To Tow or Not to Tow

AlphaGam1019 · #1 01-28-2002, 09:45 PM

Anyone else have parking problems in their apt. complex?

There are only 2 spaces per apt plus 2 visitors spaces for the entire complex (which is about 25 apts). Visitors can park by the dumpster if those 2 visitor spaces are taken.

It gets particularly bad when school starts up & graduation because the complex very close to campus. There are "warning" signs on both entrances coming into the complex. The spaces are CLEARLY marked with numbers. So why is it then...people think they can park in someone's space?

So just about an hour ago, there was a blue Saturn in my bf's space and I debated calling towing. Hopin the tow truck gets there before he left. But there was another SUV parked in the fire lane, so told the tow company that if that blue Saturn was gone, they have another car to get. lol.

Was I supposed to knock on everyone's door, ask them if it's their car and can they move it?

I've done that quite a few times, but frankly, it's not my job.

The tow truck came within 10 mins (speedy fast for them!) and wisked away the blue Saturn AND the SUV in the fire lane.

Low and behold- two guys and the guy next door (who's uncle actually owns the darn complex) knocks on my door and asks me if I towed a car. (hello?) He asks me where it went (lol) -- I told him that it was A-1 -- the towing company that is on both signs at the entrances. "I just dropped in a sec to talk to him..." (more like an hour, sorry) I hope they weren't diggin for sympathy cause I didn't give him one drop. lol, he said "thanks alot" ...I said "sure, anytime" SLAM. Think again next time buddy!

KillarneyRose · #2 01-28-2002, 09:47 PM

I wouldn't have any problem calling the tow truck. That's just plain rude to park in someone else's spot.

Back when I lived in a condo, if someone parked in my spot I would just park my car directly behind them and then they couldn't leave until I felt like moving my car

amycat412 · #3 01-28-2002, 09:50 PM

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!

NOTHING NOTHING NOTHING pisses me off more than getting home and finding all the spots in my lot taken and 3 or 4 of them being visitors, who are not allowed to park on the premises AT ALL. We already only have 15 spots for 19 apartments and its first come first serve parking.

If all the spots are taken by residents I am not bothered in the least--but come home to find someone's girlfriend or boyfriend where I could be parking and instead I end up parking 3 blocks away? OH NO OH NO NO NO NO NO.

My apt manager is threatening to make me parking monitor since I get so pissed about it-- and believe me, I will TOW TOW TOW, that's the only way they are gonna learn!!!

volgirl2376 · #4 01-28-2002, 10:50 PM

I would totally call for a tow. Because I bet 5 bucks nobody would hesitate if you parked in their spot! Well, I wouldnt, but just because I love ya!

aephi alum · #5 01-28-2002, 11:17 PM

Oh yes... I know whereof you speak!

My husband and I used to live in an apartment complex before we bought our house. About half the parking spots were numbered, and there was 1 numbered spot per apartment. We had 2 cars, so whichever of us got home first would leave the numbered spot for the other one. No big.

So I got home early one day and some random car was in my numbered spot!

It was somebody's boyfriend. I just parked in an unnumbered spot and left a note on the car that numbered spots were reserved for residents and next time we'd have him towed. I never saw his car in a numbered spot again.

What always bothered me, is that people would park in clearly marked no-parking zones, like in front of dumpsters, in front of the mail kiosks, etc. The apartment complex staff DID NOT enforce the parking rules. People could enforce no parking in their own spots by calling the towing company, but as for the rest of the complex, anything went.

AGDLynn · #6 01-28-2002, 11:42 PM

I SO TOTALLY AGREE! When I lived in an apt with assigned parking, I was the one that was paying for the spot..not some "friend" or even another resident who had more than one car.

I think that it should be a law that any architect and developer, property owner, etc., who design apartment/condo complexes actually have to live in one for at least 6 months while the complex is being designed so that the stupid plans don't call for the most parking spaces are where people aren't and the apt insides are actually sensible!

NeonPi · #7 01-28-2002, 11:57 PM

So hear your pain, sister!!

My hubby's and my parking spot is (unforunately) about 10 stalls away from the front door - and you guessed it - every so often some numb-nut parks there for HOURSSS ...

I always put a note on the vehicle saying that contrary to popular belief, these spots are assigned and he will be towed in 2 hrs if not moved. I then go to the mgmt office and make a report. Two hours later if it's still there, they now tow.

I once put a note on a guys car, which was gone in hour. So I move then leave about an hour later. When I came back, he was BACK in my spot. So I parked right behind him, got a book and sat in my car for 2 hrs - 15 mins with him yelling at me to move ...

He hasn't there since

....

amycat412 · #8 01-29-2002, 12:15 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by NeonPi

I once put a note on a guys car, which was gone in hour. So I move then leave about an hour later. When I came back, he was BACK in my spot. So I parked right behind him, got a book and sat in my car for 2 hrs - 15 mins with him yelling at me to move ...

