Let's start from the beginning. One of my good friends is visiting Houston for a wedding. She's staying at the Crowne Plaza in Downtown. I went to visit her yesterday (Friday) and show her around town. So I parked at the meter on Jefferson and West Alabama at 3:07, paid for one hour and carried on. She and her cousins came along with us. I told them I'd drive, but they said they rented a minivan and it would be more comfortable and they might as well use it since its rented. I said that's fine, so I ran over to my car and paid for another hour at the meter, since we'd be back within two hours. Well, after touring Minute Maid, the Toybox, and Whole Foods Market, we were back by 4:35. I said my goodbyes. I walk over to where my car was parked, and realize my car is gone. I asked the security guard what happened, and he said he saw it get towed. Apparently they tow cars between 4-6 pm on weekdays. FML. So I asked the guy what I should do. He said call the cops. So I first called 911. I asked them to get me in touch with the towing service. They said they don't know the number and asked me to look it up myself. FML. I don't have no Blackberry or iPhone. So next I needed to find a ride home. Luckily, I found a close family friend who works in downtown to take me home. I call the towing service and got the place where my car was. I called the location, and the guy said you can pick it up today or tomorrow - total is 191.79. They wanted exact change, no money back. So I got everything together and said I'll go with my dad first thing in the morning. I woke up early, got there, and the guy says the total is now 206.91! FML. He said after midnight, $15 are added. I told him he never told me that when I called him last night, and he said I never asked him. Truth is, I asked him what the total would be, and I told him I'll pick it up in the morning. But he never mentioned anything about the $15 penalty. So I pay the fee. I walk to my car and get in. Next thing I notice, there's a colored envelope on my windshield. FML. I get out of the car, open it, and it's a damn parking ticket. Since when did they issue parking tickets, and then tow vehicles five minutes later? I am hot right now. What should I do? I'm not going down without a battle. Should I take this to court? Can I represent myself? Should I get in touch with Mayor White? Okay, I got towed. Maybe my bad. But the parking ticket? Where did that come from? FML.
that happens all the time. i got a parking ticket and had my card towed in westwood once. there is a section of a block that is no parking from 7am to 9am on weekdays for no reason since the next block (same street) has no restrictions and action the rest of the street...its just this one block. they issue you a ticket for being parked illegally and then call the towing company. its a totally freakin racket i tell you. I was able to get out of my ticket and the towing fees since the sign that is posted about the no parking was about two cars behind from where i parked (i parked at the end of the block) and there was no sign indicating the no parking 7am-9am on the pole right by the spot where i parked, just a 2hr from 8am-6pm notice. i took pictures of everything for prove when i went to go contest it. they have since put up the no parking notice near the pole where i parked. it took me like 2months though to get my money back in the mail. worst part for me was I headed down there at like 740am to move my car and it was gone, the car behind me was still there and had a ticket. they towed my car out first had i gotten there maybe 10 minutes earlier my car would have probably been there since it takes like 20 mins for the towing company to get there.
Emergency? How is this any different than the woman who called 911 3 times because McD's wouldn't give her money back?
I cannot believe you called 911. That is beyond r****ded. The guy told you your car got towed. Don't call 911 to get a tow company's number!!! That's what 411 is for. 911 is for someone who seriously needs life or death help.
if your car ever gets towed you call 311 and give them your license plate number. They can look up where your car is.
I called 911 because my car got towed and I wrote about it on a forum and now everyone is making fun of me. FML
Parking in those lanes during rush hour in downtown majorly screws up traffic. So do the morons that I have to honk at in the morning who think they can stop in that lane to drop people off at their office building. Read the meter, idiots. ...and you called 911? Give me a break. Yeah, get in touch with Mayor White.
What the hell does FML mean? I left my car parked at a meter when I left town for a few days a while back. It was a weekend, so I didn't think they would care. And it was in the warehouse district, which is pretty much deserted on weekends anyway. When I got back, I had 3 parking tickets. By the same officer. I, however, did NOT call 911....
He was told by a "security officer" to call the cops. When people are in a state of shock they do whatever people tell them to do, without realizing anything. Btw, what is FML? F* my luck or F* my life?
Man, you people act like there is a SINGLE Houston operator for 911. The security guy TOLD him to call the police. BTW, the police can give you the name of the company who tows cars in whatever area. Yes, you can get the same info from 411 but who really knows that until your car gets towed? Let him vent, I would too if I just lost $300+ for PARKING. No wonder people are always saying downtown sucks a$$ in Houston...
So you think 911 is the only way to "call the police"? What, you don't know about the other numbers you can call? Again, 911 is for life-threatening situations and when you ABSOLUTELY need help but it's not only for police help, it's also for paramedics and fire situations. Yes, there are more than one operators, but ALL operators need to help people who REALLY need the help, not people who are looking for their towed car.
Calling the police and calling 911 can be two different things If you stop to realize that your problem is not an emergency and that the police do have nonemergency phone numbers.
Next time read the signs. I hate people who park on the streets during rush hour as people are leaving work. Those lanes are supposed to be clear and they did the right thing by towing you. There are plenty of garages and outdoor lots for long term parking. Plus who goes to court over a parking ticket? Its not a moving violation and does not go on your record. Just pay it and move on ... I bet its not even a huge fine anyways.
