Tow talk: Council votes 4-1 for advisory board
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The hot topic was the subject of last week's cover story.Hook cover image
After a reported spike in towing complaints from visitors to downtown Charlottesville, the city's towing laws are about to come under scrutiny as City Council voted 4-1 to form a towing advisory board, which will have the power, among other things, to suggest limiting the amount a tow company can charge.
Currently, towing operators in Charlottesville can charge the state-allowed maximum of $125 during weekdays and $150 on weekends to transport a car– no matter how short the distance. Additional fees, however, can drive that price up.
For instance, Collier's Towing Company tacks on a $25 release fee for after-business-hours vehicle retrieval, and the owners of lots can add a parking fee to make up for lost revenue.
The advisory board formation comes in the wake of what assistant city manager David Ellis described to Council as an increase in complaints from residents and visitors alleging "unfair, dangerous or unprofessional towing practices."
Several councilors expressed doubts at the May 21 meeting about the need for such a board.
"Why isn't the first course of action talking to these vendors and trying to get an understanding as to what is going on from their perspective," asked Kathy Galvin. "Does it need better signage? Better posting?"
Several tow truck operators were in attendance at the meeting, and Collier's owner Glenda Jones accepted the Councilors' invitation to speak.
"I don't dispute the board," Jones told council. "What I do dispute is the people looking down on us as bad people... We're doing a job we're paid to do."
By state law, the advisory board would include two towing operators, two police officers, and one member of the general public (with an alternate citizen also appointed). Councilor Dave Norris pointed out that the proposed board's composition, as dictated by state law, leaves something out.
"I feel like it's missing the most important element, parking lot owners," said Norris, before casting the only negative vote.
"I felt like the towing companies, you can love em or hate em, but ultimately they're hired by the lot owners," Norris explains the day after the meeting. "If they changed the way they run the lots, we wouldn't have this issue."
Norris says the advisory board will likely be appointed this summer, and, after drafting a new ordinance that council will need to approve, will meet once per year.
49 comments
Speaking of towing, do people get towed from the little lot in front of The Artful Lodger on the DM? Specifically, after the stores' regular business hours.
Sometimes, I see cars parked there, but many times there are a lot of tempty empties.
Why don't you losers just pass a law and be done with it.... if you are so incompetent that you cannot figure this one out then you should all resign and let people with an IQ higher than a goat take your place...
How hard is it for the city attorney to rule that overstaying at a paid lot is not trespassing under the towing impound regulations? Make the lot owner call the cops to get it authorized and distributed to those towers on the cities list at the cities price.
Colliers is doing their "job" alright gouging people using technicalities in the law....
Perhaps the city should reimburse car owners since it is the citys utter failure to actually solve the problem.
Maybe we need an advisory board to figure out how to elect and effective council.
Amen Bill Marshall.
After regular hours that lot is actually rented to a parking company that charges $5.
An advisory "bored" for towing............., but they did vote to give those who do not take the medical option to get $500/mth.............. a 50% pay raise.
Right. Let involve the police everytime some dipshit cannot figure out how long he needs to park. Why do so many people think it is the government job to solve individual stupidity and laziness? Get the goat to stand by the payboard and figure it out with the dinddongs than can travel the world but try to hedge on 2.50 for the opera.
Anyone ever hear of personal responsibility?
"a towing advisory board, which will have the power, among other things, to suggest limiting the amount a tow company can charge."
WOW. That is some REAL authority there! They actually have the power to make a suggestion. I wonder if they'll be as effective as the farmer's market 'task force' which forcefully executed its task of advising the council to leave the farmer's market right where it is?
The council has once again shown true bravery! In the face of mild complaints from a small number of people, they have appointed a commission!!
Let the word go forth, from this time and place: The Charlottesville City Council will appoint a commission to prognosticate regarding any issue in the interests of pandering to any and all noisy interest group!!
Bill Marshall is absolutely on target! Well said! Predatory towing should not be allowed in our city! It's bad for the locals and, bad for the Tourists, who by the way are responsible for a large amount of dollars in the coffers. Yes I understand personal responsibility etc.. ad nauseum. But if you've read the previous article, this seems to be a case where the towing companies are laying in wait, like a lion over a weak wildebeest. And the lot owners seem to be in collusion with this corruption.
jimi hendrix, if the cops take their time showing up (which they will) then the people will show up and the lots owner can collect the correct amount for the time used. The guy will adjust his business plan and make money honestly and after a few days of hassle the cops won't be called because the guy will soimply collect more money for the time used.
