*Sigh*
After a GREAT night at Ignite Phoenix #4, many participants went to La Bocca for some after hours networking.
Several of us parked in a vacant lot at the southeast corner of 7th & Mill, only to walk out to find our cars had been towed.
Here’s the [sarcasm on] big giant warning sign [sarcasm off] that parking there will result in towing.
Yep, it’s stuck on the back of an electrical box at the far end of the vacant lot at 701 S. Mill Street in Tempe (southeast corner of Mill & 7th St).
The lot is owned by “Tempe Mill LLC”, deeded on Nov 7, 1996 (per the Maricopa County Assessors public site).
According to the Nevada Secretary of State public site, Tempe Mill LLC is a Limited Liability Company registered in Nevada to a Dean Y. Kajioka, Esq. (source).
When I parked there, there were 5 or 6 other cars parked along the northern edge of the lot. Several cabs were also there, idling with the drivers in their cabs – I assume waiting for fares.
When I left La Bocca and got to the corner, a tow truck from Monster Impound & Recovery was in the process of towing a car (that I later found belonged to Steve Belt – who gets photo credits too) and one other car was parked next to Steve’s. Every other car was gone – hauled away by Monster Impound & Recovery.
There were several people milling about. One guy said one of the tow truck drivers has sprayed mace or pepper spray on him when he attempted to take a picture of the tow truck. He called the Tempe Police, who arrived very quickly.
More people whose cars had been towed began to arrive. A very nice family visiting from Mississippi also had there car towed. They had two small children with them and asked (quite politely I might add) if there was any way they could recover their car seats.
The tow truck drivers, two of the rudest and cockiest people I’ve encountered in a long time, told them the impound lot didn’t open until 9:00am (though the teeny tiny sign clearly says vehicles will be released at 8:00am).
The taxpayers in Tempe now get to pay for some police-arranged service to come pick up this family and get them some car seats.
The smart-ass tow truck driver told me, “Try suing us. People have been trying to for eight years”.
I called the number listed on the sign to try to recover my car tonight and was treated to one of the nastiest, rudest “ladies” I’ve ever encountered. She wouldn’t give me the impound lot address, and would only say I could call back at 9:00am tomorrow for information.
Here’s what REALLY chaps me…
Guess who the last car left in the lot belonged to? I can’t say for sure who owned the car, but I can state unequivocally that one of the tow truck drivers unlocked the drivers door, got in, started the car and drove off.
So Monster apparently parks a car in the lot, baiting people to park there, then hauls them away. All for a tidy $140 fee (so I’m told. Guess I’ll find out for sure tomorrow. Update: cost was $135. Cash only, which I didn’t have. They gave me two weeks to pay noting at that point it would be turned over to collections where the fees would “at least triple” this amount).
One car owner told me he’d been parked there less than 30 minutes when his car was towed.
I asked one of the Tempe Police officers if this, “happens every night” and his response was, “Yeah, pretty much.” They also said there was nothing they could do as this was private property and was “properly marked”.
Tempe City Code section 32-6 “Notice to public of right to tow” states:
(a) The owner or person in possession of any private parking area shall be deemed to have given consent to unrestricted parking by the general public in such parking area unless such parking area is posted with signs as prescribed by this section which are clearly visible and readable from a distance of fifty (50) feet away and at all points of entry.
(b) Signs will be a minimum of twelve (12) inches by eighteen (18) inches in size and will be mounted at a minimum height of five (5) feet and a maximum height of ten (10) feet above the ground.
I haven’t measured the sign (yet) but something tells me it’s going to be 12 x 18 inches and mounted five feet high. “Clearly visible and readable from a distance of fifty feet away” is highly suspect. I didn’t see the sign until the cocky tow truck driver pointed it out. Apparently none of the other seven people towed (nor their passengers) did either.
So maybe it’s “legal”. I don’t know, I’m not a lawyer like the guy that managers the LLC that owns the vacant lot. If they didn’t want people parking there, it would be an insignificant cost to post far more obvious signage, or here’s an idea – string a chain across the entry to the lot.
But wait, if you did that the towing company wouldn’t be able to park a car there. And you wouldn’t be able to charge people $140 a pop to retrieve their vehicles.
And all this after the Mayor of Tempe, Hugh Hallman, gives an impassioned plea at the opening of Ignite Phoenix to change the name to Ignite Tempe.
Whatever.
