners in Prince George's County are also required by County Housing and Property Standards

Code to actually prevent storage of vehicles on their premises that are not currently licensed e.g. Same applies to vehicles

that are wrecked, dismantled, or inoperable. check your local laws. That is how most property owners in collaboration with

towing companies, on some form of an 'alleged contract', enforce not those laws. Some times the parking property's usage and

rental lease agreements may have a condition about parking enforcement such as if e.g. the car is taking up more then 1 spot,

it will be towed at owners expense. That should be fine until a tow company comes in with the intent of towing atleast

someone regardless. This intent could be proven unlawful in court. If the towing company tows a car whose 1 tire seems to be

just touching the white separation line on the parking spot. Specially if the towing company did not take evidentiary

pictures of the car before towing. Note that in atleast PG County Maryland, towing companies are required by law to take such

pictures.

5. As far as seeking for the financial loss you have seen, if you find that the tow and impound was done without a 'probable

cause' or without due process of the law, then you can easily file a lawsuit, or a small claims action in your local District

Court, against the property owner company and/or the towing company. Check your local statute of limitation to find out how

long you have from the time of the incident until you can file your action. In PG county Maryland e.g. it is 3 years for a

small claims action. For a small claims action, you won't need a lawyer.

In Civil Action Courts however, e.g. in DC, if the judge can see that you have enough knowledge of the Rules of Civil

Procedure, you won't need a lawyer taking your case to the court ! You can do it yourself, if you know and can argue the law

and challenge the action of the defendant. If you can find out other people who have suffered because of poor, wrongful,

unlawful, and negligent actions of the property owner and the towing company, you can file a class action lawsuit.


Best wishes,
Chris.

FROM: Chris [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday April 11, 2005 -- 5:19:38 pm

Greetings folks,

Checkout my newly setup blog on towing and auto theft issues. Feel free to add comments and add to the knowledge of others by sharing your experience.

Best wishes,
Chris.

FROM: Greg
DATE: Monday May 2, 2005 -- 10:59:27 am

For anyone interested...

CBS 2 News Chicago is running a investigative report on tow truck companies. It's on tonight (Monday, May 2, 2005). Call your local cable company for times or order it on Pay Per View!

FROM: stan lee
DATE: Tuesday May 3, 2005 -- 12:23:43 am

How do you sue a tow truck co? They towed my car last weekend on a saturday night at a business that was obviously closed for the day and the lot was totally empty. Although they were signs posted but arent'y they suppose to tow a vehicle only when the management calls for one? or only during business hours? Can someone help me? Cost me $265 and my saturday night!!!

FROM: Michelle Lucas
DATE: Thursday May 5, 2005 -- 3:42:30 pm

I hope someone can give me some insight!! I was in a serious auto accident May 2004 - after being extracted from the auto it obviously would require towing. I was in the hospital almost a month. I gave power of attorney and a letter authorizing one of bosses to recover my belongings from the vehicle. I was told that I would have to make arrangements with them when I released from the hospital. No one told me that they would accept a fax of a credit card authorizing payment. The day I was released I phoned - the bill was 827.00 I asked if I could fax and was told no. When I arrived - in my wheelchair still recovering on that Monday the price had changed. After a discussion with a supervisor they adjusted the price to what was quoted with a desk employee getting the heat for it. I inquired about my stereo and it seemed to be confusing of who did what. A friend and myself needed pics of the car and where taken to the back - there was no stereo and I was missing an expensive computer book, sunglasses and approximately 500 in software. I phoned several times after that encounter asking what the procdure is - with no return call or interest. I am finally at a point I want to sort some odd and ends of my accident out. And I think its wrong the way I was treated considering I gave 827.00 and let them keep a Honda Civic to sell for parts which they made money on. What should I do??

FROM: john
DATE: Sunday May 8, 2005 -- 5:23:18 pm

Contact the police as you were injured in the accident the officer that does the accident report is obligated to inventory the valubles in the car the car is then to be towed to a "secure pound" the towing company is responsible for ANY property that is noted in the car by the officer that is missing when you go to retrieve it . If the cops dont have a record of whats in your car I would get a lawyer so they dont make that mistake again ! hope your feeling better

FROM: Michelle Lucas
DATE: Monday May 9, 2005 -- 7:10:38 am

Thanks John! Actually I have the stored vehicle/towing original signed by CHP and tow company employee stating CD/stereo. Along with an internal receipt of the tow company signed by the same person that signed the CHP document. I can't seem to get the tow company to tell me their flow of how things are done. I intend to write a letter to the company with copy of original purchase invoice and afidavit from the party who installed the unit. I am going to include three comparable stereo quotes for current market price. I will hope that they will do the appropriate replacment value.

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Monday May 9, 2005 -- 1:42:47 pm

Too bad you didn't do the right thing, first, which was refuse to pay. What would they have done? It's not illegal not to pay an unreasonable and usurious charge. In fact, it's illegal to do what the towing company did. What you should have done was agreed to pay for the original tow and a reasonable storage fee, haggle your way down, and then leave it at that. If that didn't work, just pay for the original tow, if they would let you, because they're entitled to that, and fight over the rest. It's okay you didn't know this time, but you'll know for next time.

Now, I would hire an attorney if I were you, or go to your attorney general. It sounds to me like you are a victim of unfair business practices.

Let's see. I'm a scum of the earth towing contractor and I know the owner of a demolished vehicle is in the hospital, in pain, on drugs, and unable to get around for an indefinite period of time. I tell them in my nice guy voice, "Hey, come and see me when you're out. I'll take care of you . . . r, er, car." You think, "Fine. Thanks, Samaritan."

Then you get out and he slaps you with a big bill for a nearly worthless pile of junk.

If that's the case, why couldn't you have just agreed over the phone that the car could have been sold or hauled to the scrap yard? Why didn't the towing company offer to just tow the car to the dump once your valuables were removed? Had you known he was going to charge you so much for "storage", I'm sure you would have arranged for the stereo to be removed and then okayed him to retow the car to the dump (in which case you would have been entitled to the salvage fee, which, though not much money, would have helped to offset the cost of two tows and storage up to that point).

I guess your insurance company didn't need the car lying around for an investigation, but if they did, they should pay the "storage fee," not you.

See if you can file a loss with your homeowner's policy or renter's insurance, if you have either of those policies. You may be able to recover something that way.

If you are involved in a personal injury suit because you were not at fault, you can throw in this cost and let the other party haggle it out.

Either way, it's an unfair, not to mention despicable, practice, and I would go straight to the attorney general's consumer protection bureau with that story, if I were you.

How low can you go to take advantage of someone lying in a hospital bed?

Ryan-

after we determined that her car was towed and not stolen

The truth is, you girlfriend's car was stolen. Just because you knew by whom and where to get the car back doesn't change that fact. The point is, they converted your vehicle--the taking of it and depriving you, it's rightful owner, of its use, was unauthorized and illegal. You could have filed charges against them for grand theft. Had I been in your shoes, I might have done so. If I were a tow truck operator, and I didn't have proof that your girlfriend's car was touching the line (without addressing whether or not that's truly illegal, which I suspect isn't) I wouldn't want to have to answer to a prosecutor.

As for the attorney general, he/she would be very interested in investigation such a claim. How many people do you imagine don't ask the critical question "where's the proof?" and pay the tow company a nice ransom to have their vehicle back? Can you say extortion? This is no exaggeration. It fits directly under sense 2.

If the car had been damaged during the tow, who would have been responsible for the repair costs? If the tow truck driver had taken your car illegally, you can bet your shorts that the tow company would have fired him and made you go try to collect the repair costs from him. But if they aren't caught, they're happy for the income. They're dealing from both sides of the deck!

I know it's been almost five years ago, but this could happen again to anyone--this is a big deal. Don't let these jerks take advantage. Don't be satisfied with just getting your car back. They owe you!

God, this pisses me off!

FROM: MissTowTruckDriver
DATE: Friday May 27, 2005 -- 9:53:35 pm

I'm sorry you ppl feel that way... It's not the operators fault that you parked your car where it should not have been parked in the first place. And when your vehicle has broken down tow truck drivers becomes your best friends. You ppl need to get a life. Old saying... when life hits you with lemons... instead of griping about getting hit, try making lemon-aide...

