Towing Issues: leaving car in impound, law enforcement request, california dmv

Question
Los Angeles, CA...I tried the DMV webpage, but couldn't seem to find an answer...My old 88 Honda was parked on the street.  The battery had died so I was unable to start the engine and was unable to move the car.  It was impounded for the 72 hour parking violation.  I paid about $250 to get it back from impound and had to have it towed home.  I am now having it picked up for donation to charity.  Now I'm thinking that it wasn't worth the $250 to get the car back since it is probably not even worth that much.  I was wondering if you know if there is some kind of penalty if I had just left my car at the impound station.  Don't they eventually just try to auction the car if I had not claimed it?

Answer
Yes, California DMV website has a very huge and confusing bunch of information...


Now if you had left the vehicle in impound they would of notified the last registered owner who should of been you. Then if it was not picked up, they would have an auction of abandoned vehicles...

Now lets say that your vehicle sold for 100.00 and the towing and storage at the time of sale was 1000.00


The tow company then can and usually does turn it over to collections as the state law is very clear on vehicle owners responsibility for paying the fees...

Now I know that California was looking at the possibility of doing like other states where vehicles towed at law enforcement request, and not picked up result in your drivers license or vehicle licenses are suspended till the fees are paid...
But I am not sure if that is still one of the pending laws...