Clark's TowingIs A Ripoff!! Made me pay $350.00 cash for a 10 mile tow-had to be cash Ellijay Georgia
To Whom it may Concern:
First, let me say that I generally do not complain much about anything, but the incident I am writing about has really made my blood boil. Every parent dreads receiving a call saying that their child or children were in a car accident. This, however, happened to me this past week. My only concern when I got the call was the safety of my children. I did not pay attention to who the Sheriff Department called to pick up my vehicle. My only request was that the tow company bring the vehicle to my business in East Ellijay.
I met the driver of the tow truck, which belongs to Clark's Towing, at my business and the first thing out of his mouth was "I have a bill for you." I just said "Well, ok I figured that;how much do I owe you?" He then said "Your bill BUDDY is $350.00" It caught me by surprise. I expected much less for a local tow 10 miles down Hwy.515. I replied," That's kind of steep. Why so much for a local tow?"
He immediately got in my face, up close and personal, and said "YOU ARE SEARS AND A CROOK, ARE YOU NOT? Your bill is $350.00!" He did not hesitate to tell me he would take my vehicle to the impound lot and it would cost me more money if I didn't produce payment. He also said years ago, I had ripped him off $100 on a tow, and now it was payback time. I had never met this man before in my life! It was probably another gouge job gone sour for him that he was recalling. I am sure there have been many of those in the past, considering his flagrent disregard in this matter. I did call him a choice name because he got in my face, but considering his bad work ethic and practice, he deserved much worse.
It was a snowy night and I did not want to cause any trouble. Hoping to hurry so I could go home and check on my children, I said "Okay, I will get you a check" The driver of the tow truck immediately said " I want my money in CASH, or your vehicle is coming with me and I can make more money that way!" Not wanting my vehicle impounded, I got the cash from my daily deposit for my business and paid him as he asked-in cash. He then released my vehicle and left.
It's hard to believe that there are no rules or regulations on these towing companies. No prices are advertised and they can charge anything they want when a person is most vulnerable. What if it were an elderly person or anyone for that matter who ran into this situation? Who keeps $350.00 cash onhand? No one anticipates this kind of treatment in an emergency situation....No one deserves this kind of treatment...ever!!!
It seems that this company does not want an arm and a leg....they just want your money. Local businesses are hurting and families are struggling to make mortgages. If you are ever in a situation where you need your vehicle towed, Clark's Towing proudly charges $350.00 for a ten mile tow. Have the cash ready.
Concerned citizen
Ellijay, Georgia
U.S.A.
4 Updates & Rebuttals
Concerned
Blue Ridge,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Now-The Rest Of The Story
#5UPDATE Employee
Tue, January 27, 2009
Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Approximately 5 years ago we recovered another vehicle for this guy, who owns the local Sears Store. At the time, that vehicle was overturned. We took a truck out to do the recovery, and it was more than one truck could handle. So we had to send another truck out to help. Because of the difficulty of the recovery and the use of two trucks, the bill at that time was $175. Their driver signed the bill and took it back to the Sears store to be paid. I got a call from this owner (the one who made the complaint on this website) and he asked why it was so hgh. I told him what I just stated above. He said the call wasn't worth that much, but that he would send me a check. He did, and the check was for $75. I called him to tell him of the mistake, and after I had to listed to some choice words, he told me that the call wasn't worth $175, and that he had paid me it's worth and that was all I was getting.
So, that leads us to this call that he is referencing in this report. He didn't mention that it wasn't just a simple tow. First, there was ice and snow on the roadway, and a snow storm in progress. That is why they wrecked the vehicle. The roads were dangerous and I responded in my 4x4 wrecker. It was also about 11:00 at night. When I got to the scene of the wreck, the truck was overturned. Also, there was a washing machine, hand trucks and other assorted items in the back of the truck that were strewn all over. So I recovered and uprighted the truck, then began the clean up. I had to clean up and load back in their truck all the things that were strewn around, including the washing machine, which I had to load by myself. We are required by law enforcement to clean up the wreck scene. So it is not like we could just leave the washing machine and all the debris at the scene. There was a boy there that asked me if I could take the vehicle to the Sears store. I asked if there would be someone there to pay the bill. He said that, yes, there would.
So, I proceeded to take the truck over to the Sears store. When I got there, the owner told me where to unload it, and asked me how much he owed me. I told him that the total he owed me was $350. The past due $100 was added in that $350. So the bill for THIS recovery, clean up of the washing machine and other debris and tow of the vehicle in the ice and snow was only $250. I thought this was a very reasonable price for what I did at the wreck scene and the conditions at the time. He proceeded to curse and call me everything in the book, right in front of my wife and 13 year old daughter. They were stunned by his actions. He told me that what I was charging was ridiculous and that there was no way it was worth that. I reminded him that he wasn't there at either this wreck or the first recovery that I had done for him, that there was no way he could know that unless he had seen the predicament in which his vehicles were in. He told me he would be right back, that he would go get me a check. I told him that under these circumstances I would need either cash or certified funds. He asked me what I would do if he didn't have cash. I told him that I would take his vehicle back to my impound lot and that he could come pick it up as soon as he did, but that he should do it as soon as possible, because storage would be added, per day, until he picked it up. He then just exploded and stormed inside to get the money to pay his bill. When he came out, he told me I would regret what I did, that he would hurt my business any way he could. So far, he has written this complaint and put a banner in front of the local Sear's store, that says "Clark's towing charged me $350 for a 10 mile tow",which isn't the truth. Sear's is a reputable business overall, and I feel that if they knew one of their locations was being used as a vendetta against someone, they would not be happy about it.
