legal rights - when my vehicle was towed....?

Question

My car was recently towed. When I called about my vehicle, I couldn't get a straight answer from them. Now I'm not sure if my vehicle was suppose to be towed or not.

What I want to know is if my vehicle was towed, what are my rights for information? I want to know when exactly my vehicle was towed, and how long I've been parked before I was towed.

I live in an apartment with fire lanes on the side of the building.

I was told by the managers (and the towing company that towed my car) that I am allowed to park there to load and unload, up to 20 minutes.

The car was towed from the 'security' company that patrols the parking area from time to time. They are not a full time staff and they have someone driving around to look for illegally parked vehicles.

The car was not called to be towed by the police department. It was towed because I was parked there past 20 minutes.

I was parked there for about 20 minutes before I realized that my car was missing. It was not towed for the first 10 minutes because I was unloading from my christmas shopping and it took me about that long to unload everything. I decided to leave the house to return a video and it was at that time when my vehicle was towed.

I need to gather evidence that my car was towed improperly but I cannot do this without more information.

The police department said specifically that 'you cannot park in a fire lane for any period of time, with exception of private properties'. The car was parked well within the private lot, not a public street. Therefore, it is up to the land lords to make a decision on enforcing the policy. My landlord specifically mentioned that I can park there for up to 20 minutes to unload.

My question is this and ONLY this.

What are my rights, as far as information is concerned, if my car was towed? I simply want to know when my car was towed. I don't think I'm asking much.

And I will park there as much as I'd like, as long as it is within the limits that I'm given.

Answer 1

In California, the police must mail the registered owner a notice of storage, to the registered owner's address held by the DMV, as soon as practicle, and no more than 24 - 48 hours after the tow is completed. This notice will include storage location information, the legal authority to tow the vehicle and contact information for whoever is storing the vehicle.

If the tow is completed by a private party (such as it was towed out of a store parking lot because you left it there to long) you will need to get ahold of the business requesting the tow and deal with them.

If your tow was completed by the police, they should give you the information needed to recover your vehicle. If you have problems with the desk clerk or officer, demand to talk to a supervisor. You may get resolution through a supervisor when you can't otherwise.

Answer 2

Uh, a Fire Lane means No Parking except for fire or emergency vehicles responding to an emergency. It is NOT for "Parking for 20 minutes to unload the car". Your 20 minute "window" is far more than you are allowed under the law; 20 minutes longer.

Your car was towed properly. It would have been towed properly if you'd been parked there for 5 minutes. Or 2.

The information on how long your car was parked illegally in a fire lane is irrelevent and probably not available.

However, the towing company, building management, or security company pretty much needs to tell you where your car is and how to get a hold of them. The towing company should also be able to tell you what time they were called and what time your car was picked up.

Now, stop parking in fire lanes.

Answer 3

You need to provide more info--
WHO did you call about your vehicle? Police? Wrecker? Impound lot?
Usually police cannot tow a vehicle unless:
a) it is in a no parking zone (loading zone, school zone, courthouse, etc)
b) on a residential street that has no signs, if its blocking a driveway
c) if it is a hazard, as in being so badly parked that it blocks traffic or impedes the view of oncoming traffic.

If it was towed by the police, you have the right to know when and why, but you have to go through proper channels- i.e, chain of command.

As for how long it was parked before it was towed, how would the police know that?

BTW --Most agencies will not tow from a private parking lot (Ex.. Walmart, Mcdonalds, any store) unless the vehicle just happens to get checked by an officer for some reason and it comes back as stolen or being sought by law enforcement.

The wrecker company will send you a registered letter with all the information you need to recover your vehicle, but you must get it as soon as you know where it is because they charge a lot. (I paid 400.00 after an accident)

Answer 4

Your landlord may have provided you with incorrect information. But it seems as if that point is irrelevant to your question.

You absolutely have the right to know where your property (you car) was towed to...your car is still yours...they MUST provide you the specific information on its location.

Now for the bad news...you are likely incurring a "storage fee" for every day that your car is stored at a yard...so not only will you have to pay the "impound fee" but you will likely also have to pay the storage fee for however many days they kept it...

Usually tow truck companies tow these vehicles to their own lots. They will likely be the ones who will charge you the "storage fee"...

Good luck...

Answer 5

First, most of us need more info to answer this question. Were you parked illegally or on someone's private property? Tell a little more about the circumstances surrounding the tow.