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Relatively innocuous day the other day, nothing to suggest any problems were imminent. But, when we got a call about an illegally parked car at a known "problem" address, where there's always that one group of people who won't follow the rules and annoy everyone else in the complex by their behavior (inviting all their friends to party, taking other's spaces, giving one-finger salutes when told to please not take spaces other people pay for) It's actually bad enough that people from here have called me and asked if they can block the troublemakers in until we get there so they'll get towed for sure, because they've fled at the sight of trucks before, only to return later. Sadly, that is illegal. Suffice it to say, I felt an ill wind a blowin' down the phone line. Something about this one sight unseen made me decide to take it rather than hand it off to the rookie driver who wasn't doing anything. Good thing too, because as soon as I started backing up to it, someone standing outside the apartment it was parked in front made a mad dash inside. No sooner was it off the ground than the owner came out.
SC -Yo man! I'm movin!
Me-It will be $65 for me to put the car down
SC -$65? You crazy or something? You didn't even tow me!
Me-Car is off the ground, it's a drop, $65 or it's towed
SC -You're just greedy man!
Me -Prices are set by law, I have the car off the ground, it's $65 *Greedy? The truck don't run on sunshine, summer breeze and horse whinnys, Diesel fuel is $5 USD a gallon give or take, filling it up costs more than $65 all by itself!*
SC -Why you got to be so rude?
Me -You're the rude one, you parked in someone else's spot
SC -You are a greedy jerk! Why you ain't town anyone else here? Why you pickin' on me?
Me -You're the only one here illegally parked, I can't just pick up any car I feel like, they have to be illegally parked before I can take them. And yours is in a space you have no permit or permission to be in, the person who pays for this spot called me because you cannot park here, and this isn't the first time she called about this car, so this can't be the first time you did this.
SC -I was only here for 2 seconds!
Me -No, you were called into me at 3:58, it's now 4:09, so that's a bit more than 2 seconds
SC -Okay, look man, so it was 15 minutes or whatever, I was only here for 2 seconds to just drop someone off. Just put it down so I can go
Me -No Sir, you have to pay.
SC -Put it down!
Me -Not until you pay
SC -Look, I'm leaving, put it down!
Me -Either you pay $65, or I tow it and it's $115, or I can call the cops if you refuse either of those options, but all they'll do is either tell you to pay $65 or make you stand over there quietly while I finish towing you
SC -For real?
Me -Yep
SC -YOU DIDN'T EVEN PICK UP THE CAR!
Me -Sir, what do you call THIS *slide my whole foot under the rear wheels of his car, which are off the ground by 5 inches* You are off the ground, if I tow it back to the garage, it's just going to cost you more.
SC -Whatever man, I'm not paying and you're going to put it down
at this point, he opens the door, starts the car, and tells me to just put it down because he won't pay and he's got places to go
Me -Then I'll have to call the cops
SC -Whatever, man, why you gotta be like this?
Me -Because it's my job, you illegally parked, you were called into me for doing it by the person who owns that space, you've admitted to me you did it, and per the law the car is off the ground, you owe $65.
SC -I was only here for a second, and you didn't even tow me! So no I don't owe you NOTHING! Oh the irony, double-negative makes a positive, he owes and he just said so himself,
Doubt he realizes his atrocious grammar is the only way he's put himself in the right so far.
Me -Okay, I'll call the police then and we'll have them sort it out
SC -Whatever man, you didn't even tow me, this is bulls*it!
Well, the cops are called, and about 2 minutes later execute the classic pincer movement, converging on us with 2 cruisers from both sides.
I tell them my quick version of events, they nod in agreement, and then ask Mr. SC if he'd like to tell him his version. Of course, in his version, he was standing right next to me when he said he'd move it, but I ignored him and picked it up anyway, but didn't deny he was in someone elses spot. Then, he got to the part where he admitted to starting the car. Without missing a beat, one of the officers asks for his driver's license.
SC -I ain't got one on me!
