B & G Towing Towing company steals my truck and charges insane amount to get it back Birmingham, Alabama
I went to get dinner with some friends at Superior Grill off Hwy 280 in Birmingham. It was packed and there wasn't anywhere to park.
I followed some other cars to a side street next to Superior Grill. There were at least 7-8 cars parked on the left, and plenty of room to park on the right.
There were no visible signs where the other cars were parked on the left, and clearly no signs against parking on the right. So I parked my truck there.
There was an apartment complex at the end of the street, but neither my truck nor the other vehicles were blocking residents from entering or leaving the complex.
When I came back from dinner, my truck and the other vehicles were all gone. On the side opposite where my truck was parked, there was a small sign facing the other direction, that had been blocked by the other vehicles.
It left a phone number said that cars would be towed if parked there...but it was clearly not visible to me and not posted where I had parked.
I called the company and they said it would cost $270 cash to get my truck back! They said the price would go up $20 each day.
When I questioned why the towed my truck and the reason for the outrageous price, they said it was private property, and they were privately contracted with the apartment complex, so they could charge whatever they want.
The apartment complex does not use the police to enforce towing off their property, so by using private contractors they profit from the high prices, too. The towing company they use, B & G towing, is located on the other side of Birmingham.
I still don't know how I was supposed to know not to park where I did because there wasn't anything visible against it, and the price charged seems like a scam between B & G Towing and the apartment complex.
I don't remember the name of the complex, but its across from The Residence Inn behind Superior Grill.
2 Updates & Rebuttals
anonymous
United States of AmericaB&G Still a Scam
#3Author of original report
Sat, May 15, 2010
I am sorry to hear about your kid and his asthma attacks. That being said, nothing in my report, about myself, or my claim in general reveals i think only about myself and lack common sense. Aside from that night, I have driven out there a few times to check on the situation I delt with to make sure what I stated was correct and my first report wasn't just out of frustration. A couple of nights there were even more cars then the night I went there, and each time there was more than enough room for ANY vehicle to get through. I am not sure what happened the night of the incident you referred to, but someone would have to park right in front of the entrance to block a vehicle. I would not disrespect someone's property or but people in harms way, and nothing I did that night shows otherwise. By posting my report, I am not looking for my money back or "vengence", but yet to warn OTHERS. There was not a sign visible on the side I parked, and as far as parking on the side of a street I did not see any way I caused harm. I live in an apartment complex now and have numerous times before, and parking like I did has never been an issue or problem. I felt like parking there left plenty of room and was more thoughtful to residents such as yourself than driving in there and taking a spot. Most towing charges range around $60-90, which is a lot but understandable. $270 is a scam. Again, I am sorry about your child and I see your point as well.
Nice towman
Birmingham,Alabama,
United States of America
Safety comes before fun for my family!
#3General Comment
Wed, May 05, 2010
I happen to reside at the apartment complex you are referring to. I have a 2 year old who has asthma. He has had to make two trips via ambulance to the hospital, both times because he wasn't breathing - asthma attacks. The second trip was on one of those nights that the restaurant you refer to was "rocking". There was a band outside, drinks were flowing freely, and the crowd was heavy. It took the ambulance an extra 3 to 5 minutes to get to my son, because people like you were parked on the LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE OF THE STREET leading to my HOME! Yes, they did get through, after someone helped guide them, because there was about 1 INCH OF CLEARANCE!!!
I was lucky that night, they made it in time, and after loading my son in the ambulance someone had moved a vehicle (towed it? I don't know) and they were able to get out and to the hospital quickly. Imagine if someone parked ON BOTH SIDES of your PERSONAL drive, and YOUR HOUSE, and felt that was ok. Then imagine it happening time and again, so you put up signs, AND IT HAPPENED AGAIN! I think you would be upset, because it's obvious you think only of yourself. This is the same thing - that apartment is MY HOME, and I have a right to a clear entrance, for myself and any emergency vehicles. What if it had been a firetruck trying to get in, to save us all from a burning building? Firetrucks are much larger that an ambulance...
And as for the signs, I drive in and out daily, the signs are there! But even if they aren't, do you really think people should park on BOTH SIDES of a drive to a home? You say that "7-8 cars parked on the left" and you chose to park on the right! If common sense doesn't help you out here, I guess I can see why the signs didn't either!