Now you know (the truth) the rest of the story.
Concerned
Blue Ridge,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Now-The Rest Of The Story
#5UPDATE Employee
Tue, January 27, 2009
Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Approximately 5 years ago we recovered another vehicle for this guy, who owns the local Sears Store. At the time, that vehicle was overturned. We took a truck out to do the recovery, and it was more than one truck could handle. So we had to send another truck out to help. Because of the difficulty of the recovery and the use of two trucks, the bill at that time was $175. Their driver signed the bill and took it back to the Sears store to be paid. I got a call from this owner (the one who made the complaint on this website) and he asked why it was so hgh. I told him what I just stated above. He said the call wasn't worth that much, but that he would send me a check. He did, and the check was for $75. I called him to tell him of the mistake, and after I had to listed to some choice words, he told me that the call wasn't worth $175, and that he had paid me it's worth and that was all I was getting.
So, that leads us to this call that he is referencing in this report. He didn't mention that it wasn't just a simple tow. First, there was ice and snow on the roadway, and a snow storm in progress. That is why they wrecked the vehicle. The roads were dangerous and I responded in my 4x4 wrecker. It was also about 11:00 at night. When I got to the scene of the wreck, the truck was overturned. Also, there was a washing machine, hand trucks and other assorted items in the back of the truck that were strewn all over. So I recovered and uprighted the truck, then began the clean up. I had to clean up and load back in their truck all the things that were strewn around, including the washing machine, which I had to load by myself. We are required by law enforcement to clean up the wreck scene. So it is not like we could just leave the washing machine and all the debris at the scene. There was a boy there that asked me if I could take the vehicle to the Sears store. I asked if there would be someone there to pay the bill. He said that, yes, there would.
So, I proceeded to take the truck over to the Sears store. When I got there, the owner told me where to unload it, and asked me how much he owed me. I told him that the total he owed me was $350. The past due $100 was added in that $350. So the bill for THIS recovery, clean up of the washing machine and other debris and tow of the vehicle in the ice and snow was only $250. I thought this was a very reasonable price for what I did at the wreck scene and the conditions at the time. He proceeded to curse and call me everything in the book, right in front of my wife and 13 year old daughter. They were stunned by his actions. He told me that what I was charging was ridiculous and that there was no way it was worth that. I reminded him that he wasn't there at either this wreck or the first recovery that I had done for him, that there was no way he could know that unless he had seen the predicament in which his vehicles were in. He told me he would be right back, that he would go get me a check. I told him that under these circumstances I would need either cash or certified funds. He asked me what I would do if he didn't have cash. I told him that I would take his vehicle back to my impound lot and that he could come pick it up as soon as he did, but that he should do it as soon as possible, because storage would be added, per day, until he picked it up. He then just exploded and stormed inside to get the money to pay his bill. When he came out, he told me I would regret what I did, that he would hurt my business any way he could. So far, he has written this complaint and put a banner in front of the local Sear's store, that says "Clark's towing charged me $350 for a 10 mile tow",which isn't the truth. Sear's is a reputable business overall, and I feel that if they knew one of their locations was being used as a vendetta against someone, they would not be happy about it.
Now you know (the truth) the rest of the story.
Concerned
Blue Ridge,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Now-The Rest Of The Story
#5UPDATE Employee
Tue, January 27, 2009
Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Approximately 5 years ago we recovered another vehicle for this guy, who owns the local Sears Store. At the time, that vehicle was overturned. We took a truck out to do the recovery, and it was more than one truck could handle. So we had to send another truck out to help. Because of the difficulty of the recovery and the use of two trucks, the bill at that time was $175. Their driver signed the bill and took it back to the Sears store to be paid. I got a call from this owner (the one who made the complaint on this website) and he asked why it was so hgh. I told him what I just stated above. He said the call wasn't worth that much, but that he would send me a check. He did, and the check was for $75. I called him to tell him of the mistake, and after I had to listed to some choice words, he told me that the call wasn't worth $175, and that he had paid me it's worth and that was all I was getting.
So, that leads us to this call that he is referencing in this report. He didn't mention that it wasn't just a simple tow. First, there was ice and snow on the roadway, and a snow storm in progress. That is why they wrecked the vehicle. The roads were dangerous and I responded in my 4x4 wrecker. It was also about 11:00 at night. When I got to the scene of the wreck, the truck was overturned. Also, there was a washing machine, hand trucks and other assorted items in the back of the truck that were strewn all over. So I recovered and uprighted the truck, then began the clean up. I had to clean up and load back in their truck all the things that were strewn around, including the washing machine, which I had to load by myself. We are required by law enforcement to clean up the wreck scene. So it is not like we could just leave the washing machine and all the debris at the scene. There was a boy there that asked me if I could take the vehicle to the Sears store. I asked if there would be someone there to pay the bill. He said that, yes, there would.
