My piece of crap car broke down on the highway yesterday. The troopers had it towed to a lot in Lorton. They say, barely 24 hours later, it's $200 and $50 each day forward. The car sucks, it's not even worth THAT much less it broke down!! What happens if you never go get your car from one of those places??

You will get a bunch of notices from the tow company for a few weeks telling you to pick up your pile of junk. If you dont pick it up in a few weeks they sell it.

I got towed off PW parkway too when my truck broke down. Was it towed to a shell station? every time i said i was coming to pick it up they were "unavailable" to release my car every time I showed up to get it (taking time off work!) so I gave up and let them have it. Truck was only worth maybe 1500k anyways...

I learned the bastards towed it not even 20 minutes after I walked away from it...I was walking home (6 blocks away luckily) and by the time i got home and called the police to let them know I was returning with AAA in about an hour (didn't have my card or cell on me, I was just going to the store!), they told me the station had already towed it and to call them....so of course I do and no one answers the phone!!!

Bottom line...if you break down on the side of the road...do EVERYTHING in your power to get your car off the public right of way...these tow companies out here are desperate for business and if you leave your car for 5 minutes, they will swoop down on it!!! Or better yet, get AAA and have a spare cell phone in your car if you know your "hoopty" tends to break down!! Or if you don't have AAA....keep about $150 or so in the car somewhere well hidden and a few towing company's numbers....someone should at least be able to tow you to a legal spot to sit until you can come back and repair or have it towed all the way home....but you're better off with AAA because you get 3 tows a year :)

Agreed with the above. I had a towing company tow my truck while I was taking a crap in a gas station! $175 worth of moving work that day...and it took me $175 to get the truck out of impound!

If you perceive that your car is worth less than the towing fees, sign the title over to the tow company. After 30 days the tow company by law can secure title for the car if there is not a lein. You also have the right to obtain all of the effects from the car even if the tow bill is not paid. The tow companies will say otherwise, but call the PD that towed the car and complain. An officer should come out to the lot. By not letting you obtain your effects from the car, it is a theft with intent.

The ability for towing is set up by state law where the localities can contract for towing with the local compaines. If the tow is a police tow, there are set rates for police towing in the contract with that locality. Also there is good information from the Fairfax County ordinance that covers towing if the tow is not a police tow. Bring copies of the state law, the ordinance, and the tow contract to the lot. Get the name of the employee with whom you speak. Being armed with these three pieces of information will help you deal with this organized crime syndicate.

Also you have the right to demand an itemized bill for the specific service the tow company provided. This is spelled out in the ordinance as well as the tow contract. 99.99999% of the time an itemized bill is not given. It is perponderant upon you to ask for this. If you perceive that you have been screwed over, file a complaint with the county Consumer Protection Division. Also file a complaint with the PD, you will have to get a flunky on the Adminsitration side of the PD.

What towing company is it?

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

I can't belive this. There is a car that has been sitting on the side of the parkway for weeks with a white towel out the window. And in many other places around the county. Those dont get towed for months

The VA Troopers had REDMAN's TOWING in Lorton take the car. The car isn't worth crap and we can't even find the title anyway. We can't go to the DMV to get a copy because all the car info is, of course, on the registration which is in the car. We are going to ignore their letters and let them have the car in 30 days....20 days, now. Do they sell the car at auction??

They will auction the car. If it doesn't sell for more than you owe them for towing and storage, they can still come after you. At least that's how it was in another state, I'm not sure if Virginia is the same. You might want to check on that.

Why is it always the towing company that get's the blame? Do all of you realize that the towing company is governed by county and state laws? They don't just drive around picking up cars and hauling them away.

These companies are contracted with the police. They are told when and where to remove a car from. They store your junk until you either decide to abandon it (which is against Virginia law) or pick it up.

Bottom line is if you act immediately the charges are minimum. If you sit around waiting and not finding out what the actual process is with a simple telephone call than the problem is of your own making.

Most tow company's that contract with the police department are providing a service. Not out to screw the general public.

Theresa,

I must respectfully disagree.

In my case (and others reported by friends and family), the TOWING COMPANY took the car and THEN reported it to police that they took it...the police NEVER ORDERED the tow!

My vehicle was left at exactly 12:30 (I can't forget that! it was the last time i sat in my truck!) and the police informed me the tow took place at 12:38. They must have been watching me from a distance the moment I broke down (I tried to get it started/moving again for a good hour before I gave up and started walking) then waited for me to walk away (I did put up the universal "white flag") and as soon as I got out of sight of the truck they swooped in and took it.