UPDATE: Interesting. Tempe Changes Rules on Towing to Prevent Companies From Scamming Drivers. So towing scams around Mill Ave are a known issue to the Tempe City Council…
Others Opine:
Roger Williams (@halfacat), another victim – Scam Alert! Towing Scam in Tempe, AZ
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Sucks all that happened to you guys but to be frank… I’m not surprised in the slightest degree. I worked (lived) down there for 6 years and those tow trucks are like vultures. They all have a system and it works well.
Good luck getting your vehicles tomorrow morning and be sure to raise a query with the mayor. I’m sure they have plenty of complaints about the companies already and seeing as the mayor JUST spoke highly of Tempe it’d be perfect timing to prove one of the many major issues Tempe has.
Keep us filled in.
The irony of the $140 fee cannot be ignored :-
One of the keys to all that “Legality” is indeed whether the tow truck driver does park there, which would indeed bait others to park there. There would be no other reason for the driver to park there than to give others an immediate sense of “it’s alright, c’mon in.”
That same Tempe code you cite also pluralizes “signs” and mentions “clearly visible and readable from a distance of fifty (50) feet away and at all points of entry.
Not having viewed it, it’s unclear whether there’s just the one entrance – but it sounds like it’s much more open access from the description. If so, that would reasonably (a key word) require more than one sign, according to the code.
The sign already has one potential error – the time when vehicles can be collected. It could easily have more.
Lastly, there’s the point of the city issuing a business license, which it might renew every year or every 3 or 5 years. If the company’s sole purpose of existence – or its greatest revenue stream – is collection of towing fees from its own vacant lost, that’s not a business in any sense of the term. Cities can and do refuse business licenses for less.
I’ll mention some or all of these points in my letter to the mayor, as when you first tweeted about this that juxtaposition of the mayor wanting Ignite Tempe instead of Ignite Phoenix came to mind and I mentioned it then.
Good luck tomorrow, that is later today, at 8, no 9, no ??
**Temple Stark´s last blog post..NBA: How’s The Refereeing Folks
Temple – excellent points. I’m not sure if there are other entrances, but when I saw “clearly visible and readable from a distance of 50 feet” I about choked.
And here is a little nugget I find very interesting. That Tempe City Code section 32-6(a)(5) says “Each sign shall state, ‘Tempe City Code, Section 32-6′.
Not “should” state, shall state.
When I look at the closeup pic of the sign, I see Glendale, Phoenix, Mesa, Scottsdale, Peoria, Gilbert and Chandler. But damned if I can find Tempe there….
Same thing happened here in Kansas City in the Power and Light District. All it does is give the city a bad name. I know many people who will not go to the KC Power and Light District because of the negative press of tow truck drivers hauling cars away and charging huge fees for people to recover,
Jay-
Great post! What a shame that visitors have to experience such a nightmare.
You did not mention how much it cost you to get home.
My daughter, an ASU student was towed in a similar situation in less than 5 minutes! The tow trucks just sit and wait for you.
I have seen news reports on bad towing practices in Tempe before, but this one takes the cake.
Maybe you and Steve should volunteer a couple of hours of your time and stand on the public sidewalk to warn people.
Absolutely terrible. My heart (and anger) goes out to everyone towed, but especially the family from Mississippi. Having small children of our own, I can imagine how frightened the little ones must have felt. Incredibly heartless to not even give up the car seats.
Joe and I are reading this and he’s not as ‘proper’ as I am. He wants to kick some ass!
Hmm, how about a little reverse strategy. Someone remove the sticker, than stage a dozen or so parked cars (sacrificial lambs). I wonder how much it would cost Monster Impound & Recovery to pay damages for improperly towing vehicles.
**Colleen´s last blog post..Kennewick WA Homes for Sale
Growing up in Chicago, we had the notorious Lincoln Park Towing made famous in the song “The Lincoln Park Pirates” by the late, great Chicago folk singer Steve Goodman (best known for “City of New Orleans”.
**howard´s last blog post..Seth says: you matter
Nice work researching and getting this up so fast. Amazing this is allowed to go on.
These people should be ashamed.
**Wynn´s last blog post..The case for transparency
Jay you should have had someone follow the tow truck. They tow the cars out as fast as they can to a side street, close by, but can’t be seen from the lot. Once they get all the cars out, they will then go back to the side street and start towing the cars to the lot. Probably why they wouldn’t give you any info, you car was not there yet. We have a company here that is doing the same thing. Just on the edge of the law. And there are people suing. Sounds like a class action against the lot and the tow might at least get a larger sign put up at that lot!