FROM: Gilbert
DATE: Saturday May 28, 2005 -- 4:23:37 pm

Some of you have had some really bad experiances with towing cos., and I understand your anger, and fustration.
I own a towing co. down in S.W. Texas, most of the customer that I deal with, are good people trying to do the right thing, then I have seen a few that couldn't make the grade as a human being. I have to deal with customer complaints from time to time. This is a business, just like any other business, there are bad ones and there are good ones. But I can tell you, that the good ones out number the bad ones 10 to 1.
The most common complant that I deal with is "what took you so long to get here?"
Everybody is in a rush, and no one has the market covered on hurry. I have had customers have to wait 3 hr. for a jump start. For some reason, most customers think that they are the only one needing help that day, and that you are just sitting on you butt watching re-runs of Friends.
If the customer is a member of a motor club, or some other roadside assistance program, then they pay for, expect, and recieve free service. If the towing co. that is contracted to that roadside program, has 6 other people ahead of the guy that needs the jump start, then he will be helped in the order that his call came in. If, for some reason, he thinks that is too long to wait, then he can call his own towing co. and pay cash to get the job done quicker.
There is no reason that a person needs to wait 3 hrs. for a jump start------unless he wants to, simply because it's FREE.
The reason that law enforcement agencies and fire dept. no longer do jump starts, and lock-outs, is liability.
On some vehicles, the ECM (computer) will burn out, if jumper cables are used, and on some vehicles, it will fry if a jumper pack is used. The P.D.s and the F.D.s don't have the slightest idea what is what in that area, but we do.

As far as towing away vehicles from an apt. complex, or commercial business----------the manager calls us if they want it towed. We don't just drive up and down the streets looking for easy prey, like some believe.
So if you park your vehicle some place that it is not suppose to be, then you are going to get it towed away. You can cry, fuss, bitch, pitch a fit, cuss, scream, yell all you want, it won't change the fact that you messed up.
And if you are not smart enough to learn a lesson from that, and do it again----it will be towed again.

In reference to damages from towing-----if a towing co.damged your vehicle while it was in there care, then they need to take responsability for their actions. The reason that most towing co.s hesitate, is because there are some people that will try to pin previous damage on the towing co. We have to protect ourselves from these "less that honest" people. Unfortunely, we have to treat everyone the same, and that makes the honest people unhappy with us.

Let's not lose sight of the fact that towing co,s are the ones that are out there in everything from blizzards, to hurricans, and ready to change your daughter's (or son or wife or husband)) flat, so that they may go on their way.
We come to your rescue when you lock your keys in your car (some of you do that with a baby in the car, and the car running)
Or when a person's car breaks down at 3am and it's cold and rainy, we get out of bed, and take them home.


We put our personal life, and our families "on hold" to help you.

I had one motor club customer tell their motor club dispatcher that it was 101 degrees out here, and her baby was out of milk----please hurry.
I had 3 calls ahead of her---but I dropped everthing, and ran out to her as fast as the law allowed.
First of all. it was 89 degrees, and the "BABY" turned out to be a DOG.
And some people wonder why they have to wait long periods of time??

Towing co.s wade out into flood waters to help people that are not smart enough to NOT drive through high water.

So let's hear some thank you for all we do to help you when noboby else will, can or wants to.


Gilbert

FROM: M
DATE: Monday May 30, 2005 -- 7:40:05 am

Ya i deal with Idiots like you all the time.

FROM: kp
DATE: Tuesday May 31, 2005 -- 9:50:19 pm

Does anyone know how many tow truck operators lose their lives because they are killed in the line of duty. In case no one realizes it, unless the owner of the car being towed did something illegally to constitute being towed, then these honorable men & women are out there every day to HELP us. We in fact call them for service and then have the nerve to complain about the prices? Where do we as a society get off. Next time you lock your keys in your car or leave the lights on overnight to come out in the morning to a dead battery, try and unlock or get your car started by yourself. GOOD LUCK!! There is a website tow411.com where there are hundreds of men and women who have lost their lives trying to help others with car troubles. Are they scum too, or do you just feel sorry that they chose towing as a profession? If your family needed money, a place to live, food, medical needs or anything else that costs money for that matter, are you saying that you would not become a tow operator if that was the job being presented? Most everyone who has a job has one because they could not make ends meet without one. A tow truck operator is no different. They are just doing their jobs. Most of the idiots complaining about tow operators on this site, sound like they think they can do NO wrong. No profession is perfect. Look at how much we pay to see a doctor. Now think about how long you wait at that doctor's office or in the emergency room. Now 3 & 1/2 hours for a tow truck isn't so bad when you could be sitting in the ER for 5 now does it? And we pay doctors a whole hell of alot more than $40 for a jumpstart. Also look at the error rate in the medical profession. How many of you have ever been misdiagnosed or given the wrong meds for what is ailing you? How about the people who have died because of this? As I said before, there is wrong doing in every profession and if you think you are perfect, then you are part of the reason that this world is going to hell in a hand basket quickly!!

FROM: kp
DATE: Wednesday June 1, 2005 -- 10:30:57 pm

Ok, I just finished reading all of this shit that everyone has written on here. First of all, all of you idiots who say that you have done so much research on the towing industry and are even including pieces of your state statutes and then going on to say that the towing industry needs to be regulated by state and federal governments are real fucking morons!! If you are quoting things out of a state statute, then OBVIOUSLY they have a big part in the regulatory statutes for towing. Here's a clue, 90% of the states DO regulate towing, that is why there are state stautes that you fucking morons are quoting from. If you really want to sound like you know what you are talking about, do a little more research before you get a case of diarrhea of the mouth again!!

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday June 2, 2005 -- 12:15:03 pm

kp -- first, please bite me.

Secondly, note that I'm taking shots at towing companies. Not individual towers.

FROM: kp
DATE: Thursday June 2, 2005 -- 7:35:49 pm

Ryan- "Bite Me?" You have the intelligence of a rock!! Do I actually need to go through this post and count how many times you have taken a cheap shot at an individual tower? All that I have read is how tow truck drivers are all scum and that they aren't intelligent, they're dirty pieces of shit who scam people and work out of trailers. Apparently you are perfect. To me you are just a whining little whimp, who when asked, will not mention what YOU do for a living. Please do a lttle more research before you come back to whine about how a tow company did you wrong because you are a fucking idiot.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Thursday June 2, 2005 -- 8:19:09 pm

kp: Welcome to Dumb-Ass Mode!

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Thursday June 2, 2005 -- 9:43:35 pm

Ryan- "Bite Me?" You have the intelligence of a rock!!

I'm not the one that was spewing profanity.

Do I actually need to go through this post and count how many times you have taken a cheap shot at an individual tower?

Go ahead, show me one time I ever mentioned a driver's name. Sure, I took shots at companies and their policies, but never at any of the drivers. In fact, the one time I mentioned a specific driver, I said, "the guy that eventually DID show up was friendly and helpful." Boy, that's a cheap shot!

Please do a lttle more research before you come back to whine about how a tow company did you wrong

And next time you try to come here and hurl insults my way, you try researching what I actually said.

because you are a fucking idiot.

There you go again. Do you kiss your momma with that mouth?

FROM: Silent TowPro
DATE: Friday June 3, 2005 -- 1:19:23 am

W0W!, That site must be good "Dumb-ass" Mode site, you did great job by got us do some laughing at you who made that "Dumb-Ass" Mode site to boost the whining you made against towing industry , I am sure they( towing industry) are the one got last laugh...(chuckle)....... you
do have a car that may need a tow again sometime in future that may able to add this in your Dumb-Ass Mode list.
BTW congrats! for this "Dumb-Ass" Mode site

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday June 3, 2005 -- 7:39:52 am

I like how Silent TowPro's comment doesn't quite make sense in, well, any language. It's darned close, though.

FROM: Michael
DATE: Thursday June 9, 2005 -- 4:40:49 pm

I spent 7 years as a deputy sheriff in the state of Florida, and I can say without a doubt that 99.9% of the tow truck drivers I knew/worked with were not a high caliber of human. All had large cracks poking out of their pants, and tobacco spit running down their unshaven faces. What's worse, they loved stealing cars, all the while protected by the law. I suppose it's a sense of purpose?

The folks who go into towing cannot (1) get another job, outside of say..uh..perhaps, Burger King; and (2) dropped out of high school because it was just too difficult; or (3) have no friends and sat at the loser table in high school (before dropping out, mind you), and thus, stealing cars gives these folks a sense of power over everyone else; and finally, (4) uh, well, can you say, loser?

Who wants to be a friends with a tow truck driver? Who in the hell would date one, much less marry one? I can hear it now, "Mom, dad, this is my boyfriend, Bubba-Joe. He works for P&P Towing."

Nice.

