QuestionQUESTION: Huntsville, Alabama.
On Saturday night, I met some friends at a local pub. It's in a small strip mall. We left at about 9 pm to go to a different place, and I left my car at the strip mall (like I've done on occasion). At the end of the night, rather than driving with one too many in me, I decided to leave my car overnight. When we came back the following day to pick it up, it had been towed. We went inside to ask the bartender on duty, and she informed us that the complex manager had the cars towed because they were going to re-pave the lot the following morning. Apparently, the only notice she gave was at midnight (3 hours before I was towed). There are absolutely no signs in the lot about unauthorized vehicles, parking time limits, etc. I mean it- NO SIGNS. Likewise, there were no signs up saying that they would tow because of the re-paving. To make me more livid, they didn't even do the paving!!! Was this a legal tow? It seems to me that, with no signs, proper notice has to be given prior to towing.
ANSWER: Well, I am sorry your car got towed, but signs are usually required for towing vehicles from private property.. This is the case in about 99% of all incidents... But for lots that usually are not dealing with parking problems this is also the problem of no signs... Construction work however temporary do have some issues and rule bending... Generally they do not have signs posted (which I feel PERSONALLY is wrong) but when its scheduled maintenance work such as paving or sealcoating lots there is usually some knowledge by all parties involved where they do signs, but emergency maintenance operations, they need to have things out of the way..
Now from the rest of the info you provided, it sounds like they might of done an tow that is close to illegal... I would be interested in seeing if you could find out how many more vehicles have been towed from that location using those excuses.. They might be skirting the regulations via a clever plan...
Hope this gives you a helping hand on this issue..
---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------
QUESTION: There was one more car towed that night for the same reason. The lot typically has only 1 or 2 cars left overnight from the "one-too-many"-ers. I have inside knowledge from the pub owner, who OWNS his 'suite' in the strip mall, that the complex manager indicated to him that "she forgot" to give notice to all suite holders. He was very upset that two of his customers got towed.
AnswerI would push the issue with the property owner if they are not doing what it was suggested they were when it was towed..
Alabama does have laws which state signs must be up in order to have vehicles towed, but as mentioned construction work is the one "GRAY AREA" in the law...
Use your friend the pub owner to help see what can be done to get this resolved and you might be suprised at the outcome...
