This past Sunday evening, my son-in-laws' car broke down ( unable to change gears-manual transmission). He was in the Zion Curch Road vicinity when this happened. He steered the car off the road the best he could, but I understand part of the rear end of the vehicle may have still stuck out onto the road. He called my wife and when she found him they both left to call a tow company. She told me that when they returned to the car, ( approx. 15-20 minutes later) the police were there as was Grants tow service. She told them a tow company was on the way but the police said because he had called Grants, then Grants would be the tow company used. Not mentioned to either my wife or son-in-law, was the fact Grants charges a $50 a day storage fee in addition to the very expensive tow charge. I understand they do all the towing of non-drivable vehicles that are involved in auto accidents also. I'm assuming Grants is an impoundment lot for the City Police . It certainly wouldn't take many days at $50 a day for a young man working at Applebees to get in way over his head with debt. ( to the point of deciding if fixing the car plus the towing expenses and lot fees would be best avoided by just turning the car over to Grants.) What a racket!
My questions are: 1) Were the police justified in having the car removed in such a short period of time 2) Can they refuse to use a tow company called even if their tow company arrived first 3) Who determines the tow company for the police impound, is it a contractual agreement? If so, is the service bid on? How long is the contract if there is one...I know they have been towing for the city police at least 7 years. 4) Are there any ordinances that cover this type of impound? This was not a major highway, but a back road from Walston Switch to the mall.
I can't help but wonder what Grants towing could provide to the City Police that any other towing service could provide also.
Just curious about your take on all of this...I smell a skunk.
DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
20 comments:
The car was left on the side of the road and sticking partially into the drive area. Grants is called by the police and responds in record time to remove the vehicle. No one struck the illegally parked vehicle and you are out an extra $50 for storage. This story isnt worhty of a post...If the vehicle wasnt left unattended, this post wouldnt exist...
There is an on call list-Grant's just happened to be on call at that time. Other tow companies tow for the police as well. It is unfortunate that your loved one had car probs-(I just fixed mine to the tune of $650+).It isn't the cops responsibility to inform anyone of the fees-that's your responsibility to ask. And I certainly understand your concern about getting in over his head b4 he knows it.
Did he have a cell? could have called whoever-gotten a # for a tow company and stayed w/the vehicle.
I don't smell a skunk-I think some level headed thinking was in order b4 leaving the vehicle. I had to have mine towed too but after I got my bearings about being broke down on the side of the road, I called a friend-got a # for the tow-called the tow-and left a note on my car that a tow company was n the way, and blessedly, my friend picked me up.
The car wasn't purposely left there but I agree, it was illegally parked and needed to be removed. Now, where you lack any intelligence is, you never answered the 4 questions of the Post. Rather than being defensive and even attacking me, answer the damn questions or shut up
IF YOUR TALKING ABOUT A LITTLE RED SPORTS CAR THAT WAS ON ZION CHURCH RD JUST PASSED MELSON ROAD, THE CAR WAS WAY IN THE ROAD BE CAUSE I CUSSED WHEN I ALMOST HIT IT . NO LIGHTS ON AT ALL HALF IN THE ROAD. 2ND IF YOU HAD PAID GRANTS RIGHT THEN THEY WOULD HAVE TOWED IT TO YOUR HOUSE OR WHEREEVER AND YOU WOULD NOT HAVE TO PAY STORAGE,
I'd say if you abandon a car in the roadway, it should be towed to a police impound yard. The police have no way of knowing if the vehicle had just been used in a crime or not. Best to err on the side of public safety until information is available. Next time, stay with the vehicle until your tow company comes to your rescue.
Barry G
Although it's upsetting regardling your step-son I agree to generally agree.
Had the car not been obstructing any part of the road surface there wouldn't have been an issue really.
I'm sure everything turned out OK.
I agree that this seems to be operator error. This is what's called a life lesson. All of us as we grow up learn these and most of the time it will cost us something.
Now to the point of the questions, I think it would be better to call the city and find out what the answer to these questions are. That way we can hope that it's factual. I'll do my best to find out.
No one needs to be attacked for posting anything. Someone had to deal with something that they didn't have experience with. They are just seeking information so they will be better educated and at the same time we all can learn something.
