Lessen Your Chances of Unfair Towing
A car towing service can be very helpful or fill you with complete dread depending on the circumstances. If you’re moving homes or having emergency car troubles than it’s sunshine and daisies! (Minus the car trouble but you get the towing at least.) If you’ve come back to the area where you parked before only to see a tumbleweed blow on by then it’s an instant lightning bolt of rage, depression, and annoyance! There are certain things that you should keep in mind about towing no matter the situation so you aren’t left surprised or confused when the time comes for action.
How do I get a car towed?
If you’re having a car emergency than contact your insurance to see if you have roadside assistance. For other situations, you can contact your local car tow away service company (Festus, MO towing) and set up an appointment or attach your car to another vehicle that has the appropriate towing setup. Junk cars may not be accepted by all towing companies and may require a specialized junk car towing service like an auto wreck towing company. (Nissan Repair)
How much does it cost to get your car towed?
Towing companies can charge car towing service costs following a certain time or distance increments. A common average per mile cost is between $2.50-$7 with higher dollar amounts reserved for heavy-duty vehicles.
Does my insurance cover towing?
If you have roadside assistance than typically insurance can cover up to a certain mileage or cost limit and the amount can vary from policy to policy. If you’re curious as to what your policy implies, calling your insurance can give you the answers you need.
What is predatory towing?
Predatory towing is when towing companies engage in certain distasteful behaviors in order to maximize their income. This can include making side deals with owners of stores, charging over the top fees for storage or towing as well as towing a car as soon as it’s been parked. There are certain state laws that prevent this type of activity from occurring like only being able to tow if a car has been there after a certain amount of time has passed like an hour. You can respond to predatory towing with appropriate backup such as pointing out a lack of signage and you may be able to recover your car at little to no cost.
Is towing a car legal?
It’s legal for private properties to tow your car without warning if your car is parked in the right of way entrance to their property or even on their property. As far as businesses and parking lots, there should be signage that regulates rules, hours, and procedures as a warning. If your car gets towed and there’s no signage than you can contest against the fine and have it lowered or removed entirely. Rules vary state by state so make sure you know your rights.
How to Avoid Getting Your Car Towed
- Check the signs around the area to see if there are any restrictions on days, time periods or time windows when you can or can’t park. Be sure to take pictures of signs and other areas if applicable in case of unfair towing practices.
- If you’re parked by a meter make sure you fill your meter to realistic time increment.
- If visiting an apartment residence make sure not to park under car covering awnings or other areas reserved for residences.
- Don’t park in front of a fire hydrant.
- Don’t park in front of entryways or exits of streets, businesses or residences.
- Pay attention to curbside paint; red curbs mean never to park there, white means you can stay around 5 minutes to load and unload passengers, green means you can park 10 min or less, yellow means commercial loading and unloading only and blue is reserved for people with disabilities.
- If your car breaks down be sure to call a towing company or roadside assistance before a tow truck comes along and tries to tow your car outside of your circumstance.
Before you park anywhere, take a few seconds to observe your area. Just a few minutes of initial observation can save you on hours of trying to get your car back from a car towing service. You can save a lot of time and money by even adding a few extra coins into a meter, better that than numerous dollars. If you find yourself in a situation where you aren’t sure whether you can park on a street, try popping into the local nearby business and ask them or simply park somewhere where you are sure and it’s less ambiguous. Remember, certain states have different laws and it doesn’t hurt to brush up on the rules in case any predatory towing takes place. Don’t get taken advantage of with unsavory fines when you can oppose them with back up! Stay safe and aware and you’ll be able to avoid unnecessary towing.
If you’re looking for a car towing service in Festus, MO call (636) 937-0797 with Pippin Towing & Recovery!