A CONTROVERSIAL law that’s currently in effect across a US state allows tow truck companies to sell cars they tow within days.
Indeed, in one instance, a driver revealed he was forced to fork out up to $800 in the space of an evening – or risk completely losing his vehicle.
According to CBS Evening News, critics of the law are now hitting back and calling it predatory – as private tow truck operators are targeting working class neighborhoods.
Paul Boudreau and Greta Blau of Waterbury, Connecticut, had their car towed in 2021 and experienced the harsh consequences of the swift law working against them.
Boudreau said: “They said it was because the registration had expired.
“DMV had just reopened at that point, there was about a six to 10-week wait to register a car even.”
But just weeks later, their car was set to be sold.
“And I lost the car,” Boudreau added.
“…And that’s perfectly legal in Connecticut. People can’t come up with $300 to $600 to $800 in an evening.”
But they told reporters that their apartment complex was a favored target of tow companies.
Blau added: “They took 1,000 cars in two years.”
The ongoing problem prompted Boudreau and Blau to help set up a neighborhood watch – with one particular company regularly stalking the area.
“The guy who tows the cars, the name of the company, is MyHoopty.com LLC,” Blau said.
“He targets places like these complexes where working class people live, where poor people live.”
MyHoopty was eventually banned from coming to the apartment complex by the property manager.
But it was discovered that it still targets other complexes in the area – sometimes by staking out overnight.
Indeed, in the early hours, the lights of a MyHoopty tow truck were spotted by reporters as it attempted to tow a CBS News producer’s car.
Thankfully, the crew moved the car before that could happen.
“Rules are set to ensure that most residents that have a right to park there, can park as close to their property as possible,” Michael Festa, owner of MyHoopty, later told CBS News.
Asked if he believed what his company was doing was right, Festa said: “I think it’s right and just to enforce the rules of the (apartment) complex.”
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
