QuestionQUESTION: A couple of days ago my car was snatched from a private lot by a towing company within 5 minutes of me parking there. Even though the Tow company said signs were posted around the lot, these signs were not obvious.
The incident happened in Cincinnati OH. Are there any laws that govern the size, color, positioning of these sigsn and what must be printed on these signs. Also the Tow company said they only take cash. Is that legal or should they have to accept a major credit card?
ANSWER: Well I did a search for information in Ohio and most of the links I did come up with are a few years old. But they do have some information in what I found which deals with signs...
Interestingly I did find several other conditions on if it would be considered a legal tow also depending on the location of the towing yard and how you can get there also.
I do see references to prices in it also but like I said its a few years old this reference I post below, so the prices might be different... The Ohio PUC office does not regulate tow company prices but they also seem to have a few strange rules for towing also... If you have a tow company in one town and never leave the city limits you are not regulated by the PUC but if you leave you are regulated for safety items and such... Strange to me.
But below is the copied state law which might of been revised or might not of been... There are references to signs in it. . One point I want to make clear is that at times Cities do create rules which go beyond the state laws for things like this and while I could not find anything specific for Cincinnati it does not mean there are no different rules..
Accepting cash for impounds, well lets say you got towed for parking where you should not be parked and got towed. You paid with either a check or credit card, what do you think the chances you would not issue a stop payment or deny the charges on this... After all you did not really want to pay the charges did you...
Cash is the only payment you can not dispute unless you go to small claims court to try and get it back.
below is the link on the Ohio law, (section number can be searched for more information)
4513.60 Vehicle left on private residential or private agricultural property without the permission of person having right to possession of property.
(A)(1) The sheriff of a county or chief of police of a municipal corporation, township, or township police district, within the sheriff’s or chief’s respective territorial jurisdiction, upon complaint of any person adversely affected, may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle as defined in section 4513.63 of the Revised Code, that has been left on private residential or private agricultural property for at least four hours without the permission of the person having the right to the possession of the property. The sheriff or chief of police, upon complaint of the owner of a repair garage or place of storage, may order into storage any motor vehicle, other than an abandoned junk motor vehicle, that has been left at the garage or place of storage for a longer period than that agreed upon. The place of storage shall be designated by the sheriff or chief of police. When ordering a motor vehicle into storage pursuant to this division, a sheriff or chief of police, whenever possible, shall arrange for the removal of the motor vehicle by a private tow truck operator or towing company. Subject to division (C) of this section, the owner of a motor vehicle that has been removed pursuant to this division may recover the vehicle only in accordance with division (E) of this section.
(2) Divisions (A)(1) to (3) of this section do not apply to any private residential or private agricultural property that is established as a private tow-away zone in accordance with division (B) of this section.
(3) As used in divisions (A)(1) and (2) of this section, “private residential property” means private property on which is located one or more structures that are used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by one or more persons, if no more than three separate households are maintained in the structure or structures. “Private residential property” does not include any private property on which is located one or more structures that are used as a home, residence, or sleeping place by two or more persons, if more than three separate households are maintained in the structure or structures.
(B)(1) The owner of private property may establish a private tow-away zone only if all of the following conditions are satisfied:
(a) The owner posts on the owner’s property a sign, that is at least eighteen inches by twenty-four inches in size, that is visible from all entrances to the property, and that contains at least all of the following information:
(i) A notice that the property is a private tow-away zone and that vehicles not authorized to park on the property will be towed away;
(ii) The telephone number of the person from whom a towed-away vehicle can be recovered, and the address of the place to which the vehicle will be taken and the place from which it may be recovered;
(iii) A statement that the vehicle may be recovered at any time during the day or night upon the submission of proof of ownership and the payment of a towing charge, in an amount not to exceed ninety dollars, and a storage charge, in an amount not to exceed twelve dollars per twenty-four-hour period; except that the charge for towing shall not exceed one hundred fifty dollars, and the storage charge shall not exceed twenty dollars per twenty-four-hour period, if the vehicle has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating in excess of ten thousand pounds and is a truck, bus, or a combination of a commercial tractor and trailer or semitrailer.
