Towing Issues: towing by fl highway patrol, motorcycle endorsement, palm beach county fl

Question
this morning i was cited by a fl highway patrol officer for speeding 80 in a 65, and having no motorcycle endorsement on my license. the officer stated that he was going to do me a favor and not take me to jail. and he was going to have my motorcycle towed to my residence. when i asked him if i could have a endorsed driver that was 2 min. away come pick up my motorcycle he stated again that he was doing me a favor and not taking me to jail.after paying the two hundred dollars for the tow the tow driver told me that if i had called them verses the fhp officer that the tow bill would only have been one hundred and twenty dollars.  the officer didn't do me any favors now i have no money to pay to get my endorsement by the court date pay my bills and my traffic fines IS IT LEGAL FOR THE OFFICER TO FORCE ME TO USE THE ROTATION TOW DRIVER FOR THE TOW? THE BIKE WASN'T IMPOUNDED. COULD I HAVE LEGALLY JUST LEFT IT ON THE SIDE OF THE ROAD AND HAD MY TOW DRIVER RETRIEVE IT? THIS HAPPENED IN PALM BEACH COUNTY FL 8-11-09. please e-mail me a response if at all possible or even if you don't have an answer.  thank you for your time i know how valuable it is.  Philip M.

Answer
Well the officer has a lot of discretion in what they do in regards to impounding vehicles and that also means that if he orders the tow, it becomes a "CONTACTED RATE TOW" as per the contracts with the tow companies and the FHP...  YES the rates are set by the area highway patrol or the county and that is what the law enforcement tows are price wise.

As to not impounding it and all that, well he did do a favor as nowadays the trend is that any "impounded vehicle" which has a report done also has a release - administrative fee of anywhere from 75.00 to 200.00 or more IN ADDITION to the towing and storage fee.

But in regards to leaving the vehicle there for your tower, it generally is not done as it always seems that the minute the officer leaves the person takes off driving again.

Hope this helps.