FROM: doug
DATE: Friday June 17, 2005 -- 11:36:39 pm

was in chicago june 15/05 with tractor trl. needed place to park for approx 30 min. found motel parking lot area posted permit parking only but motel was not in business and lot was vacant so I left truck for approx 20 min. when I came back both truck and trailer were gone. people in area told me I had been had. soon as I walked around corner away from truck apparently large tow truck wsas waiting . they also hooked to another truck beside mine.This tow company would only accept cash and charged a whopping 2200 dollars to tow for 1 mile to compound. we r from Canada so had some trouble getting the financing down there. are there any limits to what these people can charge.. yes we were on private property for 20 minutes but not encroaching on anything or causing any safety issues for anyone..Is this mafia or what

FROM: Silveradoguy
DATE: Sunday June 19, 2005 -- 8:58:31 pm

I love how someof these idiots think so little about tow truck drivers, Like above, Michael the so called "deputy sheriff" thinks anyone who has the skills drive and operate cars must be low lifes. Many people must think its so easy to get up at all hours of the day and night, manuver a 15-20ft flatbed tow truck around perfectly to cars in any situation and get it on the truck. Many tower's doit part time while they work somewhere else too for the extra cash. I feel sorry to everyone on here who think towers are low lifes, and dont wanna be friends with them etc, my advice would be to definatly become friends with a tow truck driver, become good friends and many times if you need a tow , theyll come to you for free or the cost of gas if they arent to busy.
Even recently im glad my buddy does towing, earlier today I finished up putting one of the new chevy 572ci engines in my silverado, and out in the test runs the stock rear end couldnt handle the torque and blew leaving my truck on the side of a backroad, gave him a call, he dropped it off at my house later that night and i didnt have to pay a dime, Im glad im a tow truck drivers friend :)

FROM: Angel
DATE: Tuesday June 21, 2005 -- 10:03:44 pm

OK, Ive read almost every post. This doesn't seem like it is a towing issue. This seems like a lack of taking responsibility for personal actions. Your friend parked like crap, got towed. You had expired papers, got towed. Im sure you've been out driving and seen someone do something illegal and thought, where is a police officer when you need one or, why do I always get caught...right? You got caught doing something wrong. Bummer. Suck it up. We win some, we lose some. Hopefully you'll have better luck.

FROM: jc
DATE: Thursday July 21, 2005 -- 5:38:06 am

its called being on comission. its all money in the bank. you can pick up the car set it over the line take a picture then impound it. its like taking candy from a baby.

FROM: jc
DATE: Thursday July 21, 2005 -- 5:46:50 am

doug if your truck was impound for being on private property then the owner would have to call for the wrecker, and sign a document as to why the truck was being towed. If that was not done then the tower had no right, unless he had a contract with the owner of the property.also 2200 is insane that is way illegal you totally got had. if you are a owner operater raise hell and if your company paid the tab then thats funny.

FROM:
DATE: Wednesday August 10, 2005 -- 7:31:45 am

my name is micheal deloach I work for BExar towing, Im an incestuous bastard brought up in a company that my daddy worked hard to creat, and my only goal in life is to ruin his hard work cause he diddled me in the rear when i was a youngster, questions or comments call bexar towing and ask for mike the roach, 210 5906200

FROM:
DATE: Wednesday August 10, 2005 -- 7:32:53 am

ouch mike da roach sounds like someone dont like you!!! maybe you should do your job right!

FROM: Mai Tran [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday August 30, 2005 -- 5:05:18 pm

I recently wrote an article on what is going on in the Tow Truck industry in LA.

Slaying Charge for Tow Driver

San Bernardino County man was illegally towing an SUV when its owner was run over and killed in Santa Ana, police say.

By Mai Tran
Times Staff Writer

August 18, 2005

A tow truck driver was charged Wednesday with manslaughter after running over a Santa Ana man while towing his vehicle in June, officials said.

Paul Michael Sassenberger, 29, of San Bernardino County faces 20 charges, including taking a vehicle unlawfully, extortion by force or threat, attempted extortion, aggravated assault, reckless driving and using methamphetamine, said Mark Macaulay, spokesman for the Orange County district attorney's office.

The charges cover the period from November 2003 to June 2005, when Sassenberger illegally towed vehicles while working for Pepe's Towing in Santa Ana, authorities said.

Authorities say Sassenberger towed illegally parked vehicles from condominium and apartment complexes without first getting permission from property owners as required by state law.

On June 12, Leoncio Flores, 42, was run over and killed as he chased Sassenberger's tow truck and pleaded for him to release his Chevy Suburban, police said.

Flores had illegally parked the vehicle while he briefly ran inside his condo in the 1000 block of South Mantle Lane in Santa Ana, police said. Flores offered Sassenberger $50 to release the SUV, but Sassenberger refused and continued to drive away, Macaulay said.

Flores knocked on the window, then grabbed the side of the vehicle. When he lost his grip and fell, Flores was run over by the truck's rear wheels and the Suburban's front wheels, police said.

Sassenberger "was aware of the pedestrian, he was aware he ran along the vehicle and had the opportunity to stop to prevent the incident, but he didn't," Santa Ana Police Sgt. Lorenzo Carrillo said.

Sassenberger didn't have authorization from the condo complex's owner to remove Flores' vehicle, police said. Also, tow truck drivers are required by state law to release a vehicle if the owner arrives before the vehicle has left the property, Macaulay said.

A blood test showed that Sassenberger had methamphetamine in his system when Flores was killed, police said.

Copyright � 2005, The Los Angeles Times


http://ktla.trb.com/news/local/la-me-tow18aug18,0,3242118.story?coll=ktla-newslocal-1

FROM: Haywood Jablowme
DATE: Friday September 9, 2005 -- 1:28:51 pm

If your not smart enough to pay attention to where you're parking on private property, that's your fault.

I've been on both sides. I've had a couple cars towed for not paying attention to the posted signs. Truth of the matter was I thought I'd get away with it. Most people don't have any respect for other peoples property.

Let me ask you this. Would you be mad if I came over to see your neighbor and parked in your driveway? Better yet, how about I come over to your business, park in your firelane, and go to another business? Meanwhile the fire Marshal comes by and gives you a $5000 fine for having a vehicle parked there, and you also risk lawsuits by every suit happy person in your area. I bet you'd be pretty happy about that. What if you paid $100 dollars a month for covered parking at your condo, and some jack ball decides it's okay to park there for 10 minutes while he runs over to see someone, or grab something out of his home while you wait to park?

Each state has specific guidelines to abide by in order to stay in business. There are those that do, and those that don't.

I make a comfortable living doing what I do. Been doing it for almost 7 years. It's not rocket science. It does afford me a nice house, 3 cars, motorcycles, and pretty much whatever I want.

Every profession has it's bad seeds. Don't hold a entire industry responsible for one person actions. If we did that, what would we have left? Church? Pro Sports? Government? Etc... Etc...

Quit being a dumbass, pay attention, and realize there's other people in this world besides just you.

FROM: Paul
DATE: Friday September 9, 2005 -- 5:30:00 pm

Quit being a dumbass, pay attention, and realize there's other people in this world besides just you.

You might want to heed your own advice and actually read the comments and Ping above yours. And by the way, "it's" does not mean "its".

FROM: Haywood Jablowme
DATE: Friday September 9, 2005 -- 9:03:23 pm

I read all the comments. When someone doesn't have anything else to debate they start looking for errors in grammar. Sorry, I slipped a apostrophe in there. Would you like to pick a spot, or you want me to pick one for you?

I always heed my own advice. Otherwise, I wouldn't give it. Now hows about you go have a nice cup of shut the fug up?

FROM: Paul
DATE: Saturday September 10, 2005 -- 12:10:08 am

Now hows about you go have a nice cup of shut the fug up?

If you can find a cup of "fug", feel free to go ahead.

Whee! Welcome to the internets.

FROM: Rick Monroe
DATE: Friday September 16, 2005 -- 7:50:14 pm

This has to be the more famous Towing Blog on the net. You have people writing in from the U.S. and Canada siteing the corruption in the towing industry.

Most Tow Truck operators(you can see by their grammer) tend to be uneducated, low IQ individuals that we should almost pity. I said, "almost."

I truth Tow Truck companies should not be privately owned but givernment run. There would still be corruption but not at such a vast level.

I talked with Tow Truck drivers on various occassions and they all seem to be involved in something illegal whether it be drugs, stolen property, and other nefarious(The Tow Truck drivers won't undersatnd this word) endevours.

As for the previous couple posts regarding the brand name FUG. Let me explain, FUG is like the welfare version of BEER for the towtruck drivers. It is about half the price and tastes like flat and stale cheap beer. FUG is the loser towtruck driver's drink of choice, which they drink even when on the job.

Oh also FUG is like a bootleg version of beer as the company that makes it, makes it without the proper permits or licences and brew it in old oil drums.

And for the Tow Truck lingo, "Shut the Fug up." That phrase originates in Sanfransisco. Meaning: "I'll give you a FUG beer if I can shut your mouth with my penis." Hence the homosexual undertones.

Ick!

