Towing Issues: wheels scratches, tow truck driver, tow yard

Question
QUESTION: I have a 2006 Mustang GT. On 05/02/08 I had $1,800.00 worth in wheels put on my car as well a ford racing suspension kit that dropped the car close to 2". On 05/08/08 my car was towed for being parked at a parking meter past the time it was permitted to park in that particular area (I had missed the sign half a block down the street stating so); an hour later when I picked it up both wheels on the left (driver) side had scratches that were longitudinal (about 3 inches in length) to the rim as opposed to transverse, as if something had grazed the wheels on the part of the lip that is parallel to the road. I immediately filed a claim form with the tow yard. Three days later I was told by an employee from the tow yard's office that there was "no way they could have done that damage". Intuition told me that the wheels might have been hit by the chains that run to the sides of the flat bed. This was confirmed a week later while talking to a tow truck driver that happened to be delivering a customer's car at the dealership where I work. After looking at the scratches he told me that the wheels "momentarily made contact with the side of the flat bed, or were hit by a chain". This gentleman, which I had never seen before, told me he had 8 years experience towing vehicles on a flat bed. This is the first time in my life my vehicle was ever towed. I'd like to know what your opinion is regarding this situation; have you come across any cases like the one I just described? Your input is greatly appreciated.
Thank you.

Alex

ANSWER: Well Alex, its real hard to deal with damage claim issues in forums like this online...

First of all it does sound as if something might of scraped the rims, but I doubt it was chains that did it as the marks would be smaller and in a "Morse code" style due to the design of the chain...

Now lets go back to the whole issue to start with...

You were parked at a meter and were towed... Was the car parked on the right side of the road (2 way street) or on the left side of the street (one way street)

That makes a bit of a difference in the fact that if you were at the curb, on the right side of the road the tow truck would have to be working with the right side (IF THIS WAS A FLATBED) against the curb.  Not the drivers (left side)

Now if the tow truck was not a flatbed that towed the vehicle (and yes lowered vehicles can be towed with regular tow trucks, just a bit more work and a smarter operator)... Now there are other things that can make the vehicles tires be damaged.  Curbs are one thing also... But drivers side damage is one that is hard to understand here as how was it towed.

What kind of truck did the tow?

Flatbed, or wheel lift with dollies?

Was it towed backwards or forwards?

How was it parked at the tow lot?

Any vehicles parked close to it at the tow lot?


Another thing, is that some police departments do a tow report where they list prior damages and such, and if it was done then was the damage listed on the report.


A three inch scratch is a long scratch and that would take some doing to do it. Was there any "paint transfer" on the rims? Or "concrete dust"?

Things like that all have to be looked at to determine the cause and that is why its so hard to determine fault...

But in defense of the original tow company, I bet I can find drivers who say it was not done with a tow truck just as easy as you can find them that say it was done by a tow truck.


I know its not much help, but this is one where its you say, they say and it becomes a small claims court case in most cases as the judge looks at all the evidence and makes the ruling.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Richard, I am not sure what is meant by "Morse code style" concerning the pattern of the scratch, but if what you mean is something like .....----//////((((( as if it were a "brushed" scratch as opposed to one consistent line(s), that is exactly what I now on these two wheels. These is no paint transfer nor concrete dust on the rims.

Answer
Well what I am talking about is the issue of the chain design and how it would contact the rim...

The chain will have a long segment and then when it goes into the next link it would have a space...

It would look something like ______      _____     ______