‘I’m just making it up,’ drivers explode as tow truck hits fenders and charges $1,000 cash just to recover cars

DRIVERS are fighting back against a towing company preying on disadvantaged people by tricking them into agreeing to inflated rates.

The driver would lie about his insurance coverage and about being sanctioned by the police.

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When Mar Alegre was in a car accident last summer, she was met by a tow truck driver from Recovery Unit 1, LLC who had “police rotation” marked on the side of the truck, earning her trust.

When Alegre asked how much the tow would cost, the driver quickly told her that the amount would be covered by her insurance and had her sign a “towing contract,” saying that Alegre would be responsible for all fees if her insurance denied the claim. .

A few days later, she received a bill for nearly $1,000 in towing, storage and other fees.

The itemized invoice said a towing fee of $300, a daily storage fee of $45, an administration fee of $160, a lot fee of $200, and an extra “maintenance” fee of $ $20.

A towing company on the police rotation cannot charge more than $215 for a car weighing less than 11,000 pounds and is legally contracted to charge no more than $25 per day for storage.

“It seemed like they were offsetting the fees,” said Mar Sherman, Algere’s partner.

She tried calling the city’s 311 number and the police to complain, but was told her best chance was to pay the fine and take the company to small claims court, the report reported. Philadelphia Inquisitor.

Algere wasn’t the only one who had a negative experience with the company.

Yuliia, who left her last name a mystery to protect herself, told the outlet that she was charged almost US$3,000 to keep her car in the company’s parking lot for two days after she was involved in an accident.

Like Algere, he was told his insurance would cover the bill.

Councilwoman Kendra Brooks’ office tried to help, but she still had to pay $2,000 to have her car returned.

The towing company’s unidentified representative told the outlet that its costs were fair and that prices are negotiated with drivers who do not have insurance to cover towing.

“I’m not overcharging for towing and storage,” the representative said.

While Alegre and Yuliia don’t expect to be reimbursed for their tows, they hope other drivers can learn from their experiences and be prepared.

The company made the two drivers believe that they were part of the “police rotation”, which is a list of towing companies approved by the city to deal with accidents.

The list aims to prevent incidents like the one in Alegre and Yuliia, with limits on how much companies can charge for towing and storage.

Additionally, a police spokesperson told the news outlet that towing companies in their rotation are not allowed to advertise that they are in rotation with a decal like Recovery Unit 1, LLC did.

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

Companies in the rotation are required to provide evidence if a driver requests it, they said.

Additionally, police are warning drivers to be skeptical of the first tow truck that arrives at the scene of an accident – instead, a driver can wait for a police officer to arrive to help them check out a company sanctioned by the police.

Additionally, a towing agreement should not be signed until the company is verified, as they may be charged higher rates that insurance companies may refuse to pay.

When speaking to the Inquirer, the towing company representative offered to “work” with Algere and Yuliia in exchange for not going to the media.

However, Algere was not interested in protecting the company.

“I’m not interested in negotiating,” she said.