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Cars Towed from Midnight Madness Geocoin Event


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Sorry, my connection glitched out while uploading my original post, resulting in the blank page. What I said was:

 

If, like me, you had your car booted or towed (to the tune of $150-$180) from the KFC while attending the post-GW7 Midnight Madness Geocoin event at the adjoining Clarion Hotel, don't just take it lying down! Be sure to contact KFC at P.O. Box 725489, Atlanta, GA 31139 or 1-800-225-5532, or just go to their website and click on "U.S. Feeback" in the middle of the page and let them know how this particular franchisee is treating their customers and the general public. I know several of the event attendees ate at the restaurant prior to going next door, but that fact had no effect on the tow truck drivers collecting their extortion money. Even if your car wasn't one of the ones booted, or even if you didn't attend the event, it wouldn't hurt to contact them as a show of support to your caching brethren! Let's fill their in-box and show them you don't mess with geocachers!

 

For reference, it was the KFC at 2205 Old Fort Pkwy, Murfreesboro, TN

Edited by HoustonControl
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you were attending an event at the Clarion Hotel yet you parked at the nearby KFC. You got towed for good reason. If no parking was available at the Clarion you should have parked elsewhere, legally. Sorry for your troubles but really if the KFC was open then you were in the wrong. I wonder if they have an ongoing problem with overflow parking from the Clarion? I guess they could have asked the Clarion to request you all to move your vehicles before they started towing, or did they?

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Um...correct me if I'm wrong, but most businesses allow you to park at their place while you conduct business at their property...unless you have permission to do otherwise.

 

Regardless if some ate there or not, their business was done at that KFC and, I assume, they did not get permission to leave their cars there. So, they don't have a leg to stand on as far as I can tell.

 

It's pretty simple...if you don't want to get towed, don't park where you're not supposed to park.

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Hope you like coupons, because that's probably all you'll be getting from registering a complaint via the website or email. Chances are there are local loitering laws (lived near the 'Buro for 3.5 years not sure) that support them removing any vehicles "abandoned" on their lot. I know of several towns in Alabama that do. If you really want to stick it to the man, take them to court, but be ready to get laughed at by the judge.

 

Don't sully geocaching with your crusade.

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you were attending an event at the Clarion Hotel yet you parked at the nearby KFC. You got towed for good reason. If no parking was available at the Clarion you should have parked elsewhere, legally. Sorry for your troubles but really if the KFC was open then you were in the wrong. I wonder if they have an ongoing problem with overflow parking from the Clarion? I guess they could have asked the Clarion to request you all to move your vehicles before they started towing, or did they?

The KFC was closed, hence I figured it was OK to park there. I was actually trying to not cram the Clarion hotel lot full of cars, thinking the guests staying there might want a place to park. It was dark, I was from out of town, so I turned in the first driveway to the hotel and thought, "I'll just park over here out of the way and walk". I guess that's what I get for trying to think of others. Yes, there were small signs in the darkened parking lot that said cars parked after closing hours may be subject to tow at owners expense -- though it was a little hard to discern where the KFC lot ended and the Clarion began. I did not see the signs when I parked. I'm not questioning KFC's right as property owners to do so -- just their methods. They made an announcement at the event that if you had parked at the KFC, you needed to move your car because it was a tow-away zone. This was about 15 minutes after we had parked and the event started. We immediately went to move our cars, but there was no moving of cars to be done without paying $150 (cash only, please) to have the boot removed. The first thing the towing company did was boot all the cars so no one could move them without paying their extortion fee. To me, that's not about clearing the lot, that's about collecting $$$$. I heard from others staying at the hotel that this goes on every night. The restaurant probably makes more money on car towing than they do selling chicken. I just wonder if KFC corporate knows this particular franchisee is treating people this way on a routine basis? :laughing: Edited by HoustonControl
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Real bummer that you got towed.

 

However keep in mind you are in a college town where people abuse parking all the time and sometimes it becomes a a problem for business owners.

 

The KFC you reference is a popular 'park and ride' spot I suspect which would be why you got towed (I make this assumption since it's right at one of the interstate exits).

 

Funny thing - the only car accident I've ever had was about 200 yards from there waiting to turn right into Wal-Mart. Guy on his cell phone in a Cadillac thought his ABS would stop him in 20 feet from 40 miles an hour on a rain slick road...