FROM: KIM WHITE KNIGHT TOWING
DATE: Saturday September 17, 2005 -- 2:56:53 pm

NOT all towtruck are like that im from perth western australia , we have dickheads like that here to thats why we have police contrators wich gets rid off those drivers im one off those police contractors . They go though my police clearance and inspect my truck . Hope to here from u kim.Manager off white knight towing service

FROM:
DATE: Saturday September 17, 2005 -- 2:58:33 pm

FROM: charles
DATE: Friday September 30, 2005 -- 12:59:04 pm

Not all tow companies are bad just admitt you all just had bad days and bad expierence every company has some parts to do with life nobody can control when a car breaks down its mainly the owner of the cars fault for not keeping up with maintance of the car most problems can be prevented. alls an owner of a car knows how to do is start it and drive thats it and with the impound part alot of companies do illegally tow cars but there are more companies that impound that are honest than not but impounding does help keep drug dealers out and crime i think they help keep communities safe by just comming through checking for cars and scaring criminals away.

FROM: Joseph
DATE: Monday October 3, 2005 -- 9:31:53 am

Alls?

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Monday October 3, 2005 -- 9:37:57 am

Uh-oh: he said comming!

FROM: DirtyGirl Salvage & Towing (King Queen, Virginia)
DATE: Sunday October 9, 2005 -- 12:23:33 am

In Response to Rick Monroe, I would first like to state that all tow truck drivers are not corrupt or into illegal activities as you have stated. Most of them are honest law abiding citizens. How dare you state that we are losers that consume alcohol while working!! How would you like to be called out of your peaceful sleep to respond to an accident scene with fatalities in the middle of the night? What if those involved were children or teenagers killed by a drunk driver. How would you like to be the one to see first hand the families' pain when they arrive on the scene. Do this just once and then return home and see how well your ignorant ass sleeps. As for your comment on our grammer, It seems to me that you need to check yours more closely. To all my fellow ( and female) tow truck drivers out there keep up the good work and may god always be riding shotgun with you.

FROM: rodger m
DATE: Tuesday October 18, 2005 -- 11:34:11 pm

Ryan, do you need a large block of cheese with your whine or will a regular size be ok? wine is spelled both ways.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday October 19, 2005 -- 9:14:36 am

Only if it's soy cheese and vegan wine, Rodger. Thanks.

FROM: mike
DATE: Friday October 21, 2005 -- 8:43:46 pm

I work for a towing company in Texas, have been for 11 years. I am clean cut, wear company uniforms, drug tested and a certified towing operator. All these sorry ass mother fuckers calling us scum, try being on my end and dealling with your dumb fuck asses. Men that can't change a tire, to stupid, dumb asses locking keys in cars. As far as towing for apartment complexes, we are the biggest in our county and have been for 56 years. If you dumbass dont know how to park you need your car towed away. We tow for the city police dept., state police, and sheriff office, I encounter fuck ups like you everyday. Yes there are some not so good towing companies out there but without us you would be fucked. So as far as the "SCUM" come to Texas and I will show you "scum" you stupid worthless S.O.B.

FROM: hideki
DATE: Saturday October 22, 2005 -- 1:29:27 am

There are lots of angry people who got their cars towed, and probably a lot of angry tow truck drivers responding to this blog, equally angry at being called scum.

I have to bring up this point though, why is there such great anger and hatred toward tow truck drivers? are there a lot of other popular blogs out there aimed at disparaging one particular profession? I think the presence of the anger speaks for itself, that there is some sort of problem in this system, and it breeds anger and resentment.

Part of the problem is that tow companies are usually in employment of cities, police departments, big companies with parking lots. And the laws that are pushed into existence are probably done so by these special interests beholden to these groups.

Let's say we change the laws slightly. Let's say we permit every driver to register on their driver's permit, the towing companies who are entitled to tow them. This is like organ donor registration, or perhaps insurance registration. You have to pay an annual fee to this company for registration purposes.

So this might be some local company, perhaps a default one, or perhaps some big towing company with a national presence. When your car is parked illegally somewhere, then the police or whoever must notify only this company (as recorded in your rmv/dmv records) to remove your car.

What does this do? it changes the incentive structure of the towing system. Now towing companies are beholden to you, the driver, rather than the city. There are some costs, such as increasing burden on police, private owner, whatever, to look up the records of this car in order to tow it. But it's not unreasonable to require police to be at towings, and since police have very easy access to rmv/dmv info, this system is not ridiculously out of reach.

Currently, as the system stands now, the towing company has no incentive to be polite to the drivers. Cars break down too infrequently for you to remember that nice company who did that one time towing for you- this is the fault of our advanced car companies. far more often the towing company/truck is required when a parking violation is committed. Therefore, most often, the towing company is gaining most by being aggressive towers, following the letter of the law in the city (or not), or responding quickly to private lot owners.

This is probably not an efficient system, since for one, it certainly generates a lot of animosity, but also, in the case of the city towers, the pricing structure just follows the fine structure of the municipality. The introduction of the towing registration system brings a certain free market element to the story which would alleviate some of these problems.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday October 22, 2005 -- 1:41:45 am

So as far as the "SCUM" come to Texas

I'll pass, I think.

FROM: mike
DATE: Saturday October 22, 2005 -- 4:21:34 pm

why you cant put your money where your mouth is. personally I think you need to shut the hell up and talk about something you really know about because evidently you dont know what the hell you are talking about when it comes to tow truck drivers. Maybe you just need to go back to your job- let me guess MCDONALDS that is all you are quialfied to do if even that. Hope to God you dont break down in Texas because I hope im the one that comes and get you. Then you will know what it is like to get a real ass kicking from a tow truck driver.

FROM: Robert Liklikstein [E-Mail]
DATE: Saturday November 12, 2005 -- 12:33:13 am

Here is a link to a video of how scummy tow truck drivers really are.

http://www.ebaumsworld.com/videos/crybaby.html

FROM: Kendra
DATE: Monday November 14, 2005 -- 3:32:44 pm

I have more respect for car thieves than I do for the tow truck drivers that have towed my car on two occasions for B.S. reasons....I too had an experience in which my car was towed for having a wheel touching the line not over the line...at the time I was a poor college student who couldn't afford the $100 charge but also couldn't afford to be without my car....then last night I was towed out of an apartment complex because the spot that I parked in was formerly a visitor spot but they had painted over the word in black paint...I could still read visitor through so I assumed it was okay....I went waaay out of my way to even find that spot....and I still wake up the next day to find my car towed....and I had to pay $110 to get it back.....I think this practice is completely unfair and skates very thinly within the confines of the law...the fact that such practices are not illegal is a mystery and a shame...I applaud tow truck drivers who actually perform a service but I loathe the kind who are just out to make a quick buck with no intention of providing a service.

FROM: Desperate for a tow
DATE: Sunday November 20, 2005 -- 2:32:08 am

R&R in Columbus, OH puts water in your tank instead of gas!! Then hooks your car up without telling you and charges 90 bucks on top of a $25 service fee!! Must have been desperate for some business - but I am going to put you out of business!!

FROM: upset tower
DATE: Sunday November 20, 2005 -- 6:45:05 am

want to see bull shit just come to Calgary,Alberta! .home of the $30.00 tows ..and City Wide Towing ..no parking contracts here! ..but a lot of cheep towers .park where ever you want when ever you want! we are a hats off city "BEST CITY IN CANADA" ??? I hate this place ...dont plan on makeing money in TOWING here ...all there is here is CHEEP auto clubs,CHEEP shop rates,CHEEP towing rates and most of all CHEEP PEOPLE!!!that bow to CWT makes me sick..just wish we had HALF of the market that these outher towers have...

FROM: Troy
DATE: Monday November 21, 2005 -- 8:08:12 am

I was towed by a towing service in Calgary.... Billys towing this guy is CRAZY he was going on about how every one has ripped him off ,how City Wide in Calgary has ripped him off .how he whanted to "butt rape" every one who has crossed him..talk about angry drivers ..this guy has a vendetta with everyone I see just by being in his truck he has wepons planted all over his truck must be afraid of someone he ows money to "oh poor me talk" he would not let me out of the truck till he finished his nutty storys ...than to ad insult to injury he over charged me the origanal tow rate ..all I have to say is ..I WOULD NEVER AND I MEAN NEVER USE THIS JERK AGAIN...THIS GUY IS A NUT CASE ...WHAT IS WRONG WITH ALL YOU PEOPLE???? you guys need a extreem make over in your city with who you let tow on your roads...this crazy guy would never last a second in Vancouver..glad I wont be returning to Calgary any time soon.....signed
just a concerened vancouver Police officer..

FROM: Mark S
DATE: Sunday November 27, 2005 -- 12:57:59 pm

Oh Yea ..I drive wrecker in this city too..I know of this guy "Billy" his real name is Stephen..... Billy is only his tough guy AKA yea this guy has a few screws loose hes allways going on & on & on about how his life is so hard done by...thats a crock! the truck he is driveing has not even been paid for yet he ripped the guy off that he bought it off..I feel bad for the seller of the truck he was just trying to help this moron out and Billy burned him..this guy is a a ticking time bomb waiting to go off I heard he has been busted by the cops twice for assault and he allmost got deported!!! and has a lenghty record, he also was fired from City Wide because he was a problem there too ...all in all I think he is just nuts ...word to the wise keep as far away as possable from him hopefuly he will just go bankrupt..he makes the rest of us honest towers look bad...just my 2 cents...

