1 week Ago By Cheyenne R. Ubiera
A DISABLED veteran allegedly had his car towed because of a small mistake and was told to pay $400 to retrieve it, leaving him stranded in the rain. Bow White posted on Facebook earlier this week, claiming a towing company is "predatory" after his car was towed from a fair in Syracuse, New York. White went to the state fair over Labor Day weekend with his wife and four children, according to the post.
When the rain reached the outdoor event, he returned to his parked car. Then, he realized it vanished. White said all six family members were stranded at the fair because of the tow.
Read More on Car Towed He also said he struggled to retrieve his car after the rainy day. "The tow truck driver told me to get my car in three days on Tuesday during business hours," he wrote on Facebook . However, the business was closed on the day White went to get his car.
"They said they were closed for the holiday and left me stranded in the rain," he continued. Most read in Motors White said he had called the business over 25 times to get his car, but the tow truck driver kept arguing. "He told me it was my fault I was parked in the wrong spot," he wrote.
"I am a disabled combat veteran. This company treated me like a piece of garbage." White explained that he was stranded 300 miles from home when the manager of the towing company finally called him and demanded he pay $400.
"They held my car hostage," he said. "I would not recommend any veteran do business with this company. They are preying on people going to the fair.
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle. If your vehicle is towed after parking in a "No Parking" zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back. Steps to take when your car is towed: Try to figure out why your car was towed.
Did you not see a posted "No Parking" sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial. Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative. Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps: Be prompt - many states have a small window of time where it's acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle. Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state. Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases. Talk to a lawyer.
Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer. Source: Oregon Department of Justice , National General , Rak Law Firm "I have never been treated that badly by anyone in my lifetime." In a separate post, White explained that he had to hike to another town with his wife and four children after the tow truck driver "refused to release my car.
" "I spent the night at a friend's house," he said, adding that he called the company the next morning but kept getting hung up on. "I left several messages pleading for my car and the manager finally called me back the next day." He claimed that his car was basically stolen from him by the company, who didn't care that he was left stranded.
In his post, White shared the bill he received from the towing company after his vehicle was towed on August 31. Read More on The US Sun On the bill, it says that he has to pay $400 to get his car back. The U.
S. Sun has reached out to the towing company for comment..