Suppose the city impounse every car at an expired meter the MINUTE it ticks off? Would you be ok with 145bucks?
They admit that 25 bucks is for lost revenue because the unclaimed car was taking up a space... but they tow in 5 minutes which is only about a quarters worth of time AND they don't give refunds when people come back an hour early.
The guy is a predator plain and simple and his behavior while currently legal should mean that the city should ride him like a bronco and nail him the way he nails others. (ie are there any code violations on his lots or buildings? Is he declaring all those cash kickbacks? )
The city should not let this continue.
To the chronic council bashers: it's my understanding that state law requires the City to establish a towing council before they can implement new rules. So you should switch your emnity to the General Assembly.
@Bill Marshall...wait...whut? The government should use the laws to control the free market in parking? Like, not allow parking lot companies to maximize their profit by forcing people to buy more parking than they need, in advance, lest the more expensive 'penalty phase' kicks in? Best of all, the penalty is managed by a third party, who you don't get to pick, because we wouldn't actually want any price competition in that area. C'mon man, that's the essence of gotcha capitalism! Geez...it's kind of like asking for...Dodd-Frank!
You're seriously impacting the profit center of parking companies and towing companies..what did these businesses ever do to you? These companies are supporting our local economy by employing parking lot attendants, tow truck drivers, and the companies that build those ginormous fancy new tow trucks all the companies seem to be buying all the time. Do you hate America?
Who are you and what have your done with our Tea Party'in "Independent" commenter?
Whoever you are, I certainly agree with you: the City Government should regulate these extortionist "business" practices.
These towers are using poorly written laws to set up and extort citizens. This issue has been dealt with in other cities succesfully. They are claiming that the cars are "trespassing" when they are not, The lot does not give refunds for people who leave early but want an extra 145 bucks if they stay late including a 25 dollar fee on the premise that the lot owner lost use of the space. It may be legal as long as the city allows it but the city has an obligation to create laws that are not abused, The city has the right and RESPONSIBILITY to impede in the abuse of tourists and citizens for the common good. If all they need to do is have the lot owner call the police to confirm the trespass and then give the tow to the companies in rotation on the cities list at the established rate then they are serving the owner of the lot his rights under the law and protecting the citizens from predators at the same time. It does not involve a comiittee it requires a reasonable intrepretation of existing law.
It also requires people with a GD backbone.
Bill, I was really just ribbing you a little about some of your other...ideological perspectives.
In any practical sense, I think you are 100% correct on this issue and I hope council acts quickly to regulate this practice. I am not a lawyer, but it would be interesting to get the Commonwealth's Attorney's read on the trespassing statute.
I agree with non-resident taxpayer. It's funny to see someone (Bill Marshall) I've always taken to be a tea partier calling for government regulation of private property. Funnier still, he wants the city attorney to take on the roles of legislator and judge as well.
city tows are about the same its $50 a tows but you get a ticket with the car so its about the same with the downtown lots so not much is going to change with the price if the city is making everyone pay around $75 total with the cars they remove and it might be hard for the city to do too much when they do not share the city towning only one company tows all the cars so if they make everyone use set prices then the city needs to open there tows up with every tow company
First off I am nit a tea party guy, but I am for capitalism. I am not proposing the government regulate them out of existence I am proposing the government stop aiding and abetting their behavior by neglevting its duties toi the citizens. I am for closing refining any regulations and laws that are abused and really just "loopholes" for these folks to use to take advantage of unsuspecting patrons. They are ABUSING the trespass statute. If the city chose to create a regulation that fully disclosed in a big sign at the site that said IF YOU EXCEED YOUR TIME LIMIT YOUR CAR WILL BE TOWED IMMEDIATELY AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY 145 DOLLARS IN CASH TO RETRIEVE IT. that would be fine with me too.
I have zero problems with anyones business plans so long as there is transparency PRIOR to the transaction taking place. That is why there are laws about requiring estimates and approvals for auto repair etc etc.
This issue is a collusion between a tow company and a lot owner to take advantge of tourists and other unknowing indiviuals. Some of you may be surprised to find out that some repair shop pays a kickback for each tow brought in to them and recieves a kickback for reffering a regular customer for a tow.
Its a shady business and the rules are in place (DOT, insurance etc) but are seldom enforced.