FROM: Chris
DATE: Friday December 2, 2005 -- 9:55:21 pm

I only had time to read part of the way through, but let me give my own experiences. While, thank God, I have never been non-consensually towed, I have had alot of experience with AAA and [Manufacturer] Roadside Assistance. I've had both good and bad experiences with AAA. Most take a long time to get there. Some take a really long time. Manufacturer Roadside Assistance has been good the few times we've used it.

One time recently, we had to call AAA [while in Orlando,] and the truck took forever to show up. We called and AAA said the truck was already there - it wasn't. The AAA driver apparently did not even know where International Drive was. Another time, the guy could not figure out how to get the vehicle hooked up.

Another time, we were clearing out my Grandmother's house after she went into a nursing home. It was winter and below freezing. Her lot was sloped, and I backed down her driveway to get to the back door [of the basement.] When I tried to get back out, it was a no go. The ice made it impossible to get any traction, and there was no room to make a running start on it. We called AAA and they were there pretty quickly [for AAA that means within than the ETA they give you on the phone, since they usually take much longer than the ETA.]

One time, my vehicle broke down on I95...When the AAA tow-guy got there, he was some young guy. He towed me 105 miles. AAA+ payed for I think the first 90 or 100 of that, and I had to pay the rest [no big deal, as the fee was very reasonable.] While he did the job fine and seemed nice, he openly admitted he drinks and drives [presumably his own vehicle, not the tow truck]. Thankfully, he did not appear to be drunk at that time.

FROM: Tim
DATE: Sunday December 4, 2005 -- 8:27:04 pm

I have read a lot of these statements that have been made and I agree with some of them, and disagree with some of them. I just wanted to let anyone know that if you live in Kentucky or are just driving through like I was, then don't ever use Doug's Towing and Recovery in Elizabethtown, KY. for any reason at all! They towed my little Acura Integra less than fifty miles and charged me $175. I called several other towing places and the highest rate that I was given was $2.50 a mile! I guess that the driver wanted to line his pocket with the extra $50? The driver's name on the recepit is David. There was no last name given. He was a cocky young man who was if I had to guess about twenty-five. Once I realized that he was charging me this ridiculous amount I simply questioned him about the cost per mile. He simply said that he would just tow my car back to his garage if I didn't pay him! It was just a question! So after I paid the jerk the guy who owned the garge that was fixing my car said that he was acting like an a@@hole for no reason and said that he would never recomend this company again to anyone!

FROM: Skyforum [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday December 25, 2005 -- 1:43:04 pm

50 miles for $175 dollars? I am curious, what do you do for a living Tim? Really? that's cool, now, do you get paid for what you do Tim? uh huh. Ok then. Why shouldn't the tow driver that towed your vehicle get paid for what he does Tim?

Lets break it down. You said he towed your car just under 50 miles. All towing companies figure mileage to the next mile so for the sake of argument, we'll say 50 miles.
X $2.50 per mile. That's how much Tim? Ok, I'll tell you. That's $125 Tim.
Now, how much did he get paid to show up? Hmmm... must have been $50.00!!

Imagine that Tim. ALL towing companies get a hook or call fee just for arriving. When you called around and asked how much per mile, you NEVER asked the other companies if there were any other charges. A $50 hook and $2.50 per mile for a regular tow on your "Little" Acura is a good price. BTW Tim just for your information, it costs just as much to tow your crappy "little Acura" as it does to tow a full sized Suburban. Makes no difference.

Ok, Tim, next part (see how easy it is for me to remember your name?) Do you know how much it costs to run a tow truck Tim? No? ok, let me briefly outline it for you.
1.) Fuel is around $3 a gallon (or slightly less) and the trucks average 6 to 9 MPG.
2.) Insurance is about $6000 per truck per year
3.) Garage Liability (required for any tow company to be properly licensed) Several more grand a year
4.) Employee pay, about 25% of that $175.00 including all the extras for Uncle Sam
5.) Workers comp, somewhere between $16 and $20 per $100 that's payed to the guy that towed your car for you
6.) Fleet maintenance & truck repairs, somewhere around $500 to $2000 per month, per truck.
7.) Equipment repair or replacement, dolly tires, web straps, chains, etc. another $250 per month, per truck.

Now, Judging by your comments Tim, it's obvious to me that you are what we call a "whiner" A whiner is a customer that never properly maintains his or her car because he has to actually spend a little money to do it, then "Whines" when he has to call someone like me or my friend there, to come get your rattle trap and haul it. Now Tim, if I were that tower and I had to listen to your whiney crap about the price the whole time I was towng your car, I'd ignore you too because Tim, I am not interested in your ideas that I should be towing your car for a rate where I don't have anything left at the end of the month. In fact Tim, I think the driver did a very fine job of keeping his mouth shut and his thoughts to himself considering the blithering idiot that was in the truck with him Tim. Tim? I am not sure I could have let it go as he did, my hats off to him.

I got one more question for you Tim... If the cost of towing really PO's you, why haven't you bought some roadside assistance coverage from your Insurance Company? Geico has a GREAT plan this year, $2 bucks gets you covered for the whole year! That way, each time you use it, it counts against your insurance score driving your monthly premiums up. In fact Tim, if you use it three times in a year, you could be cancelled. But Tim, that probably doesn't matter to you because you think insurance costs too much anyway and you don't have any.

FROM: Tom
DATE: Sunday December 25, 2005 -- 7:12:39 pm

Wow Tim, $175 for a 50 mile tow? You are right, that price is way off. If you had been in my little town here in southern Oklahoma and needed a tow that far, I probably would have told you no, since that distance would take me out of my local area where I am one of two companies and owe it to the base of my business to be available for them, not running off with long distance tows. But let's just say, for arguments sake, that I did agree to the tow. 50 miles at $3/mile. OK, there's $150 right there. Now add to that the standard hook up fee of $65. That takes us to $215. Now since diesel averages $2.40 per in my area, let's add on the 5% fuel fee of $10.75 and the grand total is $225.75 Don't want to pay me before I unhook? No problem. It's called 'theft of services' if you don't, and absolutely I can now impound your vehicle at $15 (plus 9% sales tax) each day or portion thereof I have it.

It doesn't matter much how little your car is, it still costs the same for hook up. I drive the same distance for your Acura as I would for a Lincoln, in the same truck, and use the same wheel lift, straps and lights to safely tow it. Of course if you called me asking price per mile, I would tell you of other fees also, providing you gave me enough information to make an educated estimate. You'd be surprised at the people who call and ask things like "How much to tow my car from the house to the shop?" and expect an answer. What car? 4 wheel drive or not? In a place I can get to it, or will I have to winch it out of the pasture? Did it just quit running, or did a tire fall off? You know, those basic things, like the address of your house and the address of your shop. Would you expect any towing company to drive 80 miles to get you, tow you one mile and charge you $2.50?

Frankly, if you said things about my company like you did about Doug's towing, you'd be hearing from my attorney Don't get me wrong, I love what I do and I've met some very nice people in my business, but I don't and won't put up with attitudes -- and your post shows an attitude.

FROM: tom
DATE: Sunday December 25, 2005 -- 8:52:35 pm

OK, it's pretty old, all the way back to August of 2000, but nonetheless having just seen it, I have some comments to make.

