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B.S Tow

Mortifer said:
the tow company should have taken pics before towing your bike to prove it was a legit tow, ask to see them. shame you paid them already, you could have challenged them and not paid or better understood why you were towed.
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Unfortunately, the tow company doesn't have to prove anything except that SFPD requested the tow, which they did. I went back to the scene. there were no signs posted, except one down the block and across the street.

Lex2go said:
The event you are speaking of is Obama staying at the Fairmont Hotel. It was a last minute change of plans due to after visiting the shooting victims in Colorado. I would try to fight the towing, but as its San Francisco, I doubt you'll get any refund back.
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Yes, I heard it on the news today. if I had heard it on the news yesterday, I might have figured it out and not parked there, but in the absence of a sign, I doubt it.

hyo650 said:
I call :bs in the most polite way possible....

My understanding is that in order to get a vehicle out of AutoReturn's greedy little hands is to pay whatever the tow charge is. At least that was with my experiece. The guy at the window literally told me that I must pay first, and ask questions later. So by the train of thought, the only way OP would be able to see pictures/evidence/whatever you want to call it is at the cost of acruing additonal towing/storage fees....no?
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This is true. It goes up like $34 every four hours. The longer I waited the more $ I would have to try and fail to get back. In addition, even after I paid the money I still had to go to SFPD Southern Station to get a release.

clutchslip said:
Fight the darn thing. You were wronged. If the city/tow company doesn't reimburse you, take it to Secret Service. Send an email to the White House. Tell the press. Better to fight for your rightful funds than get screwed because of circumstance.

Of course, if you find out that there was some sign that you just missed, ignore all the above and take it in the bottom, like a good City dweller.
:twofinger
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Yes, I will fight it, but not today. SFPD will probably be too understaffed because all their officers are making bank on overtime in order to keep the streets clean of the riff-raff citizens and their vehicles.

And yes, I will lose. Even though there was no signage, and I have photographic evidence. The worst thing is, I was just towed two months ago. It was my fault and I took it in the ass like a good citizen. But I said "never again" and I always make extra sure to double check for any signs indicating no parking. The cardboard ones are the worst.

And for those who say it's Obama's fault - do you really think it would have been any different under Bush or Romney? It makes no difference - the average joe gets fucked either way.
 
SlideSF said:
Unfortunately, the tow company doesn't have to prove anything except that SFPD requested the tow, which they did. I went back to the scene. there were no signs posted, except one down the block and across the street.



Yes, I heard it on the news today. if I had heard it on the news yesterday, I might have figured it out and not parked there, but in the absence of a sign, I doubt it.



This is true. It goes up like $34 every four hours. The longer I waited the more $ I would have to try and fail to get back. In addition, even after I paid the money I still had to go to SFPD Southern Station to get a release.



Yes, I will fight it, but not today. SFPD will probably be too understaffed because all their officers are making bank on overtime in order to keep the streets clean of the riff-raff citizens and their vehicles.

And yes, I will lose. Even though there was no signage, and I have photographic evidence. The worst thing is, I was just towed two months ago. It was my fault and I took it in the ass like a good citizen. But I said "never again" and I always make extra sure to double check for any signs indicating no parking. The cardboard ones are the worst.

And for those who say it's Obama's fault - do you really think it would have been any different under Bush or Romney? It makes no difference - the average joe gets fucked either way.
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You wish it was that cheap... :laughing

Also useful info...possibly
 
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corndog67 said:
I've been under the impression that tow companies were pretty fucking criminal enterprises, have been for a long time. I've had 2 vehicles towed in my life, and both times, I lost them, because I didn't have the funds to get them back quickly, and the fees rise exponentially. After a few weeks, it's topping $2000, and being a broke dick at the time, I didn't have it. Goodbye 955 Daytona, Goodbye cool ole 3/4 ton, 454 Chevy truck. I went to the tow yard to get my shit out of the truck, all my tie downs were gone, all my shit had been gone through, the stereotypical 400 lb dirtbag tow yard operator was pretty smug about my shit being gone, and had the nerve to ask for the paperwork. Nope, you can pay the lien filing fees, I'll keep my $15 cocksucker.

I had one positive experience, my CBR1000F got towed after they came to my house when I outran the fuckers one day (the last time ever I did that), my bike got towed, I got out of jail, the guy that towed it was real cool, the Highway Patrol was supposed to keep it for 30 days, but apparently didn't check some box they were supposed to, so instead of calling them to check (he told me that), he let me pay my $168 fee, and ride home. I rode right by the Marina Police station (they were involved in hauling me off), waved, got a double take by those guys, and went home.

Good luck, brother, the great majority of those guys are crooks (except for any BARFERS that might happen to be tow operators, that was probably the case for the guy that released my CBR.
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SF used to have a contract with City Tow. They would hold your vehicle for around 10 days before notifying you. By then the storage fees would be so high that in many cases it was more than the vehicle was worth. They would also conveniently send you a form to release your ownership of the vehicle. I was actually pretty happy about it one time because I had bought a car for my girlfriend (in my name of course), and she kept getting tickets on it. In order to get that $200 car back I would have had to pay $3,600. This was in 1990 when that was like two months wages. I happily signed to get rid of that thing.