Wow, heard about this because a couple of my coworkers unfortunately got scammed by it. Crazy stuff! One more reason to avoid the Mill Ave district.
So unfortunate that the new laws (or are they just rules, not sure) in Tempe don’t go into effect until the end of the month.
I understand the right of a property owner to have cars towed ( if done properly) but this appears to be a HUGE bait and switch scam that should be stopped. Having someone associated with a towing company park a car there is something that I have a real problem with.
You and some of the people that have left comments make several other EXCELLENT points. ( about signage etc)
I am sure the City of Tempe will hear from many people concerning this questionable prictice.
**Rail Life´s last blog post..Save time and money this 4th of July – Rail Life style
Jay, I hope you get your car back this morning, with a minimum of hassle. I personally feel very fortunate that I was able to avoid–apparently through the misfortune of the gentleman that received the pepper spray and resulting delays it caused the tow truck operators–the hassle and expense of having my car towed.
I tell you, walking out of La Bocca and seeing my car up on the tow truck’s life was certainly not a pleasant sight at 11pm at night.
FYI, that sign, is definitely not 12″ x 18″. I’d estimate it is closer to 6″ x 12″ or roughly 50% smaller than the sign ordinance requires.
From Ignite, I may have been the first person to park at the lot. I parked right next to the bait vehicle, in between painted lines on asphalt, which, late at night, looked like a perfectly normal and legal place to park. On what appeared to be an easement road connecting several businesses together, there was a standard circular “no parking” sign, with an arrow pointing into the lot. This signed looked to be bent or damaged, and I read it to mean, no parking along the easement road . The normal “Private Property – No Parking” signs that we are all familiar with were certainly not visible, nor indeed present. And yes, this entire lot seemed to be very much a clear scam by the lot owner his/her towing company and quite probably the taxi companies.
**Steve Belt´s last blog post..8000 Tax Credit Bridge Loan: Is Anyone Doing It?
Oh Jay – what a frustrating night! suing may not be the option but shutting them down may be better – It is bad enough when these things happen to us locals but when it happens to visitors it really leaves a bad taste – good luck today!
**Thesa Chambers´s last blog post..Not All Agents Are Showing All The Listings!
I thought Tempe had a law that if you are towed, you only have to show proper ID and ownership papers to the tow company, and they then have to release your car. If you don’t pay them later, they can sue you for the money. Isn’t this law still in effect?
For all of you that this happened to, it’s unfortunate. I feel your pain and have been in that same situation. One thing to add…is that if you tow a car, have someone on the other side to release it at the lot. I hope all of you follow up on this with the Mayor as it seems the by-law has not been followed. And the whole bait driver to park here thing – not cool.
Please follow up with comments as I would be interested in knowing how all this turns out. I live downtown Tempe and deals with these tow truck a$$ holes regularly and threatened often.
Good luck!
If I lived near there I would take it in my own hands. Make cheap signs stating in as few words as possible about the scam and put them out there as a warning to potential parkers every day. Obviously they are making enough with this scam to pay for the property. Making a dent in their income is the only way to get through to these scumbags.
**Mike M´s last blog post..preDevCamp – June 13th..or..
Good stuff Jay. I also want to point out this section:
Sec. 32-5. Authority to tow.
It shall be unlawful for a private towing carrier to tow or transport a motor vehicle from private property without the permission of the owner or operator of the vehicle unless such private towing carrier receives a request from a law enforcement agency or the express written permission from the owner of the property or the agent of the owner, who has complied with requirements of this section. The owner or the owner’s agent shall either sign each towing order or authorize the tow by a written contract which is valid for a specific length of time. The private towing carrier may not act as the agent of the owner. A copy of the written contract shall be made readily available to the law enforcement agency upon request and include the owner’s or owner’s agent name and current telephone numbers.
(Code 1967, § 33A-5; Ord. No. 2006.77, 1-4-07)
If the ’staged’ car was indeed an employee of Monster towing then this is a violation as well.
**Roger Williams´s last blog post..Thank you Uhaul, I had forgotten how horrible a customer experience can be.
If that sign is 12×18 that means Jay head is 12×18. Where do you buy hats that size?