So, I proceeded to take the truck over to the Sears store. When I got there, the owner told me where to unload it, and asked me how much he owed me. I told him that the total he owed me was $350. The past due $100 was added in that $350. So the bill for THIS recovery, clean up of the washing machine and other debris and tow of the vehicle in the ice and snow was only $250. I thought this was a very reasonable price for what I did at the wreck scene and the conditions at the time. He proceeded to curse and call me everything in the book, right in front of my wife and 13 year old daughter. They were stunned by his actions. He told me that what I was charging was ridiculous and that there was no way it was worth that. I reminded him that he wasn't there at either this wreck or the first recovery that I had done for him, that there was no way he could know that unless he had seen the predicament in which his vehicles were in. He told me he would be right back, that he would go get me a check. I told him that under these circumstances I would need either cash or certified funds. He asked me what I would do if he didn't have cash. I told him that I would take his vehicle back to my impound lot and that he could come pick it up as soon as he did, but that he should do it as soon as possible, because storage would be added, per day, until he picked it up. He then just exploded and stormed inside to get the money to pay his bill. When he came out, he told me I would regret what I did, that he would hurt my business any way he could. So far, he has written this complaint and put a banner in front of the local Sear's store, that says "Clark's towing charged me $350 for a 10 mile tow",which isn't the truth. Sear's is a reputable business overall, and I feel that if they knew one of their locations was being used as a vendetta against someone, they would not be happy about it.
Now you know (the truth) the rest of the story.
Concerned
Blue Ridge,Georgia,
U.S.A.
Now-The Rest Of The Story
#5UPDATE Employee
Tue, January 27, 2009
Let's start at the beginning, shall we? Approximately 5 years ago we recovered another vehicle for this guy, who owns the local Sears Store. At the time, that vehicle was overturned. We took a truck out to do the recovery, and it was more than one truck could handle. So we had to send another truck out to help. Because of the difficulty of the recovery and the use of two trucks, the bill at that time was $175. Their driver signed the bill and took it back to the Sears store to be paid. I got a call from this owner (the one who made the complaint on this website) and he asked why it was so hgh. I told him what I just stated above. He said the call wasn't worth that much, but that he would send me a check. He did, and the check was for $75. I called him to tell him of the mistake, and after I had to listed to some choice words, he told me that the call wasn't worth $175, and that he had paid me it's worth and that was all I was getting.
So, that leads us to this call that he is referencing in this report. He didn't mention that it wasn't just a simple tow. First, there was ice and snow on the roadway, and a snow storm in progress. That is why they wrecked the vehicle. The roads were dangerous and I responded in my 4x4 wrecker. It was also about 11:00 at night. When I got to the scene of the wreck, the truck was overturned. Also, there was a washing machine, hand trucks and other assorted items in the back of the truck that were strewn all over. So I recovered and uprighted the truck, then began the clean up. I had to clean up and load back in their truck all the things that were strewn around, including the washing machine, which I had to load by myself. We are required by law enforcement to clean up the wreck scene. So it is not like we could just leave the washing machine and all the debris at the scene. There was a boy there that asked me if I could take the vehicle to the Sears store. I asked if there would be someone there to pay the bill. He said that, yes, there would.
So, I proceeded to take the truck over to the Sears store. When I got there, the owner told me where to unload it, and asked me how much he owed me. I told him that the total he owed me was $350. The past due $100 was added in that $350. So the bill for THIS recovery, clean up of the washing machine and other debris and tow of the vehicle in the ice and snow was only $250. I thought this was a very reasonable price for what I did at the wreck scene and the conditions at the time. He proceeded to curse and call me everything in the book, right in front of my wife and 13 year old daughter. They were stunned by his actions. He told me that what I was charging was ridiculous and that there was no way it was worth that. I reminded him that he wasn't there at either this wreck or the first recovery that I had done for him, that there was no way he could know that unless he had seen the predicament in which his vehicles were in. He told me he would be right back, that he would go get me a check. I told him that under these circumstances I would need either cash or certified funds. He asked me what I would do if he didn't have cash. I told him that I would take his vehicle back to my impound lot and that he could come pick it up as soon as he did, but that he should do it as soon as possible, because storage would be added, per day, until he picked it up. He then just exploded and stormed inside to get the money to pay his bill. When he came out, he told me I would regret what I did, that he would hurt my business any way he could. So far, he has written this complaint and put a banner in front of the local Sear's store, that says "Clark's towing charged me $350 for a 10 mile tow",which isn't the truth. Sear's is a reputable business overall, and I feel that if they knew one of their locations was being used as a vendetta against someone, they would not be happy about it.
Now you know (the truth) the rest of the story.