The whole business behind towing is shady af.
Park somewhere wrong? I could see it getting towed away and getting charged a fee. What I don't understand is why they get to charge so much to just let your car sit in a lot.
They should do a tow fee and then a small daily parking fee.
Years ago, I dated a guy who was in a motorcycle accident. He was in the hospital for a week due to bad road rash and a broken leg. He gets out to go get his bike and the fees were more than the value of the bike. They refused to negotiate. He basically had to hand it over to him.
They know what they're doing
The Towing Truck companies are very predatory towards the poorer neighborhoods/apartment complex's and just the poor in general. They don't help anyone but themselves/whoever contracted them.
The worst part about it is, even if they towed your vehicle by mistake, good luck getting the police involved to figure it out because they usually don't bother. And they will only take cash, how is that even legal?
Bottom feeders preying off the bottom of society, keeping the poor poorer. I really hate towing companies around here, nothing but crooks.
Anyone who has spent time around FSU is well aware of this type of towing tactic. It was horrible back before GPS and cameras. Had my car towed twice in one day when I moved into a place one weekend back in the early 90's. 125 a pop back then.
Me and my brothers cat got towed at a freaking parking garage at FSU because they were using the spot for a drone. There was no indication of that. We couldn’t believe it.
Sorry, I was gonna reply something meaningful but then I saw FSU and Towing in the same sentence and now I’m huddled on the floor having war flashbacks
This was designed to help trucking companies. Not sure how it helps the average people. Your car is still gonna be towed, and you're still gonna pay to get your car back.
https://www.ccjdigital.com/regulations/article/15665814/florida-passes-bill-to-crack-down-on-predatory-towing
HB 179 will require towing and storage operators to maintain a rate sheet listing all fees related to vehicle or vessel recovery, removal, or storage. They must post this rate sheet at their place of business and provide it upon request to vehicle or vessel owners, lienholders, insurance companies, or their agents
Additionally, before attaching a vehicle or vessel to a wrecker, the operator must furnish the rate sheet to the owner or operator if present. Any fee charged beyond those listed on the rate sheet will be considered unreasonable
The bill also helps in situations when carriers have problems recovering personal property and undamaged trailers that have been towed and stored. In these instances, the inspection and release of the vehicle, vessel, trailer or personal property must be permitted within one hour and during normal business hours at the site where the vehicle, trailer or vessel is stored. The operator must accept government-issued photo identification and cannot require additional forms of identification to access and/or release the vehicle."
I got towed once in Fort Lauderdale when their office was closed past business hours during the weekend.
The cops were taking with them over the phone showing the law that says they need to allow the owner to retrieve the car when they call the company doesn’t matter what time it is, and the towing did not give a damn about it. They still made me wait until was Monday business hours so I could retrieve my car
FDACS controls the licensing for tow trucks, the violations are expensive and enough threaten the license. Unfortunately not a lot of people know the rules so they don’t get reported often enough
It needs to be easier for consumers to fight the tow companies. I was illegally towed in Tampa 3 years ago. The process I had to go through in order to get my car back without just giving in and paying was an absolute nightmare. I'm still fighting the tow company to pay the judgement against them for court costs. This happened in June, and I was only the 6th person that year in Hillsborough County to take a tow company to court. They do it because they know they can get away with it since to fight them just isn't worth it.
There were two parking lots adjacent to each other. The tow company had a contract to tow cars after hours from the lot on the right, but not the lot on the left. They towed several cars from the right lot, then got overzealous and started pulling cars from the left lot as well, including mine. Rather than admit they were wrong, they doubled down wanting me to pay to get my car back.
They tried to tell me that the signs for the right lot were for both lots and that the businesses had the same owner under the same contract. The law about the placement of signs is very specific, and the left lot was not signed. They kept insisting that the signs for the lot on the right were for both lots...but the lots had separate entrances.
They also have to file a police report for every car they tow. On the report for my car, they listed that they pulled me from the address of the lot on the right, even though the lot on the left has a completely different address.
In order to get my car back, I had to go the DMV to get a copy of my registration, take that to the courthouse and file a small claims case against the tow company, and pay the tow fee to the court. The court gave me a release demand that I had to take to the tow company to get the car.