Why towing companies are the scum of the earth
STOP -- before you read further... note that despite the title of this Ping, I do not hate every person employed for every towing company in the country. Rather, out of the four experiences I've had with towing companies, three have been so miserable, they quickly soured me on the industry in the DC Metro area. Thanks... I just wanted to make that clear, as it seems the Towing Company Fan Club has converged on the Ping.
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Actually no, not a Towing Company Fan Club, but a group of Towing owners that are tired of comments like yours casting blame on us because you make stupid choices.
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Yesterday, Paul voiced his opinions on quick lube service shops, so I figured today would be a good time to explain why I think that towing companies are the scum of the earth and their owners are minions of Satan.
At the townhouse complex I lived in, one towing company had an exclusive agreement with the management. Each night, they'd come through and tow illegally parked cars. Admittedly, this was a problem because of the lack of parking spaces for residents (on more than one occasion I had to park in an adjoining neighborhood and remove my parking sticker because there simply nowhere for me to park). But this particular towing company were what I'd label "parking Nazis." They towed my girlfriend's car because one of her tires was touching the white line on the parking space. Not parked over it, but merely touching it. Fortunately, the next morning, after we determined that her car was towed and not stolen, she managed to argue her way out of the unreal cost of $105 because they didn't have any proof that her car was "illegally parked."
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So you agree that the towing company does a public service, keeping the lot clear for those who live there to park there, until your girlfriend (and I assume she doesn't live there but was visiting?) parked illegally and got towed. Even though she didn't have to pay, you still feel the need to complain about it?
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This same towing company, a few months later, towed my car because the stickers on my license plate were nine days overdue. First of all, in Northern Virginia there are twice as many stickers required on various parts of your car as compared with New Jersey, so I had simply forgotten this needed to be done. But, you say, they had a right to tow me because my stickers were invalid, right? Wrong, almost. I called the city police and they said that if they were involved, they would never tow a car for that, they'd, at most, ticket it (and that would only be after a warning). However, they informed me, it was the right of the townhouse management to have my car towed for this if they wished. You want to know what the real icing on the cake was? They towed me on a Saturday night. On Sunday, the DMV was closed (where I had to go to get my updated stickers), so even if I had gone and gotten my car from the towing company, they would have just towed it again the next night. So, I had to keep my car there and pay another $10 or $15 for a "storage fee" and then pick it up on Monday, which made me late for work. My townhouse management was no help in the matter, either, basically refusing to even talk to me about the incident. That's one contributing factor why we moved out six months later.
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Let me ask a question here. If you got a ticket from the police that you didn't think was right, would you call a towing company to ask them about it? No? Then why call the police to ask about a tow? It makes about as much sense. Now, I don't know this for sure, but it's pretty common. I'd bet when you moved into your apartment you signed some kind of rental agreement. I would also bet that agreement said something on the order of "You are allowed a parking place, and will be issued a parking sticker. Vehicles must be operable and properly tagged, or are subject to be towed." I'd bet you were towed because you signed something like that, and then 'simply forgot' it needed to be done. Is it the towing companies fault that you forget things? I'd even bet you the DMV sent you notice well in advance that they were coming due, and you chose to ignore it. But that is the fault of the evil towing company, isn't it?
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So, then, let's add a new story to the pile. A week-and-a-half ago, on a Friday, I had driven into Arlington, VA (about 40 miles from my home) on business. After I was finished there, I got into my car at about 4:30pm and my car wouldn't start. I wasn't sure if I just needed a jump, or if I needed a tow, so I went inside and called Kia's Roadside Assistance. Now, I won't get into the fact that because I was a mere 2,000 miles over my warranty that I'd have to pay for the jump/tow, that's another Ping. But what I will get into is this: the towing company, in this major city, took 3 1/2 hours to give me a friggin' jump start. During those 3 1/2 hours, I went to the police station across the street to see if they could help me ("Nope, we don't do that anymore" -- thanks to all my pals at the Arlington Police for the help). It also started to pour buckets. I was informed by someone from the company that I was visiting that the towing company had called and that they said they were "on the way." This was at about the 1 3/4 hour point, a full 30 minutes beyond the already outrageous estimate they had given me. At 2 1/2 hours, I called the towing company and they tried to tell me "Our guy was there, waiting for you!" I told him that he was full of crap because I had been there the whole time. He redispatched somebody and I was finally given a successful jump start at 8:30pm by the only towing company in Arlington that would take credit card payment. Thanks for the help, guys. And thanks for charging me $40. -ram
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OK, usually you don't just suddenly have a time the car won't start, most of the time you get some warning, maybe a slow crank. But let's assume in your case it was just a sudden thing. Your car won't start. What makes you think KIA would extend your warranty 2,000 miles beyond the limit? Do you think the police would allow you a mere 20 over the speed limit too? You know why the police won't do jump starts anymore? Too many people wanted jumps, and then blamed and sued the police for 'damaging their battery' which was probably about to fail anyway. Have you ever called to have your phone line fixed, or your cable line? If you are very lucky, they will give you a date they can come, and maybe if it will be the morning or afternoon hours. If you don't like the estimate you get, call someone else and see if they can do better. You also say you were there the entire time, and couldn't have missed them...except maybe the time you were at the police station trying to get them to jump you?
And I'd bet if the police would have jumped you, you would have driven off and left the tow company to do a 'customer not there' call, wouldn't you? Since you went inside to make the call, I assume you didn't have a cell phone so the tow company could have called you when they got there and you weren't at the vehicle.
Some of the things that might have contributed to your long ETA, you didn't know if you needed a jump or a tow. That meant a service vehicle couldn't be sent to jump start you, since a tow might be needed so a tow truck had to be sent. Priority is like so: 1> Police calls, where we drop everything and go. 2> Those in some sort of danger, flat tire on a heavily travelled road for example. 3> Calls like yours, where you are in no danger but need service.
$40 isn't a bad price, depending on how far he had to drive to get to you, especially since they made two trips. You want to avoid such things in the future? Buy a decent set of jumper cables and learn how to use them. Practice good maintenance on your vehicle, keep those terminals tight and clean and it will charge a whole lot better.
Bottom line, don't blame us when YOU screw up. OK? Thanks.

FROM: chris
DATE: Sunday December 25, 2005 -- 10:08:23 pm

Agreed, most tow companies/workers are scumbags.

FROM: Pat
DATE: Wednesday January 4, 2006 -- 6:12:49 pm

Hello. I used to work for a tow company. Called Island Towing out of Grand Island NE. I did the Hastings NE runs and calls. To be honest. Tow truck drivers and workers are no different than anyone else. We put on one pant leg at a time. Just like everyone else. We also work to earn money to pay bills like everyone else. So if we are considered idiots then so is everyone else on this earth. I loved that job with a passion. First off I was doing my best to help others. But most importantly. As a tow truck driver there is no such thing as a routine call. Especially all accident calls are different. Once you arrive you basically make your decision then and there on the spot. They are not dummies either. We have jobs that can be very tricky at times. Like rollovers, winch outs and a bunch of other things. We have hazzards too that we have to deal with. Possiblities of cables snapping which if it were to hit you could kill you in a heartbeat. We also have at times to deal with repossessions. Every tow truck driver knows how worry some those can be at times. Not only that. But if the police or state patrols have other calls and they have to leave and we are there by ourselves. Its probably assholes like the bunch that are gripeing that drive by us like a bat out of hell and don't give us a break. Could care less if you hit us. But if a cop is still there you drive by like angels. The tow drivers know what I mean. Now on the other hand. Sometimes when your car gets towed. We are asked by cops or patrolman. We don't have a choice at that point. And yes. If we don't have keys for a car it makes the job that much harder and things do accidently happen. Also keep in mind. You have no idea how many calls can come in in a given time. There are times that all drivers can be backed up with 10 calls if not more. They try very hard. Also know. Yes there are some companies out there that are horrible. But its like this. Whose not to say you walk into a store and have a horrible experience or a food joint. It happens. After all we are humans too. Mistakes can happen. To be truthful. When ever I made one I felt really bad. Because I would try so hard to treat the comusters vehicle as if it were my own.

FROM: lilbitannoyed
DATE: Monday January 16, 2006 -- 7:37:04 pm

King County, Washington State Impound laws NEED to be changed! If you do not pick up a car either because you didn't know where it was towed to or for a variety of reasons. The towing company will sell your car and charge you a balance which depending on how long your car was at their yard could be alot. Then if it was towed by a public law enforcement they will send the rest of the amount due to a collection agency and that collection agency has the right to place a lien against you license. This will suspend your license until you pay the amount owed which is whatever the collection agency wants to charge. You either have to get an attorney and go through the ropes of the legal system and then pay or you have to deal with a collection agency calling you daily to pay them more money on a car that they want to say you owe them $2000.00 when the car itself was worth about $200.00. Here is a great link to help you understand how this all works here in WA state. I personally want to find a way to start changing this law!

