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This can be easily solved; have the property owners and tow truck companies reach an arrangement where the tow truck company understands they are free to tow an

This can be easily solved; have the property owners and tow truck companies reach an arrangement where the tow truck company understands they are free to tow any pickup truck in those spots, without asking for permission each and every time. These sort of arrangements are common already. A privately owned lot will have a deal with a particular tow truck company wherein the tow truck company is allowed to pull any car that doesn't have the right parking sticker (for example.) To make sure the right towing company is called, the lot owner puts up signs detailing the terms of parking and stating which towing company is responsible for the lot. Every time somebody sees a car parked in violation with the stated rules, they can call that towing company who will show up and tow anybody they can, making a tidy profit from each car they tow (they profit by holding those cars for ransom.) These signs are a fairly common sight in America: https://i.imgur.com/nPYaOBf.gif https://i.imgur.com/nPYaOBf.gif This system works, only the occasional idiot will dare testing those signs.

topkai22 8y ago
Pretty sure it depends on the state- when I lived in Washington state it took weeks to get a car that had been abandoned for over a year to get towed from our appartmemt lot. That being said, I prefer it being hard to tow, privately administered ticketing systems are much better. While in this case the pickups are knowingly taking spaces that aren’t theirs, most people I know (including myself) have only ever been towed when they’ve accidentally broken broken a rule, often in a disputable manner. There is no trial or attempt to resolve, property is seized with no chance to appeal a priori, and people’s means of transportation and livelihood are held hostage for payment. It’s really a pretty awful system.
- darkpuma 8y ago
  I suppose it really depends on what your priorities are. Nobody I know has ever been towed. The towing companies really seem to get it right more often than not, and people default to not parking somewhere unless they're confident it's permitted, which is the way I think it should be.
wil421 8y ago
Yes they are common and it’s also common for tow truck companies to pay property owners to patrol their lots. Again is up to the owners to do this sort of things. I’ve had an issue with parking in apartments before. I wasn’t able to call and get a car towed. The office staff were the only ones. After hours and late night it was an issue.
- darkpuma 8y ago
  It must depend on state law or company policy. There are scenarios where tow truck companies operate on a borderline vigilante basis, actively patrolling the lots they have contracts with ready to tow faster than a careless parker can shake their fist at them.

topkai22 8y ago

Pretty sure it depends on the state- when I lived in Washington state it took weeks to get a car that had been abandoned for over a year to get towed from our appartmemt lot. That being said, I prefer it being hard to tow, privately administered ticketing systems are much better. While in this case the pickups are knowingly taking spaces that aren’t theirs, most people I know (including myself) have only ever been towed when they’ve accidentally broken broken a rule, often in a disputable manner. There is no trial or attempt to resolve, property is seized with no chance to appeal a priori, and people’s means of transportation and livelihood are held hostage for payment. It’s really a pretty awful system.

darkpuma 8y ago
I suppose it really depends on what your priorities are. Nobody I know has ever been towed. The towing companies really seem to get it right more often than not, and people default to not parking somewhere unless they're confident it's permitted, which is the way I think it should be.

wil421 8y ago

Yes they are common and it’s also common for tow truck companies to pay property owners to patrol their lots. Again is up to the owners to do this sort of things. I’ve had an issue with parking in apartments before. I wasn’t able to call and get a car towed. The office staff were the only ones. After hours and late night it was an issue.

darkpuma 8y ago
It must depend on state law or company policy. There are scenarios where tow truck companies operate on a borderline vigilante basis, actively patrolling the lots they have contracts with ready to tow faster than a careless parker can shake their fist at them.