Can Tow Truck Drivers Tow Cars without Authorization?

The Discovery Channel's new reality TV show, "Sin City Towing," shows tow trucks driving around Las Vegas and towing illegally parked cars, even if they're on private property. Is Nevada law such that a tow truck driver can just tow any car that's illegally parked without a police officer's or property owner's (or his rep's) authorization?

Nevada statute NRS 706.4465 states, "A tow truck operator must have authorization before towing a vehicle. Authorization must be given by either the property owner or their agent or a law-enforcement officer."

Then there's NRS 487.038: "A tow truck driver must have written authorization from the property owner or a representative before towing a vehicle from private property. The written authorization must include specific information about the vehicle and the reason for the tow."

And the City of Las Vegas has additional regulations that address unauthorized or "predatory" towing.

To us, these laws and regulations would preclude tow truck drivers from doing what's seen on "Sin City Tow" (not "Towing"), a season one "reality TV show" on Discovery. What they do is drive around, look for illegally parked vehicles, and hook them up immediately without any apparent authorization from anyone, at least not in the one show that we could stand watching.

As for following the law, the jury is out, just as it is as to whether or not this show is scripted (we've seen emphatic opinions on both sides with no corroborating evidence). It appeared in the episode we saw that the drivers were towing only vehicles that were parked improperly (which isn't to say illegally) on private property, so though they might've had prior authorization from the property owners in a general sense, it didn't look to us like they possessed any specific authorization to tow the particular vehicles.

So are they predators? The premise of the show is that two rival towing companies compete for this lucrative trade. That alone might suggest that these guys skirt, if not outright ignore, the law.

Besides, the enforcement of the regs is another matter entirely. Once a car is hanging from the back of a tow truck, the owner is at the driver's mercy. Is there any recourse? Would the police show up if called? Would they demand written authorization from the tow truck driver? Not according to the show we saw.

And here's another wrinkle. We once had a car towed from private property, a Las Vegas apartment complex, based on a complaint not from the owner, but from a tenant. The tow truck company was summoned, arrived within minutes, and took the car to an impound yard where it cost the devil's own fortune to ransom it out of kidnapping. Was that an "official" authorization? Hardly. Did it make one whit of difference when it came to getting our car back? No.

So we can't answer this question definitively. But we can repeat that tow truck drivers, whether they have official authorization or not, are holding all the ... cars. If anyone knows differently, please enlighten the rest of us.

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Comments

Donzack Aug-13-2024

Lincoln park pirates

Is a song by Steve Goodman in 1972 about Lincoln park towing operating on the Chicago lakefront. The drivers were “all recent graduates of the charm school in Joliet.” You couldn’t park your car on private property that had a sign posted stating information about the tow company and the rates to pick it up. I’m pretty sure the written consent is the contract signed by the property owner/manager authorizing the tow company to remove unauthorized vehicles at any given time ,not individual forms for each vehicle. A sign had to be posted so the driver could see it. You couldn’t  post the sign without a signed contract .This was back when Rush street, Old Town and Wrigleyville were booming with business. Parking was impossible.  Drivers could act on a phone complaint or if driving by a contracted signed lot could act on their own.“Way,hey tow them away. Lincoln Park pirates are we.”

O2bnVegas Aug-13-2024

Parking Wars

Still in re-runs, probably was on Discovery.  They towed from businesses, apartment complexes, streets/signs with specific days/times, (e.g. Mon-Fri 4pm-6pm), in front of hydrants/loading zones. Tow drivers worked for, or contracted with, the city, so it couldn't be just any vehicle with a hitch.  Citizens always pled ignorance of the sign/law, or "I just ran in for two seconds to get a sandwich."   Some  tow trucks had 'radar' focused on license plates of parked cards, activated when a plate registered multiple unpaid parking tickets. Once a car was 'lifted', there was usually no mercy; few exceptions.  

As mentioned in the answer above, retrieving an impounded vehicle was a trip through hell; long lines, required documents: insurance, registration IN HAND--often were inside the vehicle 'cause they could tow any time day or night) not to mention multiple $$$ fines. 

That show actually got my attention as to parking downtown or anywhere.

Candy

John Aug-13-2024

Lincoln Park Pirates

Donzack - Thanks for that Steve Goodman memory.  A clever and prolific songwriter who was taken way too soon.

I have always wondered what the backstory is on the song.  I have a feeling it involves a parking space where Goodman's car used to be.

Donzack Aug-13-2024

Apartment complex

Your example shows apartment parking lot complaint. Condo owner or apartment renter in his assigned spot? Was there a sign for authorized  parking only? Some parking spaces are actually private deeded property that the owner pays property taxes on annually. Illegally parked vehicles on the public street must have a tow case report written by a sworn police officer who calls in the tow. In Chicago a streets and sanitation supervisor can order a tow when a vehicle is in violation of signs when work is about to start. Bottom line, don’t park where you don’t belong.

jay Aug-13-2024

Without a badge

In Calgary Canada many of our downtown streets allow parking from 9-3 (ie 2hr zones that you pay for at a machine). The intent is that during rush hour (pre-9 or after 3) the lanes are clear so you have 2 extra lanes to ensure expediency. 

Outside of these times like at 3.00.001 the tow trucks are lined up on the side streets and start cruising for people that are parked on the main roads. These are private companies that impound the vehicles - They first drag the car to a off street lot downtown so they can get back out there and snag the next one. They are all then taken to the impound lot. The bylaw(parking) officer is then at the impound lot writing tickets vs doing it on the street. You might have missed your car by 5 min but its going to be 7.00pm by the time it gets hauled to the actual impound yard.

Even if you were to follow the truck to the impound lot you are still charged >$100 for storage for every portion of 24hrs. 

Its criminal at best.

Peter Bijlsma Aug-13-2024

Illegal towing

Recently a tow truck driver attempted to hook up a car in downtown San Francisco with the driver and a passenger inside, waiting for a red light. The FBI got involved and that company is banned from doing business in SF. 

See https://abc7news.com/post/fbi-raids-san-francisco-tow-company-history-illegal-towing-owners-charged-money-laundering/15161965/

Kenneth Mytinger Aug-13-2024

Are they predators? Another example

... here in LV, and maybe a bit prosaic.  I live in an apt complex in the central part of the valley, and almost all the parking spaces (under carports) are assigned.  Found another vehicle parked in my space, notified the leasing office.  They said that the towing company would have to put a sticker/notice on the vehicle (24 hour notice) that it was going to be towed.

OK, fine, it was gone next time I checked.  But here's a contrary example -- my car stays parked, often not used for several days, sometimes more than a week.  Several times I've found one of those notices on my car(!)  And the notation on the sticker says something about the car being in illegal storage(!)  OK, there's a layer of dust on the windshield, but so what?

So, what's going on here?  Do the towing companies here operate aggressively, but just within 
the legal limits?

Question of the Day - 13 August 2024

Comments