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you were attending an event at the Clarion Hotel yet you parked at the nearby KFC. You got towed for good reason. If no parking was available at the Clarion you should have parked elsewhere, legally. Sorry for your troubles but really if the KFC was open then you were in the wrong. I wonder if they have an ongoing problem with overflow parking from the Clarion? I guess they could have asked the Clarion to request you all to move your vehicles before they started towing, or did they?

The KFC was closed, hence I figured it was OK to park there. I was actually trying to not cram the Clarion hotel lot full of cars, thinking the guests staying there might want a place to park. It was dark, I was from out of town, so I turned in the first driveway to the hotel and thought, "I'll just park over here out of the way and walk". I guess that's what I get for trying to think of others. Yes, there were small signs in the darkened parking lot that said cars parked after closing hours may be subject to tow at owners expense -- though it was a little hard to discern where the KFC lot ended and the Clarion began. I did not see the signs when I parked. I'm not questioning KFC's right as property owners to do so -- just their methods. They made an announcement at the event that if you had parked at the KFC, you needed to move your car because it was a tow-away zone. This was about 15 minutes after we had parked and the event started. We immediately went to move our cars, but there was no moving of cars to be done without paying $150 to have the boot removed. The first thing the towing company did was boot all the cars so no one could move them without paying their extortion fee. To me, that's not about clearing the lot, that's about collecting $$$$. I heard from others staying at the hotel that this goes on every night. The restaurant probably makes more money on car towing than they do selling chicken. I just wonder if KFC corporate knows this particular franchisee is treating people this way on a routine basis? :laughing:

 

Why am I hungry for KFC now?

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sounds like there is a ongoing problem between the KFC and the Clarion hotel and you along with all the other cachers got caught in the crossfire.

True dat! I wonder if when people check out of the Clarion, then walk over to the KFC for a bite, does the hotel have their cars towed? Luckily there was an ATM in the Shell station across the street or I would've been bumming a ride from the event.

 

Other than the booting incident, the trip was a success and GW7 was a blast! :laughing:

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sounds like there is a ongoing problem between the KFC and the Clarion hotel and you along with all the other cachers got caught in the crossfire.

True dat! I wonder if when people check out of the Clarion, then walk over to the KFC for a bite, does the hotel have their cars towed? Luckily there was an ATM in the Shell station across the street or I would've been bumming a ride from the event.

 

Other than the booting incident, the trip was a success and GW7 was a blast! :unsure:

 

I am thinking that Clarion customers are parking at the KFC late at night and not moving their cars early enough in the morning so when KFC opens there are cars jamming their lot. Probably a problem that goes waaaaaay back between these 2 businesses.

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And typically the way towing contracts are setup for places like that, the towing company drives around to the properties for which they have a contract and automatically tows vehicles that are illegally parked (such as after the business is closed). The business doesn't have to call them. They are automatically "patrolling" during specified hours. That's why the signs are posted and have specific language on them regarding the towing. Sorry you got towed, but you were absolutely in the wrong. Now you know better. :unsure:

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This was about 15 minutes after we had parked and the event started. We immediately went to move our cars, but there was no moving of cars to be done without paying $150 (cash only, please) to have the boot removed.

 

It definitely sucks but unfortunately as you've admitted (and others have noted) the booting/towing was within their rights as a business... What sticks out at me in this whole story is the bit about the cash only $150 fee. I've spent a LOT of time living in Latin America and have noticed this under the table "fee" a number of times. In the U.S. we actually have a government that cares about or has the resources to deal with this type of untaxed revenue (this is assuming that the towing company pockets the cash boot removal $$ and doesn't report it... I could be in error in this assumption but it really smacks of that type of thing). If you're REALLY convinced that it's a predatory towing company/KFC partnership, you could ask for a receipt and if they are unwilling to provide one, mention that you and all your caching buddies being similarly shook down for untaxed income probably wouldn't need to make a mention of this untaxed income to the IRS if the mistakenly received money would be returned. Or something along those lines... I am not suggesting that you extort the company but either on the scene or after, perhaps some mention of this practice and the number of connected, reachable witnesses COULD be a something you might have tried or something that you may be able to use..... Make sure this mention is carefully worded and not hostile. It's a variation of a method I've used time and time again in various incarnations to avoid made up fees in other countries.