**Chris´s last blog post..Real Estate: Motivation vs Desire to Sell
I do have an abnormally large cranium. But it’s not THAT big.
Since you asked though, here’s where I shop for hats: http://bigheadcaps.com/
This is beyond ridiculous, and I can see why Mill Ave is struggling with stuff like this going on. If it keeps coming up at Council meetings, why hasn’t it been shut down?
I’ll be contacting the people I know in Tempe gov’t about this, and urge others to do the same: http://www.tempe.gov/elected
It is ridiculous beyond belief. I’ve emailed the Mayor of Tempe and all the Tempe Councilmembers.
I’m sure someone is thinking, “Pay the $135 and shut up”.
It’s not the money, it’s the principle of the thing. This is a rip-off. Period. If the owner of the lot didn’t want people parking there the solution is simple. Install some prominent signage and/or string a chain across the entrance. Since this has not been done, the only logical conclusion that can be made is the owner wants people to park there and get towed.
For those following, I did recover my car this morning. As the “lady” last night wouldn’t give me any information, I wasn’t aware that they accepted cash only. They did release the car, but told me that if I didn’t pay within two weeks I would be reported to credit bureaus and the resulting collection fees would “at least triple” the amount I owe.
Interestingly, they refused to give me a receipt — which is in direct violation of Tempe City Code Section 32-7(f) – “A private towing carrier shall provide the claimant with a copy of the receipt and the private towing carrier’s billing and collection procedures.”
Jay-
Looking at that sign, I am hard-pressed to believe its width is 12 inches. As well, is it truly readable from 50 feet? I wouldn’t be able to read it.
Perhaps you could measure it? It seems like this might be something to pursue in terms of violation of city ordinance on the part of Monster.
After all, can you be held liable for being towed when they are not within city guidelines as to being able to tow cars? If by chance they weren’t, would all of the previous towings be subject to restitution.
Though I am skeptical here, you never know. Sorry to hear about this. It reminds me of the speed cameras on the freeways and the whole idea that it ‘is for safety’ and not to erase debt.
Dave
**David Lorti – Ahwatukee Real Estate´s last blog post..Phoenix Area Farmers’ Markets
See. I knew there was a better way to make a living than selling real estate. How do I get a tow truck drivers license? Anyway, all kidding aside, you better go back to that lot and take a video with a date stamp. The owner will have the appropriate signs up with pictures in hand if it ever goes to court – at least that been my experience.
I’ve been towed before, it’s not fun and it cost me about $350. It seems like they have a pretty lucrative scam going on, it’s a shame the police can’t do anything.
**Brantford Real Estate´s last blog post..When Should I Think of Buying my Brantford Home?
No parking signs were posted in the 7th St. and Mill Ave lot.
A internet cafe business is located next to the lot. Employees told me if you have a sticker you are not towed. They also mentioned they know nothing about the towing. I noticed one car in the lot – it had a sticker with the towing company name on it.
According to Tempe PD, they have no information on any incidents last night at this parking lot.
http://www.tp10.com/2009/06/rip-tempe-arizona-mill-ave.html
**Pete Kosednar´s last blog post..RIP: Tempe Arizona Mill Ave
“No parking signs were posted in the 7th St. and Mill Ave lot.”
In a questionable location. And whether the towing notice signage meets city code is suspect.
“According to Tempe PD, they have no information on any incidents last night at this parking lot.”
I’m assuming that’s because they didn’t “file a report”. There were obviously police there, and one of the scam victims talked to them last night:
http://desertstandard.com/2009/06/17/scam-alert-towing-scam-in-tempe-az/
In addition, I got an email this morning from a Tempe Police Detective who handles towing issues for the department after this post was forwarded to him by the Tempe Police Public Relations Officer. We are currently playing phone tag.
I would be curious to know who owns the towing company!! as it could be the same people. Also point of knowledge, a Nevada corporation does not have to have the owners listed, they could put their lawyers name on the info keeping their ownership private. They could have purchased a very ‘valuable’ piece of real estate….
**Irene Hammond´s last blog post..New Real Estate Scam to be aware of
gregory bain makes a most excellent point – someone should grab some dated photos of the lot for evidence, and pronto.
so very sorry this happened to you all after such a fun night. this makes me so mad, what a scam. for shame.