I respect towing companies when they come to help you (i.e. AAA, you called them to help you move your car or tow an unauthorized person parking in your space, etc) but when they just blatantly tow people with no consideration it infuriates me. I can see if I was in a handicapped spot or in a private lot parked without proper permits. That would be my own fault. Or even if i broke down in the middle of the intersection impeding traffic and didn't move the car off the road. However, in the case of a roadside breakdown (I was a good 10 feet off the road into the grass in no one's way!) , I would think they would allow the owner 24 hours (orange tag it) THEN tow it away if it is still there. Not everyone has AAA or even a cell phone...what if i was walking to a payphone to call the tow truck anyways? This is why I feel as long as the vehicle is not directly impeding or endangering anyone, the owner should have 24 hours to return to the car and move it.

In my instance, I did act immediately and call the police, etc but the towing company BLATANTLY was unavailable every time i went to retrieve the car. It was towed on a Saturday and by the time they were "available" to release my car the following Tuesday as they were closed Mondays and closed at 1pm on Saturday (which made it impossible to get there that day...see I didn't have my truck and i did not know even where they were until like 12:55 as they kept putting me on hold!) the bill was already over $250! And with their "hours" and my job, every day after that i went to see them the person in charge of the yard was "unavailable", "out to lunch", etc which meant I had to go back to work and come back the next day as they closed at 4pm (I work a 9-5) so I also lost time off work for it. A week later on that saturday when I did show up to get it, the bill was at $5xx....not to mention the truck had died so they would have charged me ANOTHER $150 just to TOW it off the lot to a safe spot (who's to say they wouldn't have towed me to the side of the road, I went to call AAA, and they tow me again for "illegal parking")....this is why I'm upset.

Also wanted to add...just the inital hook up and tow fee was $150. I could have easily paid it in cash had the towing company kept decent hours...but they didn't.

If Fairfax/Prince William/etc want to contract out their towing....fine. But they need to use tow companies that have someone in the yard 24-7 to release towed cars....it's unfair to expect someone to wait another 2-3 days for reasons beyond their control.

What if all they had was the $150 or even $200 (50 for an extra day) but because the business was closed, the bill is now $300 when they go to pick up their car and they don't have that??? The towing company won't make any concessions since they were closed and it's not fair AT ALL to the consumer.

Theresa Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Why is it always the towing company that get's the
> blame? Do all of you realize that the towing
> company is governed by county and state laws?
> They don't just drive around picking up cars and
> hauling them away.
>
> These companies are contracted with the police.
> They are told when and where to remove a car from.
> They store your junk until you either decide to
> abandon it (which is against Virginia law) or pick
> it up.
>
> Bottom line is if you act immediately the charges
> are minimum. If you sit around waiting and not
> finding out what the actual process is with a
> simple telephone call than the problem is of your
> own making.
>
> Most tow company's that contract with the police
> department are providing a service. Not out to
> screw the general public.


look up the investigation on "Dominion Wrecker Service" in Woodbridge, maybe you'll think differently

i got towed too Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I got towed off PW parkway too when my truck broke
> down. Was it towed to a shell station? every time
> i said i was coming to pick it up they were
> "unavailable" to release my car every time I
> showed up to get it (taking time off work!) so I
> gave up and let them have it. Truck was only worth
> maybe 1500k anyways...
>
> I learned the bastards towed it not even 20
> minutes after I walked away from it...I was
> walking home (6 blocks away luckily) and by the
> time i got home and called the police to let them
> know I was returning with AAA in about an hour
> (didn't have my card or cell on me, I was just
> going to the store!), they told me the station had
> already towed it and to call them....so of course
> I do and no one answers the phone!!!
>
> Bottom line...if you break down on the side of the
> road...do EVERYTHING in your power to get your car
> off the public right of way...these tow companies
> out here are desperate for business and if you
> leave your car for 5 minutes, they will swoop down
> on it!!! Or better yet, get AAA and have a spare
> cell phone in your car if you know your "hoopty"
> tends to break down!! Or if you don't have
> AAA....keep about $150 or so in the car somewhere
> well hidden and a few towing company's
> numbers....someone should at least be able to tow
> you to a legal spot to sit until you can come back
> and repair or have it towed all the way
> home....but you're better off with AAA because
> you get 3 tows a year :)


Even if police find your car stolen, they are supposed to first notify you so that you can choose who tows it.