 

That being said, this is a business trying to make money and you were all (however briefly) parked in violation of the business's policies and should consider just sucking up the (what I like to call whenever I get a ticket or pay a dumb fee) "stupid tax" and moving on. It's unfortunate that you all got into that but other than the taxable income part of the thing, you really don't have much of a good avenue or legal foothold on this one. Your car was left in a signed area in contravenance of the posted signs so there's no real way around it. Good luck and hopefully you can let it go and take greater note of the signs in the future :unsure:

 

While admirable to try to free parking for guests, since you were at the event at the clarion (who probably has a calculated lot size with events such as this built into the estimation), feel free to park there :blink: Taking the furthest space out of courtesy is wonderful but as a general practice parking where you have business is the best approach :ph34r:

 

mrbort

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You can always do what this guy did... http://www.parkingenforcementforum.com/vie...php?f=3&t=3

 

He bought four car dolly's and just pushed his car into his garage with the boots still in place. I know you're from out of town, but it would still be funny to move the car.

 

The above link is a compilation of the one person's posts and not the full 60+ pages of comments from everyone else. It's actually pretty funny reading.

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The KFC was closed, hence I figured it was OK to park there......Yes, there were small signs in the darkened parking lot that said cars parked after closing hours may be subject to tow at owners expense......They made an announcement at the event that if you had parked at the KFC, you needed to move your car because it was a tow-away zone.

 

My gosh, about the only thing you forgot was the blinking neon sign on your vehicle that said, "TOW ME".

 

Other than the booting incident, the trip was a success and GW7 was a blast!

 

That's better! Forget about it and move on. 'Twas a fairly small price to pay for a lesson learned and a successful trip.

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Let's fill their in-box and show them you don't mess with geocachers!

 

Well, I know you don't mess with Texas, but geocachers? Armed with waypoint-loaded Garmins? Brandishing tupperware and film canisters? A bunch of geeks with gizmos?

 

What are we going to do if KFC doesn't back down cowering in fear before our might...threaten to find them and log them?

 

:blink::unsure:

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(NOT SCYOLI, I'm SCBrian, just to lazy to log the wife out. :unsure: )

 

I got lucky at the event, and as I pulled in 2 KFC employees warned me and GTQ about not parking there because "They'll boot and tow you." (their words speaking about the towing company in 3rd person). My guess is the KFC is only minimally involved. I found the overflow parking for the Clarion and let the people inside know of the towing issue. It seems like within 5 minutes of me moving though the wrecker was there. :ph34r:

I dont think the Clairon had any Idea what they'd be getting into with the owd involved. At one point appprently the fire marshal even paid a visit... :blink:

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It definitely sucks but unfortunately as you've admitted (and others have noted) the booting/towing was within their rights as a business... What sticks out at me in this whole story is the bit about the cash only $150 fee. I've spent a LOT of time living in Latin America and have noticed this under the table "fee" a number of times. In the U.S. we actually have a government that cares about or has the resources to deal with this type of untaxed revenue (this is assuming that the towing company pockets the cash boot removal $$ and doesn't report it... I could be in error in this assumption but it really smacks of that type of thing). If you're REALLY convinced that it's a predatory towing company/KFC partnership, you could ask for a receipt and if they are unwilling to provide one, mention that you and all your caching buddies being similarly shook down for untaxed income probably wouldn't need to make a mention of this untaxed income to the IRS if the mistakenly received money would be returned. Or something along those lines... I am not suggesting that you extort the company but either on the scene or after, perhaps some mention of this practice and the number of connected, reachable witnesses COULD be a something you might have tried or something that you may be able to use..... Make sure this mention is carefully worded and not hostile. It's a variation of a method I've used time and time again in various incarnations to avoid made up fees in other countries.

 

That being said, this is a business trying to make money and you were all (however briefly) parked in violation of the business's policies and should consider just sucking up the (what I like to call whenever I get a ticket or pay a dumb fee) "stupid tax" and moving on. It's unfortunate that you all got into that but other than the taxable income part of the thing, you really don't have much of a good avenue or legal foothold on this one. Your car was left in a signed area in contravenance of the posted signs so there's no real way around it. Good luck and hopefully you can let it go and take greater note of the signs in the future :P

 

While admirable to try to free parking for guests, since you were at the event at the clarion (who probably has a calculated lot size with events such as this built into the estimation), feel free to park there :D Taking the furthest space out of courtesy is wonderful but as a general practice parking where you have business is the best approach :)