Greetings,
I was at Ignite #4 and missed the 2nd half because I was having a fun heart-to-heart conversation with Onnie Shekerjian, Tempe Councilmember. I forwarded your blog to her email with a nice note and also included Gabi’s (Yelp) info in case the City wants to put out a spark before it becomes a blaze. She is a really fun and personable lady so I hope she will act qucikly and pull the license of said towing company.
Cheers!
Alison B.
I got a response from Councilmember Shekerjian, here is what she had to say: “Thanks Ali for the email and the Yelp contact. *I provided Gabi’s contact info to Councilmember Shekerjian-AB* I spoke with Gabi about the towing issue as well as getting with her to learn more about Yelp.
While private property owners (and the property where people were towed is private) have a right to have people towed off their property, and the City has no right to stop them, that practice can only take place within the parameters the city sets. Recently we tightened the towing ordinances and will continue to ensure our rules are fair and followed.
It is such a shame that a great evening ended on such a sour note for some.”
I just wanted to add that I did not intentionally exclude Ignite organizational people, I just don’t know them yet since Ignite #4 was my first time out. The above response should be read through the politician’s lens (they can’t get as heated as we can because they have to run for re-election every once in a while). But, rest assured, this is quite strong language and I am certain that this one is on her radar and will be dealt with swiftly and appropriately.
I was one of the folks who got towed last night as well. When I went to pick up my car this morning, Jesse, the Monster employee, was able to clarify some questions and I was able to help clear up what had happened then as well.
First off, from my conversation with him, it sounds like it’s actually the property manager that’s responsible for calling them to tow. They don’t patrol it, they just respond to calls. Apparently the property manager is rather inconsistent, sometimes renting the space out, other times patrolling his lots at time. He’s the one instigating and the towing company takes the flack.
Secondly, when I told the employee about the suspected bait car, he was shocked and told me there was only supposed to one driver, and could be a bad situation for the driver if he’d brought someone with him. Said this was very suspect and would look into it.
Third, I’d keep in mind the extra parking sign on the east side of the lot. That may be the one that covers the legality of this area as a no-parking zone.
The guy at Monster was actually very understanding and kind, and it sounds like the tow truck driver, although doing his job, will be looked into. He also told me to avoid parking anywhere near eJoy and Jack in the Box to escape further towings.
eJoy and Jack-in-theBox…two companies I made a point to *never* frequent during my years at ASU because of their notoriously customer UN-friendly parking policies (and I took the bus, I din’t even own a car then, but I heard the horror stories from my friends with autos).
Some companies don’t realize that when you appeal to a common consumer (i.e. the Urban Outfitters consumer will generally also stop by American Apparel, that is why you will always find those two stores in close proximity to each other), and are slightly liberal with your parking policies, people will buy your overpriced drinks and greasy food, after they finish shopping. Think about this one: what if the old borders became a Changing Hands location? Do you think eJoy would want those people to stop by for a coffee afterwards? I hate when small business owners are such tightwads that they hinder their own earning potential so that they can make a cheap buck via kickbacks from towing companies. And if they complain that they have no parking to spare to non-patrons and they will loose business, I say to that – plenty of mill avenue businesses don’t have private parking lots and they do just fine…why? because they compete by price and/or they have a superior product (which isn’t hard when your competition is jack-in-the-box).
That was my morning marketing rant. I have my own marketing consulting firm and I like to babble on, so if anyone is interested in growing their biz….I’m just starting out, so get me while I’m cheap and making deals (by deal I mean commission only type stuff:-)
I agree with Luz – the two guys I dealt with at the actual impound lot were very nice guys. I didn’t have time to really talk to them, but they were cordial and professional.
Also, I just got a very nice call from Tempe City Councilmember Onnie Shekerjian. She said that the city was looking into this matter and no one there was pleased with the events that took place last night. They are investigating some things and hope to be able to report something soon.
It’s nice to see elected officials take “citizen concerns” seriously. Ms. Shekerjian even gave me her personal cell number, something she certainly didn’t have to do.
But I’m still pissed off. I have zero tolerance for unethical business practices. People need to stand up and fight crap like this rather than just accept it and/or let it go on and on.
The plot thickens! Dishonesty brings greed, greed brings stupidity. I wonder if you not only uncovered a scam, but tax evasion or similar.
**Colleen´s last blog post..Kennewick WA Homes for Sale
Tempe is a bad place to have a meeting because parking is a pain in the neck.