We should all take a minute to appreciated the knowledge that can come from this post instead of attacking the person writing this. This definitely is worthy of a post. If you read the responses, you might just get edumacated:)
Answer to question 1: The police were justified in towing the vehicle. It was a roadway obstruction and its quick removal prevented potential property damage to that vehicle, another vehicle which may have collided with it, or personal injury to another party...which would have cost more in a civil suit against the operator of said abandoned vehicle than total tow/storage fees.
question 2: you can't refuse the tow company if they are on scene unless you want to pay them for already being there first...then pay YOUR chosen tow company, resulting in additonal fees.
question 3: tow companies are decided based on that particular department's next service on their on-call list for that particular area. it is not an arbitrary decision and the police don't make money off of it. their concern is public safety.
question 4: Ordinances? The maryland transportation article would define this particular vehicle as a hazard, and the individual police officer on scene makes a determination based on what he/she observes. common sense dictates that the if the vehicle is an obstruction, it should be removed at earliest convenience. that is one of the things police are paid for.
remember: most police departments attempt to contact the registered owner by telephone before making any actions that would monetarily affect them...it is not LEGALLY required actually, but is a polite consideration on their part.
Why does SPD always seem to get blamed for shit that happens OUTSIDE CITY LIMITS? Zion Church Rd is NOT in CITY LIMITS! Furthermore, the dumba$$ left his vehicle. How is the officer supposed to know when and if the operator is coming back for it? Is the officer supposed to just set up camp and wait? Get a friggin life!
Why does the WCSO have to patrol the City of Salisbury and do all of their dirty work?
When the owner left the car partly on the roadway, that should have triggered in his mind, "This is not a smart thing to do." It doesn't take two people to call a towing company--so why abandon the vehicle? I agree that this is a life's lesson.
One police arrive and determine to have a tow truck called, you can NOT call a different one.
They have a list of tow providers they use on a rotation.
As far as the storage fee, you might have been able to have the vehicle towed to your house but if not, you could have called a different tow company the next day to get it out of their storage lot.
9:31, Your answer to #2... If the driver had been present when the officer discovered the hazard, and the driver had already called a tow truck, Grant's never would have been called!
No charge
funny how WCSO complains about patrolling in city limits, yet they are not complaining when they are given an overtime rate to patrol in the movie theaters or city school functions or any other OT assignment that is with in city limits. All the complaints are stemming from when they are making their regular wages!
well the interesting thing here really is how the police and tow company's/impound lots steal property and later auction it off. these companies make millions a year doing this.
this is well known I really don't see how no one has mentioned it yet.
Look, the whole government and everything they do is a racket. It's all designed to make the government more money/more powerful and to keep the populace down.
it's called FASCISM. that is, when the government becomes more important than the people it is supposed to serve.
under that definition (and feel free to argue it), doesn't the local government seem a little fascist. at least borderline fascist and horribly corrupt and at most an example of how fascism can come about without any grand nefarious plots - all it takes is the attitude that the government is more important than the governed and a little abusing of power.
2:40 pm, You are absolutely right! The aliens have landed and have been here for more than 50 years. they have manifested themselves as government elected officials and cops, and are here to take over the cars and Salisbury condos. Not only that, they use the millions of dollars to cash in to Kalliperands (their planetary money) to pay for their space program that keeps all our satellites up there for the cable companies.Without them, they have no power over us.
I know... I am one of THEM!
I have one question: What authority does the Salisbury Police Department have in the Zion Church Road or Melson Road area. That is not city limits or their jurisdiction.
...Once again the Salisbury Police blamed for something they had nothing to do with. Check the Salisbury Police website and see if there was a call for service. I bet you there was not. This is because it is out of city jurisdiction.
As for you 10:03... Get over yourself. WCSO does not do "all of the city's dirty work". City officers appreciate the help because city officers do not have the administrative leadership with balls enough to fight for better pay and more officers. It is people like you that breed contempt between the agencies. There are excellent, mediocre, and bad officers in both agencies.
Joe...When you find out whether this was MSP or WCSO can you post it please. SPD has enough black eyes. We don't need the bruises we don't deserve.
anonymous 9:11,
Get that, 9:11, LOL
Grow up! You're obviously not a cop because cops aren't crybabies.
Well our car was towed because the sheriff after 3 hours of searching for drugs in our car said from a tip. Then said our insurance wasn't active. So our car was towed. Although when we spoke to our insurance IT WAS ACTIVE. So that is some criminal mess going on there!
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