Like I said , if you see a rollback and the vehicle is not secured in FOUR places it is a violation of the law. The drivers are supposed to have medical cards and clean records. They are not allowed to use cell phones unless the vehicle is parked and the trucks need to be in good condition.
If they want to play nice then be nice, if they screw you then catch them and report them.
That IS the way it is supposed to work.
@bill marshall, what country did you grow up in? "How hard is it for the city attorney to rule that overstaying at a paid lot is not trespassing under the towing impound regulations? " City Attorneys do not "rule" anything. Judges do.
most repair shops add to the tow bill not give kick backs and all tow drives have to have a background check with the state and its few who get towed thats 5 to 10 mins. over but most don't even paid from the start because no one is there and they think no one will check
Bill... It sounds like you are encouraging any disgruntled person that has been towed to stalk a tow truck company/driver and wait for them to hopefully break the law. All this "play nice" verbage sounds like something kids do in grade school, which is where most people learn that if they break the rules they must also suffer the consequences.
Really... I am encouraging exactly that.... the tow companies are colluding with the lot owner to screw people by using the letter of the law so turn about is fair play.... if the towers want to exploit the law then let them fix every little thing on the truck and use 4 tie downs as required by law, never use the cell phone, have a medical card on them at all times and spend the money to take the required dot alcohol abuse courses.
b..... I respectfully disagree as I know for FACT that the industry is rife with kickbacks in both directions. Shops pay for stranded motorists and the tow companies issue a "shorted" bill for the tow (they write 85 bucks but only charge 75 bucks to the shop so it looks like the shop is not charging a markup. )
C-ville eye... ther city attorney gives legal opinions all the time. If he published the opinion that the lot is creating a "bailment" under the law as opposed to a "trespass" under the law then it would be on the lot owner to take that decision before a judge to overturn it. If the city attorney looked at the law and decided towing it without police confirmation was stealing then the interpretation is his to make until a court proves otherwise.
These people are predatory. We are allowed to regulate predatory busineses, we can do it with pawn shops and pay day loans etc etc. Do your job.
Do you think it would be legal for a dry cleaner to have a tiny sign that says all clothes not picked up by 6 pm will considered abandoned and sold? There is such a thing as common ;law and reasonablness of interpretation.
If a consumer had what was was truly "informed consent" to the circumstance that would be ok too but they don't.
So fight fire with fire... let the city require every impound from pre paid lots call on the impound and let the tow go in rotation at the cities eastblished rate. Hell let the city tack on a ticket to pay for it... but if you did this the problem would solve itself because when the lot owner stops getting the kickbacks he will need to modify his predatory practice and have an attendent there to collect the money or offer a one price all night rate through the machine.
Its the job of government to keep things in balance. 145 bucks for overstaying at a parking meter (basically) is too much and the government should not sanction it when they have a choice. (which they do)
Either make them call it in or have people be given a flyer in at least size 20 font explaining what will happen if they are not back in time that includes the requirement for cash the kickback to the lot owner and the fact that there is NO grace period.
Fix it today.
He's right, y'know?
Bill dosnt know any thing they go by state law with the towing price and every car is called in to the police so they know it's not stolen when people call all lots are mark and like I said most people do not paid at all the. Towing company's cost a lot to run trucks are about 50000 to buy if any is getting by on high prices it food vender and beer vender in on the downtown mall and at Jpj making 1000 percent on $4 hotdogs And $7 beer so the city should do the same with them they make all that money with no overhead
@ B Can you repeat your point so that it makes sense?
I never thought I would say this but.... Bill Marshall is exactly right. 100% on the money.
Ultimately I think it is bad for the city to have people towing aggressively. I personally know people who have been towed very quickly and have a negative opinion of cville because of it. They are now less likely to come downtown to eat or to a concert etc.
So to me we should try to figure out how we can allow the lot owners to make money for the service they provide without the need or incintivization for aggressive towing.
How about if we allow the city to issue parking tickets in private lots that sign up. The ticket would be for a full days parking plus an administrative fee. Yes it would likely be a money looser for the city, but if we assume that it is bad for all businesses to aggressively tow, then it would be a net positive.
We would continue to allow private lots that did tow, but they would only be able to charge for the differential between when the parking ticket expired and when the person was towed and we would make any other kickbacks illegal.
B ... caling it in and having to wait for an officer to verify is two different things....if the tower has to wait for it to be verified as a trespasser then the cop will need to pick the tower who is next on the list so it may not be colliers and the rate is the cities rate not the collier gouge rate with additional kickbacks and such... this means that there would not be a tower in the shadows waiting to nail people for fun and profit.