The Tempe city government could have stopped this problem a zillion different ways years ago but they choose not to.
**John Wake´s last blog post..Phoenix Area Home Market at a Glance – May MLS median sold price UP $4,000
There are a lot of free parking options in Tempe, but their signage is lacking. I would be willing to create a free parking map for the mill avenue district that is functional and easy to understand (seriously, I’m just using Adobe Illustrator). I just wouldn’t know how to most efficiently distribute it though….any suggestions?
How about distributing it through the city of tempe for starters? and then maybe the mill ave district businesses and finally bloggers like Jay here can obviously spread the word.
Just a couple quick ideas.
**tysoncrosbie´s last blog post..Ignite Phoenix TCA – June 16th, 2009 [Flickr]
As a result of this week’s activity, the city’s actually already on that! Heard today they’re going to be posting in the restaurants in Tempe about the parking shenanigans. Hooray!
I do not patronize Mill Avenue anymore since my car was towed for parking a few minutes over the limit at Coffee Plantation. Do you know what it’s like to go outside after a meeting that ran long and have your car missing at 9:30 at night? It’s TERRIFYING.
I have a choice as to where I spend my money. Mill Avenue is a joyless nightmare.
**Stacy H.´s last blog post..10 things I wish I could tell my college graduate work self
For those following this Tempe towing scam post and comments, I have an update posted. It covers the tow warning signage at the lot and why I don’t think it meets the required Tempe City Code.
The post is here:
http://www.phoenixrealestateguy.com/towing-scam-the-day-after/2430
Learn to read the signs. Everyone knows what a Tow sign looks like. Just because you get caught don’t make it other people’s problems. There are 17 other signs. Through out the property. After he wrote his all so sad report i went and looked. Come on people wake up this is very sad when a man can not take responsibility for his actions he screwed up. You see he had plenty of time to read the signs the next day. he had to at least spent 2 hours of his time taking pictures maybe he should have just taken the time to read the signs the night before and we would not all be sitting here writing about all this Towing Crap. Try writing about the Bad house loans that are out there.
Or starving homeless people
Dear Anonymous,
Please don’t lash out at people because you got a call from a councilmember regarding your unethical business practices that violate city code. You are scared, and I understand, but you have a chance to make it right. Please ensure that the signage in all the lots you patrol is up to code. The lot in question is often used as overflow parking for special events in the Mill Avenue District. The only thing the Yelpers/Ignite Phoenix #4 people are guilty of is believeing that someone else had pulled some strings and got parking for them, most of the people who parked there did so because they saw cars they recognized parked there. Herd mentality, there’s an element of instinct involved that is a common human mistake…so have a little heart for those whose wallets are a little lighter courtesy of you. That is all.
Sincerely,
Ali Bawor
“There are 17 other signs. Through out the property”
Wrong. Completely and utterly incorrect. A lie, plain and simple.
“Come on people wake up this is very sad when a man can not take responsibility for his actions he screwed up.”
Interesting statement coming from someone that can’t even take responsibility for a blog comment, Mr. Anonymous.
I can admit when I screw up. I also know when I get ripped off and I know a scam when I see it.
“he had to at least spent 2 hours of his time taking pictures ”
Look at the time stamps on the pictures in the follow up post. They were taken seven minutes apart. Where do you get this 2 hour thing from?
“Try writing about the Bad house loans that are out there.
Or starving homeless people”
There are over 1300 posts on this blog. Two have to do with towing crap. Many have to do with loans. None have to do with starving homeless people.
“and we would not all be sitting here writing about all this Towing Crap”
The most idiotic statement of all. I assume you meant “reading”, not “writing”. If you don’t want to read about towing crap, don’t. Move along.
Good for you for fighting this. They are obviously violating the city code and you have just proven that and collected the evidence. How are you working to fight this? Have you sent these photos to the city?
There are people in the city reading these posts (and comments).
The Tempe Police Department Public Relations Officer forwarded it to the detective in charge of towing. We’ve exchanged emails
A Tempe Councilmember called me yesterday.
The Tempe Community Relations Manager and I have exchanged emails.
The Mayor of Tempe called today.
The City of Tempe is very well aware of what happened. They have had long standing issues with these towing companies and “difficult” property owners (my words, not theirs).
I’m confident that they are doing what they can. The wheels of politics turn slowly. The city is concerned, and seems to care. A tricky balance with property owners rights.
