What is predatory towing?
Is it legal or illegal? How does it work?
Predatory towing is the act of removing a vehicle from private property without permission. The term “predatory tow truck” refers to those who engage in this practice.
Predatory Towing occurs when a tow truck takes away cars without permission or authorization. Tow trucks don’t usually have the authority to take away cars unless they’re contracted by the car owners or authorized by law enforcement officials. It must be used only when requested by a property owner or government agency. In order to solve the true concern of predatory tows, we need to first understand why they occur.
Predatory Towing isn’t, as some people say when tow truck drivers and others from a Tow Company watch for cars parked illegally. If you’re not allowed to park where you want to, then there must be a good reason for it. Towing companies don’t just pull up next to someone who isn’t parking properly and tow their car away without any warning. They give people ample time to move out of the way before doing so. In most cases, however, the car’s owner is responsible for any damage caused by their driving habits.
Spotting violations have become so common that some towing companies hire spotters who drive around looking for people violating parking laws. Spotters keep track of where drivers park their cars so they know exactly who comes out of each car. It may be hard to believe, but if not the business of the tow truck operator, then it’s a simple phone call to the towing service provider and a huge headache for the driver. When you get back into the car, it won’t be there anymore.
Everything you need to know to help you recover your car from the impound lot
You may be stuck if your car has been impounded for any reason. Finding your car may take some effort. If you want to find out whether your car has been stolen, call the local police department right away. You may be able to get some answers from your local parking authority if they don’t have the answer for you. Keep in mind that the parking authorities need either the VIN or license plates numbers for locating your vehicle.
Before heading out for the night, call ahead if you’re planning to park somewhere where there might be lots of vehicles. If the impound lot doesn’t know anything about your vehicle, don’t panic — there might not be any way for them to tell you right then where it was taken. It might be too early for them to know if they have it.
You must at least provide a valid driver’s license and proof of auto insurance. It might be wise to keep another form of identification handy just in case. If you’re asked for any documentation showing proof of ownership, such as the vehicle registration or title, you’ll need to provide them before they let you drive away.
It’s always a good idea to check whether you have enough funding for any potential expenses before starting out. If they require payment by cash or check, prepare yourself for that ahead of time too. You’ll need to be aware that there could be additional costs if you end up having to pay for an impounded vehicle after you’ve already paid for its release.