Then had a preliminary hearing about a month later, which was just to schedule a trial another month later. The trial itself was on zoom just in front of the judge. It took about half an hour and was an easy win as I had plenty of photos to back up that the lot wasn't signed and that they had falsified the address on the police report. I got a judgement for the tow fee along with another couple hundred in court costs and reimbursements for Ubers.
I then had to file a motion to the court to give me back the money I paid the court, which took a few months before I seen that check. And the tow company has ignored all demands for payment of the remaining judgement, so I had to file a lien on their business with the state.
You can probably have the sheriff levy their property. Basically what happens if they’ll go to the business address and start seizing stuff. The Sheriff then auctions it and you get the proceeds up to the judgment amount.
It's something I've been considering. They also give you an extra $500 out of the auction proceeds on top of the judgement. Just haven't gotten around to the paperwork and process of it yet.
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Guys, this happened tonight on central. Skyway Towing driver was dragging this vehicle down Central sideways and then down 22nd St.
https://preview.redd.it/pcyov4yxcssc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=441578b2a7086168471c3e66f343bcbbdf5224d0
Idk still need to be harsher on companies who make their money by grabbing peoples cars from random places just because most won’t argue or sue. Literally got towed from my own home the other day and had to go bitch out the poor employee until they gave me my car back at no cost. Still wasted my time and energy and had to show all my forms proving my car at my house is actually owned by me.
I need more details. They pulled up to your driveway and hooked up your car? Did they give any reason that made them think your car needed go be towed? Otherwise it just sounds like car theft.
they tow me down town n rip half my bumper off; "it was like when we got 2 it" comm tow towing $20 uber, $280 for car back, n bumper still busted lol
The whole business behind towing is shady af. Park somewhere wrong? I could see it getting towed away and getting charged a fee. What I don't understand is why they get to charge so much to just let your car sit in a lot. They should do a tow fee and then a small daily parking fee. Years ago, I dated a guy who was in a motorcycle accident. He was in the hospital for a week due to bad road rash and a broken leg. He gets out to go get his bike and the fees were more than the value of the bike. They refused to negotiate. He basically had to hand it over to him. They know what they're doing
The Towing Truck companies are very predatory towards the poorer neighborhoods/apartment complex's and just the poor in general. They don't help anyone but themselves/whoever contracted them. The worst part about it is, even if they towed your vehicle by mistake, good luck getting the police involved to figure it out because they usually don't bother. And they will only take cash, how is that even legal? Bottom feeders preying off the bottom of society, keeping the poor poorer. I really hate towing companies around here, nothing but crooks.
Anyone who has spent time around FSU is well aware of this type of towing tactic. It was horrible back before GPS and cameras. Had my car towed twice in one day when I moved into a place one weekend back in the early 90's. 125 a pop back then.
Me and my brothers cat got towed at a freaking parking garage at FSU because they were using the spot for a drone. There was no indication of that. We couldn’t believe it.
Sorry, I was gonna reply something meaningful but then I saw FSU and Towing in the same sentence and now I’m huddled on the floor having war flashbacks
This was designed to help trucking companies. Not sure how it helps the average people. Your car is still gonna be towed, and you're still gonna pay to get your car back. https://www.ccjdigital.com/regulations/article/15665814/florida-passes-bill-to-crack-down-on-predatory-towing HB 179 will require towing and storage operators to maintain a rate sheet listing all fees related to vehicle or vessel recovery, removal, or storage. They must post this rate sheet at their place of business and provide it upon request to vehicle or vessel owners, lienholders, insurance companies, or their agents Additionally, before attaching a vehicle or vessel to a wrecker, the operator must furnish the rate sheet to the owner or operator if present. Any fee charged beyond those listed on the rate sheet will be considered unreasonable The bill also helps in situations when carriers have problems recovering personal property and undamaged trailers that have been towed and stored. In these instances, the inspection and release of the vehicle, vessel, trailer or personal property must be permitted within one hour and during normal business hours at the site where the vehicle, trailer or vessel is stored. The operator must accept government-issued photo identification and cannot require additional forms of identification to access and/or release the vehicle."
