A MOTORIST woke up in hospital to an eye-watering $1,000 towing bill after suddenly becoming sick at a juice bar.
Sympathetic locals have suggested a “boycott” – as she didn’t do anything wrong and is too sick to get her car back.
Linda Paulding’s car was towed after she became sick while visiting a juice bar (stock image)[/caption]
Her Hyundai was removed and taken into storage by Dave’s Towing in Palm Springs, California[/caption]
Unfortunately, Linda’s nephew, Courtney Paulding, lives in Alabama and couldn’t immediately retrieve the vehicle from the tow firm[/caption]
Car owner Linda Paulding, 69, visited The Juice, a juice bar in Palm Springs, California, last Friday.
However, when she suddenly fell ill while there, a friend picked Paulding up, and eventually took her to hospital, where she remains, reported NBC News.
Unfortunately, her trip to the bar has now become extremely expensive.
Her Hyundai had been left at The Juice – because she was in hospital – so the firm called a local towing company to remove it from the car park outside the premises.
It was towed by Dave’s Towing, which is now charging her more than $1,000 to retrieve the Hyundai.
The Roggin Report told viewers: “Community outrage is growing over the story.
“Her car was there (at The Juice) because she got sick there, before someone could go and get the car for a woman who was in the hospital. They (Dave’s Towing) towed it.”
Her nephew, Courtney Paulding, who lives in Alabama, told the show he was “outraged” that the firm would have a sick woman’s car towed under such difficult circumstances.
As he lives so far from his aunt, he couldn’t immediately retrieve the stored vehicle – which means that fees have soared from the original $800.
He said, “I feel like what happened is that they and The Juice are currently being unreasonable.
“I tried to work with them because my aunt’s car has been with them since last Friday, and my aunt continues to be in the hospital.
“Keep in mind now, I’m in Alabama, and so what Dave’s Towing is asking me to do is pay $900 to get the car out, although they knew my aunt was in hospital although my aunt did also get sick at The Juice bar.”
CLUELESS ABOUT COSTS
Dave’s Towing has defended its action, attributing the high cost of operating tow trucks, such as insurance and maintenance.
David Bell, owner of Dave’s Towing, said he had owned the firm for “over 43 years.”
The California Vehicle Code is very explicit about towing companies overcharging on non-consensual tows
He explained in an email to the show that the initial “$800 fee for this Hyundai would be mostly for storage.”
Bell also said Paulding hadn’t been overcharged for the towing and subsequent storage.
His statement said: “The California Vehicle Code is very explicit about towing companies overcharging on non-consensual tows.
“They can be sued for four times the amount of an overcharge.”
Bell said that those criticizing his business had no clue about the huge costs faced by towing firms.
He added, “People seem to have an idea what we should charge that have very little information about our expenses.
“The truck that picked up that car was almost $170,000 insurance on each truck.
“Insurance on each truck averages over $1,000 a month. I would love to tell all these companies what I think I should pay.”
FEES SOAR
Annoyed viewers also slammed The Juice and Dave’s Towing for towing the car of an older woman in hospital.
Bell replied, “The one thing I learned today that there was this elderly 69 year old lady, that must make me an elderly 69 year man. I can live with that at least for a little while. Thanks.”
An unimpressed viewer warned, “And the charges just keep accruing the longer it’s left there.”
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving 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 a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
BOYCOTT
One resident hit out at the juice bar on social media, suggesting a “boycott” of the firm for being so “heartless.”
Another claimed, “The owner of the juice bar is so rude when it comes to the parking spaces in front of the juice bar. Like, sir, you own the juice bar, not the parking lot.”
But one person suggested, “Everyone is talking about the tow company but the vehicle was towed for a reason and if it was the juice bar who called, they should help the lady out and pay at least some of the tow bill.”
Another suggested starting a GoFundMe to help Paulding pay for the high fees.
The Roggin Report pointed out that the controversial issue was clearly “bigger than just Linda’s.”
Dave’s Towing made it clear to her nephew that there were other Valley residents facing similar situations with it and other local towing companies, the show added.
The U.S. Sun has contacted Dave’s Towing and The Juice for comment.
The incident follows our recent story about a woman left in shock after someone else’s mistake seemingly cost her $3,000 in fees to get her car back from a tow company.
Also, a new traffic law goes into effect in July – with officials cracking down on steep fees.