 

mrbort

All true. As I said before, the lights were off in the parking lot (they were closed after all) and none of us saw the small signs. I certainly wouldn't have parked there otherwise and I think the same goes for the other attendees. You actually have to drive through the KFC parking lot to get to the Clarion -- the two areas merge at one point. I honestly thought when I parked that it was common parking for both businesses. If you park across from the Clarion pool, you're (apparently) in KFC domain. I sucked it up, paid the extortion money to have the boot removed, got a receipt (yes they gave a receipt), said a few choice words, moved my car behind the hotel and went back into the event. When they later started saying the room was overfilled and the fire martial was in attendence, I decided enough was enough and left. All I needed was to spend a night in the Murfreesboro Jail for a fire code violation. The Clarion would probably have my truck towed... :ph34r:

 

Sunday was much better. Sunday I hiked to Virgin Falls. :P

 

I agree they were probably within their legal rights to do what they did (though I'm wondering about the booting because the sign didn't say anything about that) and I probably have no legal recourse to their heavy-handed tactics. The point of my original post was this incident left me loathe to spend another penny at a KFC -- so I'm wondering if TPTB at KFC Corporate are aware of this predatory booting operation going on at one of their locations?

 

(NOT SCYOLI, I'm SCBrian, just to lazy to log the wife out. :unsure: )

I got lucky at the event, and as I pulled in 2 KFC employees warned me and GTQ about not parking there because "They'll boot and tow you." (their words speaking about the towing company in 3rd person). My guess is the KFC is only minimally involved. I found the overflow parking for the Clarion and let the people inside know of the towing issue. It seems like within 5 minutes of me moving though the wrecker was there. :(

I dont think the Clairon had any Idea what they'd be getting into with the owd involved. At one point appprently the fire marshal even paid a visit... :blink:

I sure wish they would've come out and said something to ME when I parked. I DID see them peering out the window at us as we later argued to no avail with the tow truck drivers. A bunch of us rushed out to move our cars as soon as we were aware that there was a problem, but they had swept through and booted all of the vehicles first. I think only a couple of cars actually got towed -- the rest of us paid the "boot removal fee" and moved our vehicles ourselves. Oddly, the sticker they stuck on the window of my truck warning about the boot being installed said, "There is a minimum $95.00 boot removal fee payable in cash only!!!" When I inquired who I was to pay the $95.00 to, the little dweeb said "Oh, it's $150". They were all mostly late-model cars and trucks, so I guess that amount is flexible depending on what type of crowd they figure they're dealing with. :( Edited by HoustonControl
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Well then there goes the latin american strategy :blink: Glad you got a receipt and that they're conducting their business at least in a legitimate (legally, ethical arguments aside) manner.

 

As I was at dinner I was thinking about it more and realized that there would be a lot of reasons that they would only take cash and felt bad about unfairly impugning the company... just too much time spent away from legitimate fees i guess.

 

Anyway, sorry that you got fined and that there seems to be such a gray area as far as parking goes. Either clearer signage or more lenient enforcement would seem to be the ticket in this case but that does you and your friends no good at all :unsure:

 

glad it doesnt seem to have put a damper on your enthusiasm for the hobby :ph34r: happy caching!

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Read the sign or pay the fine. You rolls the dice and takes yer chances. It's OK to be jacked-off about it but quit trying to turn it into a strong arm/extortive/over the top action. Take that from someone that got bit once 30 years ago and never ever ignored another sign like that again.

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last time i got towed i was parked down at the church, which is legal parking if it isn't snowing.

 

i became ill while there and the pastor drove me home. once home and asleep, it started to snow.

 

the police called me at three in the morning to advise me to come down and move my car.

 

i live alone and out in the boonies. i also shouldn't drive while heavily sedated. there was no way i could come down.

 

"we didn't have to call you, you know." the officer said. "we could have just have had you towed."

"i appreciate that, thank you, but you're going to have to tow it anyway."

"can you get here by four?" they asked.

"no, there's no way i can get there before ten. you're just going to have to tow me."

 

everybody was very nice about it.

 

the next time i was parked there i didn't realize it had started to snow heavily; i was still in the church. the tow driver recognized my car and didn't have my number, so he called the pastor, who was asleep. she gave him my cell number and crisis was averted.

 

i felt bad he woke her up. he advised me to get going home and to take care on the way, on account of the snow.

