Towing Issues: illegal towing?, handicapped parking space, volunteer board

Question
This happened on a apartment(Commercial, not city property) bldg lot in Baltimore city.  Car was towed for parking in two spots.  Paid three hundred dollar fee(Cash only) to get vehicle out of impound.  Signs posted in lot vehicles parked illegally will be towed. Checked with lease and found nothing stating parking in 2 spots illegal.  There is no assigned parking.  It was the middle of a wed. afternoon with plenty of empty parking spots available. Also towing company refuses to let us view pictures of this alleged illegal parking except doing their business hours of 9-5, (miss more time from work to go there and look at pictures, and they refuse to give out a copy of the pictures) Can they do this?  I always assumed it was wrong to park in two spots, but I have never read or heard of a law for it.  The car was not cited by a police officer.

Answer
Well part of this question you have answered already yourself.

" I always assumed it was wrong to park in two spots"...

Now I know you say that you checked the lease and did not find anything in there which said its illegal, but I bet you did not find anything where it says that it is legal either...

Common sense says 1 car, one space. Now there is also a difference between the bumper or fender just barely being over the line, and flat out  taking up 2 spaces.

Now as to being cited by a police officer, that very seldom happens on "PRIVATE PROPERTY" for parking infractions, and if it does it generally is for handicapped parking space violations.

The City and Country of Baltimore have some towing regulations which govern removal of vehicles from parking lots, and there are some new laws being proposed and some old laws which are being trashed.  I try to keep up on the laws, but its hard on this volunteer board to keep up with 50 states and what 25,000 cities across the USA.  I tend to get new rules and info when it hits some of my news article filters for searches and gets e-mailed to me.

I can not find any laws for Maryland, Baltimore County or City either which specify legal or not on 2 spaces, but there might be some hidden regulation or such somewhere.

As to the pictures, well I am not sure when you are wanting to see the "evidence" but tow company offices are just like other businesses and have regular posted business hours. I am sure that trying to see them at 11PM is not going to work, and to get a copy, well that is really up to the company policy.

In some states (California) the pictures are available to the customers (within reason) and other areas they are not required. BUT the saying goes, " a picture is worth a thousand words " and it would prove that the vehicle was indeed in violation of some rule...

Now I am assuming that the apartment complex had the vehicle towed at their order, and the management signed the authorization. Someone had to authorize the tow, and that is the next person I would be looking for. They can help explain what happened and why.

Just keep it civil and try to work with the tow company and get to see the picture. It may take some time off but it's up to you if that is worth it.

Good luck