Report: California to stop towing cars of unlicensed drivers

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Filed under: Government/Legal (http://www.autoblog.com/category/government-legal/)
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California features a large Latino population, and some are in the state illegally. Right now if one of those undocumented citizens finds themselves in a sobriety checkpoint, their vehicle will be impounded for up to 30 days. The reason? Illegal aliens aren't permitted to have driver's licenses. And if the driver cannot afford fines that crest the $1,000 mark, in many cases the towing company will become the owner of the vehicle, which can then be sold at auction.

The law has led to web services that warn illegal immigrants of the roadblocks before they are set up. The social media sites and text messages have greatly reduced the vehicle confiscations, but a new law should eliminate them all-together. The Associated Press reports that California will stop the practice of towing effective January 1.

The news good for some and bad for others, particularly tow truck companies which can pay up to $75,000 per year for the right to tow away the vehicles, and since many cars and trucks go unclaimed, the companies were making a lot of money selling vehicles at auction.California to stop towing cars of unlicensed drivers (http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/06/california-to-stop-towing-cars-of-unlicensed-drivers/) originally appeared on Autoblog (http://www.autoblog.com) on Fri, 06 Jan 2012 07:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds (http://www.weblogsinc.com/feed-terms/).


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[Damian]

Good job California, we are one step closer to merging with Mexico.

[Vettezuki]

There's a shakedown part of this I'm quite happy to see go away.

The news good for some and bad for others, particularly tow truck companies which can pay up to $75,000 per year for the right to tow away the vehicles, and since many cars and trucks go unclaimed, the companies were making a lot of money selling vehicles at auction.

[2011GT302]

I don't understand what the benefit to California is? Does California not want the $75,000.00 a year from the tow companies? Are they going to simply ticket the driver and then allow them to drive away without a driver license?
:huh::huh::huh::huh::huh::huh:

[Damian]

Are they even going to get a slap on the wrist?

[blackax]

This is a good thing. It means that the fucken tow people will have to do more then just stand next to the cops and charge people soo much damn money on impound fee's. (i've paid over 1000$ to get a car out of impound it was there for less then 3 days.)

[Vettezuki]

This is a good thing. It means that the fucken tow people will have to do more then just stand next to the cops and charge people soo much damn money on impound fee's. (i've paid over 1000$ to get a car out of impound it was there for less then 3 days.)

Like I said. Racket.

[2011GT302]

You well never have to pay impound fees if you don't do anything wrong to get impounded....

[Redondo Jon]

This is great news and I whole-heartedly endorse it. I’m going to stop renewing my driver’s license, car registration, and insurance. I’m going broke paying for these things! California’s left hand doesn’t know what its right hand is doing. ‘Cmon Vettezuki, when’s the compound gonna be ready?

[jedhead]

The $75K the article talks about is the fees that cities charge to the company to get exclusive towing privilege for the city. The cities have been demanding more and more of the impound fees that the towing company charges too. If the tow company sells the car at auction, the city gets a part of the auction price too. Since this source of revenue for the cities will be less, the impound fees will go up even more.
How towing companies in Australia when I was visiting there in 1980 was first come first serve. The police would just get on the radio and say they need a tow truck. The first tow truck to arrive got the tow. The interesting part was that eventually some of the fastest and most powerful vehicles on the road was tow trucks. I found out while hanging out with my Aussie friends on night in Perth. I heard a couple really hot sounding engines, lopey idle load exhaust. I looked around for the source of the sound and just then saw two tow truck take off smoking the tires from an interection. That is why if you watch "Mad Max" when Max's partner Jim Goose gets radio call you see tow trucks haulin' ass out the parking lot even before Goose get on his bike. The law was changed to exclusive contract because tow trucks were getting into to many high speed crashes and the situation was getting out of hand.

Bob

[Shaolin Crane]

You well never have to pay impound fees if you don't do anything wrong to get impounded....

Not true, i was quick towed (in my dually no less) while in LA in a spot clearly marked for parking, their argument was my truck was too large for the spot (bullshit) and that i also wasnt in the restaurant that the parking lot was intended for (bullshit)

After 2 dozen phone calls, and countless weeks i was out the $500 they forced me to pay for them having my truck for all of 15 minutes.

Those guys are car theifs and extortionists.

[Jammer89]

I think the tow companies do charge too much money for impounding. They also charge too much for a tow period. I've had my car impounded for three days and it cost me nearly $400. I've also gotten into an accident (no other cars involved) and the nice officer offered to call me a tow. What he failed to mention is that the tow company, when called by the city, charges $180 for their service. My car was towed about 4 miles. I can see why ya'll would be upset at those crooks for that.

But to side with illegal aliens? Never. I can't wrap my head around that. They don't have rights here and they sure as hell don't have the privileges that citizens enjoy. They drive here illegally. They don't have insurance. They don't have the same financial responsibilities we have as citizens when they crash into you and total your car. I only have liability insurance so if it happens to me, I'm boned. That doesn't sit well with me. See, when you break the law, you get to suffer the consequences like everyone else. If you're here illegally, you get the same treatment. I went to court November 2010 for a traffic violation. Half the people in there (about 80) needed a translator and guess what, they were all in there for the same thing. Driving without a license. I'm not saying that they were illegal aliens just because they didn't speak english but I will say that this country requires that you know english to be a citizen. If they were born here, our school systems teaches them english at the burden of taxpayers. You be the judge. The court has to employee a translator for people who don't belong here in the first place? I say that's bull fucking shit. Do you realize what that means? Half of our resources are tied up dealing with illegal aliens. What do you think the financial impact of this kind of shit to this state amounts to? It raised a big question in my mind. Why weren't these law breakers dealt according to the law other than there infraction for driving without a license? Why is that?

[Damian]

The illegal alien parts was the only thig that upset me. I think if their car gets towed, it gets auctioned off at the same time, you don't get it back. Who knows, it might even be stolen too.

[Jammer89]

I think if you get caught here driving illegally and you're not a citizen, you should get an all expenses paid trip back to where you came from.

[2011GT302]

Not true, i was quick towed (in my dually no less) while in LA in a spot clearly marked for parking, their argument was my truck was too large for the spot (bullshit) and that i also wasnt in the restaurant that the parking lot was intended for (bullshit)

After 2 dozen phone calls, and countless weeks i was out the $500 they forced me to pay for them having my truck for all of 15 minutes.

Those guys are car theifs and extortionists.

I was referring to the situation in question driving without a driving license.
Answer a question for me do meter maids work on commission? I was once told they were but I not from a reliable source.

[2011GT302]

The illegal alien parts was the only thig that upset me. I think if their car gets towed, it gets auctioned off at the same time, you don't get it back. Who knows, it might even be stolen too.

Agreed!!!

[2011GT302]

I think if you get caught here driving illegally and you're not a citizen, you should get an all expenses paid trip back to where you came from.

All the profit from the sale of the car could be used for this!!:thumbs_up:

[Shaolin Crane]

I was referring to the situation in question driving without a driving license.
Answer a question for me do meter maids work on commission? I was once told they were but I not from a reliable source.

Shit it sure seems like it!

[Damian]

I think if you get caught here driving illegally and you're not a citizen, you should get an all expenses paid trip back to where you came from.

The only problem with that is that cops cant even ask you if you are a legal or not anymore. Its sad, but everyone has "rights and feelings".