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I've been sitting back enjoying this but I have been holding my tongue long enough.

 

[rant]

If the sign says don't park there, then you don't park there. If it says you may be towed, then you may be towed. The property owner (KFC) has every right to enforce their rules on their property. They don't even have to tell you, doing so is just a courtesy. I highly doubt KFC corporate would be upset that a franchisee was having illegally parked cars legally removed from their property.

 

As far as the towing company, it costs money to operate the trucks. If they left the yard for a call, the company is already in the red. If they spend more fuel, payroll, equipment use, etc to start the towing process, then they have every right to recoup the costs. The 'cash only' policy is for a very simple reason. It prevents people from using a check then stopping payment the next morning. It also stops people using credit cards that are already over their limit and would be declined in the morning. Obviously this isn't being used as a 'cash grab' since receipts were obviously available. You even quoted the sign about the boot removal fee but didn't seem to read all of it. When I see a commercial on TV and they state that prices start at $XX.00, I know for a fact that if I am getting over the bare minimum I am going to pay more than the starting price. You say the sign stated the minimum fee is $95 but then was surprised it was more?

 

[/rant]

 

sincerely,

A Small Business Owner

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Read the sign or pay the fine. You rolls the dice and takes yer chances. It's OK to be jacked-off about it but quit trying to turn it into a strong arm/extortive/over the top action. Take that from someone that got bit once 30 years ago and never ever ignored another sign like that again.

I didn't ignore the sign, I just didn't see it -- the lights were off.

 

I believe it was the towing company who turned it into a strong arm/extortive/over-the-top action. Two defintions of extortion are 1) Exaction of money or property through intimidation or undue exercise of authority and 2) An excessive or exorbitant charge. When I guy puts a clamp on your personal property and then says "I'll take that off.... for $150. Either pay me now, in cash, or I'll have your truck towed to an impound lot and you can collect it tomorrow... for $180", that seems to fit both definitions.

 

It seems to me a more pragmatic course would have been to allow the people who were present to move their cars. Abandoned cars should have had the warnings stuck on them and then been towed in the morning if they were still there when the KFC prepared to open. But I'm sure that would cut too heavily into the towing company's profit.

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contract towing is the tow company's bread and butter. they patrol the lots waiting for their legitimate and legal opportunities to earn a paycheck.

 

the business doesn't want you parked there? the tow company will be happy to remove your vehicle to make the point. they have no interest in giving you warnings or second chances. tow companies are legitimate businesses performing contracted services for the lot owners.

 

you parked there illegally. it's your problem.

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contract towing is the tow company's bread and butter. they patrol the lots waiting for their legitimate and legal opportunities to earn a paycheck.

 

the business doesn't want you parked there? the tow company will be happy to remove your vehicle to make the point. they have no interest in giving you warnings or second chances. tow companies are legitimate businesses performing contracted services for the lot owners.

 

you parked there illegally. it's your problem.

 

I believe she is right Larry.

 

I've dealt with tow truck vultures before and they had the law on their side. Thankfully, I didn't get burned.

 

After the fiasco with the GW6 coin event, I decided to get a room at the Clarion this year. It was over priced even at the discounted rate for geocachers.

 

There was lots of parking in back of the hotel. I didn't leave the event until it was wayyy over, so I never saw how full it got. A hotel guy said we had well over 600 people there...

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Read the sign or pay the fine. You rolls the dice and takes yer chances. .

I didn't ignore the sign, I just didn't see it -- the lights were off.

 

 

I gotta agree with HC on this one, I didn't even know there was a sign, the lot & resturant was pich dark. The employees were most likley closing up to go home. I'm sure the tow company was operating within their legal bounds, but I'm also sure there were factors operating heavily in their favor (lack of lights, predatory tactics, etc.) :unsure:

I'm sure if the sign<s?> were more noticable, then perhaps less people would park there. Of course this could cut into the tow companys profit :blink: . IMHO perhaps the tow truck driver could have given a break to the persons who realized they were in the wrong and returned to move their cars... But, again, I was one of the lucky ones...

Edited by SCYoli
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I just noticed that the warning sticker they stuck on my window says that "All parking enforcement devices and signs are the sole property of M.P.A." So I guess the smaller the sign, the better for business.

 

One last bit and then I'll shut up. You kinda had to be there to see the spatial relationship between the hotel and restaurant. So I present defense exhibit "A". I've marked the assumed boundary of the Clarion property and the KFC property. The line in red is the route a normal person would take, coming off the interstate and heading to the hotel lobby portico. It was the route I took, except I parked in the spot I marked in blue, more or less, then walked across the asphalt to the lobby. I didn't cross any fences or hop any hedgerows, the parking lot is contiguous. The only difference was that part of the lot was dark.

 

Yes, as I found out later, there is tons of parking to the south of the hotel, but you can't see that area taking the normal entry path.

 

c1e9f988-83ab-43f7-bc73-9f5f95fce8e5.jpg

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Read the sign or pay the fine. You rolls the dice and takes yer chances. It's OK to be jacked-off about it but quit trying to turn it into a strong arm/extortive/over the top action. Take that from someone that got bit once 30 years ago and never ever ignored another sign like that again.

I didn't ignore the sign, I just didn't see it -- the lights were off.

 

I believe it was the towing company who turned it into a strong arm/extortive/over-the-top action. Two defintions of extortion are 1) Exaction of money or property through intimidation or undue exercise of authority and 2) An excessive or exorbitant charge. When I guy puts a clamp on your personal property and then says "I'll take that off.... for $150. Either pay me now, in cash, or I'll have your truck towed to an impound lot and you can collect it tomorrow... for $180", that seems to fit both definitions.

 

It seems to me a more pragmatic course would have been to allow the people who were present to move their cars. Abandoned cars should have had the warnings stuck on them and then been towed in the morning if they were still there when the KFC prepared to open. But I'm sure that would cut too heavily into the towing company's profit.

I'm going to have to disagree with the excuse the lights were out and it was too dark to see the signs. You knew you were parking on private property, thus it was incumbent upon you to "notice" the signs which by law are required to be clearly posted within the perimeter of the property, or gain permission to park there.

 

I'm also going to have to disagree with your perception of extortion, as extortion by the legal definition is an illegal action... period. The action of the towing company was likely within the law, and the code was probably written to allow the booting and on-site payment to get out of the boots.

 

Sounds like an expectation to be allowed an exception with a 15 minute grace for clearly trespassing is being expressed here. No matter how you perfume it, a skunk still stinks.

Edited by TotemLake
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last time i got towed i was parked down at the church, which is legal parking if it isn't snowing.

 

i became ill while there and the pastor drove me home. once home and asleep, it started to snow.

 

the police called me at three in the morning to advise me to come down and move my car.

 

i live alone and out in the boonies. i also shouldn't drive while heavily sedated. there was no way i could come down.

 

"we didn't have to call you, you know." the officer said. "we could have just have had you towed."

"i appreciate that, thank you, but you're going to have to tow it anyway."

"can you get here by four?" they asked.

"no, there's no way i can get there before ten. you're just going to have to tow me."

 

everybody was very nice about it.

 

the next time i was parked there i didn't realize it had started to snow heavily; i was still in the church. the tow driver recognized my car and didn't have my number, so he called the pastor, who was asleep. she gave him my cell number and crisis was averted.

 

i felt bad he woke her up. he advised me to get going home and to take care on the way, on account of the snow.

Not sure about the area you are from but where I live "cash only" tow companies are prime targets for the attorney generals office. Been bunches go down and flames of glory crying the same story you purport to be their reason for taking cash only. Didn't stand up in court. Why? The did as many do, and refuse to provide proper receipts for the cash, refuse to release cars to owners after they refused to provide receipts and ultimately were proven to be crooks, criminals and just plain shysters (many often towing illegally).

 

There are reputable tow companies out there - most of them take cash, checks (with appropriate ID - check 21 laws make stop payments a moot point), or credit cards (instant authorization and crediting these days - no waiting to process the authorization).

 

If they won't take credit, check and insist on cash they are likely operating at a minimum a little off the level and I'd highly recommend getting the local authorities involved.

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You can always do what this guy did... http://www.parkingenforcementforum.com/vie...php?f=3&t=3

 

He bought four car dolly's and just pushed his car into his garage with the boots still in place. I know you're from out of town, but it would still be funny to move the car.

 

The above link is a compilation of the one person's posts and not the full 60+ pages of comments from everyone else. It's actually pretty funny reading.

That was some good reading, but I couldn't find the final turn out. It seemed to cut off 3/4 of the way down. I got a kick out of that. We don't have those boot's in this area, and I've never really seen one before.

 

All I can say about that is wow. 140 dollar's just to be done with it would have been money well spent, but I've got to hand it to the guy, he stood his ground.

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I just noticed that the warning sticker they stuck on my window says that "All parking enforcement devices and signs are the sole property of M.P.A." So I guess the smaller the sign, the better for business.

 

One last bit and then I'll shut up. You kinda had to be there to see the spatial relationship between the hotel and restaurant. So I present defense exhibit "A". I've marked the assumed boundary of the Clarion property and the KFC property. The line in red is the route a normal person would take, coming off the interstate and heading to the hotel lobby portico. It was the route I took, except I parked in the spot I marked in blue, more or less, then walked across the asphalt to the lobby. I didn't cross any fences or hop any hedgerows, the parking lot is contiguous. The only difference was that part of the lot was dark.

 

Yes, as I found out later, there is tons of parking to the south of the hotel, but you can't see that area taking the normal entry path.

 

c1e9f988-83ab-43f7-bc73-9f5f95fce8e5.jpg

 

I guess I'm not normal. Personally I would have taken the driveway just before the KFC. Being from out of town, yes there is a chance I would have missed it and drove through the KFC lot. Once it was obvious I was in the lot, I would have known it and not mistaken it for the hotel lot. It appears the lots, even though they connect, are clearly separated by landscaping.

 

last time i got towed i was parked down at the church, which is legal parking if it isn't snowing.

 

i became ill while there and the pastor drove me home. once home and asleep, it started to snow.

 

the police called me at three in the morning to advise me to come down and move my car.

 

i live alone and out in the boonies. i also shouldn't drive while heavily sedated. there was no way i could come down.

 

"we didn't have to call you, you know." the officer said. "we could have just have had you towed."

"i appreciate that, thank you, but you're going to have to tow it anyway."

"can you get here by four?" they asked.

"no, there's no way i can get there before ten. you're just going to have to tow me."

 

everybody was very nice about it.

 

the next time i was parked there i didn't realize it had started to snow heavily; i was still in the church. the tow driver recognized my car and didn't have my number, so he called the pastor, who was asleep. she gave him my cell number and crisis was averted.

 

i felt bad he woke her up. he advised me to get going home and to take care on the way, on account of the snow.

Not sure about the area you are from but where I live "cash only" tow companies are prime targets for the attorney generals office. Been bunches go down and flames of glory crying the same story you purport to be their reason for taking cash only. Didn't stand up in court. Why? The did as many do, and refuse to provide proper receipts for the cash, refuse to release cars to owners after they refused to provide receipts and ultimately were proven to be crooks, criminals and just plain shysters (many often towing illegally).

 

There are reputable tow companies out there - most of them take cash, checks (with appropriate ID - check 21 laws make stop payments a moot point), or credit cards (instant authorization and crediting these days - no waiting to process the authorization).

 

If they won't take credit, check and insist on cash they are likely operating at a minimum a little off the level and I'd highly recommend getting the local authorities involved.

 

Yes, I will give you that there are some laws about checks that protect the business owner more than before, but it still isn't fully accepted. And, yes, instant authorization for credit cards is available but have you checked the cost of the wireless card reader fees lately?

 

And there are reputable tow companies that accept 'cash only' in certain situations (like this one). I would like to see the exchange with the 'local authorities' when they showed up. 'Officer, he is trying to legally towing a car I parked illegally and he won't accept my out-of-town check that I can't prove won't bouce in the morning. Make him take it, please.'

 

 

-edit for spelling error-

Edited by DiamondDaveG
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Sorry, my connection glitched out while uploading my original post, resulting in the blank page. What I said was:

 

If, like me, you had your car booted or towed (to the tune of $150-$180) from the KFC while attending the post-GW7 Midnight Madness Geocoin event at the adjoining Clarion Hotel, don't just take it lying down! Be sure to contact KFC at P.O. Box 725489, Atlanta, GA 31139 or 1-800-225-5532, or just go to their website and click on "U.S. Feeback" in the middle of the page and let them know how this particular franchisee is treating their customers and the general public. I know several of the event attendees ate at the restaurant prior to going next door, but that fact had no effect on the tow truck drivers collecting their extortion money. Even if your car wasn't one of the ones booted, or even if you didn't attend the event, it wouldn't hurt to contact them as a show of support to your caching brethren! Let's fill their in-box and show them you don't mess with geocachers!