(b) The place to which the towed vehicle is taken and from which it may be recovered is conveniently located, is well lighted, and is on or within a reasonable distance of a regularly scheduled route of one or more modes of public transportation, if any public transportation is available in the municipal corporation or township in which the private tow-away zone is located.
(2) If a vehicle is parked on private property that is established as a private tow-away zone in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section, without the consent of the owner of the property or in violation of any posted parking condition or regulation, the owner or the owner’s agent may remove, or cause the removal of, the vehicle, the owner and the operator of the vehicle shall be deemed to have consented to the removal and storage of the vehicle and to the payment of the towing and storage charges specified in division (B)(1)(a)(iii) of this section, and the owner, subject to division (C) of this section, may recover a vehicle that has been so removed only in accordance with division (E) of this section.
(3) If a municipal corporation requires tow trucks and tow truck operators to be licensed, no owner of private property located within the municipal corporation shall remove, or shall cause the removal and storage of, any vehicle pursuant to division (B)(2) of this section by an unlicensed tow truck or unlicensed tow truck operator.
(4) Divisions (B)(1) to (3) of this section do not affect or limit the operation of division (A) of this section or sections 4513.61 to 4513.65 of the Revised Code as they relate to property other than private property that is established as a private tow-away zone under division (B)(1) of this section.
(C) If the owner or operator of a motor vehicle that has been ordered into storage pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section or of a vehicle that is being removed under authority of division (B)(2) of this section arrives after the motor vehicle or vehicle has been prepared for removal, but prior to its actual removal from the property, the owner or operator shall be given the opportunity to pay a fee of not more than one-half of the charge for the removal of motor vehicles under division (A)(1) of this section or of vehicles under division (B)(2) of this section, whichever is applicable, that normally is assessed by the person who has prepared the motor vehicle or vehicle for removal, in order to obtain release of the motor vehicle or vehicle. Upon payment of that fee, the motor vehicle or vehicle shall be released to the owner or operator, and upon its release, the owner or operator immediately shall move it so that:
(1) If the motor vehicle was ordered into storage pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section, it is not on the private residential or private agricultural property without the permission of the person having the right to possession of the property, or is not at the garage or place of storage without the permission of the owner, whichever is applicable.
(2) If the vehicle was being removed under authority of division (B)(2) of this section, it is not parked on the private property established as a private tow-away zone without the consent of the owner or in violation of any posted parking condition or regulation.
(D)(1) If an owner of private property that is established as a private tow-away zone in accordance with division (B)(1) of this section or the authorized agent of such an owner removes or causes the removal of a vehicle from that property under authority of division (B)(2) of this section, the owner or agent promptly shall notify the police department of the municipal corporation, township, or township police district in which the property is located, of the removal, the vehicle’s license number, make, model, and color, the location from which it was removed, the date and time of its removal, the telephone number of the person from whom it may be recovered, and the address of the place to which it has been taken and from which it may be recovered.
(2) Each county sheriff and each chief of police of a municipal corporation, township, or township police district shall maintain a record of motor vehicles that the sheriff or chief orders into storage pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section and of vehicles removed from private property in the sheriff’s or chief’s jurisdiction that is established as a private tow-away zone of which the sheriff or chief has received notice under division (D)(1) of this section. The record shall include an entry for each such motor vehicle or vehicle that identifies the motor vehicle’s or vehicle’s license number, make, model, and color, the location from which it was removed, the date and time of its removal, the telephone number of the person from whom it may be recovered, and the address of the place to which it has been taken and from which it may be recovered. Any information in the record that pertains to a particular motor vehicle or vehicle shall be provided to any person who, either in person or pursuant to a telephone call, identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle or vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(3) Any person who registers a complaint that is the basis of a sheriff’s or police chief’s order for the removal and storage of a motor vehicle under division (A)(1) of this section shall provide the identity of the law enforcement agency with which the complaint was registered to any person who identifies self as the owner or operator of the motor vehicle and requests information pertaining to its location.
