Cars getting towed where I work (Tampa: sale, costs, law)

[matt_sfl]

Do any of you all know about towing laws here? We have a serious issue where I work. It's the Cash America pawn shop on the south side of St. Pete, right next to a K-Mart that just recently closed down. The problem is, the whole parking lot is now a tow-away zone, and we have many people that are used to parking on the outskirts of the K-Mart lot, adjacent to our store when it's busy. Yes there are towing signs, and we even put a warning sign on our store window. They just don't seem to notice though, and within 10 minutes their car is gone. I was amazed by how fast this tow-truck driver gets the cars, and I actually cought him in the act the other day. It's A-1 towing. Our customer had to pay him $50 on the spot to let his truck down. Then he comes into our shop to give us cards to give to our customers when they get towed. I'm like man, we can't be associated with you, it looks like we're towing them. He got mad and left. He told my co-worker it's his mission now to clean up in that lot. Now there is supposedly some law that prevents tow truck drivers from waiting in the actual lot, it's unethical or something. I haven't actually seen his truck there, but like I said, he gets these cars towed within 10 minutes. $125 it costs our customers to get their car back. But what's bad is that it's messing with our business. My co-worker lost a $400 dollar sale today because his van got towed. Now if it were up to me I'd put up a neon sign saying, don't park there, you'll get towed. But my manager said there is a law saying we can't do that, we would be interfering with the tow companies business. Something just isn't right about that. This guy is getting 2 or 3 cars every day. Any thoughts on this? I'm just an hourly clerk but it still pisses me off. My e-mail is mcollins_fl@yahoo.com if anyone wants to reach me.

[ferret111]

34th Street South?

We had a similar problem at the place I used to work at in Tampa. Granted the lot in question was maybe four or five spaces and the building had five tow-away signs, our customers would still park there and, for whatever reason, blame us when their car was towed. We did finally put up a warning sign at our front door, but I left shortly thereafter and I don't know if customers stopped going there.

[TXRyan23]

There's nothing you can do, Your customers just need to use their heads and read the posted signs.

Tow companies are hired by the property managers to keep unwanted vehicles off of their private property.

Maybe you could find out who owns the abandoned K-Mart and ask them for use of some of their parking spots

[matt_sfl]

My store is next to the old K-Mart on the south side. BTW, it wasn't my coworker who got towed but his customer. I wish our customers would read a little. They sure can read that sign on the building that says, CASH!