Philly would prohibit towing without citation
The Philadelphia city council is considering an ordinance that would prohibit private parking lot owners from towing illegally parked vehicles. Read about it here.
So this means that if I have a lot and someone puts their car there and doesn’t pay (at an honor box or P and Display), I must first call the police or the parking authority and they have to send out an officer to ticket the vehicle. Then I can call the tow truck and have the vehicle towed. Sorry, gang, I just don’t buy it.
We are talking private property here. I should have the right, with proper signage, to take whatever reasonable action is necessary to protect it. I had my car towed once when I parked near a friend’s house under a sign that said “we will tow your car if you don’t live here.” Sure enough, they did. I had to pay $100 bucks to get my car released. Next time I parked in the visitors spot and walked a block.
I really don’t think the police have time to respond to “illegally parked cars” on private property, and I wonder if the local parking authority is going to have their citation officers drop everything and run over to their competitors and ticket a car.
Correspondent Charles had an interesting take on this. “Follow the Money.” A car parks on private property, the city writes them a citation. Who gets the money for the citation. Everywhere I know of if you overstay and get a notice under your window on private land, the owner gets the fee. That is also true when your car is towed. Part of the tow charge goes to the owner, based on whatever deal he cut with the towing company. Charles is concerned that now the city wants it’s pound of flesh, too.
The city is concerned about cars parked legally being towed. Hmmmm isn’t that a problem for the lot owner. The last thing he wants to do is tick off his customers. Another case of government trying to solve a problem that doesn’t need solving.
JVH
