Police Towing Scam?

denvernougat

For the second time in as many months my car has been towed from a legal parking place. I contested the last one, and won, and I'll contest this one, and win again, but what the hell.

It seems like the 77th is deliberately towing legally parked cars knowing that at least small number of people won’t deal with the hassle of contesting. And it's a huge hassel -- getting the car back, paying the money, and then going to court just to get it thrown out.

And if our local cops are crooked enough to run this kind of scam, what does it say about them?

Is there any way to lodge a formal complaint against the 77th? Anyone else had this problem?

toadette

You should try what this guy did - http://voices.washingtonpost.com/rawfisher/2009/03/the_ultimate_taxpayer_victory.html

[Deleted User]

Oh yeah... how about they towed my zipcar 10 minutes before I was leaving for a wedding upstate. Word to the wise, dont let your zipcar get towed... the impound lot at the Navy Yard is IMPOSSIBLE.

arches

Have you been towed from the same spot each time? Where is it?

denvernougat

I was towed from St Johns right in front of the St John's market (legally spot) and again on Eastern Parkway - both times legal and non-alternate side days.

idlewild

You don't owe parking tickets or anything? You will get towed if your vehicle owes money to the City. I don't think precincts tow unless you're parked on a day where the whole block is being used like during a film shoot or parade. I believe the traffic cops had the honor of towing you twice.

paraderest

The precinct will only tow abandoned vehicles and vehicles that were reported stolen. The precinct has no involvement in violation towing (cars that end up in the navy yard.) While I understand your anger, it is directed at the wrong place.

[Deleted User]

I stand corrected... who should I direct my anger towards then?

whynot_31

do NYPD tow trucks wander throughout the city looking for violations?

...is the deciding factor in whether a car is ticketed vs towed simply the presence of a tow truck?

denvernougat

Thanks for the correction whynot - I'm glad to hear my anger was misdirected - but who is in charge of parking violations? What city agency is to blame?

unrepentant fenian

NYPD Traffic is the target of your rage. They are not police officers, they are meter maids and the muscle of the NYC Dept. of Finance. You'll be happy to know that the entire city, all 5 boroughs are tow away zones and any vehicle is subject to tow for even the most minor infractions.
Meter maids are the scum of the earth and not to be considered human. They are soulless mindless drones and should all be fed to wood chippers feet first.
For the record, police officers hate writing summonses and despise traffic agents.

rockergirl77

I got a ticket with my friend's borrowed car last week for being on a street sweeping lane 3 minutes after it changed over. I know it was technically my fault, but still - THREE MINUTES? Its like they were just waiting next to the car for 9:31 to roll around so they could get started with the ticketing.

unrepentant fenian

whynot_31 wrote: do NYPD tow trucks wander throughout the city looking for violations?

...is the deciding factor in whether a car is ticketed vs towed simply the presence of a tow truck?

Yes (traffic agents), you'll know the violation tow because they are navy blue.

And yes

brooklynpotter

yup, i saw one double parked on my street the other day. driver was walking up and down the block looking for cars with expired registration stickers

hexatron

happened to me when i first moved here, in bed-stuy. legal space, and they referenced a sign that was about a block up and totally unrelated.

bluemagoo

My guess is that they have a quota and your car was in a spot that's easy for the tow truck driver to get to your car. I'm really glad this towing crap hasn't started yet in my Brooklyn neighborhood of Old Mill Basin, still no alternate side either FWIW.

For the record Dept of Sanitation removes abandoned cars without plates. Good luck trying to get the NYPD to remove a car that appears to be abandoned if it has the proper plates & stickers. I had a car with VA plates parked in front of my house for ~ two months & couldn't get any action from the PD on it.

kick rocks!!!!

DenverNougat wrote: I was towed from St Johns right in front of the St John's market (legally spot) and again on Eastern Parkway - both times legal and non-alternate side days.

I was towed from that spot a few years ago. They got me on parking in the cross walk! I wasn't in the crosswalk, went to court...had tp pay the fine anyway! I haven't parked there since. We live in the large building on that corner and watch the towe trucks come for the cars often!

Seems like if you have a car any larger than a Smart Car, that spot isn't going to be legal because you're going to be too close to the fire hidrant!

rhodamine

bluemagoo wrote: My guess is that they have a quota and your car was in a spot that's easy for the tow truck driver to get to your car.

yup, i had my car towed twice back when i loved at park/washington, both time from the same spot (that had easy tow-truck access from the front due to a driveway). both times, i was parked legally and had no violations or anything whatsoever. i thought it was a scam, too.