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A DRIVER said they received no warning after their car was towed and racked up $1,700 in fines – lawyers said the driver is still on the hook for the money, even though there were no street signs.
The driver was seeking help for their parking fine woes, but the expert told the motorist their excuse was “pure nonsense.”
A driver complained after receiving more than a thousand dollars in fines after a tow[/caption]
After receiving the gigantic parking fine, the driver turned to lawyers on Avvo, a website providing information on lawyers and legal services.
The driver said the towing has thrown a wrench in their standard parking routine.
“I always leave my car parked unattended on the street,” the owner said in the public post.
“It’s been fine for weeks before.”
However, the driver said their car’s tags and registration had expired.
Still, they didn’t think the city gave them proper warning before snatching the vehicle from the street.
“I keep an eye online where you track tickets and towing,” the driver said.
“[The online portal] wasn’t updated, so I wasn’t informed it was towed. Nobody called, mailed a letter, or anything.”
Instead, the driver said their car had been reported stolen by police.
After the tow and subsequent storage fee, the car had racked up $1,700 in fines.
“I feel this was negligent,” the driver stated before asking if they had a right to sue the station.
However, two lawyers jumped in to say the driver doesn’t have a lot of ground to stand on in court.
“This seems [like] a legal tow,” one lawyer suggested.
“Aside from the warnings sent out by email from DMV and your own registration and insurance card, a registration running out is hard to do. And you seemed to know the car was towed and not stolen.”
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
The lawyer also said that city law forbids drivers from parking their car in the same spot for more than seven days.
The first lawyers suggested the driver pay up and grab the car before the towing “costs you even more.”
Another lawyer jumped in with similarly harsh language.
“Alleging you didn’t know your registration was expired is pure nonsense; you are responsible for your car,” the second lawyer said.
“There is really no excuse for failing to renew your registration.”