Cop1 - You don't have a driver's license?
SC -WHY I GOTTA SHOW ONE?!
Cop2 - You just admitted to us you were operating this vehicle, you were doing so without a valid driver's license?
SC -Whatever man
Cop1 - You don't have a license?
SC - Just, whatever man
Cop1 - I need one for an incident report, if you don't have one, is this car at least registered in your name?
SC -Yeah
At this point, Cop1 goes back to his car to retrieve SC's info through the DMV. They probably could have cited him at this point, but my guess is they don't like extra paperwork anymore than I do and were just building leverage against him in case he doesn't get the message that $65 is a bargain for staying out of court during your free time.
Cop2 - So, are you going to pay or does he have to tow you?
SC -You ain't gonna help me?
Cop2 - There's nothing we can do sir, this is a civil matter, it's a private lot, we can't stop him from doing his job for the owners of this lot, if this was a public street it would be different.
SC -You ain't gonna make him put me down?
Cop2 - We can't make him do that, you'll have to pay him and then take him to court and sue him if you want the money back
SC -I gots to sue him for $65? That ain't worth it! Listen, he just picked my car up for no reason! I was gonna move it, he's greedy! I'm not payin' him nothin!
Cop2 - You need to pay him, this is a civil matter that we can't interfere with. I know nobody likes getting their car towed, I got mine towed in college, and it's frustrating, but, there's nothing we can do, I sympathize.
SC -How can you sympathize if you let him do that?
Cop2 - Because there's nothing I can do
Cop1 - Okay "Larry" *not his real name obviously*, I got your information for my report, now, are you going to pay? We can't stay here all day.
SC -I ain't got no money!
Cop1 - They'll take credit I believe, won't you?
Me -Yes Sir, Credit, Debit, Cash, only thing I can't take are checks
SC -I ain't got a card!
Me - Doesn't have to be yours, I just need someone here to pay me $65.
Mr SC, looking angry enough to chew nails, suddenly comes up with $65 cash. I finish the paperwork, hand him his receipt and go on my merry way. The cops make sure he stays put until I'm unhooked.
Whew, that was aggravating, but in retrospect, it was also the best entertainment $65 could buy. Now, just need to relax and take a leisurely drive back to the garage.... some music would be in order.... let's see what's on the classic rock station........ *click*
Steve walks wearily down the street with his brim pulled way down low........
You are KIDDING me...... how appropriate.........
SC -Yo man! I'm movin!
Me-It will be $65 for me to put the car down
SC -$65? You crazy or something? You didn't even tow me!
Me-Car is off the ground, it's a drop, $65 or it's towed
SC -You're just greedy man!
Me -Prices are set by law, I have the car off the ground, it's $65 *Greedy? The truck don't run on sunshine, summer breeze and horse whinnys, Diesel fuel is $5 USD a gallon give or take, filling it up costs more than $65 all by itself!*
SC -Why you got to be so rude?
Me -You're the rude one, you parked in someone else's spot
SC -You are a greedy jerk! Why you ain't town anyone else here? Why you pickin' on me?
Me -You're the only one here illegally parked, I can't just pick up any car I feel like, they have to be illegally parked before I can take them. And yours is in a space you have no permit or permission to be in, the person who pays for this spot called me because you cannot park here, and this isn't the first time she called about this car, so this can't be the first time you did this.
SC -I was only here for 2 seconds!
Me -No, you were called into me at 3:58, it's now 4:09, so that's a bit more than 2 seconds
SC -Okay, look man, so it was 15 minutes or whatever, I was only here for 2 seconds to just drop someone off. Just put it down so I can go
Me -No Sir, you have to pay.
SC -Put it down!
Me -Not until you pay
SC -Look, I'm leaving, put it down!
Me -Either you pay $65, or I tow it and it's $115, or I can call the cops if you refuse either of those options, but all they'll do is either tell you to pay $65 or make you stand over there quietly while I finish towing you
SC -For real?
