A DRIVER whose car was towed has blamed the confusing signage at a restaurant parking lot for the incident.
Doug Lott, of Greensboro, North Carolina, parked at a Dave’s Hot Chicken and was inside for just 20 minutes – but walked out to find his truck missing from the spot where he had left it.
WFMY News 2Doug Lott was stunned when his truck was towed from a parking lot – later claiming the lot’s signage was difficult to spot[/caption] WFMY News 2Confusion about signage at the lot next to Dave’s Hot Chicken is rife – with many other cars towed from site[/caption] WFMY News 2Lott says he paid $340 to recover his truck and called the towing practices unfair and predatory[/caption]Speaking to WFMY News 2, he said: “At first, I was feeling anticipation, you know, looking forward.
“I felt like I was actually doing something for myself for a change instead of working and doing things for everybody else.
“I said, well, this is for me. You know, I’m going to go in here and enjoy something new.
“To look up and see my vehicle being towed away, with more than one tow truck in the parking lot, I immediately started freaking out.”
As it turned out, Lott had parked his vehicle in the lot next door to Dave’s, which wasn’t owned by the restaurant.
Lott, however, isn’t the first car owner to be caught out.
Indeed, several local business owners later told reporters they have seen many other cars hauled away from the lot after seemingly parking there by mistake.
While the lot does have signs warning drivers of the consequences if they park there, Lott argued that the signs were hard to spot.
He said: “I take some fault for not seeing that sign, but I don’t feel that it was posted in a manner that made it very easy to see.
“I’d like to see it much bigger, much higher up to catch people’s attention when they’re driving.
“People aren’t looking down at the ground for signs.”
The owner of the lot’s assigned tow company, Gotcha Towing, said he understands people’s frustrations but stands by the signage, stating there are three signs near the entrance closest to Dave’s and another on the opposite side of the lot.
Lott was later forced to pay $340 to pick up his truck, adding: “I definitely think it’s unfair and predatory.
“I think the signs were intentionally made small.
“Everything I had to make a living and the ability to make a living was tied up in that truck – the ladders on top and that sort of thing.
“They really had me at their mercy. I had no choice.”
Elsewhere, a business-owner was left unable to sleep at night after being forced to pay a massive tow bill that jumped from $3,000 to $12,000 because of an expensive mistake.
Lisa had no idea that the operator could instantly quadruple her fees when the car got hitched to the tow truck.
The business-owner, whose family owns several 18-wheelers, rushed to one of her drivers in Charlotte, North Carolina, after he told her that he’d been towed.
The driver parked illegally in a private towing area for just a few minutes before heading back to see it hooked up to an Ingram’s Towing and Recovery truck.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial. Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail. Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative. Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle. Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better. Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state. Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly. Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases. Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
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