'[I went] back outside and my car was missing': Pizza guy gets towed instantly by predatory towing company while delivering to apartment complex

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Brad Dickson • Managing Editor
Oct 17, 2023 12:00 PM EDT

Towing companies have a certain reputation for being predatory, lurking in the shadows and waiting for unsuspecting parkers to put one wheel out of place. Pouncing moments after the driver is out of sight, dragging their car away to hold it for ransom without remorse or exception...

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  • Is this reputation deserved? Well… yes. Not that all towing companies use this practice and are deserving of condemnation. Equally shady are the businesses and apartment management companies that work with these towing agencies, signing their lots over to the tow-truck cartels for a cut of the take, ensuring that their residents, vendors, and customers are forever at risk of having their car yoinked unexpectedly.

    I'll add a caveat here that people who park their cars errantly are an obnoxious blight, too, but there's a difference there between those entitled sorts and a minimum-wage earning pizza delivery driver who simply had the misfortune of trying to make a delivery to a building that's colluding with these scammers… Without a doubt, this apartment complex should be blacklisted for future deliveries.

  • 01
    Tire
    via Dan Burton

    Andrew Valdivia

  • 02
    Font - Posted by u/sarahqueenoftots Got towed last night Last night I took a delivery about an hour before we close. I parked my car illegally, and ran into the apartment building. My customer took awhile getting to the door and actually getting me some cash. I went downstairs and back outside and my car was missing. There's only one entrance to the building. I started to freak out a bit. I was gone for 5 maybe 6-7
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 03
    Font - minutes max. After a spamming my remote lock/panic button like a madwoman for a few minutes. I figured out that I need to do something so I call my manager (who is great and I love working with) in tears like "hey so my car is missing... wt do I do?" Of course he told me to call the police so I did. 911 dispatch didn't see any towing notice so they sent cops out. The cops explained that it might take a little while to hear if/who towed my car. They also explained that the parking
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 04
    Font - lot was privately owned and so the folks who handle towing get paid commission yada yada yada. We finally hear that it was towed by company X. I got a ride back to the store, and finish closing. My manager gave me a ride home. I picked my car up this morning for the low low price of $230. Ugh be careful while delivering folks.
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 05
    Font - Edit: I parked sideways half on a fire lane half in front of another parked car. Yes illegally, also in a private lot. If there had been reasonable and legal parking I would've used that. As far as I could see the lot was 100% full. I only did what I did to be quick and get to my next delivery which totally backfired this time.
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 06
    Font - Girls4super I'd contact the apartment management, I feel like there's an exception for delivering or very short 5min parking. Unless they expect nobody to ever order in? 84 the_eluder Reply Share Also, everyone at that apartment building now needs to come down to your car to pick up their order. If they complain - tell them why it's necessary, and drivers can't afford to get their car towed. Reply Share 117
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 07
    Font - Numerous-Expression2 Submit receipt to your manager. You were on the clock and following policy. Your employer is responsible. 52 Reply Share 31 ●●● sarahqueenoftots OP I'll ask him about it but probably nothing'll come out of it because I'm positive that policy says you must park legally for exactly this reason. Reply Share
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 08
    Font - Head_Razzmatazz7174 Sounds like a 'lurker' tow company. Some complexes pay a private tow company to drive through complexes on a regular basis and tow any cars that don't have a sticker, the sticker doesn't match the number on the spot, etc. Can't even park your car sideways for 5 minutes to get the groceries in your apartment. They will tow it. 25 Reply Share sarahqueenoftots OP Yeah that's what the officer was explaining to me :/ because I was literally there for >5 min and car was gone
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 09
    Font - masterOfcats were you parked illegally or just parked in a private lot with no sticker? 41 Reply Share sarahqueenoftots OP Both private lot without sticker and I wasn't parked in a parking place 4 Reply Share
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 10
    Font - TakerFoxx How the hol did they get it out of there so fast? 10 sarahqueenoftots OP genuinely, I have no idea. Reply Share 4 TakerFoxx Reply Share Did you have your hazard lights on? It's not a guaranteed fix, but it does help signal that you're only going to be there a couple minutes. 7 Reply Share
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 11
    Font - Dcongo Sounds like maybe your pizza customer might be helping out their uncles towing company. Reply Share 3
    via u/sarahqueenoftots
  • 12
    Font - mavvv Nah that's predatory and predicted towing. You don't get towed in 10 mins unless they want to tow as many as possible 4 Reply Share ●●●
    via u/sarahqueenoftots

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tow truck pizza pizza delivery pizza delivery guy towing scammers delivery driver pizza guy scams food delivery delivery
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