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The US Sun
My car was towed from my apartment under the cover of night – ‘violation’ wasn’t my fault and now I owe $93
By Ben Shimkus,
1 day ago
A DRIVER said she went to bed after her vehicle had broken down - in the darkness of night, towing operators snatched the car.
The apartment resident knew her Pontiac Vibe was parked against the rules, but there was no way to turn around.
A driver said her Pontiac was towed at midnight from her parking spot Credit: 6NEWSThe car owner said it is difficult to pay on a fixed income Credit: 6NEWS
Karen Workman lives paycheck to paycheck, according to
Workman, a retiree with a fixed income, said it's difficult for anyone in her neighborhood to pay the towing fees imposed on residents.
However, stringent parking standards assigned by the apartment complex have sent tow trucks into the retiree's lot.
"I've been here eight years. We could always park the way we wanted to over here," she said.
"All of a sudden, they act like it is a gated community, and we got to park a certain way. We have to pull in."
The neighborhood recently changed rules to ensure towing authorities can easily verify parking registration.
Apartment officials asked drivers to place red stickers in the rear window of their cars.
Then, they asked residents to park with their front bumper facing the curb to readily display the registration.
Workman fell victim to a tow because of the new rules - but she said she was completely powerless.
The day before her car was towed, the older vehicle broke down at a nearby gas station.
A friend of Workman's got the car running for a brief trek back to the apartment complex.
But the friend parked in reverse, hoping it would give mechanics easier access to the motor.
He didn't know it was against the apartment complex's rules to park about-face.
"I told him we're not supposed to do that," Workman said.
"I knew, but he didn't know."
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:
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