Towing Issues: No stopping sign, tow truck, unknown place

Question
It all began on a pleasant Sunday afternoon. As we were driving by in Fremont, CA, we noticed an open house sign and decided to check it out. We went in, toured the place and came out in about 7-8 minutes. As we headed towards our car which was parked on the curb outside the open house, we were shocked to find that a tow truck had hooked it up for towing.

I was sure that the operator was mistaken. He then calmly pointed out to a sign a little aways which read ‘No parking at any time’. He told us that someone had complained and that he had to comply. There was no way that someone could have complained and the tow truck responded in under 10 minutes. Although we are at fault (unknowingly), it just seems like a complete scam to me. The sign is very easy to miss and there’s just one for the entire block. The curb was not even painted red. In the complex,we live in currently, all the no parking areas are clearly painted red. The operator said we could either pay up right then and there or he would tow away the car. We had to cough up 83$ as we didnt want to be stranded in an unknown place. It was as if the tow truck was just waiting for his next victim. Although we can put in a stop payment on our credit card, I dont know whether it is a good idea since legally we are at fault (its like not reading the fine print). We never realized when the complex started and there is a street right adjacent to the complex where cars are parked along the curb. And since we were looking for the open house sign, we missed seeing the 'no parking sign'.
My questions are
1) What are the regular towing charges ? Since the car never left the property, is 83$ too much ?
2) Shouldnt the curb's be painted red along with the signs ?  

Answer
Well it sounds a bit like the tow truck was either called for another vehicle which left before they got there, and yours was next in line..

Now that is just an idea or thought.

Now as to the questions, as a general rule now the rates are supposed to based on the local CHP rates which are different in each district of the state.. Yes it is a problem as there is no set rate state wide...

Now $83.00 sounds like the drop fee charges which is generally 1/2 the rate charged for towing vehicles ordered per police authorization... And that price sounds about right for what I have heard of rates out in California.


Now as to no parking zones which require signs every 10 feet or 100 feet, I doubt you will find such a law... And red painted curbs generally mark a fire lane not just a general no parking zone...

But it also depends on how "hard" the complex wants to be involved in making the property legal.

By the way this property sounds like a "Home Owners Association" (HOA) property which also restricts parking on streets.. If you are going to be moving into one of these kind of properties, I suggest that you take and read all the parking restrictions in the covenant... You can be towed if they decide green cars do not belong there or any such strange thing.