Me -Yep
SC -YOU DIDN'T EVEN PICK UP THE CAR!
Me -Sir, what do you call THIS *slide my whole foot under the rear wheels of his car, which are off the ground by 5 inches* You are off the ground, if I tow it back to the garage, it's just going to cost you more.
SC -Whatever man, I'm not paying and you're going to put it down
at this point, he opens the door, starts the car, and tells me to just put it down because he won't pay and he's got places to go
Me -Then I'll have to call the cops
SC -Whatever, man, why you gotta be like this?
Me -Because it's my job, you illegally parked, you were called into me for doing it by the person who owns that space, you've admitted to me you did it, and per the law the car is off the ground, you owe $65.
SC -I was only here for a second, and you didn't even tow me! So no I don't owe you NOTHING! Oh the irony, double-negative makes a positive, he owes and he just said so himself,
Doubt he realizes his atrocious grammar is the only way he's put himself in the right so far. Me -Okay, I'll call the police then and we'll have them sort it out
SC -Whatever man, you didn't even tow me, this is bulls*it!
Well, the cops are called, and about 2 minutes later execute the classic pincer movement, converging on us with 2 cruisers from both sides.
I tell them my quick version of events, they nod in agreement, and then ask Mr. SC if he'd like to tell him his version. Of course, in his version, he was standing right next to me when he said he'd move it, but I ignored him and picked it up anyway, but didn't deny he was in someone elses spot. Then, he got to the part where he admitted to starting the car. Without missing a beat, one of the officers asks for his driver's license.
SC -I ain't got one on me!
Cop1 - You don't have a driver's license?
SC -WHY I GOTTA SHOW ONE?!
Cop2 - You just admitted to us you were operating this vehicle, you were doing so without a valid driver's license?
SC -Whatever man
Cop1 - You don't have a license?
SC - Just, whatever man
Cop1 - I need one for an incident report, if you don't have one, is this car at least registered in your name?
SC -Yeah
At this point, Cop1 goes back to his car to retrieve SC's info through the DMV. They probably could have cited him at this point, but my guess is they don't like extra paperwork anymore than I do and were just building leverage against him in case he doesn't get the message that $65 is a bargain for staying out of court during your free time.
Cop2 - So, are you going to pay or does he have to tow you?
SC -You ain't gonna help me?
Cop2 - There's nothing we can do sir, this is a civil matter, it's a private lot, we can't stop him from doing his job for the owners of this lot, if this was a public street it would be different.
SC -You ain't gonna make him put me down?
Cop2 - We can't make him do that, you'll have to pay him and then take him to court and sue him if you want the money back
SC -I gots to sue him for $65? That ain't worth it! Listen, he just picked my car up for no reason! I was gonna move it, he's greedy! I'm not payin' him nothin!
Cop2 - You need to pay him, this is a civil matter that we can't interfere with. I know nobody likes getting their car towed, I got mine towed in college, and it's frustrating, but, there's nothing we can do, I sympathize.
SC -How can you sympathize if you let him do that?
Cop2 - Because there's nothing I can do
Cop1 - Okay "Larry" *not his real name obviously*, I got your information for my report, now, are you going to pay? We can't stay here all day.
SC -I ain't got no money!
Cop1 - They'll take credit I believe, won't you?
Me -Yes Sir, Credit, Debit, Cash, only thing I can't take are checks
SC -I ain't got a card!
Me - Doesn't have to be yours, I just need someone here to pay me $65.
Mr SC, looking angry enough to chew nails, suddenly comes up with $65 cash. I finish the paperwork, hand him his receipt and go on my merry way. The cops make sure he stays put until I'm unhooked.
Whew, that was aggravating, but in retrospect, it was also the best entertainment $65 could buy. Now, just need to relax and take a leisurely drive back to the garage.... some music would be in order.... let's see what's on the classic rock station........ *click*
Steve walks wearily down the street with his brim pulled way down low........
You are KIDDING me......
how appropriate.........
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