I ride a carpool van to work almost every day. There is an abandoned Food 4 Less building in town that we have been parking our cars at for a long, long time. Yesterday afternoon we came back into the parking lot to find all of our cars missing. Looking around we saw a sign stating WARNING CURRENT CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY. NO OVERNIGHT PARKING. None of the 10 people who ride our van had ever seen the sign before. It may be that the signs were installed that day, it may be the location of where we park or it may be that a few engineers, computer guys and a bean counter are just too used to the drive (arriving at 5:00am in the dark) or too dumb to have noticed the signs before. In any case, we didn’t see the signs and got towed. One person in the van called the number on the sign and reached AAR Towing (American Automobile Recovery) in Springville, UT 801-798-7779. He asked why we weren’t warned and was told that they had installed the signs three weeks ago and that last week they put warnings on all of the cars in the parking lot. None of us received said warning. We were told that they were closed for the day but if we showed up with $250 cash each, he would release our cars.
When we arrived at AAR, we asked simple questions that anyone in their right mind would ask: Who owns the property? Who decided that we should be towed instead of booted? Which establishment were the “customers” supposed to go to since the building is vacant? Etc etc. I swear on my life that I was calm and well spoken when I asked “why weren’t we given a warning?” Apparently that was crossing the line because the owner stood up and released a tirade of F Bombs that would make a sailor blush. He told us that thanks to me they are closed and no one is getting their car back. He said (this is actually kind of funny) I was “trying to intimidate him with a fake, deep voice.” The guys I was with just looked at me like, “what the heck is this guy talking about?” Eventually he released everyone’s car but mine. While going through the paperwork, he also mentioned that he is a PPI (Police Private Investigator). Talk about intimidation, sheesh. When we were there the guys told us that IHC owns the property and they don’t want anyone there. We were told they have been towing cars out of there “like crazy” so apparently we aren’t the only ones who didn't notice the signs.
This morning, together with my police escort to avoid other crazy charges or accusations, I retrieved my car. Driving home I noticed another car being towed from the same parking lot. While I was there I heard someone call asking who owns the Food 4 Less property. AAR was very vague in telling them that IHC owns the property however, he accidentally let it slip to me that a Roller Derby team is leasing the property from them. The paperwork I had to ASK for a copy of says that NS (I know your name but won't use it here) is the person who requested the tow.
A quick search on the internet has lead me to some very interesting information. Turns out, NS is starting a roller derby league called the HAPPY VALLEY DERBY DARLINS in the old Food 4 Less building in Spanish Fork, Utah. They have been having fundraisers and are renovating the building. The sad part is, I love sports and think it’s a really cool idea to start a roller derby league. Besides, I used to watch that on TV when I was a kid and those girls can be kinda hot.
Was HVDD and AAR within their legal rights to do what they did? Yes. Did they have other options? Obviously. How about a $35 parking ticket instead of $225 to get my car released, missing my son’s baseball game and missing work for 4 hours which I either have to make up or use vacation time for? I’m hoping that NS just didn’t think this through or doesn’t realize what the towing company is doing to her public relations. Or could she be taking a cut from AAR? That would be a quick way to raise money for the league.
NS, I would like to offer an open invitation to you….Get AAR to refund my $225 and half of it goes to your team as a donation. I’ll even deliver it to you on the opening night of your derby as your number one fan.
Until then, I am boycotting HVDD and giving AAR the bird every time I pass their tow truck on the street. I urge everyone to join me.
