Towing Issues: Cleveland Towing, county administrative office, tow dollies

Question
I live in the downtown area of Cleveland, OH.  Our "street" is reserved for
residents of the complex, the patrons of a restaurant and a Cuyahoga County
administrative office.  The restaurant and the County office both have signs
posted listing the law code violation and the place where the cars would be
towed.  The complex recently decided to block off a portion of the street and
make it for public use; therefore any cars parked beyond that point would be
towed.  We were out of town that day and couldn't get back in time to move
my fiance's car.  We tried to reach the management office, but of course they
never answer.  Did their signage meet all of the requirements?  They did not
post a place where the cars would be towed to nor the parking regulation
that the driver would be violating.  Did they tow us unlawfully and therefore
responsible for the towing fee and damage to the car (a MINI Cooper needs to
be on a flat bed and they basically tore up the air dam of the car) or is
something I need to take up with the towing company?  Thank you.

Answer
The damage part of the issue should be taken up with the tow company involved... But I also have to say things about towing vehicles with flatbeds when they are illegally parked...

Remember that a flat bed unit slides back and then tilts down to the ground... Your vehicle is then "WINCHED" (dragged) in gear with the park brake on, until it is on the bed which is then raised to the travel position...  People are always insisting that vehicles "NEED TO BE FLATBEDDED" but in reality they can be towed 95% of the time with a wheel lift tow truck and a set of tow dollies which does get the vehicle off the ground and when it is picked up it is lifted STRAIGHT UP not dragged...


That being said, now the "STREET" where it was made into public use. Well then the CITY should be responsible for signs.. And as a general rule, if the sign says NO PARKING then the City signs (and all the related laws) do not require that the tow company name or the regulation number is listed...  
Those laws are only for signs posted on "PRIVATE PROPERTY" not streets.


Hope that this helps, and as a side note, go check out the link below and enter the information on your vehicle... You can see what that site lists as recommended towing methods for your vehicle.

www.towspec.com