Here is a great site to help answer many legal questions you may have for any state:
http://www.lawhelp.org

It was very helpful when trying to find out information on what to do:
http://www.lawhelp.org/WA/showdocument.cfm/County/ /City/ /demoMode/= 1/Language/1/State/WA/TextOnly/N/ZipCode/ /LoggedIn/0/rpc/1090100/doctype/dynamicdoc/ichannelprofileid/14048/idynamicdocid/1670/iorganizationid/1553/itopicID/859/iProblemCodeID/1090100/iCha

i hope this can help anyone else going through this process.



http://www.lawhelp.org/WA/showdocument.cfm/County/%20/City/%20/demoMode/=%201/Language/1/State/WA/TextOnly/N/ZipCode/%20/LoggedIn/0/rpc/1090100/doctype/dynamicdoc/ichannelprofileid/14048/idynamicdocid/1670/iorganizationid/1553/itopicID/859/iProblemCodeID/1090100/iChannelID/7/isubtopicid/1/iproblemcodeid/1090100

I want to thank this site for thier help in answering many of my questions:
http://www.lawhelp.org

FROM: Lori
DATE: Friday February 3, 2006 -- 1:54:19 am

Please oh please! Someone help me with this problem!! I am from Michigan and was trying to sell a car to a young boy that wanted to make payments. The car had a idle problem and the kid said he would work on it. He took it with out my permission and got caught. He didn't get charged for driving an illeagel unlicensed, uninsured car. The car got towed to an impund lot. It took me a little more than a week to come up with the fees to get my car back. My son and I went to get it back and had to drive 50 miles to get it. Brought it home and the next thing you know the police are at my door telling me that the other 3 kids that were in the car say there was a stero system in in. News to me. The cop said I was going to jail for stealing it. Since my son was with me he will go to jail too. This cop has been harrassing us pretty bad. Come to find out these kids have been caught breaking and entering and stealing over $1,000.00 of stuff from my sons house! I called the tow company and asked them was there any stero stuff in the car. They said they have no idea. They also said that you paid the impound fee i guess it belongs to the car and the owner.
Is that true? If so why would a cop harass us so bad over something that we know nothing about? The cop has even been going to adukt family members parents houses to ask questions and make accusations! I wonder why these kids installed stereo stuff in a car that belonged to someone else anyway! Anyone please have any info on how that works in Michigan?
please email me if you can! my1972montecarlo@yahoo.com

FROM: wj
DATE: Tuesday February 14, 2006 -- 5:38:31 pm

I have been a police officer in a very large city for over 30 years. I worked a lot of traffic and worked with a large number of wreckers responding either to tows for cars damaged in accidents and unable to be driven, or for DWI's. I have noticed that things have changed over the years. There used to be a very large number of companies that were very ethical and really helped people, and a few that were just plain crooks. As the years went by, it seems the "crooks" seem to be getting more numerous.

I agree that people get really mad about tows from private lots and it seems that the wreckers are picking on them. However, as somone ahead of me wrote, if you park on a private lot, you are liable to get towed. The police usually (at least here) have absolutely nothing to do with private tows. They are civil contracts. There may not be a sign, but if you think about it, do you need to post a sign in your front yard telling people not to park in your yard? If someone does, and you tow them, do they have a right to be mad at the wrecker? Or even you?

The best thing you can do is to find a tow company or individual driver in advance. Think of it as finding a good family doctor before you get sick. Check them out, and when you find one or two that you like, get thier cards. They may even be in a mood to write a good price down on the card that they will give you if you call them.

There are a lot of very good drivers and companies out there. They have a job that is potentially very dangerous, and the working conditions tend to be poor. Most of them do not make a whole lot of money. They are working to provide a living. There a bad drivers out there too, and there are some out and out criminals.

Good luck to all. Slainte! (to good health in Irish) .

FROM: Anthony Robertson
DATE: Sunday February 26, 2006 -- 1:06:30 pm

Here's a newer blog on the Tow Truck Scum:

http://civpro.blogs.com/civil_procedure/2004/08/tow_truck.html

FROM: Anthony Robertson [E-Mail]
DATE: Sunday February 26, 2006 -- 1:08:25 pm

Here's a link that you can just click. Click Web URL.

FROM: Baton Rouge Towing Company
DATE: Wednesday March 1, 2006 -- 5:33:08 am

Do you really expect a lot from 2.95 a month memberships to auto clubs? I know that You all know you only get what you pay for right?
Owners do their best not to hire the kind of misrepresentive drivers some of you think we hire. We care about hirring clean appearance & respectful drivers. They do have to crawl under cars, on the ground, in ditches. Hook-up In a thunderstorm with lighting, while cars pass on both sides of the road. Just to be ready to do it all again. Thats the time that this call will come in. "it's been a an hour and a half and the shops ready for you to pick it up!" The (complainers) are the high and dry ones that never understand. The number one thing that matters to my company is the safety of you and other moterist behind onesself. Our drivers may not be models of perfection at first glance. I know You will be really happy to see them if you are stranded on the road. Also, YOU and your YOUR CAR may need a lift. Maybe you'll get to know a person that's been judged that you know so little about. (Yourself)

FROM: TONYA JONES
DATE: Friday March 3, 2006 -- 4:03:27 pm

OKAY. HERE IT IS. I'M AT THE MALL FOR NO MORE THAN 15 MINUTES WITH MY 2-YEAR OLD SON. ITS COLD OUT SIDE. HE HAS TO USE THE BATHROOM (MY HUSBAND AND I ARE WORKING ON POTTY TRAINING HIM). I COME OUT "WHERES MY CAR?" MY COAT WAS IN THE CAR BECAUSE I HAD TO MAKE A DASH TO GET HIM TO THE BATHROOM. I PUSHING THE PANICK BUTTON BUT NO "BEEP". I GO BACK INSIDE THE MALL TO SECURITY FOR THAT FAT BASTARD MAKING 10.50 AN HOUR TO TELL ME "IT WAS TAKEN BECAUSE YOUR TAGS WERE EXPIRED". INSTANTLY I STARTED SHAKING. I HAD NEW TAGS BUT I HADNT PUT THEM ON YET. I WAS PISSED AT THEM BECAUSE I HAD MY SON IN THE COLD BUT PISSED AT MYSELF ALSO BECAUSE ALL I HAD TO DO WAS TAKE MY BUTT HOME AND I WOULDNT HAVE HAD AT LEAST ONE MORE DAY TO PUT MY TAGS ON. ANYWAY, THE SECURITY GUY WAS UNCONCERNED AND COLD HEARTED. I WAS SO SHAKEN THAT I THOUGHT I HAD LEFT MY PHONE IN THE CAR AND TOOK MY TEN DOLLARS TO BUY SOME COOKIES THAT I DIDNT WANT SO THAT I COULD HAVE CHANGE FOR THE PAYPHONE THAT I DIDNT EVEN KNEW HAD GONE FROM 25CENTS TO 35CENTS AND IS NOW 50CENTS. ANYWAY TO MAKE A LONG STORY SHORT MY MOTHER-IN-LAW CAME AND TOOK US HOME, I DROPPED MY SON OF WITH MY 16-YEAR-OLD DAUGHTER SO THAT MY MOTHER IN LAW COULD DRIVE ME AROUND TO GET MY CAR. WE GET THERE AND FIND OUT THEY ONLY TAKE CASH SO WE HAD TO GO TO THE BANK THEN BACK TO FIND OUT HE WASNT THERE. I WAITED OVER A HOUR TO GET MY CAR. AND THE WORST PART IS ITS NOT LIKE THEY ENFORCE THE LAW AND TELL ME THAT I WONT GET MY CAR BACK UNTIL I PUT THE PROPER TAGS ON. NO, THEY STOLE MY CAR AND ASKED FOR A FEE TO GET IT BACK. THATS HOW I SEE IT. SIMPLY PUT, BLACKMAIL.

FROM: Dan
DATE: Friday March 10, 2006 -- 2:50:28 am

More than thirty residents' vehicles from our condominium complex were impounded this morning between the hours of 12am and 8am, without any prior formal or written notice, from a parking lot we've been authorized to use for the last five years for overflow/night parking, but whose owner apparently struck a lucrative deal with a nearby hospital to provide parking and shuttling services for staff (beginning today) and fickly decided to boot all the vehicles, without warning. I was one of the "privileged" few whose car received a generous dose of TLC. $240 apiece to get our vehicles back--and the pleasure of an impromptu "meet and greet" session w/ neighbors at PPI Guys Towing in Orange, CA. Same ol' song and dance like some of the other reads--got there at noon on my break to pick up my car, had to wait an hour (and then some) for the gatekeeper to return from lunch as we were flatly reminded of state law that every person be entitled to an hour (and then some) lunch, yada yada. Good times.

Tried contacting our property management company, Cardinal, to no avail--they denied all responsibility and predictably did nothing to create the perception of attempting to resolve the issue. None of the HOA board members had been made aware of what ensued, either.

Tonight, our main streets are packed with cars--residents are parked around island ends and wrapped around trees and garages--no inch of available space was spared. The 15-ft radius of space around the hydrants seemed to mock us. Quite an amusing visual, if you weren't in my shoes.

Is there any recourse in sight? My layperson's knowledge is that a strict protocol for proper notification before towing exists, and that if the process is not executed to a T, then we may be able to find possible cause for taking legal action, either against the management company of the lot who authed the tows w/o proper notification, or our management company for not picking up the slack. It's one thing if a foolhardy individual wants to take a known risk; it's an highly improbable other when 25% of the residents collectively decide to. Somebody obviously dropped the ball here.

Gotta run n' make sure my car is still there... ;)

FROM: TOWMAN
DATE: Sunday March 12, 2006 -- 12:04:51 pm

BEING A TOW DRIVER MYSELF FOR 15 YEARS , I HAVE NEVER DONE A PRIVATE PROPERTY IMPOUND , THERE ARE ENOUGH BROKE DOWN VECHILE'S EVERYWHERE, THAT IF U HAVE TO STEAL SOMEONES CAR FROM THERE APARTMENT ,U INDEED DESERVE THE TITLE SCUM!!!!!!! I KNOW A FEW COMPANY'S IN MY AREA THAT FIT THAT DESCRIPTION ,, SINCERLY FROM DETROIT MICHIGAN

FROM: POS
DATE: Saturday March 18, 2006 -- 5:50:53 pm

Tow truck drivers are fat, lazy, uneducated pieces of shit. Everybody knows that, sorry...you loose at life.

