07-25-2007, 05:31 PM
My sister just called me - exasperated. I had to relay this tale, as it makes me frustrated just listening to it.
She woke up this morning and there were two guys doing something to her car. She walked out there and saw that they were about to put a boot on it. She asked why, and they said "Unpaid parking tickets." She debated with them for a minute, as she said she paid her tickets, but they persisted and put the boot on. Then, they took their 8.5x11 red instruction sticker, and instead of handing it to her, they slapped it on the side of her car.
So, she gets a ride across town (St. Louis) to the place listed on the sticker. She finds out that although she paid the 2 $10 tickets, they were late, and there were late fees she did not pay, and those were "accruing." She said she didn't get notices about this, but that was why they booted the car. So, the bill is $160, and they only take cash. So she has to walk to an ATM and get enough cash (including ATM fees) to cover it. Then she asks if that's it, and the clerk says, "That's it for this office, but your car has been towed." It had only been 20 minutes, but they towed it. In fact, they booted it, knowing full well that they were about to tow it.
So, my sister gets a ride to the other side of town to the tow yard and finds out that it is $100 for the tow. They say, "That will be $120." What was the $20 for? You guessed it - storage fee. My sister actually saw them pull in with the car, and they still charged her a storage fee of $20. So, she pays the $120 and gets in her car. But her car is now making a grinding noise when she is driving. So she has to go back, and they have to hook up a tow truck to her car to lift it up again only to find that some piece had gotten stuck under there, which they had to dislodge - all the while proclaiming that it was not their fault.
So, my sister is now home, out $280 and a half day of frustration. All because of some late fees on two $10 parking tickets.
Like I said, I got frustrated just listening to this story. I can't imagine how she kept her cool.
She woke up this morning and there were two guys doing something to her car. She walked out there and saw that they were about to put a boot on it. She asked why, and they said "Unpaid parking tickets." She debated with them for a minute, as she said she paid her tickets, but they persisted and put the boot on. Then, they took their 8.5x11 red instruction sticker, and instead of handing it to her, they slapped it on the side of her car.
So, she gets a ride across town (St. Louis) to the place listed on the sticker. She finds out that although she paid the 2 $10 tickets, they were late, and there were late fees she did not pay, and those were "accruing." She said she didn't get notices about this, but that was why they booted the car. So, the bill is $160, and they only take cash. So she has to walk to an ATM and get enough cash (including ATM fees) to cover it. Then she asks if that's it, and the clerk says, "That's it for this office, but your car has been towed." It had only been 20 minutes, but they towed it. In fact, they booted it, knowing full well that they were about to tow it.
So, my sister gets a ride to the other side of town to the tow yard and finds out that it is $100 for the tow. They say, "That will be $120." What was the $20 for? You guessed it - storage fee. My sister actually saw them pull in with the car, and they still charged her a storage fee of $20. So, she pays the $120 and gets in her car. But her car is now making a grinding noise when she is driving. So she has to go back, and they have to hook up a tow truck to her car to lift it up again only to find that some piece had gotten stuck under there, which they had to dislodge - all the while proclaiming that it was not their fault.
So, my sister is now home, out $280 and a half day of frustration. All because of some late fees on two $10 parking tickets.
Like I said, I got frustrated just listening to this story. I can't imagine how she kept her cool.