Doing impounds is just a way for the guys in the back of the class who have no real skills and no real ethics) to take advantage of situations to make way more money then there effort, education or actual acomplishments deserve. If they want to do that then they can but the city should no aid them in their quest to abuse the law that was designed to protect busineses who have people walk off and consume valuable parking spaces while not patronizing the business. Ift would be no different than if Guadalahara had a tow truck in wait to nail anyone who ate with them and then walked over to the convienence store to get a paper for a minute. It would be legal but word would get out quick. The problem with this lot is that there are lots of tourists who will never come back TO THE CITY and we need those tourism dollars to help the schools the poor and build infrastrutcure. The city should at a minimum require extensive signage at the lot make them call a cop before every tow and give it to someone on the cities list or both. They do not need an advisortyy committee because they are not regulating towers they are regulating parking lots.
bill u still dont know very much about it the city has one towing company not a list thats a big problem the city give all there tows to one company so how can they make all the companys go by one rule and they dont let all the tow company on there list the city tows cars all the time with a ticket so they get paid just like the lot owners are doing with there kickbacks thats why no one is talking about city tow because they have a parking ticket and u cant get out of it. the botton line is nothing going to change the towing company go by state laws with there prices
Mr "b" as long as that tow "company" ain't Colliers towing it sounds like a win.
they not going any where any time soon they not the problem they go by the rules people who don't pay to park are breaking the rule if the city wants to do something they can buy that lot for about 20 million and let people park for free and taxes can go up for the hard working peolpe who go by the law and rules so people can keep there $2 ahour for parking
For those saying just pass a law, no need for an advisory board....
The problem is state law REQUIRES an advisory board if a locality wants to regulate towing more strictly than state law specifies.
Yet another reason to change the Dillon Rule power of the state government.
@b, so you are saying that if people want private parking lots to be controlled by the public, it should buy the lots and make them public lots? That does not seem to follow the rule of The Commons where all open spaces can be used by the public as it sees fit even if it is privately owned. In other words, when using my things you must abide by my rules but when I use your things I don't have to abide by your rules. It shows an attitude prevalent in middle schools across the country. Why don't you people who do not wish to be towed just simple use public parking?
The City puts its towing contract out for bid every year. Companies bid competitively to do all the towing for a year, subject to contract conditions. Because they compete, the price is reasonable. I dont know the current year contract price, but I'd guess $50 bucks or less, probably with some after hour increase of $10 or $15 bucks. That is the free market price for a tow and it should be fairly well documented by the City's contract history.
$160 is a price that can only be sustained by a monopoly condition. It might be an appropriate penalty to pay for parking in a clearly marked handicapped parking space downtown. It is not an appropriate penalty for someone who actually paid to park for 3 hours in a commercial lot and then overstayed it for a few minutes.
It concerns me that Colliers is doing 20 of these type towings a week. Thats 1000 a year. I'm not sure how many other of the local tow companies have similar "arrangements" with lot owners, but the total number could be worse than this. That's a lot of people every year who are going to get a very bad impression of Downtown Cville. Thats not good business for the City. I dont even see how its good business for Mr. Woodard.
It also concerns me what a punitive mindset so many Hook readers seem have. So some guy spends an evening Downtown, supporting local businesses and arts, PAYS for 3hrs parking and then gets his car yanked and a $145 fine? Ha Ha! Serves him right for going to the Opera! I can understand the professional sadist's glee in over the situation, but everyone else? really?
Its probably easier and more to the point to regulate the circumstances under which cars can be towed than to regulate the towing operators.
U are right Kevin that's one of my points If the city makes set price then all towing company should be able to tow for the city no need for a contract because the price are set and the city tows way more then 20 cars a week that why they can tow at $50 but its also with a ticket I guess around $25 more so it's not that much from city tow then the rest. Dont think the city can make a few company go by one set of rule then give all there towing to one company that will make a killing on UVA football games
B - I understand your point, but the way City contracting works is if you are the low bidder, you get the work. Not "if you are the low bidder, anyone else can do the work for the same price" If that were the case, there would be no incentive for companies to bid their best price on a contract. The City doesnt make the towing price. Whatever towing company can come up with the lowest cost makes the towing price. That is clearly not happening here.
"So some guy spends an evening Downtown, supporting local businesses and arts, PAYS for 3hrs parking and then gets his car yanked and a $145 fine?"
