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New BS Wrecker Law in Houston?

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Old 01-03-2005, 04:14 PM
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TZUNAMI
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Default New BS Wrecker Law in Houston?

Get this ****ing ****!

http://www.click2houston.com/index.html

http://www.houstontranstar.org/safeclear/

I'll be damned if I let some plumber's crack dumb**** wrecker who greased mayor Bill White's pockets tow my Z.

I'm especially concerned with the special nature of the Z and the way it can be safely towed. Our Z's have to be pulled up on a flatbed right? You can't hook them up to a regular wrecker without damaging the suspension? I havn't gotten out the owners manual yet, but I am almost 100% sure that is what I was told when I took delivery./

Aside from that, this is just another freedom that has been taken from me.

What if I don't have the money for a tow on hand? Then I'm penalized more for them to store my car? **** THAT!

What if I have AAA or payed for 24hr roadside assistance and they don't wanna reimburse me? **** THAT!

Any other Houston Z drivers wanna chime in?

Just so happens one of my clients is a pretty high powered attourney. He's chomping at the bit to go after the city over this. Chances are he'll find someone else to represent to fight the city in this law before anything happens to my Z, but I almost wanna get a flat on purpose just so I can get a chance to tell the city to go **** itself!

/rant off

just for the record, I understand the well meaning and intentions, but this plan needs major revision to protect drivers, not reward the greasey ****bags that wreckers are
Old 01-03-2005, 04:18 PM
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kcobean
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I would certainly hope you have the right to refuse this assistance if a regular tow truck pulls up, or at least that insist that a flatbed gets called in. I'd not be happy with this program either.
Old 01-03-2005, 04:22 PM
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TZUNAMI
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Originally posted by kcobean
I would certainly hope you have the right to refuse this assistance if a regular tow truck pulls up, or at least that insist that a flatbed gets called in. I'd not be happy with this program either.
Dunno about insisting on a flatbed, but unless the wrecker is the one assigned to the section of highway where you are, you cannot refuse. Other wreckers not under contract cannot tow you, only the specific wrecker company assigned to that area.
Old 01-03-2005, 04:33 PM
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lovetoclown
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Wouldn't the tow company be resposible for any damage caused by improper tow? The Z is too low for regular towing.
Old 01-03-2005, 05:04 PM
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I Hate JDM
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I can tell you this...when my tire goes flat on the freeway, I bet you when I flip the car around backwards on the shoulder that the wrecker driver will have to have longer than 6 minutes to tow me...

if you need me, I will be in the driveway working on getting my flat changing times down to 5 minutes flat.
Old 01-03-2005, 05:06 PM
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I Hate JDM
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oh, and AAA has already made a claim that they will reimburse drivers for towing charges.
Old 01-03-2005, 07:19 PM
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EdgeOfSanity
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I've been seeing all the signs lately driving on 59 and the beltway wondering what they meant. That is complete ****ing ******** that they are allowed to do that now. I HATE TOWTRUCK DRIVERS!
Old 01-03-2005, 07:35 PM
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Dream
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I'm curious as to how the program is supposed to work. Will they force a tow even if your car is on the shoulder with a flat tire, you're changing it and it's not blocking traffic at all, or is a tow allowed only if your car is disabled in a traffic lane? The official site says the program is designed to prevent stalled or disabled vehicles from disrupting traffic, which doesn't seem like it should include cars stalled on the shoulder that aren't blocking traffic.

On the other hand, the site also says that the wrecker will move your car off "the paved or main traveled part of the Highway." Does the shoulder count as the paved part of the highway? This sounds like a big scam if they'll force a tow for an attended vehicle on the shoulder that isn't blocking traffic. I wonder how big a problem this was, if at all, for the city to institute this program.
Old 01-03-2005, 09:36 PM
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TZUNAMI
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It applies to vehicals on the shoulder.

love to clown, I don't know if the wrecker would be responsible. I needed a tow in a work vehical a month or so ago and on they asked me to sign a liability release. Work vehical so I didn't care.

the way I see it is, I'll resist the tow, force the cops out, that way I'll have a police officer there as witness to them improperly towing my Z

btw - I emailed transtar asking them-

Given my car's special tow requirements, will I have the right to refuse a tow if the wrecker is improperly equiped.

and

Since this is a manditory tow, if not, when the wrecker damages my car, who is held responsible.

I'm waiting for a response.

The Channel 2 poll had 85% of people against this law. It won't last long.
Old 01-03-2005, 11:59 PM
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boma
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I hate how our local news stations are calling the wreckers guardian angels to protect you from getting hit on the freeway.


F*&^ that. Tow truck drivers are vultures who will insist on towing your car, even if it damages your car. All of this so they can make money off of you. Never trust them, and always get a written receipt.

Bill White is a corrupt @ss mayor, just like Lee Brown.
Old 01-04-2005, 02:05 AM
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Originally posted by boma

F*&^ that. Tow truck drivers are vultures who will insist on towing your car, even if it damages your car. All of this so they can make money off of you. Never trust them, and always get a written receipt.
If you run out of gas and you have an auto, and try to get more better leave it in neutral other wise, chirp, chirp, CRACK!
I have seen a guy do it to at a parking lot cause the guy was imporpery parked, and when it happened the tow truck guy just started laughing.
Old 01-04-2005, 07:19 AM
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hypeiv
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some deal the city got... how did they manage to get full priced towing out of the tow truck companies. This would only be good if the towing was discounted or if you could be billed if you didn't have the money. The idea that your car can be impounded in Houston for not having $75 on you and getting a flat on the free way is just crazy.
Old 01-04-2005, 07:47 AM
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hypeiv
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http://www.chron.com/cs/CDA/ssistory...pstory/2976401

looks like they will let you wait for a flat bed. The guy the story had to wait 1 hour 35 minutes for his but at least his car wasn't towed wrong
Old 01-04-2005, 10:09 AM
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MadMax76
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There is a feedback link on the program's website. You might want to ask them to make sure....
Old 01-04-2005, 11:12 AM
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the7ferret
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haha, hell if you had to wait an hour and a half you could of proably changed all 4 tires and been on your merry way.

although he didn't have a spare.
Old 01-04-2005, 11:21 AM
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NiceNissan1
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Ive already bangged out a tow guy for taking my rx8 and not letting me inspect it before paying. imagine what would happen if it were my Z
Old 01-04-2005, 12:52 PM
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yeah i heard about that good thing i dont have a Z or right now i dont
Old 01-04-2005, 02:34 PM
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TZUNAMI
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Well someone from our local Z club got this reply....


The ordinance requires that a vehicle be towed according to the factory
specs. The wreckers are professionals and are responsible for the job that
they do.

Jason Dluhy
Chief of Staff
Mayor's Office of Mobility
713-613-5300
713-613-5303 fax
and

Additionally, if a car requires a flatbed, dispatch will call for one.

Pam

Pam Holm
Council Member District G
I still think the law is ********, came up with a bunch of other reasons this law sucks.

What if you're in a minivan with a bunch of kids, obviously they can't all fit in the wrecker. What if a Child Saftey seat is needed for those kids. I know it says an officer will transport them, but when? We all know our boys in blue can't get to a double homicide in less than 30 minutes. Does the family sit on the side of the freeway?
Old 01-05-2005, 03:13 PM
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Outlaw
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I am gonna start carrying my shotgun w/shells in my trunk. Ill be damned if some **** is gonna tow my car with a good $30-$35,000 worth of parts for a flat tire. There will be shots fired before he touches my car. Ill leave the rest to my lawyer.
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