Welcome to the Colorado AR-15 Shooters Club Discussion Forums.
I apologize. I've had less and less time lately. Perhaps a Wednesday or Friday during the day if you are home Byte.Originally Posted by Byte Stryke
"There are no finger prints under water."
I'm guessing you probably live in an apartment complex. There is this scam going on in the greater Denver area that is actually legal. Towing companies contact the managers of apartment communities and offer to provide "parking enforcement services" for FREE to prevent persons other than tenants from parking in the lots. Once a contract is signed, all the law requires them to do is post a sign warning that "unauthorized vehicles will be towed at owner's expense" with a contact number, then they can impound any vehicle that violates the rules stipulated in the contract.
Common violations include: expired registration sticker, expired temp tag, missing plate, "for sale" sign, commercial vehicle, flat tire, leaking oil or fluids, appears inoperable, appears to be used for storage, improperly parked.
If your vehicle is in "violation" they can tow and impound it, and if you cannot pay the impound fee they can keep or and resell it. If they saw a motorcycle with no tags and a for sale sign they would steal it -- legally. If you show up while they are about to remove it they will require you to pay a $70 "drop fee" in order to give you a warning and leave . . . but then they can show up an hour later and try taking it again. If you try to stop them, Colorado law is on their side since the management company has given them authorization to remove vehicles and they have the same authority as a security guard regarding confrontations and use of force.
It is a reprehensible practice, and as far as I know unique to the Denver area -- at least in the overall scope of its enforcement.
Could you please expound? I've never thought of tow truck drivers or security guards as have much if any authority.
I Pulled for APT in another life. 99% of the time the property managers will be the ones to call on stuff like that. It's not like tow trucks haunt parking lots looking. I know that we would get a call, go in and remove some POS. we wouldn't go looking for someone that just happened to park a little crooked in their space.
and as far as why he was in the situation he was, Yeah, you are off quite a bit.
as for the security guard thing... yeah ou dont want to try and interfere with them. At a minimum you are evicted up to and including arrested and civilly or criminally liable for interference in recovery/impounding procedures.
It's my understanding that "someone" ( manager etc.) MUST call the tow company.. they can't just drive around snatching up cars willy nilly.
Pretty sure thats a state law.
You are wrong. If they have a sign posted they can tow. Some can and do "haunt" parking lots. Those are the sleazy disreputable ones. I know of a local tow company that purchased several small lots for the sole purpose of having justification to tow ANYONE who parks there. I have been present at events where local businesses -- including strip malls and supermarket plazas -- have a couple of sandwich boards posted at the entries reading "NO EVENT PARKING" and there is a literal fleet of tow trucks being directed by a dozen spotters to tow and impound any car owned by any person who walks off premises. Once, in another state, I saw them pull nearly 100 cars in a single day during a free music festival across from a strip mall parking lot.
The tow company I'm familiar with takes a digital photo of each car before they tow it, and if it is a tenant's vehicle they put a notice sticker on the window explaining the violation and telling them they have 72 hours to correct it or move the vehicle. Tow fee plus impound fee exceeds $200, and there is a daily storage fee added to that.
If they are the owner .. of course they can sign the paper to tow ... it's not just a call it's a signing of the tow slip. the owner of the property or his agent must sign the tow slip.
The "dozen spotters" were probably agents of the property owner towing people away for doing parking where the signs clearly said no parking.
if they post a notice for 72 hours.... whats the problem ?
The examples you have just used are COMPLETELY different from the situation you posted before...
read rule 6508
http://www.dora.state.co.us/puc/rule...es10-15-10.pdf
EDIT:
HAH I tell you to read it and I missed the very first part of rule 6508 **head smack**
yes a tow carrier CAN be set up as an authorized agent for the property owner...
but there is more to it then "just posting a sign".
If I lived in an apartment complex with that set up ... I'd move ASAP... infact now knowing it I'll be sure to check out about that BEFORE I sign a lease .. ( where I live currently does not have that set up ).
Kinda wack that they can be the cop judge and executioner in that set up .... they decide whats not ok, then tow away ....
can be...
but due to some disreputable practices by one or two companies the property owners long ago decided they didn't like that liability.
If a Tow driver/Company acts on behalf of the property owner or management agency, something is unlawfully towed/damaged, Guess who is liable.
My apartment complex has very large and conspicuous signs like that. I've had a note on my car before, but there has not been an issue with people's cars being towed.
"There are no finger prints under water."
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote