With Montgomery County feeling the parking crunch, have you been towed after parking in a lot and “walking off” to a different establishment? Or worse, have you seen your car unfairly towed from the lot of the business in which you were shopping?
ABC7 recently highlighted the issue of towing in Montgomery County—30,000 cars last year alone, according to ABC7—and spoke with a family who says their car was unfairly towed. Towing is the No. 1 complaint fielded by the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection, according to the report.
“We really are in crisis mode in Montgomery County with respect to non-consensual towing,” Eric Friedman, Office of Consumer Protection director, told ABC7. “They’re just hiding, waiting for someone to walk away or do something wrong, then they swoop in like a hawk and get their car.”
But enforcing parking policies can provide a safeguard for the business community, merchants say. In Bethesda, where parking is especially scarce following the , a major surface parking lot that’s being redeveloped into a parking garage, business owners say they have to be vigilant when it comes to their parking spaces.
“You have to be aggressive," Tim Merkel, of , told ABC7. “Otherwise, your lot is filled up with customers that aren’t coming into your establishment.”
Do you think towing in Montgomery County is an issue, and if so, what should be done about it? Has your car been towed? Tell us in the comments.
Also if you see your car being towed get in as quick as possible and lock your self in. It's illegal for them to toe the car with a person in it.
I believe as of now, the average citizen has no recourse and until the citizens do.......nothing will change. Personally I have not shopped in the Bethesda, Silver Spring area in decades. If you can, as Mr. Slesinger suggests.........stay away from those types of areas. You and your car and your wallet will be happier.
You need to know why you are griping.
The punishment does not fit the crime for towing. $150 to get a car unimpounded and the HUGE headache. Tickets are a better alternative but private lots need a better way to enforce walk offs. I use meters and private lots respectfully to avoid tickets and towing but I'm always paranoid that some tow truck driver will just grab my car for some minor infraction like running to CVS after bein at Strosniders or parking on a line or going 2 minutes past 2 hours. Towing is a scam and there needs to be a better way.
By the way, if you really want to see horrific towing company horrors, look up some of Mike Royko's columns on Lincoln Towing (I think in the Sun-Times, but my memory can get a little fuzzy back that far).
But while we're on the subject of parking = theft - how often does that Mercedes dealership park its trailer on Arlington for the whole day, blocking traffic for miles. Isn't that theft of a public resource - the right of way on a street - for private gain?
Why isn't the county doing something about that problem. Surely multiple people have reported these repeated violations to the county police.
I ran across the street to pick up something ( maybe 15mins) came back and did 45mins shopping in CVS . Not only was my car towed all the way out to Rockville I had to take a metro and then a taxi and pay 130.00 plus the 25.00 cab ride as the wrong address was given to me. I am sure my car was towed while I was in the CVS. The manager was nothing short of rude and nasty " really not his problem" I will never go back into that CVS again.
Here's a "fun" thing you can do...walk up to a car in that lot, any car (not your own car), pretend like your about to unlock it and get it, then act as if you've changed your mind and walk across the street to Starbucks.
That would be tow not toe. I would have let it go if it were a typo. Homophone - words that sounds the same but are spelled different with different meanings. Who is stupid now big shot Bethesda Guy?
Stop parking illegally and you won't get towed. Why do you think you are so entitled? Who cares if the lot is empty. Lee Anne, the sign says you can't park there and walk off...you did, pay up, it is private property. Just because I have a driveway, does that mean anyone can park in it? I would tow you too! And Christine, you should have had your receipt and it should have been time stamped, you should have taken it to the towing company as proof. Did you? Pay up.
Also, since there was a moratorium on towing over the past few weeks because of a disconnect between state and county rules. If the posted signs didn't meet the new rules, it is quite possible that the tow, itself was a violation. Be very firm, but not over the top. Make a plan as to which way you want to go, in what order. You might even use a threat of small claims court. Good luck!