FROM: Haywood
DATE: Monday March 20, 2006 -- 1:59:22 pm

This is still going?

I don't think it will ever end. Ignorance is bliss, or is it?

Big ups to my brothers in the trench. Keep on, keeping on.

FROM: dr j hook
DATE: Friday March 24, 2006 -- 4:46:58 am

Dear POS ..why pick on us? have you ever looked at ALL the wecker drivers in your city?? not all are fat,lazy,non-educated..we go to training we learn this trade I myself have been in this gig for about 12 years,I have my grade 12,I have a deploma from collage,I wanted to be in this line of work & have worked very hard to get to where I am now not by screwing people out of there money but by hard work(in our province we dont even do parking that is controled by the city..here it called car theft if we pick up a car and tow it to our lot)and even if the city tows you its only a crappy $58.00 Cnd tow bill ..our tow bills are around $50.00 cross the city (about 70 km) we dont make a ton of money..all in all we drive day and night because we injoy the job and need to make a liveing to pay the bills and let me tell you there is a lot of bills..just think about it next time you make a bonehead statment like you just did BTW what do you do for a liveing?..........THINK ABOUT IT ....dont speak till you have learned what your about what you are going to say..

FROM: Dee
DATE: Friday June 16, 2006 -- 11:00:21 pm

Tow truck drivers suck. "have a deploma from collage" - ya right - you obviously don't have a 3rd grade education or you would know how to spell

Neanderthals!

FROM: Jackson Evansville
DATE: Tuesday July 4, 2006 -- 7:44:46 am

gute seite, nicht schlecht gemacht, gruss

smoking women smoking women teen smoking teen smoking

FROM: dr J hook
DATE: Monday July 10, 2006 -- 7:25:57 am

burn in hell Dee ...drive a tow truck you will understand the life ...hope hope you get towed SOON

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday July 11, 2006 -- 10:36:18 am

Dude, c'mon, "deploma from collage"? You left yourself wide open for that.

FROM: Rob Volke
DATE: Tuesday July 18, 2006 -- 5:58:29 am

why is this still going?? Here is the deal and this is to all that have posted..as long as there are cars & trucks on the road there will be tow trucks working ...and YES we will charge whatever WE want! we dont tell you what you are going to charge for whatever you do ,So dont try to tell US what to charge ....deal with it...subject closed! This is what we do.

FROM: Ryan [E-Mail]
DATE: Tuesday July 18, 2006 -- 7:57:57 am

Three cheers for price gouging!

FROM: J.G.
DATE: Wednesday July 26, 2006 -- 3:04:07 am

geeez...blame it all on the tow guy for your tags being expired, or for you parking your car where it should not be.
You made me do this. Now im having to post and bookmark. yes, i know how to punctuate. yes i know how to spell. but im lazy after working 12 hours, forgive me.
you wanna hear a few of my favorite things? you wreck your car...fine, accidents happen. but, why take your keys out, and lock your doors? your car isnt operable. in any way shape or form. youre standing right next to it. so are the cops. you think theres gonna be a car bandit thats gonna creep up on you, sneak by you and the cops to steal your wrecked car?

you have a new car, or an expensive car? you feel unsure about giving the tow guy your key? well, thats ok, as we can tow it without, may be a little dragging involved, but we can get it. well, most of us, at least, as i drive a flat bed, and there are lots of dolly trucks out there.
the 'do i need to put it in neutral' thing is way true. no, you dont. just give me the key, and let me provided you with the service youre paying for, even if its covered by an auto club of some sort or another. i know how to do my job, just let me do it.

want to park where youre not supposed to? well, most of us tow guys are payed on comission. towing your vehicle when its parked where it isnt supposed to be usually carries a hefty fine, of which on average, the tow guy makes 31% of the tow bill. storage? nope. that doesnt go to us. but, you have to remember, towing is a business, trucks are quite expensive, as well as the insurance. think youre paying too much for insurance? my car, for 6 months is about 600$, full coverage. the truck i drive? 1100$ a month. know why? because of the inconsiderate drivers who see a truck 5X the size of their car, but who cares, i can squeeze in that lane before this intersection. oooooOOOOoooHHHHH...the light is yellow, id better slam my brakes on. the guy behind me, hell with him.

Oh, i love the 'where are you guys at??'
well, see, we tried to call you about 888888 times, but you wouldnt answer your phone.
'oh, that was you? i didnt answer because i didnt recognize the number'
uhm...hello?????

why did you drive my car onto the bed instead of using the winch? it has a flat tire? isnt that going to mess it up???
hmm.... lets think about this for a sec....
your car weighs 2 tons. i hook a winch to it. i pull it on my bed with the winch. hmm....still weighs 2 tons. wheels still turn, still a flat tire.
i pull up to it, drive it 8' up the bed of my truck, and your car still weighs 2 tons, well, maybe 2 tons, 185 lbs. my weight isnt going to damage your car any more than you already did, or whatever object your car found in the road.

now i openly admit, all who need 'service' arent this bad. to those, i appreciate you. i can find you, you are actually waiting for help, with your car. i will also admit there are guys who tow that are pretty ignorant to the towing world. theres always 2 sides to every story. if you park where you arent supposed to, well, uhm....hello? if i own a business, and you parked in MY spot, 'just for a minute', i would rather blow your car up than have it towed. but then i would have a mess to clean up. if you live in an apartment complex, and they tow cars often, well, that SHOULD tell you hat the management of the property does a good job at keeping junkers/derelict vehicles off of the property that you live on, making it a nicer place to live. you see a crappy car, and erk at its presence? well, if your tags are up, youre just as much of an eye sore as the guy with the junker. why should you be able to park your 3 year old benz with expired plates and not get towed? because its a benz? please....ill drag that thing 10 miles if thats what it takes to get it on the bed of my truck. you know what that means to me? almost 60$ before taxes on my check. heck with your derelict benz, i go to work because i have bills, and i enjoy the business. mostly because people are greatful. rainy nights, your mom gets a flat on the highway, on her way out of town. you gonna get your lazy ass out of bed at 3am to get her? and get out in the rain to change her tire? on the side of the highway? with no street lights? drunk people all over swerving? didnt think so. I will, so dont criticize the service fee. I look forward to seeing slams. as i said before, its not everyone. just usually the people who complain about the price.

FROM: peter
DATE: Sunday July 30, 2006 -- 1:32:03 pm

i used to drive a tow truck in ohio. i was on my way home one snowy blizzard day and saw a car in the ditch with an old lady inside. istopped and asked if she had someone already coming or i could pull her out. i did not want any money., as it would have taken me about 2 minutes. the lady yelled at me and called me a vulture, preying on the misfortunate. i hope she is still in the ditch! one other time my son's friend was driving my son to school and they slid into the ditch. i got up there in about 2 min. after their call and was yanking them out. a sheriff came by and told me it was illegal to pull a car out of a ditch without calling the police. i told him i could assist my son anytime i want and to stop traffic while i pulled them out. he drove away. don't ever beleive that protect and serve baloney.

FROM: Dave \"Tow Guys Towing\"
DATE: Wednesday August 2, 2006 -- 5:55:25 am

I just gotta tell ya J.G. has hit the nail on the head!...well said,to the point and so true!...thanks

FROM: J.G. [E-Mail]
DATE: Wednesday August 9, 2006 -- 12:05:16 am

Thanks Dave, I'm thinking about starting a tow guy forum, if i can figure it out. I think there's alot of drivers out there who would love to have a place to share stories, pics, tips, and what not. Im going to talk to my computer gifted brother to see if he can help me out.

FROM: Aanen
DATE: Wednesday August 9, 2006 -- 2:04:38 pm

6 years later, this ping is still going strong!! wow

FROM: Will S.
DATE: Friday August 18, 2006 -- 1:25:08 am

12:30 am: Park the truck, check the hangtag, grab our umbrellas
12:45 am: Car alarm remote beeps.
12:46 am: run out to my truck to see tow truck lifting the back end.
12:47 am: show through the window (after having to wipe condensation off from the rain storm that lasted all night) the parking tag clearly visible.
12:48 am: get told i need to pay him 50 dollars cash to drop the truck down.
12:50 am: call the police




1:35 am: re park my truck, and watch tow truck driver arrested.



Condo Fees... 250 a month
Parking tag... 30 bucks per car per 6 months
Cash to get the car off the truck... 50 bucks

Watching a scam artist get arrested.. Priceless