@Kevin Lynch, the fact that the driver only paid for 3 hours to go to the opera says that he decided beforehand how much he was going to pay regardless of the actual charges for parking downtown supporting local BusinesseS for an entire evening downtown AND an opera with intermission? Obviously, he felt he could determine what the price should be and not the property owner. How is the tower supposed to know whether he was supporting downtown businesses or watching TV in his girlfriend's apartment in Queen Charlotte? What difference does it make what he was doing? Obviously he wasn't doing what he was supposed to be doing by honoring his implicit contract to remove his car within three hours so somebody else can park there and spend money in Miller's. How long was the tower supposed to have allowed him to park overtime? half-hour? Hour? That may have caused the owner of the lot to lose a customer that was not willing to wait which means money out of the owner's pocket rather than the parker's pocket where is should be coming from. Face it the man was trying to get something for nothing. The arrogant ass is lucky I wasn't the tower. It would have taken him a week to find that car in a remote cow pasture totally stripped.
to the nasty slothlike creature of colliers tow service, that laughed at me and sarcastically thanked me for the contribution to his personal life:
Kharma comes in myserious ways
"It also concerns me what a punitive mindset so many Hook readers seem have." @Kevin Lynch, it concerns me when people wish to apply rules according to whom the rules are being applied. If I drug dealer or pimp were in the same position I am sure those clamoring for leniency would want to use every tool to drive that character from downtown by having that car towed.
@Cville Eye - "the fact that the driver only paid for 3 hours to go to the opera says that he decided beforehand how much he was going to pay regardless of the actual charges for parking downtown"
No, it says that he misjudged the time he would need for the opera. I probably would have done the same. Oh snap! I forgot about the intermission! I guess it sucks for me that I'm not a seasoned opera goer like yourself.
I have never been towed, but I have paid to park in large and small cities over this Country. Like most people, I've lost track of time and had to pay extra a few times, but its usually for just an extra hour. The most I can recall paying was at a lot in Philly when I went over the 3 hour rate and had to pay an extra 15 bucks or so for the 24 hour rate. And I thought *that* was a ripoff! That is the sort of worst case scenario that normal people expect if they overstay a paid lot.
"How long was the tower supposed to have allowed him to park overtime? half-hour? Hour? "
If he paid to park and overstayed the time, the worst penalty he should get is to have to pay for the next increment of parking time, whether that is an extra hour, 12 hours or whatever.
"Face it the man was trying to get something for nothing."
No - someone who parks in a handicapped spot or no parking zone, or in a paid lot without paying is trying to get something for nothing. This guy paid for a three hour parking ticket.
"The arrogant ass is lucky I wasn't the tower. It would have taken him a week to find that car in a remote cow pasture totally stripped."
Wow, are you sure you're only 80 years old? You seem a bit older. Do you ever miss throwing stones at adultresses?
"No, it says that he misjudged the time he would need for the opera. I probably would have done the same. Oh snap! I forgot about the intermission! I guess it sucks for me that I'm not a seasoned opera goer like yourself." When you and your band play do you think you will be actually away from your car for only 3 hours or less considering you also have to allot time for your supporting downtown businesses? You have to admit that isn't common sense.
"Like most people, I've lost track of time and had to pay extra a few times, but its usually for just an extra hour. The most I can recall paying was at a lot in Philly when I went over the 3 hour rate and had to pay an extra 15 bucks or so for the 24 hour rate. And I thought *that* was a ripoff! That is the sort of worst case scenario that normal people expect if they overstay a paid lot." Sounds to me like you're saying the penalties were so small staying over didn't matter much to you. That's why you have had several overstays. Unlike most people, I never have out of respect for other people.
"If he paid to park and overstayed the time, the worst penalty he should get is to have to pay for the next increment of parking time, whether that is an extra hour, 12 hours or whatever." And who was supposed to collect this extra money, the tower? That would he would have to keep coming until the driver showed up to get the money, check or card? Or should he volunteer to sit in a chair at the lot to save money on gas and make sure the driver doesn't slip in while he's gone to dinner? Does he actually get a break for dinner?
"This guy paid for a three hour parking ticket." And he was trying to get something (an extra two hours) for nothing (free).
"Do you ever miss throwing stones at adultresses?" No, I don't have to. Currently, I sit outside the courthouse with two old Downtown Mall bricks waiting for John Edwards to come out. It's only a matter of time.