But I digress. Eventually a lot of people sued the company, and City Tow lost the contract. I think they were running a chop shop as well and got shut down. In contrast, AutoReturn (ironic name for a company whose business it is to remove your auto) is very polite about the way they fuck you in the ass. No storage fees for the first four hours! And they post the information online right away. But yeah, it's still a racket, and you know that company has a sweet little deal with the City.
 
The city is really stepping it up. Just when I finally had street cleaning and avoiding tickets all figured out, I go back to my car one day to find out I got a no front plate ticket. $114!!! ridiculous, can't avoid getting tickets.
 
EvilCrayon said:
The city is really stepping it up. Just when I finally had street cleaning and avoiding tickets all figured out, I go back to my car one day to find out I got a no front plate ticket. $114!!! ridiculous, can't avoid getting tickets.
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At least that is a correctable one....
 
For a temporary event, there might have been a paper rectangular sign bound with cotton string and it might've fallen on the ground when you had parked; therefore you have not seen it.

p.s. I skipped some posts, has anyone mentioned that the special event might've been 'pres parking' ? You know that a whole block was cleaned and closed off yesterday in dtn, right? (maybe 2 or 3, and you park usually, right there.)

Lex2go said:
The event you are speaking of is Obama staying at the Fairmont Hotel. It was a last minute change of plans due to after visiting the shooting victims in Colorado. I would try to fight the towing, but as its San Francisco, I doubt you'll get any refund back.
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This is not San Francisco's deal. It's a towing company that did it. Why do you hate private businesses, they have to eat too!
 
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I had a similar 'special event' tow at the big game in Berkeley awhile back.

They must have towed several hundred cars that day - big money maker for the city/tow companies.
 
If you contact any government agency connected with the Presidential visit, they will just tell you that any money you lost in towing fees you will recoup in health care costs :rolleyes
 
AbsolutEnduser said:
This is not San Francisco's deal. It's a towing company that did it. Why do you hate private businesses, they have to eat too!
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Not sure how you took my comments as I'm against private business. I just stated the special event was Obama staying overnight at the Fairmont. :rolleyes
 
SlideSF said:
And for those who say it's Obama's fault - do you really think it would have been any different under Bush or Romney? It makes no difference - the average joe gets fucked either way.
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I didn't say it was Obama's fault. But then again, I wouldn't vote for him if his "special event" got my beautiful motorcycle towed. Just saying. :twofinger
 
Yo!Joe!!! said:
I didn't say it was Obama's fault. But then again, I wouldn't vote for him if his "special event" got my beautiful motorcycle towed. Just saying. :twofinger
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Something tells me you wouldn't vote for him not even if promised his two virgin daughters to you.
 
InNoHurry said:
Something tells me you wouldn't vote for him not even if promised his two virgin daughters to you.
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Too young dude. And why you gotta make things political..? :x
 
Actually just paid a $270 tow fee this morning to get the GF's car out. The tow yard guy who was pretty cool, dealt with the situation quickly and gave us some tips for avoiding a tow next time ( HOA firelane bullshit ), so two thumbs up for him.

However, tow rates are pretty much BULLSHIT even in SJ ( cheaper than SF ).

How do they justify a $200 TOW FEE when they can literally finish the job in less than 5 minutes including the time it takes to snap photos to prove you park illegally.

This particle tow yard was 5 minutes from my house, and they pretty much work a 10 mile radius, so at most, it would have been 10 minute to get to the tow, 5 minutes to hook up, and 10 minutes back. 25 minutes of work for $200 mean roughly $487 / hr they make PER tow truck.

And I've gotten tow for $40-$80 for much longer distance so it don't argue 'operating cost'. They charge this rate only because they can get away with it. Its pure profit for them.

Hah .. and people complain about corporate CEOs / bankers / wall street guys getting paid too much. How about some occupy "X" towing company yard !?

Not to mention the ridiculous after hour 'gate' fee .. $100 for someone to walk out and press a button to open a sliding gate .. another 5 minute job.

Not to mention the daily storage fee ( $70 in my case ) even if your car is there for 1 minute ..

The towing game is pretty much legal robbery.

The ones who gets hurts the most .. ie loses their car to fees .. are the ones in the most f'ed up situation that can least afford it.

To clarify, I do understand its a job that needs to be done .. to keep asshole from blocking the road. HOWEVER, how about a more reasonable rate that people can actually afford while still giving tow company a decent profit .. like a $60 / tow + $x per mile outside of a certain range ? And reasonable storage like a parking lot. $5 / hr up to $25 max a day ?

:END RANT
 
For those who insist on making every thread political: Don't worry, I won't be voting for anyone. I will only be voting against the other one. Believe me, if he gets in and continues to fight against taxes for the rich and side with corporations against real people, then this kind of thing will only get worse. You may think that no tax increase means you will spend less money, but in fact it will result in even more increase in "fees", because the money to run things has to come from somewhere.

$475 is candy money to someone who makes 5 million a year or more, but it's a big chunk of change for those who make $50k or less.
 
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