Also, I feel your pain regarding the bullshit tow companies. My friend had his car taken by Henry's (FUCK THEM) to their lot off of Rte. 7, and each time he called them to meet them for the pick-up of his car, they would bullshit about how they couldn't get out there. Finally, one evening he blew up on them when they BS'd, and he threatened the life of their drivers and said he'd blow up their entire yard. We drove off, and four hours later as we were driving back from a club, we saw three tow trucks parked there. Bunch of bum assed bastards. The next day he got his car back.

Btw, I do appreciate the tow-truck guys who've helped me over the years with broken down cars on the side of the roadway, they're a God send. The assholes like Henry's and a few others are all repo-holics though, they're completely predatory. Congressman Frank Wolf has been at the forefront of clamping down on these fools.

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/01/2010 06:40PM by ThePackLeader.

My cousine's got an accident at Franconia Rd today and the police called tow campany and the car was towed to his home. The towing company charged $300 for a distance which is less than 2 miles. I contacted the company over a phone and asked about the tow rate which exceptionally expensive for this short distance. The person on the phone answered that the company has contract agreement with Fairfax Police department that any owner should pay $300 if Insurance cannot cover the towing expense. Is this true? Whom shall I ask to check whether the $300 is the standard rate.

Yoseph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
Whom shall I ask to check whether the $300 is the standard rate.

The Fairfax County Police.

Do Not Ignore The Situation. This will cost a lot of money later. If you leave it they will sue you, a lot of times with out your knowledge, and place a lean against you. Not so bad until you need to sell a home, or clean up your credit. Talk to them. Explain your situation that you're broke. Apologize for the inconvenience, and give them the title. At least try something to make them not sue you.

Making_stuff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Agreed with the above. I had a towing company tow
> my truck while I was taking a crap in a gas
> station! $175 worth of moving work that day...and
> it took me $175 to get the truck out of impound!


Call your auto insurance. I have Geico and towing, lock out, etc service is less than $15 a year.

Even when someone hit me, I Geico's towing service. No problems!

G Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Theresa Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Why is it always the towing company that get's
> the
> > blame?
>
> look up the investigation on "Dominion Wrecker
> Service" in Woodbridge, maybe you'll think
> differently

No point, the only type of person on the planet who could bring him/herself to say what Theresa said is an employee or owner of a towing company.

----------------------------------------

"She looks pretty good for 12, admit it." - WingNut, 04/24/2012

"I'm racist too. So what?" - Ellipsis 9/16/2011

"If you only knew who I was, and what I was working to do you would...have the decency to tell me I hated my nation and the way of life. I may not agree with...the government...I hate the "government"......" - Firrat 9/1/10

"there seems to be a queer...why? To try and further demean a defeated... dumb Tea party... I think we need more... far left folks on a regular basis - Louis Farakhan, Jesse Jackson...Al Sharpton" - Registered Voter, 8/19/2011

"If your computer is running slow, or you have any other problems, email me at with the problem and i am willing to fix it, for a price of course" - Taylor, spamming FFU on 04/12/2006. "N****rs as slaves again? I think so..." - Taylor, 09/20/2009

If we're trading stories about predatory towing companies, I've got a tidbit about the outfit that terrorizes Arlington.

This was last winter, my friend got towed while we were at a bar (ref the "hidden" posted sign trap). I was waiting outside their compound for my friend to finish paying them. To make a long story short, I guess he tried to put up a fight inside (which is equivalent to entering a land war in Asia).

All I see next is him storming out with his car, and the employees shouting at him with the "Heil Hitler" salute. It just really shows the diminished mental capacity of these guys, especially situated in yuppie-town Arlington.

The title of this thread reminds me of the Simpsons episode of LEFT BEHIND

I pulled up to a tax company to go inside and get some advice (got out of the car), and noticed the sign on the door said CLOSED (it was 3:00pm). They had another sign posted that said they were open from 9-5pm. As I was looking for another address in the same block while parked on the tax company premises (which was closed), because there was no parking on the street, within 5 minutes, a tow company came and had my car towed! I was devastated and it cost me $165.50. Someone had been watching me and because of the incident, I plan on contacting the tax company, and reporting this to the CPD and tried to get the name of the tow company, but that information has been withheld from me at this time.