Wow it’s great to see what types of people you will run into. Maybe they should change the ordinance and require a better sign. Just horrible.
WOW.. I cant believe someone took the time to actually complain about being illegally parked and having their car towed for such. I was a cop in South Dakota for 6 yrs and I of all people should know how to read signs.. I didnt and I myself was towed from jack in the box on mill ave.. Now I could sit there like this guy and so many others and point the finger OR I could just NOT park where IM NOT suppose to park.. I could STOP being cheap and I could pay to park and I wouldnt have this problem.. Typical spoiled Americans always pointing the finger at someone else for their mistakes and NEVER taking responsibility..
Steven – I’m perfectly capable of reading, and am more than willing to take responsibility for my actions. It would be nice if the companies that don’t place signs according to city code so people can read them, and employ unethical businesses practices would take some responsibility too.
As a former cop (and thank you for your service) I think you of all people would question a practice that includes improper signage and bait cars.
It’s got nothing to do with being cheap. It’s about principle. People get shafted and screwed by scams like this all the time, and it’s ridiculous.
Seems pretty clear to me anyone who would question anything about the way you are handling this Jay would either be in the towing company, the owner of the lot, or someone with a vested interest in this issue not going forward.
Keep on keepin’ on!
Jay I understand your frustration and I do not know the codes or laws for Tempe. All I know is that I have parked where you have parked and was towed. I also paid no attention to the signs until after I was towed. Now I was towed a little over 6 months so I dont know about the signs there now but when I was towed there were numerous signs posted. Again I understand your frustration but its as simple as not parking in a NO parking area.
Jay I understand your frustration and I do not know the codes or laws for Tempe. All I know is that I have parked where you have parked and was towed. I also paid no attention to the signs until after I was towed. Now I was towed a little over 6 months so I dont know about the signs there now but when I was towed there were numerous signs posted. Again I understand your frustration but its as simple as not parking in a NO parking area. I also fail to see the scam in this. Seems like the same people who complain about this complain about an officer giving a citation for no seatbelt.. How the officer was just cruel and out to get them how its a scam just to make money for the city and how they are being targeted. when it is as simple as “put on your seatbelt”. Or Now here the big complaint is the photo radar.. Dont speed.. Very simple things Jay. I just feel like everyone is looking for a loophole to break a law insead of just not breaking the law.
Classic!
Didn’t you know there’s an app-for-that?
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I feel bad for anyone that gets there car towed, we need to get the law changed on The size of the sign, and where it is to be located, and a $ 10,000 fine for each sing Not posted correctly, it dose not mater how many sings are posted if a person dose Not see them, the laws that are in place now are simply to allow one to scam another For a profits, if any company or person really didn’t want anyone to park in there lot, We would see the sign, the no parking signs are usually much larger in areas where A profit is not the intended, like a CEO, judge, having to walk more then 50 feet to The front door.
Jay I can understand your frustration with this….I have never been in a situation quite like this but I can say for sure that I would be rip roaring mad. This is ridiculous that The tow truck driver was baiting people to park there. Someone should go and put a clamp on his tires the next time he is caught there. lol
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It is great to see you have brought so much attention to this-I can’t believe (well, I can, but don’t want to) that the tow driver dared you to sue them….go get them, Jay!
HI I LIVE IN S. PHX AND THIS COMPANY TOW MY CAR FROM THE PARKING, THEY SAY THE CAR HAVE FLAT TIRES BUT THE PROBLEM IS THEY PUT A STIKER DAY BEFORE AT 5:00PM SAYING THEY PICKUP NEXT DAY AFTHER 9:00AM, I WORK AT 8:30 AND I DONT SEE MY CAR I ASK THE MANAGER OF THE TRAILER PARK HE SAY HE WAS TOW .OK SHORT STORY I PAY IN THE SAME DAY ,WHEN I GET MY TICKET I SEE THEY TOW THE CAR AT 7:45AM LIKE HOUR BEFORE THE TIME SAY INTHE STIKER MY CUESTION IS WAHT CAN I DO
Man – Jay, what a week! There should be a hefty fine for the owner who did not have the proper verbiage “Tempe” on his sign.
