QuestionMy car was parked in a legal parking area in Philadelphia. While it was parked there (without my knowledge) the city put up temporary no-parking signs to do construction. My car was issued a ticket and towed that same day. Because I only use my car as needed-every couple weeks, I didn't know any of this happened until 12 days after it was towed. The tow company (hired by Phila Parking Authority) wants almost $500 to return my car and refuses to give me my personal property out of it unless I pay the money or give them the title to my car. I have found out that normally when a car is already parked legally in a zone that turns into a temp. no parking area the tow company normally moves the car to another legal parking spot within 5 blocks of where it was parked, but this particular company just impounds them rather then moving them. Is this legal? Any suggestions or how to fight this?
AnswerWell, I really have to say this first... I love to watch "parking wars" and see all the BS and hoop jumping that the PPA makes the customer have to go though... Some of it to me seems a bit excessive.
Now as to the temporary no parking zone, I know that happens a lot for road construction, building work and a host of other reasons.
Yes the city can change the parking regulations in that case to make a legal space into a illegal space.
Now if the PPA had it towed via a contractor (which I have not seen done on TV YET), then I would guess that if it did not go to one of the PPA lots you would have to deal with the rules of that company which would most likely be under "CONTRACT RULES AND REGULATIONS" from the PPA.
The charges for the towing (if I remember right from what I see on TV) are the Hook up - towing charge which if I remember are like $ 125.00...
BUT the daily storage fee will be where the price gets high. Each day it sits in the storage yard it incurs a charge...
Now you say that it was 12 days before you knew it was towed. Was that when you "noticed it gone" or got a letter stating it was towed?
To help you with the "PRICE" if the vehicle sat at the tow yard for 12 days and the daily storage charge was $ 25.00 a day (pretty much a standard rate industry wide) then you would have a Towing Charge of $ 125.00 (remember I was guessing at the charge but we can use this for math) and then the storage fee would equal $ 300.00 That would total up to $ 425.00.
As to if they should of moved it to another space, I will have to guess that is up to the ticketing officers choice and or the orders given to the tow truck driver. Remember that most all towers can not just make up their mind as to what the real intent is, as they are contracted to provide service with rules to follow.
If the Rules and contract state that the vehicle was to be "relocated" then you might have a case, but if they were left to make that choice then they might of went the route of make them more money... It kind of sounds like that is what you think they did ...
What to do, well since the PPA is involved then check with them and see what the tow company was ORDERED or ALLOWED to do. That would be a big help.
I am sure that they have some sort of process to dispute the tows done, but I have not seen reference to that on the show.
Good luck and I hope you get the answers you want.
here is a link which you most likely know about already
http://www.philapark.org/aboutPPA/laws_enforcements/impoundment.aspx
