Towing Issues: Towing laws, baltimore county md, tow truck driver

Question
Hello, I am doing a speech about towing from apartment parking lots in Baltimore county, MD.  Even if you don't know the local laws, I wonder if I could at least hear your opinion.

In private parking lots, like apartments, if my car is parked without a permit, and the tow truck driver is hooking my car up to his truck, and I see him and run up there before I is finished, he will tell me to give him 100 dollars cash to release my car.  Is this proper procedure, or even legal?  Is the driver supposed to release my car without payment, or is he supposed to tow it?  If I pay him the 100 cash, is he pocketing that money for himself, or bringing it back to company?

Second, if I have a valid permit, but my license plate is expired, can the towing company take my car from the apartment lot?

Thanks a lot for your time,
Randy Solberg

Answer
Randy,

A $100 drop fee is common and legal. Here in oregon, we have to have the car in the air and one wheel strap attached in order to charge the drop fee. As far as expired plates, the car should have a warning sticker attached to it before being towed. The reason for towing a vehicle with expired plates is to get junk or broken down cars out of the lot. It may also be a state law.

Donald