Tow driver asked me 130 dollars in cash just for unloading my car at tow away zone My car was not towed yet but laoded on tow truck where I parked IS asking money for just unloading LEGAL?

Answer 1

To re-cap the question: Your car was parked in a tow-away zone and had already been loaded up prior to removal from the scene, but the tow truck had not yet left with it - - and the tow-truck driver is demanding $130. to unload the car. If that is the correct scenario - my comment follows: The $130. charge sounds like the impounding fee that you would have been charged if you had to respond to his facility to reclaim your car. It SEEMS as if the driver was asking for the entire fee to be paid up-front in cash, even though he had not yet actually removed the car, driven it back to his facility, unloaded the car, and done the paperwork. This SOUNDS like a questionable practice to me, and I would contact your local police department to speak with someone about this incident. Offhand it seems as if the driver MIGHT have been using the leverage of already having your car on his truck in order to "persuade" you to pay the entire impounding fee even though he had not yet actually removed it from the scene. It MIGHT have been fair if he had unloaded the car on the scene but charged a much lesser fee (After all, he IS justifiably entitled to reibursement for the services he had already performed [i.e.: responding to the scene and loading the car]).

ALL THIS NOTWITHSTANDING: You should check with your local police - there is very likely SOME kind of municipal regulation or ordnance that regulates tow truck operators and their fees. This MIGHT have been a legitimate charge he was asking for - or - it might have been a form of extortion to force you into paying him what he asked or he would not unload the car from his truck. You will have to do your own research and come to your own conclusion.