A TENANT used TikTok to tell her story of going days without power but watching her neighbor’s cars get towed.
She said the complex suffered both inside and outside the condominiums, with cars being removed from their parking spaces.
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Ashley, a TikToker from Houston (@oxoashley_), told her 7,435
From her apartment window, she captured images of a tow truck taking a neighbor’s vehicle into a video posted in May.
The video was posted during a power outage, which she had been experiencing for three days.
“Third day without power, no electricity in Houston, Texas and they are still here towing cars,” she wrote in the caption.
Read more about Hurricane Beryl
“You can’t make this up.”
The video has over 359,000 views and is climbing steadily.
As of publication, there were 890 comments and 390 saves.
She zoomed in on a tow truck that was busily towing a neighbor’s vehicle.
“Of all things,” Ashley said from behind the camera.
“We no longer have power or electricity, but in Houston we are worried about cars that shouldn’t be in the parking lot.
Houston residents are no strangers to power outages and relentless storms with high winds, as millions of people are left without power as Hurricane Beryl ravages the Lone Star State.
There are currently no laws protecting tow truck drivers during natural disasters, so the driver had the right to take the vehicle if it was found to be in violation.
In the comments section, a user claiming to own an independent towing company says natural disasters can be attractive to greedy companies.
“I own a small towing company in Houston and we understand the situation many are facing,” they wrote.
“It is the reason why my drivers have not been working in these proper complexes. It’s the BIG greedy companies that don’t care.”
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 be dialed.
- 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
One person wrote that their vehicle was towed during the ice and snow storm that hit Texas a few years ago.
“Mine got towed during the snowstorm, we had no power or water,” the comment said.
“It was in my paid covered parking space that they made a mistake, but I never managed to money to go back.”
Another user echoed Ashley’s sentiments about the tow being unfair.
“Because all my food was wasted and now we have to worry about money to get the car back,” they wrote.
This story originally appeared on The-sun.com read the full story
