Towing Issues: Car Towing Fees, tow fee, expired registration

Question
Earlier today my car was towed in Albany, California, due to expired registration. After obtaining the necessary documentation from the DMV and the police department, I asked the officer to call the towing company before going there.  It was 5:15pm when the officer called and she relayed to me that I was to meet a driver in front of the yard at 6pm.  When the driver showed up he informed me that I would have to pay an addition $85 for an "after hours gate gate fee", bringing the total to $320.  Further complicating the matter was the fact that I did not have enough cash on me and mistakenly thought that my ATM check card was inside the car- however it was not.  I was told that I will be charged- even though I didn't retrieve my vehicle- when I return tomorrow.  I think that 1) I should have been told about the gate fee beforehand and 2) I shouldn't be charged $85 for what took 15 minutes.  Please apprise me of any recourse I may have to recoup what, in my opinion, was extorted from me.

Answer
Well first thing I see wrong here is that you let someone else do the calling and talking for you. That is usually were the problems come into play.

As a rule, towing company "offices" have business hours just like any other place. Monday thru Friday  8 am to 5 PM. Yes they offer 24 hour service, but just like a plumber or other places you have services  you can get anytime but you pay extra for them.

Now as to the extra $85.00, that does sound about right as gate fees tend to be 1/2 the tow fee and that would mean the towing fee (without mileage or other fees) would be 170.00 which is in line with what I have seen in California.

Yes any time that a towing company employee is required - requested to be at the office or  yard after hours then the fee applies, even if you did not get the vehicle or where there to get paperwork, medicines, keys or any thing else that might of caused the call back to work.

The fee covers the time involved to do whatever. Be it 1 minute or 1 hour.
That is allowed in the various rules and regulations which govern tow trucks.