‘Counting my blessings’ driver cries as car is towed after turning off while driving – ‘kind’ strangers saved her

A DRIVER said she had a scary moment in a car park when the car backfired – but the kindness of strangers helped her vehicle tow safely.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the driver thanked the parking lot for being so kind.

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“[I] I had a basic life problem today,” the driver wrote in the post.

“It was super boring and I cried.”

The driver said his car’s transmission malfunctioned while driving.

Fortunately, she reported that the maintenance issue occurred while traveling at a low speed in the parking lot.

She said she was never clinically threatened by the problem.

After the problem, she said 14 people tried to help her, including several strangers, tow operators and a police officer.

The strangers attempted to jump into their vehicle before realizing the car needed help in a garage.

She added that the area was experiencing a storm.

Then she said she got kind help from a phone company through her car insurance and a friend came to pick her up.

The experience left her grateful for the kindness of strangers.

“[They were] everyone was kind, helpful and patient,” she concluded.

“Humanity is innately good. What unites us is much greater than what divides us.”

The driver said her parking lot experience was a better display of humanity than the bitterly divided conversations on social media.

The US Sun contacted the driver for comment on this story, but she did not immediately respond.

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

TOWING HELP

While the driver claimed a group of onlookers jumped into action to help, another driver said they are fighting tow companies to help residents.

Ronnie Lewis said his car was towed after he spent a night at a friend’s apartment.

He was able to fight the imposed $156 towing law.

But Lewis said the note inspired a new call to action.

“It’s a very tedious process,” he said of working to get his refund.

But Lewis said he noticed towing was more common in low-income communities.

He advocates stricter regulations for towing companies and spoke during a meeting with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation to make his case.

“The law is the same whether I’m in El Paso, Oak Cliff or Las Colinas, but the treatment of people seems to be different,” he told the Texas-based Fox affiliate. KDFW.

“And that’s why I’m looking into this, because everyone should be treated fairly.”