Janice Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I pulled up to a tax company to go inside and get
> some advice (got out of the car), and noticed the
> sign on the door said CLOSED (it was 3:00pm). They
> had another sign posted that said they were open
> from 9-5pm. As I was looking for another address
> in the same block while parked on the tax company
> premises (which was closed), because there was no
> parking on the street, within 5 minutes, a tow
> company came and had my car towed! I was
> devastated and it cost me $165.50. Someone had
> been watching me and because of the incident, I
> plan on contacting the tax company, and reporting
> this to the CPD and tried to get the name of the
> tow company, but that information has been
> withheld from me at this time.


ruuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuunnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooonnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
sentence much?

Janice Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I pulled up to a tax company to go inside and get
> some advice (got out of the car), and noticed the
> sign on the door said CLOSED (it was 3:00pm). They
> had another sign posted that said they were open
> from 9-5pm. As I was looking for another address
> in the same block while parked on the tax company
> premises (which was closed), because there was no
> parking on the street, within 5 minutes, a tow
> company came and had my car towed! I was
> devastated and it cost me $165.50. Someone had
> been watching me and because of the incident, I
> plan on contacting the tax company, and reporting
> this to the CPD and tried to get the name of the
> tow company, but that information has been
> withheld from me at this time.


How did you get your car back if you do not know the name of the tow company?

Who the hell are you to calling my car junk?? This same bullshit happened to me last night after breaking down on the way home from a Dr's appt!! Damn You...What are you; In with these "legal criminals"?? Well fuck You and Fuck the police, because I WILL get my car back, with some help of Congressman Roe, the Governor, and whoever else I can get involved...Except the president (ooh, that word leaves a bad taste in my mouth!!) That asshole isnt going to help anyone but HIMSELF, MUSLIMS, and his father;SATAN!! I bet YOU voted for him, didnt you IDIOT! CRAWL BACK UNDER YOUR ROCK, HONEY, and remember that you wont always be able to run your mouth about things you know NOTHING ABOUT!! EVENTUALLY, someone who is really fed up with all this shit is going to GET YOU; so just watch your back?? Oh yeah, I also would bet my life that you WEAR FUR, dont you? ANYONE who is part of animal abuse, exploitation, and MURDER, deserves the same treatment!! You my dear NAZI are a piece of shit!! And REMEMBER; YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED!!!

You're a fiesty mamma mia , Debs, you hot at all?

Pics or STFU

Deborah Smith Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Who the hell are you to calling my car junk?? This
> same bullshit happened to me last night after
> breaking down on the way home from a Dr's appt!!
> Damn You...What are you; In with these "legal
> criminals"?? Well fuck You and Fuck the police,
> because I WILL get my car back, with some help of
> Congressman Roe, the Governor, and whoever else I
> can get involved...Except the president (ooh, that
> word leaves a bad taste in my mouth!!) That
> asshole isnt going to help anyone but HIMSELF,
> MUSLIMS, and his father;SATAN!! I bet YOU voted
> for him, didnt you IDIOT! CRAWL BACK UNDER YOUR
> ROCK, HONEY, and remember that you wont always be
> able to run your mouth about things you know
> NOTHING ABOUT!! EVENTUALLY, someone who is really
> fed up with all this shit is going to GET YOU; so
> just watch your back?? Oh yeah, I also would bet
> my life that you WEAR FUR, dont you? ANYONE who is
> part of animal abuse, exploitation, and MURDER,
> deserves the same treatment!! You my dear NAZI are
> a piece of shit!! And REMEMBER; YOUR DAYS ARE
> NUMBERED!!!


You mad bro?

Redman's towed my wife's care after an accident. She ended up in ICU and I needed to get personal items out of car. Redmans said they needed a notarized letter stating I could get items out of car. I told them that she was not able to at this time and the insurance is in my name. But redmans still wouldn't let me in. My insurance is having car towed to their lot and then I can get into it. I will write the Better Business Burow and whoever else I can to get the word out about these crooks.
I also plan on calling them once a week and tell them I need a tow. I'll give them random address's and let them waste gas to find it. PAYBACK

Rage with machine Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Redman's towed my wife's care after an accident.
> She ended up in ICU and I needed to get personal
> items out of car. Redmans said they needed a
> notarized letter stating I could get items out of
> car. I told them that she was not able to at this
> time and the insurance is in my name. But redmans
> still wouldn't let me in. My insurance is having
> car towed to their lot and then I can get into it.
> I will write the Better Business Burow and whoever
> else I can to get the word out about these crooks.
>
> I also plan on calling them once a week and tell
> them I need a tow. I'll give them random address's
> and let them waste gas to find it. PAYBACK


What is your wife's "care"? Also, what is the Better Business "Burow"? People need to learn to proofread and use spellcheck

it's me Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ..,People need to learn to proofread and use spellcheck

Nah, useless-post jerks like you need to understand that the idea being discussed is MUCH more important than the manner in which it is presented.

