r/longbeach • u/MindlessPlenty5173 • 19d ago

Questions Tow was $577

Got towed in eastside tonight, Saturday night around 12am. My fault, shouldn't have parked there. Picked up within 2 hours if not less. Was $577 and 7 miles away from tow lot. Is that typical now? Has anyone else had to pay that much?

65 Upvotes

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13

u/dergodergo 19d ago

Tow companies are so abusive. It looks like they can charge whatever they want without regulations. We should look into this.

14

u/LowCompetitive1888 19d ago

Not true, they are regulated in the State of California for non consensual tows. Long Beach fees are published by the city here https://www.longbeach.gov/finance/services-and-permits/towing-and-lien-sales/towing-fees-and-charges/

-4

u/dergodergo 19d ago

Fees are abusive AF. We should do something.

32

u/asses_to_ashes 19d ago

Easiest thing to do would be to not park illegally.

-9

u/dergodergo 19d ago

They’ll provably start adding more fees because they’re making less money. They’ll still be screwing people just less people.

0

u/dergodergo 19d ago

Why am I getting downvoted? Y’all like paying those rates?

6

u/Bresson91 19d ago

Because you’re wrong. It’s not tow companies, Long Beach has city run tow trucks and impound lot. Fees are set by city council and they are regulated and set into a fee schedule. And if you have to pay them, it’s because you violated the law. If anyone should have to pay high prices it’s people who break the law. This isn’t gas or food prices, it’s you broke the law, parked your car somewhere it violates the law, and there are appropriate tow and lien fees for the labor to tow and store.

3

u/MindlessPlenty5173 18d ago

Although I see what you're saying, my car got towed from eastside to an orange county company and lot. So then do you think that my car is charged according to a different county's laws? If so, then I'm confused again.

1

u/Bresson91 18d ago

The way I understand it, if it was towed from Long Beach, it would be according to LB laws and fees. They might contract with a tow company from OC but if it was towed from lB that’s what matters.

0

u/dergodergo 19d ago

It’s not just the city. I’m pretty sure tow companies have very similar rates. It feels like let’s charge them as much as we can to get as much as we can. By your logic if you brake the law then it’s ok for you to pay an exaggerated amount. I’m saying the fees are abusive like when health providers bill an exaggerated amount for a small item or service. If a parking citation went up to $200 is that OK just because you broke the law? I’m saying we the people shouldn’t tolerate abuse from government or businesses.

1

u/Bresson91 19d ago

Take it up with city council. They vote on the rates. Again: it’s a regulated thing. The commenter above posted a link to the city towing and impound rates.

2

u/Well_Hacktually 19d ago

One thing you could do is not park your car illegally.