‘I’ll never park here again’, cries driver who was towed after paying for the space – she even had proof on her cell phone

A DRIVER had her car towed after staff claimed she failed to pay, despite having evidence on her phone.

Many cars have been towed in downtown Birmingham, Alabama, and drivers are calling it predatory towing after a recent shooting in the area.

Tow truck crews claimed drivers didn’t pay to park, according to local ABC affiliate WBMA.

However, Kiara Harris knew she had paid and had proof.

“I paid $12.70,” she told the outlet.

Harris showed proof on his parking app, explaining that his new car still had the dealer tag on it.

“For the park’s mobile app, I entered the dealer tag and in the notes I put Tameron Honda,” Harris explained.

Harris said she had no idea that having a dealer tag put her at risk of being towed.

The parking lot had a sign stating that it was a towing zone and that if you didn’t pay to park you would be towed.

She believes there should be a warning on the app if they don’t accept her information.

“I will never park in one of those lots again,” Harris said.

She will only park on the street at night, which is free and does not tow.

Many managers told the outlet that they don’t make any money towing someone’s car, and as long as the driver pays, they won’t get towed.

MORE PARKING NIGHTMARES

The US Sun previously reported on many drivers who had their cars towed, including a man who returned from the supermarket to find his car was gone.

“I parked on one side and went to the store on the other side,” Shawn Godlang of Dover, Delaware, told the local CBS affiliate. WBOC-TV.

“I had to be taken out into the field to the tow location and paid a few hundred dollars to get it back, and it was horrible.”

Godlang and other drivers took the towing issue to City Hall.

What to do if your car is towed

Unfairly or not, recovering 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 some steps you can take to get it back.

Steps to follow when your car is towed:

• Try to find out why your car was towed. Haven’t you seen a “No Parking” sign? Did you miss your car payment? Have you returned to a lot where there were unpaid citations? Finding the reason may restrict the phone numbers to dial.
• Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some type of contact information via a posted or mailed sign.
• Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but these times will be posted on the website or may be provided by a representative.
• Pay the fees. Be careful to be as quick as possible as some towing yards may charge per day storage fees.

If you believe your vehicle was improperly towed, you can dispute the action by following these steps:

• Be quick – many states have a small window of time in which it is acceptable to file a claim against a company that improperly towed your vehicle.
• Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements, if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
• Familiarize yourself with local laws, as laws for towing companies vary by state.
• Try talking to the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight and the matter can be resolved quickly.
• Contact your local Justice of the Peace as they may have more information or resources to help. They are often used for towing cases.
• Speak to a lawyer. Many lawyers offer free consultations and, depending on the case, it may be worth calling on a lawyer.

Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak law firm

Lawmakers have proposed a bill that would require towing companies to accept credit card payments for car recovery, allow drivers to retrieve their belongings after the car is towed, and cap the maximum fine drivers pay for towed cars.

Drivers were excited about this proposal because residents argued that people keep important things in their cars and would need to get them before they are towed.

However, local tow truck drivers were not satisfied with the possibility of a maximum fine.

“If you cap it at a certain price, who knows if they’ll take the cars away,” John Moss, owner of a towing company, told the station.

“Nobody wants to keep their cars forever and ever because the parking lot gets full.”

The law would require companies to be more transparent about towing prices and take photos of the vehicle before loading it onto the truck.

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