Revenge is always a bad idea. But I do understand the anger. Remember you are not the only one. I've had a similar rage enducing experience. What's important now is being there for your wife and I mean that in the freindlyest way.

Best wishes to your wife and to you also sir.

it's me Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Rage with machine Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Redman's towed my wife's care after an
> accident.
> > She ended up in ICU and I needed to get
> personal
> > items out of car. Redmans said they needed a
> > notarized letter stating I could get items out
> of
> > car. I told them that she was not able to at
> this
> > time and the insurance is in my name. But
> redmans
> > still wouldn't let me in. My insurance is
> having
> > car towed to their lot and then I can get into
> it.
> > I will write the Better Business Burow and
> whoever
> > else I can to get the word out about these
> crooks.
> >
> > I also plan on calling them once a week and
> tell
> > them I need a tow. I'll give them random
> address's
> > and let them waste gas to find it. PAYBACK
>
>
> What is your wife's "care"? Also, what is the
> Better Business "Burow"? People need to learn to
> proofread and use spellcheck

Last time I checked, this board is not an English paper. This is just a place to express your thoughts and ideas about anything fairfax county related.

Some people type fast and hit submit, like me- I make typos and misspellings too! If Cary wanted everyone to have perfect spelling, he would have spell check as a feature of this board.

Yoseph Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My cousine's got an accident at Franconia Rd today
> and the police called tow campany and the car was
> towed to his home. The towing company charged $300
> for a distance which is less than 2 miles. I
> contacted the company over a phone and asked about
> the tow rate which exceptionally expensive for
> this short distance. The person on the phone
> answered that the company has contract agreement
> with Fairfax Police department that any owner
> should pay $300 if Insurance cannot cover the
> towing expense. Is this true? Whom shall I ask to
> check whether the $300 is the standard rate.

If you don't want to pay then don't leave your frickin car on the side of the public roadway. It endangers other drivers you selfish prick! Go buy a used tow truck and keep it on standby at all times if you are that worried about it.

@rage - car is in yr wife's name, not yrs. Towing company has NO IDEA who you are and legally cant let you have access to someone else's car, plain and simple.

Rodney, AKA "Rage with Machine" I want to give you the facts regarding towing in the State of Virginia. Police jurisdictions are governed by contracts with local towing companies to tow vehicles that are involved in accidents, stolen recovered and/or impounded for various reasons. If as you state your wife was towed it is the towing company's responsibility to secure her belongings and her vehicle until such time when either she or the insurance company takes over the responsibility for the vehicle and her possessions. Calling the towing company a crook under these circumstances shows a lack of knowledge on your part. Any person could go to the towing company claiming to be a husband, even an EX-husband! It is the law to verify such information. This is not a towing company law it's a state & city/county law. It isn't intended to inconvenience you or your family. Furthermore, it is against the law to intentionally commit fraud in making false telephone calls to the tow company as PAYBACK! I am shocked that a soldier would intentionally perjure himself in writing on a public forum such as this. I am sure your commanding officer would be interested to know how you handle yourself on your own time. Or did you write that on the Government's dime? I intend to find out. Respectfully, JusTheFacts....

i got towed too Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> and repair or have it towed all the way
> home....but you're better off with AAA because
> you get 3 tows a year :)


I broke down on I-66 west, near route 50. The car overheated. A tow truck guy happened to be driving by like 5 minutes later, and swung over to the shoulder (during rush hour). I didn't have any cash but he drove me to an ATM on the way home. It was $60 to go about 6 miles. It would have been better to have a cell phone and AAA, for sure, but probably best to not leave your car if at all possible. The guy might have towed my car anyway if I hadn't been there...

Is it elitist to expect that everyone on a highway in northern Virginia have a mobile phone and charger in the car?

Towing coverage through your insurance is about $10/yr. Even if you don't have that, I think Progressive lets you sign up with them and pay for the services provided. It might be better than getting stuck with the first redneck thief that shows up.