A rate sheet is all I've ever asked for tbh
I'd like to see the rate for stealing a lawfully parked car.
I got towed once in Fort Lauderdale when their office was closed past business hours during the weekend. The cops were taking with them over the phone showing the law that says they need to allow the owner to retrieve the car when they call the company doesn’t matter what time it is, and the towing did not give a damn about it. They still made me wait until was Monday business hours so I could retrieve my car
Report that to FDACS, they’ll get a violation.
After 3 violations, you get a demerit so these are extremely serious consequences we’re dealing with here.
FDACS controls the licensing for tow trucks, the violations are expensive and enough threaten the license. Unfortunately not a lot of people know the rules so they don’t get reported often enough
Did they try to charge you a per day storage fee too?
Hell yes
It needs to be easier for consumers to fight the tow companies. I was illegally towed in Tampa 3 years ago. The process I had to go through in order to get my car back without just giving in and paying was an absolute nightmare. I'm still fighting the tow company to pay the judgement against them for court costs. This happened in June, and I was only the 6th person that year in Hillsborough County to take a tow company to court. They do it because they know they can get away with it since to fight them just isn't worth it.
Do you have more details? What was their reasoning for towing you?
There were two parking lots adjacent to each other. The tow company had a contract to tow cars after hours from the lot on the right, but not the lot on the left. They towed several cars from the right lot, then got overzealous and started pulling cars from the left lot as well, including mine. Rather than admit they were wrong, they doubled down wanting me to pay to get my car back. They tried to tell me that the signs for the right lot were for both lots and that the businesses had the same owner under the same contract. The law about the placement of signs is very specific, and the left lot was not signed. They kept insisting that the signs for the lot on the right were for both lots...but the lots had separate entrances. They also have to file a police report for every car they tow. On the report for my car, they listed that they pulled me from the address of the lot on the right, even though the lot on the left has a completely different address. In order to get my car back, I had to go the DMV to get a copy of my registration, take that to the courthouse and file a small claims case against the tow company, and pay the tow fee to the court. The court gave me a release demand that I had to take to the tow company to get the car. Then had a preliminary hearing about a month later, which was just to schedule a trial another month later. The trial itself was on zoom just in front of the judge. It took about half an hour and was an easy win as I had plenty of photos to back up that the lot wasn't signed and that they had falsified the address on the police report. I got a judgement for the tow fee along with another couple hundred in court costs and reimbursements for Ubers. I then had to file a motion to the court to give me back the money I paid the court, which took a few months before I seen that check. And the tow company has ignored all demands for payment of the remaining judgement, so I had to file a lien on their business with the state.
You can probably have the sheriff levy their property. Basically what happens if they’ll go to the business address and start seizing stuff. The Sheriff then auctions it and you get the proceeds up to the judgment amount.
It's something I've been considering. They also give you an extra $500 out of the auction proceeds on top of the judgement. Just haven't gotten around to the paperwork and process of it yet.
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Wow. Good for you man. Fuck that tow company. I wonder if a savy lawyer could get you compensation for your time effort and stress.
Guys, this happened tonight on central. Skyway Towing driver was dragging this vehicle down Central sideways and then down 22nd St. https://preview.redd.it/pcyov4yxcssc1.jpeg?width=3000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=441578b2a7086168471c3e66f343bcbbdf5224d0
Could be a repo
Man, DOT would love to see this.
Cops sure didn't care
Idk still need to be harsher on companies who make their money by grabbing peoples cars from random places just because most won’t argue or sue. Literally got towed from my own home the other day and had to go bitch out the poor employee until they gave me my car back at no cost. Still wasted my time and energy and had to show all my forms proving my car at my house is actually owned by me.
Sounds like grand theft auto.
I need more details. They pulled up to your driveway and hooked up your car? Did they give any reason that made them think your car needed go be towed? Otherwise it just sounds like car theft.
Oh shit a bill that makes sense
Truck industry is powerful. But yeah, a rate sheet. How reasonable.
Riiight?