Towing Issues: Re: Towing from a reserved space, tow driver, leasing office

Question
My car was towed from Artesia, Ca (zip 90701). We entered this shopping complex at around 3:55 PM At the entrance there is no signs posted about towing. We had come there to visit one of the shops for a few minutes. At 4:15 PM when I was just coming out of the shop I saw my car being towed. On asking the tow driver why I was being towed, he informed me that I was parked in a reserved space.Seeing the sign , I realized that I was in that space. I asked him who had reported and he did not have any answer. I know that they have a rule that you cannot park in their lot, if you park and go out of their premises. But, I was as a customer buying in one of their shops. I had to fight with him to get my car off his hook and ended up paying $ 60 to do that. He was insisting on taking the car away. After removing my car from that space, I went to speak to the leasing office owner/manager. I learnt that the space was meant for his own car parking. Also, he had made a call at 3:32 PM to A & A Towing to actually tow another car but the driver on entering saw my car and decided to tow it first. I want to know is it legal to tow a car without a tow sign posted on a particular space or at the entrance that your car would be towed if parked in a reserve space ? The tow ticket does not have the signature of the person authorizing the tow or the time observed. Was my tow legal ? In fact, they have flyers saying " Parking for .....customers only if you leave the premises your car will be towed. Double Parking will also be towed". After I drove off from their lot I also hear some strange sound from my car. I do not know if the tow driver damaged one or both of my rear tires/wheels. I will go to get it inspected by a dealer. If there is a damage can I legally claim from the complex/towing company ?

Answer
Ok, I am slightly lost here.

Now you say you noticed you were parked in a reserved space after the tow truck was there...
Is this the same space that the other vehicle was in when it was called in ?

If so then it sounds like you were just unfortunate in the fact that you were the vehicle in the space at that time.


Now California does have lots of laws regarding towing from parking lots and all that. Yes they have some which state a "one hour period" before towing and while that does apply more to fire lane towing, but there are also provisions in there for reserved spaces. Link below

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22953.htm

the general rule about towing from private property is the one linked below

http://www.dmv.ca.gov/pubs/vctop/d11/vc22658.htm


Now as to the drop fee, the $ 60.00 fee you paid to get the vehicle back before they took it. Yes that is legal and is really a good deal for you as you really save money that way. No towing fee, no storage, no taxi to get to the tow yard, all that kind of thing.


Now as to the "strange sound" I am not sure what you are talking about as I am not there, and I can not hear it. But its kind of hard to damage vehicles if they are "JUST LIFTED" unless the vehicle is one with independent rear half shaft axles and they were somehow hooked to the "shafts"...

I do not know what kind of tow truck was used and that is another issue with dealing with the "damage" or "sound" you are hearing.


Hope this is helpful but other than the damage it does sound as if it was a legal tow in most respects.