He hasn't there since ....

I LOVE LOVE LOVE that you did that!

Jeff OTMG · #9 01-29-2002, 12:22 AM

You go girl! It isn't your problem or fault that some selfish, self-centered, person who thinks that they are more special than anyone else and don't have to follow the rules got their car towed. It was a gamble and they lost. You will find this throughout life. I was working in downtown Ft Worth. On two occaisions someone was parked in my spot which I had leased. It was clearly marked with a sign in front of the parking spot. Once vehicle was a small car and I thought I could push it out of the spot onto the sidewalk with my truck. I thought it moved, but in reality the rear bumper of the car collapsed even with the trunk. Too bad, maybe they will pay attention next time. The other guy was in town on a coaches convention. He found the steel sign designating it as a reserved spot embedded in his hood. The spike punched right through the sheet metal. In Texas parking in someone elses leased spot is trespassing and just as though they had parked in your garage at home. Give 'em hell, AlphaGam. Mess with the bull, get the horns.

bucutie02 · #10 01-29-2002, 12:24 AM

you know, i was kind of in a similar situation a while ago.

As many of you know, i still live at home with my parents. Unfortunately our driveway is not flat, and its kind of at an angle. So, other normal driveways in our neighborhood fit 4 cars, but ours only fit 2. So, i always park my car along the curb in front of the house.

Well our neighbors constantly have people over at their house. So, one day their "friends" decide to park where i ALWAYS park, and since they are always going to their house, they KNOW that! So anyways, i had to park elsewhere, which was a pain because we dont have room to park along the curb on the other side since it blocks my other neighbor's driveway. This started happening more and more frequently. So one morning before my dad leaves for work he writes this "note" letting them know that i always park my car where their friends have been parking, and since its really the only parking spot that we have besides the driveway, he would appreciate it if they parked on their part of the curb in front of THEIR house!

It was so embarassing, but they got the point because they never park there, ever! You'd think we are like enemies or something but my family and theirs are very close.... we even invited them to our new year's bash, which they came to and had a blast!

The1calledTKE · #11 01-29-2002, 12:26 AM

I am glad she towed them because he was in my space!

lifesaver · #12 01-29-2002, 03:53 AM

The best is to grab a few of your buddies and just pick the damn thing up and move it. Most cars dont weigh that much. <vision of amycat on the couch with a thrown out back from trying it and cursing my name> 4 or 6 of us could move a small car or truck. We put this one guys car in the culvert (concrete ditch) for parking in our presidnets spot at the house. He had to call a tow.

On a funny story (I dont know if I told this one here before) but my dad was really drunk at a BBQ we were having at our house one time (I was about 7 or 8) and it was getting ready to storm. My father was convinced that he could fit all three of our cars in the 2 car garage if he only parked them in sideways. Well, he only got the station wagon in, and he got it wedged in, so the next morning mom had to call the tow to yank it out of the garage. ahahahhaha.

amycat412 · #13 01-29-2002, 03:56 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by lifesaver
<vision of amycat on the couch with a thrown out back from trying it and cursing my name>

Ah yes, you've read my I AM A KLUTZ posts then? LOL

OK back to convelesing my shoulder, elbow and foot.
Sigh.

Oh yeah, I stepped on glass with the foot with NO BROKEN toes yesterday....

OH wait, wrong thread for the injury report.

SigkapAlumWSU · #14 01-29-2002, 05:14 AM

Tow Tow Tow! Besides, isn't blocking a fire lane illegal?

When we used to live in an apartment, we didn't have numbered spots, but you were only allowed to have 2 cars per apt. Well, there is a rule that says that if a non-resident stays longer than one week, they have to notify the front office. These people upstairs from us had their friends over and they kept parking in the spots right in front of our apt. (there were like 4 apts and spots right in front of then, and we all knew each other's cars.) Well, their friends stayed longer than a week, always parking in the front spots (very annoying if you have groceries!) so we called the manager, told her about the "lingering guests" and lo and behold: the car was gone the next day. But then they just got mean and started throwing soda on our cars (sugar is sticky and is not fun on a car!!)
When we live on the other side of the complex, there was a Handicap parking space in front of the downstairs apt and this really nice saturn would come and park there for about 8 hours a couple times a week (note: a nice saturn did NOT belong in this complex) We looked at the license and: no hadicap.. not sticker, no nothing. And usually the spot right next to it was open! Some people are so lazy... so we called a tow company and had her towed! She never parked there again!

skip101 · #15 01-29-2002, 01:40 PM

I would tow it in a second. I had a shore house and our neighbors would park in front fo our driveway all the time. At first we would ask them to move but after a while we just started calling the cops. My neighbors on the other side was just as bad. He went to the hardware store and bought some yellow paint and one weekend he painted the curb in front of his house and put up a no parking sign. This was a legal parking spot to begin with but he figured that he owned it. We just started parking there and we told him flat out if he wants to call the cops then go ahead because we were legally parked.