Here’s the scenario… You park your car in a public spot, run into the store for 15 minutes, only to come out and find your car up on the hitch of a tow truck, ready to be towed away.
You swear you’re not parked illegally and beg and plead with the tow truck driver to release your car, but he won’t hear it and says it’s too late. If you’re lucky, he’ll at least tell you where you can pay to pick up your car.
But did you know there are laws in place here in California to protect you from random towing?
According to the Better Business Bureau, you can not be towed from a public space like a grocery store, or mall parking lot unless you've been parked there for more than an hour.
This does not include a disabled parking spot, private club or apartment complex.
Even still, BBB spokesperson Danielle Spang says it’s never a good idea to argue on the spot with the driver. Instead, document your case and seek help on the back end.
“I would definitely take pictures especially if your camera or smart phone has a time stamp on it. Note the time you parked there. Contact your local police department and then file a complaint with your local Better Business Bureau and we'll try to help you out."
In many cases, Spang says, the tow truck driver was simply called out to do their job and may not know the exact circumstances. It’s rare she says that they’ll take your car off the rack on the spot, although in some cases they should.
“As soon as the driver gets the authorization, they might not know much else,” she says. “But if you're still in a public road and they have your car in their hitch, by law they are required to release your car if you ask them too. They are however allowed to ask for half of their normal towing fee, so you will have to pay some money to get your car back.”