New Venue for City Revenue...
Who Would GUESS
Of all things&
I went out to my car yesterday... (where I had parked the night before)& and it was GONE.
Poof!!!
My Heart Pounding as if it was going to Leap out of my chest..
In a panic& I thought of the two people whom I had spoken with earlier& that both had their cars stolen (in the Gaslamp area this past 3 weeks).
All these Questions Ran Through My Head...
Had I forgotten to pay my car payment? Could my payment have been lost in the mail& and for some reason the Credit Co. Didn't receive a payment. For heaven's sake& was the Car Re-poed?
Was the Car Stolen& is it Now in Mexico... Being Torn to Pieces for its Parts. Or being driven around by the Mexican Maffia?
Imagining it Stolen&
I called the police dept. To report the car "Stolen"& and found out that it was actually Impounded for "Parking Tickets".
(Huh??? & I knew that I didn't have 6 or more tickets... How could THAT Be? I also knew that I had less than $400 worth of tickets & how could they have towed my car?)
*
Living near downtown&
You ALWAYS have to "watch it"& particularly at meters & and pay attention to how you park your car & if you are parked on a hill& etc.
*If you live in San Diego
I'm Not Telling You anything New About the Parking Tickets...
You know...
We've ALL been there&
*
Parking Tickets just become "a way of life"& for the majority of people who live or work near downtown. (Similar to the parking tickets issued at a College Campus anywhere in the Country.)
*
The New TWIST...
To "Parking Tickets"...
I realized that I owed a couple of recent tickets& but couldn't believe the number that they quoted on the phone& or the fact that they quoted me that it would cost over $1,000 to pay off my tickets, $222.00 for a towing service fee, and $22.00 a day (per additional day that my car spends in the Impoundment Lot).
I called my attorney and found out that this type of scheme is happening ALL OVER TOWN. It was his opinion that this is a new way to increase the City's Profits... (a great way to create additional income for the city& in a time of financial distress).
He said that 4 of his clients had all called him about similar situations... And that this is a new scheme to help cover the city's expenses.
*
The Attorney's Advice to me:
1.) Call the office back&
2.) Be Persistent
3.) Ask to speak with someone who could help me figure up each individual ticket (date, location, time of day, etc& of each ticket).
4.) Mentally Recall each ticket& and try to remember if you could have possibly been parked in a space linked with that particular ticket.
5.) Be Nice to the person on the phone& He said...
" You can kill more flies with Honey— than with Vinegar". If you are nice and Personable with them& they will more than likely be more apt to help you with something... If there's a "question" on your account.
6.) Pay the Fees that they say you owe& or Pay the Price of Losing Your Car. He said that "The City Has You"& "If you Owe Parking Tickets... These must be paid in full& no way getting around them."
After speaking with my attorney & I was Firmly Convinced that I had been
OVER CHARGED&
I called the office back& 4 times today— (must have spent half the morning making call after call).
I spoke with different people each time...
And found out that there was a $200.00 Ticket listed on my account that was
NOT EVEN
MY CAR
(or a previously owned car of mine)...
Yet they had impounded my car.
*
After Asking some Investigative Type Questions&of the people who answered the phone&
They sited "The Rule"&
If you owe $400.00 or have 5 or more tickets& your car can be Impounded.
(This record goes back through EVERY CAR that You've Ever Owned...
Or registered... While in the State of CA.)
If your car is Impounded for ANY reason&
You must pay ALL of the Parking tickets. There is no escaping this.
If you do not pay the tickets and the fees owed& you can't get your car out of the impoundment. Period.
Your Car is Sold at a Public Auction...
If you decide Not to pay the fine& (and choose Not to get your car out of the Impoundment Yard)& ANY New Car that you purchase& will be subject to the same towing fee& and Impoundment... Awaiting the City's Full Payment.
They basically Have You - AND YOUR CAR.
How they Justified that you may not Know that You had Received a Ticket...
According to What the Office Staff Said&
Many people may get a ticket& and may not get a follow up correspondence letter in the mail& (particularly if you've moved... Or if there was a clerical error on your address).
(She sited this& as another reason to ALWAYS make sure that the DMV KNOWS your current address at ALL TIMES.)
Perhaps someone pulled a prank on you& and ripped the ticket out from under your window wiper... (according to what the office said& this happens a lot more than people think& particulary with people who are parked in or near the gas lamp... It becomes a fun "prank" for someone a bit "tipsy" — to rip the ticket out... And not get caught). You would never know that you actually received a ticket& but would still be responsible for paying it.
Also& if someone else drives your car... Gets a ticket... But doesn't tell you
YOU are responsible for it... Regardless. (The lady that I spoke with said that this happens to a number of people due to giving their car keys to a Valet Attendent, Car Repair Service Attendent driving the car to make sure that your brakes work... Etc; someone takes your car for a "joy-ride"& (or decides to drive it across the border)& etc.)
If I had not been persistent and pursued this& the city would have an Additional $200.00 in their pocket... (due to a clerical error & on their part).
Who Knows...
This could have been a "clerical error"& everyone is Human& Right?
Or - Perhaps this is a New Way to Increase the City's Revenue...
I'll never know& or will probably never find out...
The Truth&
Most People would not take the time to call back and find out what they are actually being charged. Granted&the city obviously needs revenue.
But realize that if you choose "not to follow up"& you could be paying additional fees that are not even linked with your car... (or any car that you've previously owned).
It sometimes Pays to Question "Authority".
Also
Double Check EACH TICKET
If you feel that you have been Over Charged&
Stick to your Guns& and ask enough questions where you may possibly clear your record of one or two of them.
The Lesson&
Pay Your Parking Tickets...
Regardless of whether you know that you got a ticket&
or not...
(If everyone paid their past tickets& perhaps the city wouldn't have to resort to this type of "Scam"!)
If you find that you owe money to the City—
Double Check the Fees...
(It takes more time& but that "Time" could save you Considerable Money).
Don't take things at "Face Value"& Investigate Further...
Hope this helps YOU to avoid this!
Downtown San Diego Resident...
A Recent Victim of the "San Diego City 'Ticket' and 'Towing' Scam"...
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