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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Dec 2009
    Posts
    1

    Default Car Impounded While on AAA Call

    My question involves towing laws for the State of: California

    Hello everyone, I really need your advice here:

    I had my truck in a friend's driveway. The truck can't move because of a differential problem. I went to have it tow to a shop this afternoon, so i called AAA. The tow truck shows up, but the guy said that because the wheels can move he can't/will do it with a flat bed, he said the it needs to be done with a dolley truck.
    I called AAA again and they say one hour. Since it's been a couple of hours we go get something to eat.
    When we return the truck is gone I tought that the driver took it without calling us. However we call AAA and after a while they told me that the car has been impound!

    I spoke with the tow company and they said the property owner call them to have it removed from his property. We're no longer friends, but he let me keep the truck there. He saw I was there, when we got back he was gone.
    I can't get a hold of him, but I don't think he did it.

    However after some diging, it turns out that the same company that AAA sent to tow our truck, was the one the impounded our car what kind of scam is that?
    They want $335 to release it.
    I feel like they stole my car, plain and simple and now they want to extort money out of me.

    Some help please, I don't have that kind of money after Christmas spending.
    Thank you

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Sep 2005
    Location
    California
    Posts
    20,594

    Default Re: Car Impounded While on Aaa Call

    The fees will add up every day you leave it there. Get the car out of impound, THEN worry about possibly taking your friend to small claims court. If you do not have the money and cannot raise it, consider signing the car over to the tow company now and asking that in exchange they waive any additional storage fees.

    If you find out that your friend did NOT sign for the tow, then the tow company may be liable for a minimum of double the storage and impound fees. But, the time to address that is after you have the car back, not before.

    I would go to the tow yard, ask to see the paperwork containing the signature or written authorization by the person authorizing the tow pursuant to CVC 22658(l)(1). If no such written authorization exists, then remind them that they could be held accountable for up to 4 times the cost of the impound pursuant to 22658.

    Reference: http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/di...le=22650-22711

    You might also consider contacting AAA and asking them what happened to your AAA tow. It seems that AAA might be interested to hear that their contractor changed hats upon arrival ... likely because they would get more money from THAT tow if they took it as an impound rather than as a AAA tow. But, the AAA contract is a lucrative one for tow operators, so they would not want to lose it. So, I would raise a stink with AAA about the issue, too.

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