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Can police have a car towed after the tow-away period has passed?

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jleg094

Junior Member
Northridge (Los Angeles County), California

First post...here it goes

My car was towed last week because I unknowingly (not that they care) parked in a zone that was labeled tow-away from 4pm-7pm. I was devastated, especially since I tried so hard not to get a ticket (or towed for that matter). I even got out of the car after parking and looked around for any signs. I didn't see any and assumed it was safe, but I was wrong. It's not my fault the signs were spaced a football field's length apart, and were 12 feet high, with numerous trees on either side! After some research, the law here seems to state that there need be only ONE sign at the beginning of the block, and so long as it is visible from the street (not from where you are parked) it is a fair game for the city...those crooks. Unfortunately, while the signage was poor, it did fulfill that requirement and I do not have a case. Feel free to comment if you think otherwise. But I digress.

After trying to forget about this traumatic experience (that truly is the only way to describe it), it just occurred to me that there is a possibility my car was towed after 7pm. The officer wrote the ticket shortly after 5:30pm, and God knows how long it would take a tow truck to get there during rush hour on that busy street.

My question is, since the sign said tow-away zone from 4pm-7pm, IF my car was not actually towed until after 7pm, would I have a case to contest the tow-away and have my tow/impound fees possibly refunded or reduced? Even if I don't have a likely case (I've already accepted I'm just a helpless victim at the complete mercy of the city), I would be very curious to know whether or not it is legal for them to tow a vehicle outside of the time frame specified on the sign.
 


Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
Northridge (Los Angeles County), California

First post...here it goes

My car was towed last week because I unknowingly (not that they care) parked in a zone that was labeled tow-away from 4pm-7pm. I was devastated, especially since I tried so hard not to get a ticket (or towed for that matter). I even got out of the car after parking and looked around for any signs. I didn't see any and assumed it was safe, but I was wrong. It's not my fault the signs were spaced a football field's length apart, and were 12 feet high, with numerous trees on either side! After some research, the law here seems to state that there need be only ONE sign at the beginning of the block, and so long as it is visible from the street (not from where you are parked) it is a fair game for the city...those crooks. Unfortunately, while the signage was poor, it did fulfill that requirement and I do not have a case. Feel free to comment if you think otherwise. But I digress.

After trying to forget about this traumatic experience (that truly is the only way to describe it), it just occurred to me that there is a possibility my car was towed after 7pm. The officer wrote the ticket shortly after 5:30pm, and God knows how long it would take a tow truck to get there during rush hour on that busy street.

My question is, since the sign said tow-away zone from 4pm-7pm, IF my car was not actually towed until after 7pm, would I have a case to contest the tow-away and have my tow/impound fees possibly refunded or reduced? Even if I don't have a likely case (I've already accepted I'm just a helpless victim at the complete mercy of the city), I would be very curious to know whether or not it is legal for them to tow a vehicle outside of the time frame specified on the sign.
Melodramatic much? :rolleyes:
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
My question is, since the sign said tow-away zone from 4pm-7pm, IF my car was not actually towed until after 7pm, would I have a case to contest the tow-away and have my tow/impound fees possibly refunded or reduced? Even if I don't have a likely case (I've already accepted I'm just a helpless victim at the complete mercy of the city), I would be very curious to know whether or not it is legal for them to tow a vehicle outside of the time frame specified on the sign.
That depends ... how long after 7 PM are we talking? And why was there a delay?

If you were towed at 10 PM you might have a great argument, if the tow was initiated or called before 7 PM and was not completed until afterwards, not so much.
 

Zigner

Senior Member, Non-Attorney
That depends ... how long after 7 PM are we talking? And why was there a delay?

If you were towed at 10 PM you might have a great argument, if the tow was initiated or called before 7 PM and was not completed until afterwards, not so much.
Car was cited at 5:30 pm - I suspect it was towed well before 7pm
 

CdwJava

Senior Member
Car was cited at 5:30 pm - I suspect it was towed well before 7pm
Probably ... but, if towed well AFTER 7 PM, then there may well be an issue. Most rotational tows have a contracted response time of 30 minutes or less (the standard where I used to work in so. Cal. was 20 minutes). If they cannot promise that, they don't get the contract.
 

jleg094

Junior Member
Probably ... but, if towed well AFTER 7 PM, then there may well be an issue. Most rotational tows have a contracted response time of 30 minutes or less (the standard where I used to work in so. Cal. was 20 minutes). If they cannot promise that, they don't get the contract.
You're probably right, I'm sure they did get it before 7:00 pm, but just hypothetically if they did not, would it have been unlawful of them to tow it? And how well after 7 would it have had to have been towed to be unlawful? Would it be fair game so long as the tow was called before 7? If there is anything written in California law detailing the restrictions I would really be interested in seeing it.

And I know I sound a bit melodramatic, but if you've ever been towed before, you know it hurts! Lol
 

Silverplum

Senior Member
You're probably right, I'm sure they did get it before 7:00 pm, but just hypothetically if they did not, would it have been unlawful of them to tow it? And how well after 7 would it have had to have been towed to be unlawful? Would it be fair game so long as the tow was called before 7? If there is anything written in California law detailing the restrictions I would really be interested in seeing it.

And I know I sound a bit melodramatic, but if you've ever been towed before, you know it hurts! Lol
http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/displaycode?section=veh&group=22001-23000&file=22650-22711
 

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