$275 Towing Fee?

[naturedude11]

Can't help you with your question, Justin. I don't know Officers Collins and Rawlston, you'd have to ask them if you have a problem with what they're doing. They were in uniform before the Wrecker Board, so I would guess they were acting as cops, and not as citizens.

It looks to me like we've got a couple of courageous, honest cops who are tired of seeing their neighbors getting held up on a regular basis. And thanks in part to their efforts in going before the Wrecker Board, the thieves are being forced to stop gouging Chattanooga residents, and will soon be in line with towing companies in other major Tennessee cities, who have somehow managed to stay in business...even without charging people 3 times what they did a year or two ago.

Thanks again, Officers Collins and Rawlston. You may not have the support of a handful of these forum regulars. (As Justin would say, not that it really matters anyway. They are wrong). But you have the support of the Wrecker Board, the City Council and the overwhelming majority of citizens.

[Justin Thyme]

It looks to me like we've got a couple of courageous, honest cops who are tired of seeing their neighbors getting held up on a regular basis.

Not to say that they aren't courageous and honest but on what do you base this assertion that they are? Do you personally know these two men? Do you have knowledge of anything specifically they have done to earn these two meritorious adjectives? I'm sure you didn't describe them as courageous and honest just for standing up for trespassers.

And who gets towed from tow away zones on a regular basis?

[el Gusano]

You haven't answered me yet as to what other personal transactions need their prices regulated by the government.

Cars?

Houses?

Food?

[joedog]

OK I have a question here.
A person is caught having an extramarital affair. Which in some states is still illegal. A person instead of going to their spouse to expose them they came up to them and said I need x amount to make sure your marriage is not compromised.

Is that legal or immoral?

[Justin Thyme]

I have no idea what that has to do with this thread, Joe, but I have no sympathy for the person running around on their spouse. To me, taking their money is fair game. Just let the spouse know regardless of whether they pay or not. A person who would betray their marriage covenant deserves whatever fate befalls them.... including towing their car!

[Police Moderator]

I have no sympathy for the person running around on their spouse. To me, taking their money is fair game.

I agree. But we need the Chattanooga City Council to name a set amount.

Adulterers need to be stoned (In the "rock" sense), in my humble opinion.

[joedog]

Justin its called extortion.
While charging what they want is still legal its immoral. There is many things legal just immoral. Many times these tow truck guys are like vultures. I have seen here in town a guy standing on the corner of one of these lots. Newer midrange car pulls in, and because they went into the wrong store, The guy on the corner makes a phone call, seconds later the tow truck is backing up. A few minutes later a rust bucket rattle bomb hits the same spot, they head to the same store, the guy walks over says something to them on the way in. They go in the store and no truck shows. To me it looks like they pick who they can extort.


This was on the corner of N Market and Fraizer.

[Justin Thyme]

While charging what they want is still legal its immoral.

So you think the wrecker board should regulate morality? Maybe they should start with the person running around on their spouse. That's worse that parking in a tow away zone in my opinion.

Many times these tow truck guys are like vultures. I have seen here in town a guy standing on the corner of one of these lots. Newer midrange car pulls in, and because they went into the wrong store, The guy on the corner makes a phone call, seconds later the tow truck is backing up. A few minutes later a rust bucket rattle bomb hits the same spot, they head to the same store, the guy walks over says something to them on the way in. They go in the store and no truck shows. To me it looks like they pick who they can extort.

Okay, so you are saying you would be okay with the picking and choosing if the towing fee was more reasonable? Or are you saying that the guy that got towed was justified in parking on one store's lot to use another store because not all cars were being towed?

Forget about the rust bucket that wasn't towed, did the guy in the newer midrange car park in a way that justified towing the car?

I'm just not sure that John Doe getting away with parking in a tow away zone justifies Jim Smith parking in that spot.

And was it the guy in the newer midrange car cheating on his spouse or was it the guy in the rust bucket?

Regardless of any of that the person in the wrong has no standing to complain about the consequences being excessive when they know they are in the wrong to begin with.

[joedog]

Scratch my extortion example since you twisted it.
I guess we will agree to disagree on this matter.
While I agree there should be a fine, the excessive fine is punitive and unregulated.

What I was trying to get across is they will snatch a car that the owner may afford the fee over a POS the owner could not afford and would leave in their lot taking up space for the next 90 days until they offer it at public auction. which would not sell. Most likely the vehicle would get sold for scrap far under the towing and storage fees.

The towing owner is out their fee and the poor person driving it just may have lost out on the only transportation they had.

[Justin Thyme]

Mar 7, 2010 20:20:46 GMT -5 joedog said:

While I agree there should be a fine, the excessive fine is punitive and unregulated.

Oh, I fully agree with you on this. It is punitive and unregulated but it should be. It should be punitive so that people will understand that they don't park on someone's private property in a manner the property owner doesn't approve of. It should be unregulated because there is no justification for parking on private property in a manner the property owner doesn't approve of. This just isn't the wrecker boards intended purpose.

What I was trying to get across is they will snatch a car that the owner may afford the fee over a POS the owner could not afford and would leave in their lot taking up space for the next 90 days until they offer it at public auction. which would not sell. Most likely the vehicle would get sold for scrap far under the towing and storage fees.

Okay, I understand your annoyance at this but this is really a separate issue from the fees being charged. If I was the property owner I would insist that the towing company either take all cars parked illegally on my lot or just go back home and I'll get a company that will tow every car I want towed.

The towing owner is out their fee and the poor person driving it just may have lost out on the only transportation they had.

The car owner has a way to prevent this from happening. He can park properly. The towing owner can always seek redress in small claims court.

[naturedude11]

Justin, I'll leave it up to you to prove that Officers Collins and Rawlston are dishonest and cowardly, since you prefer to make that assumption.

I continue to maintain that like the overwhelming majority of cops, they try to protect good citizens and see that thieves are punished.

So far, so good, Officers. Some of the towing thieves have recently felt the heat of public opinion, and have suddenly cut their fees....even though they haven't been ordered to do so yet! Explain that one Justin: why would they do that?

And soon they'll have to cut them even more. None of this would have happened if they hadn't gotten greedy and crooked.

[Bob]

Thinking about it there are very few businesses that have that "ability" to "charge at will" so to speak.

I can think of only one, the dog pound (how much do you pay to get your dog back?)

The pound, however doesn't compete with other pounds so it's not really close.

The argument seems to me to be if you call the wrecker service and ask what do they charge to tow a car from private property owners, the answer would be "depends".

[mikeydokey]

My God People, shouldn't this have been in the debate forum along with baiting and bashing Christians and Christianity, what the hell do we pay you freaking moderators for?

[Justin Thyme]

shouldn't this have been in the debate forum

I liked it right here.

[mikeydokey]

I'll cut your pay in half, then we'll see where you like it.

[Bob]

@mikeydokey said:

My God People, shouldn't this have been in the debate forum along with baiting and bashing Christians and Christianity, what the hell do we pay you freaking moderators for?

Mikey, we all discussed it and decided it might annoy you more if it was here....

Mar 10, 2010 23:05:34 GMT -5 mikeydokey" said:

I'll cut your pay in half, then we'll see where you like it.

cut our pay or multiply our pay, it's still the same...

[mikeydokey]

Guess what? It worked. You get a raise.

[JC]

"I wish someone would pay me in gum!"