CNN interviews a former tow truck driver to get the dirt on how the business works. There’s not a lot of new info here, but it may be useful to know that just because you see some un-towed cars in a towing zone, it doesn’t mean it’s safe—usually, drivers leave some cars alone to entice fresh vehicles: “It’s kind of like fishing, you want to keep some bait out there.”
He told us that when the smart tow truck companies impound a car, they write down the VIN and the license plate number, then call the DMV and put a lien on that owner for the amount of money it costs to store the car. “Other tow truck companies might just sell the car off or just apply for the title and sell it off and get what money they can for it,” he said.
We asked him what the company he worked for did in these cases. “If someone offered them cash for the car they just kind of unloaded it off to them.” He said they didn’t get in trouble for that because, “They had a connection up at the DMV, a lady was making titles for them.”
By law, the towing companies are supposed to wait 45 days before they apply for the title at the DMV. “But you know, it varies,” Dan said.
“Confessions of a tow truck driver” [CNN]
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(Photo: Getty)
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@hollerhither: My brother was borrowing my car in Boston for a couple weeks. He only needed it on a couple of those days so he had to find a place to park it for a few days. He drove around and couldn’t find a spot and wasn’t about to pay an outrageous price to park it in a garage or lot. He thought he finally found a long term spot, but was wrong and got towed. The cost of the tow and keeping it in the tow lot for a couple days was still LESS than what he would have spent if he parked it in a garage.
I got a parking ticket last September (2006) for parking in a residential zone in DC for more than two hours. Trouble is — I live in that zone and had a sticker prominently posted on my windshield.
So I fought the ticket, and sure enough they denied my claim a few months later. So I paid the $30 ticket, a $10 appeal fee, and sent it in last January. Still haven’t heard from them yet. I called the DMV a few weeks ago and they said it usually takes around a year to process. Easy for them to take their time I guess when they hold your cash.
It’s still not as bad as the time I got a ticket for an expired meter on a block that a) has no meters and b) is zoned residentially. At least they went through with my denial claim on that one when I sent in pictures that show there are no meters.
i can see where you can say that towing companies are scum. but you can’t say that ALL of them are absolute trash.
my dad has a towing company. and i see many an irate customer come in and get mad because of his prices…and he is the cheapest in the county by far. most of my dad’s business comes from the local police, he tows the impounds and accidents. you can’t blame the towing company for towing your car because you had expired plates. you can blame the cops for pulling you over. they are your plates, keep them up to date.
he almost never tries to go for the title unless its a half way decent car and he knows he won’t get a dime for it which rarely ever happens.
oh and he doesn’t do that bull where you just randomly tow a car because its in a parking lot or no parking area. that’s just plain rude.
@AnitraSmith: Oh Boston. I like how some towns, like Cambridge, will tow you for parking on a street during street cleaning (that ends up costing you about $140), while if you park across the street in Somerville and do the same thing, they’ll just ticket you $30.
After getting my car towed and paying a huge amount of money I decided to go without and use public transportation instead. It was very nice after the first big snowstorm this year to not have to worry about where to park and watching for tow trucks. (My neighbor waited until 4:00 AM when they finished plowing the street to park in front of our apartment.) No insurance to pay, just a monthly bus pass.
Tow truck drivers that I have seen do not appear to be very ethical and are just out for a buck.
My friend Tommy had his car towed, and rightfully so (parked in a fire zone). He was pretty upset to come out of the Apt. Complex and find it already attached to the truck.
Not being the most level-headed guy, he released a string of profanities that would make a nun blush as the driver left. When I drove him to the tow yard the next day, they tacked on a $50 “temper fee”, which of course set off another outburst and another $50 “temper fee” on top of that. I apologized for him, escorted him out to my car, and went back in to settle up with the guy at the desk. I was able to talk the guy out of the second $50 with a BS story.
@rkm0001: I sure hope someone fought the ticket. They would have won as they paid for time that the city then refused to credit them for.
@MercuryPDX: Temper Fee = Extortion fee
Evil repo man or not is not the issue. It’s the nonregulated towing industry. These guys hunt cars. They take them illegally, and gamble that car owners would rather just pay the 100 dollars and get their car today then take them to court and get it back next week. That’s the game plan — a gamble. And an illegal one.
In Chicago there is a DMV located near Western (forget the cross-street) in a TINY lot. There are never enough parking spaces so people inevitably drive around the lot in circles, just one long procession.
Well, there’s a restaurant on one end of the lot that I’ve never seen open (and it doesn’t look like it has EVER been open) that has a few parking spots out in front of it in the same lot. These are marked for the restaurants use only and a tow truck is usually camped somewhere nearby. If he doesn’t get people from those spots, the McDonald’s in the adjacent lot has a spotter who will have him there in under 30 seconds.
I swear to god though, it HAS to be a racket where someone bought the property in the DMV lot with the spots and never planned on opening the restaurant and just gets a cut from the tow truck driver. Guarantee it more than pays the bills…
You guys will enjoy this story, it has it all. [www.newsvine.com]
@trollkiller: Abotu time something happened to one of them.
A friend of mine had a car that was repo’d by the dealership – she refused to pay on the car because the dealership refused to honor the warranty and repair some serious problems with the vehicle.
She was living with her parents.
The repo man came in the still of night, snuck into the back yard, and busted in the window of the car.
Her father heard some commotion, ran out back, and pumped two loads of buckshot into the repo man.
Repo man called the cops, cops showed up and arrested him for breaking into the vehicle and having an unlicensed firearm in his truck, gave friend’s father some kudos for being armed and protecting his family.
Ah, the joy of living in a state where you can shoot anyone trespassing on your property.
@david_consumerist:
In most states, repo men are required by law to have the sherriff present when repossessing a vehicle, especially at the person’s house.
Tell your ‘friend,’ if they exist, to stop stealing cars. Grand Theft Auto is more than just a game.