Your car might get towed at Starbucks medical center (San Antonio: renting, tenants)

[smuboy86]

So why is towing even enforced? It's private property, wachovia is having the cars towed, the towing company is not just out towing cars for the heck of it.

[scuba steve]

Originally Posted by smuboy86

So why is towing even enforced? It's private property, wachovia is having the cars towed, the towing company is not just out towing cars for the heck of it.

Usually those strip centers are owned by who or whatever corporation leases the space to individual businesses. Sometimes a certain number of spaces reserved for particular businesses are included in the deal - it depends, and if the bank is farther out in the lot it may be owned by a separate entity from the strip center. But in any case, a lot of the time they'll contract with a towing company to make sure that spaces are used by businesses sharing the parking lot. Customers vs. people that park there and go elsewhere. I'm not used to the deal with the towing company really costing either the business or tow truck operator anything. The business gets parking spaces used by customers (vs. people that just leave) and the towing operator gets to keep their trucks busy during times outside of rush hour.

The only time the deal gets shady is when the towing company hides around the corner and waits for someone to park and walk off, then they immediately tow. Usually there are regulations for how much time has to pass before they can haul the car off.

[GoTexan]

Originally Posted by scuba steve

Usually those strip centers are owned by who or whatever corporation leases the space to individual businesses. Sometimes a certain number of spaces reserved for particular businesses are included in the deal - it depends, and if the bank is farther out in the lot it may be owned by a separate entity from the strip center. But in any case, a lot of the time they'll contract with a towing company to make sure that spaces are used by businesses sharing the parking lot. Customers vs. people that park there and go elsewhere. I'm not used to the deal with the towing company really costing either the business or tow truck operator anything. The business gets parking spaces used by customers (vs. people that just leave) and the towing operator gets to keep their trucks busy during times outside of rush hour.

The only time the deal gets shady is when the towing company hides around the corner and waits for someone to park and walk off, then they immediately tow. Usually there are regulations for how much time has to pass before they can haul the car off.

Based upon previous experience, you cannot use the words "tow truck" without mentioning "shady."

For example, if you ever have an issue with the tow driver and ask to speak to his/her boss...good luck! Chances are it's a family member and customer service is not in their mission statement!


They drive me batty! and I don't like that Starbucks location anyway.

[scuba steve]

The only time I've had a positive dealing with a tow truck operator was when I called one up to haul home a non-running project car I bought.

But yeah, since I'm a car guy I've been the one friends call up when they get towed and need someone to fix the damage to the inner workings of their door the shady towing company did when they break in to release the parking brake and take the car out of gear. The one I couldn't fix was the rear wheel drive Bronco II the tow truck guy hauled with the rear wheels on the ground and the transmission left in park. At least they had to pay damages on that one...

[ryneone]

Originally Posted by wehotex

yeah, that's what i thought too. but i honestly haven't seen much evidence of that in the 2 1/2 years that i have going frequently to starbucks. i think that the bank or a bank employee is just trying to make some extra $$$, a "cut" of the towing fees. it's too bad that our banking system has come to that low level.

That whole strip center area has that problem. My other half worked at that Walgreen and half their park lot on the hospital side would be full and the store empty. They put up those 30 minute parking signs but they still park their anyways.

[wCat]

Originally Posted by ryneone

That whole strip center area has that problem. My other half worked at that Walgreen and half their park lot on the hospital side would be full and the store empty. They put up those 30 minute parking signs but they still park their anyways.

I think the people shopping a Walgreens have to park at University because all the University parking is overflowing to Walgreens!

Seriously....parking is BAD at the hospital....and lots of families of patients can park for free at Walgreens or Starbucks or Wachovia.....and still walk about the same distance!

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by scuba steve

Usually those strip centers are owned by who or whatever corporation leases the space to individual businesses. Sometimes a certain number of spaces reserved for particular businesses are included in the deal - it depends, and if the bank is farther out in the lot it may be owned by a separate entity from the strip center. But in any case, a lot of the time they'll contract with a towing company to make sure that spaces are used by businesses sharing the parking lot. Customers vs. people that park there and go elsewhere. I'm not used to the deal with the towing company really costing either the business or tow truck operator anything. The business gets parking spaces used by customers (vs. people that just leave) and the towing operator gets to keep their trucks busy during times outside of rush hour.

The only time the deal gets shady is when the towing company hides around the corner and waits for someone to park and walk off, then they immediately tow. Usually there are regulations for how much time has to pass before they can haul the car off.

well, that's exactly what happened to me. i was in line for less than 5 minutes when another customer hollered out that they were towing a car. when i spoke with the tow truck operator, he said that i walked into starbucks and that he could tow me. he had to have been waiting there or VERY quick. i feel scammed by the whole experience. the bank was had and usually has ample spaces for its customers. they were too nasty about it.

[scuba steve]

Originally Posted by wehotex

well, that's exactly what happened to me. i was in line for less than 5 minutes when another customer hollered out that they were towing a car. when i spoke with the tow truck operator, he said that i walked into starbucks and that he could tow me. he had to have been waiting there or VERY quick. i feel scammed by the whole experience. the bank was had and usually has ample spaces for its customers. they were too nasty about it.

You probably were scammed. I could swear that 20 minutes had to pass before they could tow anyone away... a company in the town my parents live got busted for having a truck hidden around a corner, just waiting for people to walk out the strip center. It took years before they were caught doing it. That might just be the ordinance for where they live though, and I also think that towing companies are one of the lowest forms of life out there.

[wehotex]

Originally Posted by scuba steve

You probably were scammed. I could swear that 20 minutes had to pass before they could tow anyone away... a company in the town my parents live got busted for having a truck hidden around a corner, just waiting for people to walk out the strip center. It took years before they were caught doing it. That might just be the ordinance for where they live though, and I also think that towing companies are one of the lowest forms of life out there.

i phoned the texas dept of towing in austin to ask them about this. unfortunately, it is a myth (at least in texas). all they need is permission from owner of the property in order to tow the car. the tow truck can "troll" all it wants to, with no time requirement to warn the car owner. i googled the rules for washington state. apparently, there were some cases where some municipalities were contesting the legality of those tows. but not here.

[sinsativ]

The only Legal thing is, they have to have an agreement with the owner of the parking lot for towing, and, there has to be signs posted. Period, no time limit. 1 second is too long. The sign is the warning, if you park in Wachovia's parking lot, do banking, then walk over to Starbucks and get coffee, the tow driver can still say, he saw you only go into Starbucks. Any private owner of a parking lot makes arrangements with a tow company, then the tow company finds out which times are the most lucrative to get quick cash. They can pick up a couple thousand on a good morning while people are enjoying their lattes. They also know if you can afford Starbucks, you can afford to get your car back quick. So those agreements with those places are the ones most sought after. There may be some payback to the strip center owner, but I doubt that Wachovia owns the land, they lease that property too, check to see who really owns the property, they are the ones that are probably setting up the tow company agreements.