My car had a flat tire and couldn’t move, but it was still towed – the authorities knew about my situation, but I received $25 daily fines

RESIDENTS were furious after their cars were ripped out and towed from their homes – sometimes from their own driveways.

Ramundo Martinez was one of the owners who spoke out after being hit with a towing fee and $25 daily fines.

two

Martinez lived in the Shadow Ridge Estates Mobile Home Park in Kearns, Utah, just outside of Salt Lake City.

He and other property owners have complained that no one has enforced parking rules for years.

Then suddenly cars were being towed left and right for things like expired registration, wheels on the grass, and illegal street parking.

Martinez said his family had three vehicles towed or torn away in early 2010, according to an NBC affiliate KSL-TV.

He said one of the tows occurred when his car had a flat tire, which prevented him from moving the vehicle.

When he explained the situation to the driver, his vehicle was towed anyway.

Martinez said he didn’t have the money to recover his car, which incurred a daily fee of $25 for each day it was impounded.

Residents admitted the signs were clearly posted at the caravan park but had not been enforced for almost five years.

That changed when the park administration hired a towing company that began patrolling the area.

Other residents also complained about the supposedly quick change from receiving no fines to receiving multiples.

One said at the time that they were hit with an $80 fee after their car was booted.

“[The citation] It says it’s for expired license plates”, they explained.

— It was supposed to be, but I bought it last night and parked it here.

“So it’s a new car, it’s not an old car.”

The manager of Shadow Ridge Estates at the time, John Mason, said the towing company was working within park rules.

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 narrow down 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

“It’s just a matter of clarifying the goals and the means to achieve them,” Mason said in 2010.

Norte Towing told KSL-TV that it followed park rules, but added that it has ceased operations at the mobile home park.

The US Sun has reached out to Shadow Ridge Estates Mobile Home Park for comment.

CHANGING LANES

Some drivers in one US city will soon face a major change in how they pay for parking, The US Sun previously reported.

Officials want to remove coin-based parking meters in Burlington, Vermont.

This change is expected to encourage people to download and use the Park Mobile app.

Local resident Karen Clark explained why she was upset about the change.

“I don’t like that idea at all,” Clark said.

“I don’t like having to use a card for everything. I prefer to use cash if possible.”