I was recently a victim. I realize that I parked where I shouldn’t have, but it does not give the towing company the right to play g-d with your car. The dispatcher did not like the way that I spoke to him. My car was towed on Friday. I was told that I would not be able to get my car back until Monday morning. He actually told me they were closed. He hung up during the call. The tow truck driver approached me and said if I call back and apologize the dispatcher might let me have my car back that night. I had to call back and apologize and hope that he would give me my car that night. After being silent on the phone he agreed to give me my car back, he did four hours later!! I got to the lot early and what was he doing NOTHING. He wanted to extort me for another $75 and not give me my car back the entire weekend. As far as I’m concerned they could have considered it stolen property. I too have made a claim with the police department.
I just hope the tourists that also got their car towed was able to get it back that night. They ended up taking a cab back to the hotel.
I also want to mention that the manager of Jack in the Box lied to me. He said it was the city who employed the tow truck. The city hates this practice because it gives mill avenue a bad name.
Mill Ave is being rebuilt for tourism, they need to be able to protect their tourists.
I forgot to mention they said cash only. According to the new rules they are to accept credit card or other form of payments. They made such a big deal about bringing they cash, I’d be surprised if they didn’t pocket the money. I was given a receipt which was forwarded to the police department.
I think it is rediculous what people and companies are doing to make a buck. Then when someone retaliates the law enforcement can't figure it out. I think they are just as much involved with crooks and scandals that are going on. I feel for you all. Maybe post in the paper what has happened or channal 3 on your side it is legal as long as you are only stating what you can prove. Also maybe alot of others will contact you and you all can fight that tow company mabe even own it.
I was towed last saturday from Monster when I called they said the fee would be 190$ because they had to use Dollies on my car. I called the police and the fee is 120$ with 15$ per 24 hours… AFter I called them and told them they cant charge this I went down there and they said my fee was 120$ i said wait what happened to the 190$ fee a few hours ago? They said “We dont have any trouble” So I didnt pay the fee at all and told them to take me to civil court because i have a receipt that shows them crossing off 190$ which is illegal they can get fined 1000$. And they cant hold the car for ransom so I took my car and drove off without paying. Taste it Monster Towing.
Wow, that is absolutely horrible.
I agre with Chuck though, I am not the bit surprised.
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That sign is not legal I thought new tempe code, you should try calling the Tempe Police Tow officer and also the new law says that if the owner comes out while your still on property the tow driver must drop it with out a fee New Tempe Law and sign must be 50 ft apart.
I was towed last weekend from this lot, i thought man they aren't gonna tow my car. sure enough 45 minutes later it was gone. what did i do i called the number and picked up my car i even payed them.
unlike other people I admitted to the guy that i was wrong for parking there, i understand that a parking spot has lines on it and if i park in a lot like i and u did and get towed thats my fault.
The whole lesson in this is that i learned my mistake and wont park there again these companies tow 1000's of cars a year but guess what tempe pd has cars towed as well a lot more than these companies do, but the difference is Tempe police is cut it on that.
thats why they dont like what the other companies do if this property was city owned a cop would have e called a tow truck and it would have been hauled away just the same.
just learn from your mistake reach down and grab a pair of balls take the shot to your ego and move on!
The Mississippi family should sue the lot owner. Why?
As a resident of another state, the Mississippi family owner may claim diversity of citizenship and have this case heard at the FEDERAL LEVEL and not the State level. I think the sign is clearly not visible from a distance of 50 feet unless you're using binoculars.
What a sham.
The Mississippi family should sue the lot owner. Why?
As a resident of another state, the Mississippi family owner may claim diversity of citizenship and have this case heard at the FEDERAL LEVEL and not the State level. I think the sign is clearly not visible from a distance of 50 feet unless you're using binoculars.
What a sham.
parking passes are available at the E-Joy for a fee.
parking is available for a fee through E Joy
Anyone notice that the prick who owns Monster also owns several other towing companies inthe valley? SWAT towing….KWIK TOW….Pete Colantoni(Colonscopy) is also a member of the AMA (Arizona Multihousing ASSociation)….Must be greasing palms to get get these towing contracts.
I just wanted to stop by and tell you that I really liked this post. It was full of useful information and creativity, both of which we always can use more of.
half of you are wrong and half are right you guys need to pay attention to whats going on there the property owners and and the towing companies and the city are all tied in with each other .
They all hang out down there the police the towing owners and the property owners and sit there watching for you pay attention it always the same people hanging out there all the time day and night and they hide the trucks down the alley come i have sat down there watching them like they watch usit is not hard to figure out