(E) The owner of a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section or of a vehicle that is removed under authority of division (B)(2) of this section may reclaim it upon payment of any expenses or charges incurred in its removal, in an amount not to exceed ninety dollars, and storage, in an amount not to exceed twelve dollars per twenty-four-hour period; except that the charge for towing shall not exceed one hundred fifty dollars, and the storage charge shall not exceed twenty dollars per twenty-four-hour period, if the vehicle has a manufacturer’s gross vehicle weight rating in excess of ten thousand pounds and is a truck, bus, or a combination of a commercial tractor and trailer or semitrailer. Presentation of proof of ownership, which may be evidenced by a certificate of title to the motor vehicle or vehicle also shall be required for reclamation of the vehicle. If a motor vehicle that is ordered into storage pursuant to division (A)(1) of this section remains unclaimed by the owner for thirty days, the procedures established by sections 4513.61 and 4513.62 of the Revised Code shall apply.
(F) No person shall remove, or cause the removal of, any vehicle from private property that is established as a private tow-away zone under division (B)(1) of this section other than in accordance with division (B)(2) of this section, and no person shall remove, or cause the removal of, any motor vehicle from any other private property other than in accordance with division (A)(1) of this section or sections 4513.61 to 4513.65 of the Revised Code.
(G)(1) Whoever violates division (B)(3) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor.
(2) Except as otherwise provided in this division, whoever violates division (F) of this section is guilty of a minor misdemeanor. If the offender previously has been convicted of or pleaded guilty to a violation of division (F) of this section, whoever violates division (F) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor of the third degree.
Effective Date: 01-01-2004
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QUESTION: Thanks for your prompt reply.
It seems that according to this section, the towing company is within the law :-
(a) The owner posts on the owner’s property a sign, that is at least eighteen inches by twenty-four inches in size, that is visible from all entrances to the property, and that contains at least all of the following information
Having said that when I re-visted the lot to see why I missed the signs, the towing sign was at least 10 feet up a pole and the light was another 10 feet above that. The sign was black (why can't the color of tow signs be standardised like road signs to help the General Public recognise them -red seems a good color). Basically they are exploiting the loophole of what is meant by 'visible'. From where I was standing this sign was easy to miss.
Now that I've been recently towed I cant help noticing how other private businesses post their signs. A saw a good example the other day at a garage. The sign was red on a decicated post about 5 feet above the ground with the light about a foot above this. Yes the sign could be clearly seen and the warning point was well made.
I think the bottom line here is that the Lot is leased to businesses that use the Lot. The Towing company makes a half hearted attempt to post signs so that they stay within the law, knowing that if they make them too visible people will see them and not park there.
I do have another question though. They charged me $90.00 for towing and $12.00 for the impound and this is shown on my receipt. However I had to pay $108.00 and there was no indication of a tax charge on the receipt? Should there be any hidden charges and do you have any idea where this extra $6.00 comes from? Maybe I'm just cynical, but I'm guessing this was a 'spotters' fee that they pay the person who spots new arrivals. I don't know if I told you but my car was towed within 5 minutes of me leaving it, and me returning to remove it once I learnt that I had parked in a private lot.
AnswerWell it sounds as if the signs were legal like you said, but on the edge of the law though...Yes red signs are better and more visible but since they have no real requirements on colors and such (like many other states do) then it would be hard for any changes... After all as much as I hate to say it, but tow trucks make money off other peoples misfortunes..
The extra $6.00 no idea as to why or what it was for, as to a spotters fee, that generally is not legal. But I do have to say that some cities do require that all towed vehicles be called into the police department and they have started to charge for receiving this call and recording the information... Amazing that a tax payer supported service can charge basically a hidden tax to others for something they are supposed to do.
I do have to go back to the signs and stuff in lots, as the property owner is the one who generally has the problems and does not want to have cars parked illegally... Some people will take and do the bare minimum and others will go way overboard on signs and other warnings just so they do not have to have people towed and deal with the mad people.
But you mentioned you now are paying attention to signs in lots and that is the best thing you can do. If there is a sign then consider it a problem lot and if you can not meet what it says for requirements then it is someplace you want to avoid parking... Awareness is the key here.