So I guess the parking rate is 9 bucks for the first three hours and 145 for the next five minutes......
If you leave your drycleaning too long at the drycleaner a bailment is created and they can charge you extra. If you rent a storage unit and don't leave a bailment is created and they charge you extra, if you overstay in a hotel room a bailment for your belongings is created and they can charge you extra. The charges are reasonable to the circumstance and most probably regulatedby usery laws. The city simply needs to pass a law that unattended lots where cars are left over are 1) not considered "abandoned" for 12 hours and b) subject to the same bailment interpretation as these other examples. The car should not be ALLOWED to be towed until it is considered abandoned and then it should be handled by the police.
If the lot owner wants more money than let him hire an attendant instead of using twists in the law to extort people.
The dillion rule doesn't matter as they would be regulating lots not towers.
I agree with B. Marshall. If the law stays the same there should be a sign: IF YOU EXCEED YOUR TIME LIMIT YOUR CAR WILL BE TOWED IMMEDIATELY AND YOU WILL HAVE TO PAY 145 DOLLARS IN CASH TO RETRIEVE IT AND WALK A MILE TO DO SO. I have seen over the years time after time people towed from the Judge's spot at Court Square. I even saw R. C.'s car towed once. The sign should read: THIS IS THE JUDGE'S SPOT. YOU WILL BE INSTANTLY TOWED WITH NO EXCEPTIONS, EVEN IF YOU ARE A DESC. OF T.J.
bill marshall, Kevin Lynch and Sam, many city committees do not require city residency. Has any of you thought about applying for the new task force? I think your opinion should be represented. Before you ask, I do not want to serve on a committee about parking lots.
@Ida Rile, Council members have demonstrated frequently that rules do not apply to certain people. It's called government of the non-privileged for the privileged of the privileged.
C-viile eye, Poor Kevin has done his time ... and then some... I have zero interest in sitting on a commmittee made up of towers that will claim that they have the "right" to gouge and Police who want to keep it a civil matter so they don't have to get involved. It is 4-1 from the start.
This is just an example of the city council shirking any real responsibility. I suppose they need to save their energy to debate whether statues should be removed or which developer to give city land too at firesale prices.
so bill i can park my car in your driveway and you can't doing anything about it. thats what u want its no different with parking lots the high price is to hope people will not do it again just like when u go over the speed limit its like a $200 ticket
After Kevin Lynch rests up from the water supply debate, he'll be back. Unlike those who really represent or otherwise benefit from special interests, he appears to be one of the few who considers what is best for the general public. He also likes problem-solving and boy does Charlottesville have problems with problem-solving.
Does state law limit the composition to only five people plus one alternate?
Who is Dave Norris to determine how often the task force meets? I am too lazy to look up the answers to my last two questions but anyone who knows the answers feel free to chime in.
b If you park your car in my driveway I have to call the Police who make a determination that your car is TRESPASSING and THEY have it towed. I cannot call Colliers and authorize them to charge you for a tow I request.
and the price is high for same reason a dogs lick themselves.... because they can...
bill no u don't have to call the cops u need to know the law just like people who rent a parking space can have the car remove because its for them to park. u don't need a cop for everything so call the cops when someone is parking in your driveway and see what they say going to tell you just to have it removed its just like condos if you don't have a sticker they call to have it remove not calling the cops to do it. don't know where all the people come from but thats the way it is every where people need to know they just can't park anywhere they think they can. its just like when u go to the beach for the day you just can't park at the hotel the hotel is going to remove it as quick as it can so there guest have parking people cant just do what they want but they think they can
I don't have to call the police to have a car removed from my property. I've had cars towed from my property any number of times. This is another one of the perennial s**t storms this town has ginned up over the towing issue and, as was the case in the past, when it subsides things will remain the same despite Mr. Marshall's veiled calls for "nationalizing" private lots.
In the end most of the complaining comes from people's entitled attitudes about parking and their self exculpating lies about not seeing or understanding signs written in plain english. What's happening in these cases is people just want the rules to be flexible enough to allow them to do whatever they want....
If I own a private lot it really is up to me to decide the rules for allowing people to use it. Charlottesville isn't unique in having these issues. Go to New York and park your car on the street where the sign says "no parking after 8:00 AM on Tuesdays, for street cleaning". See what happens to your car if you park it Monday night and are "only 30 minutes late" retrieving it Tuesday morning. If you think you're hard-done by Woodward and Colliers, try the New York thing for a real eye-opener....