 

For reference, it was the KFC at 2205 Old Fort Pkwy, Murfreesboro, TN

God bless you! You kinda hit the jackpot with your post! You hit almost all of the biggies in one post, namely:

  • MAJOR sense of self-entitlement
  • whining
  • unwarranted negativity and hostility
  • refusing to accept responsibility for your own behaviors
  • blaming everyone but yourself
  • throwing bricks at straw men
  • inventing dramas and "causes" where there are/were none, and expecting others to rally to your hoax "cause".

Amazing feat there, fellow! Shining example of mature behavior by a geocacher, both on the street and on the forum. It is behavior like yours that is taking geocaching to a new level.

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Sorry, my connection glitched out while uploading my original post, resulting in the blank page. What I said was:

 

If, like me, you had your car booted or towed (to the tune of $150-$180) from the KFC while attending the post-GW7 Midnight Madness Geocoin event at the adjoining Clarion Hotel, don't just take it lying down! Be sure to contact KFC at P.O. Box 725489, Atlanta, GA 31139 or 1-800-225-5532, or just go to their website and click on "U.S. Feeback" in the middle of the page and let them know how this particular franchisee is treating their customers and the general public. I know several of the event attendees ate at the restaurant prior to going next door, but that fact had no effect on the tow truck drivers collecting their extortion money. Even if your car wasn't one of the ones booted, or even if you didn't attend the event, it wouldn't hurt to contact them as a show of support to your caching brethren! Let's fill their in-box and show them you don't mess with geocachers!

 

For reference, it was the KFC at 2205 Old Fort Pkwy, Murfreesboro, TN

God bless you! You kinda hit the jackpot with your post! You hit almost all of the biggies in one post, namely:

  • MAJOR sense of self-entitlement
  • whining
  • unwarranted negativity and hostility
  • refusing to accept responsibility for your own behaviors
  • blaming everyone but yourself
  • throwing bricks at straw men
  • inventing dramas and "causes" where there are/were none, and expecting others to rally to your hoax "cause".

Amazing feat there, fellow! Shining example of mature behavior by a geocacher, both on the street and on the forum. It is behavior like yours that is taking geocaching to a new level.

P.S. I wrote the above post primarily because I have just received legal papers from Sioneva advising me that I would be permanently banished from the First International Discount Church of Sioneva unless I sent a post to the forum immediately; the Church Imprimaturs and Nihil Obstat Examiners apparently felt that I had been asbsent from the forum for too long.

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Sorry, my connection glitched out while uploading my original post, resulting in the blank page. What I said was:

 

If, like me, you had your car booted or towed (to the tune of $150-$180) from the KFC while attending the post-GW7 Midnight Madness Geocoin event at the adjoining Clarion Hotel, don't just take it lying down! Be sure to contact KFC at P.O. Box 725489, Atlanta, GA 31139 or 1-800-225-5532, or just go to their website and click on "U.S. Feeback" in the middle of the page and let them know how this particular franchisee is treating their customers and the general public. I know several of the event attendees ate at the restaurant prior to going next door, but that fact had no effect on the tow truck drivers collecting their extortion money. Even if your car wasn't one of the ones booted, or even if you didn't attend the event, it wouldn't hurt to contact them as a show of support to your caching brethren! Let's fill their in-box and show them you don't mess with geocachers!

 

For reference, it was the KFC at 2205 Old Fort Pkwy, Murfreesboro, TN

God bless you! You kinda hit the jackpot with your post! You hit almost all of the biggies in one post, namely:

  • MAJOR sense of self-entitlement
  • whining
  • unwarranted negativity and hostility
  • refusing to accept responsibility for your own behaviors
  • blaming everyone but yourself
  • throwing bricks at straw men
  • inventing dramas and "causes" where there are/were none, and expecting others to rally to your hoax "cause".

Amazing feat there, fellow! Shining example of mature behavior by a geocacher, both on the street and on the forum. It is behavior like yours that is taking geocaching to a new level.

 

Honestly I felt like this post lent more to the negativity in this thread than any other; it was absolutely over the line of decorum. I don't care if you got called back to post but to me it seemed unnecessarily nasty.

 

Then again if im not getting a joke, i apologize.

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God bless you! You kinda hit the jackpot with your post! You hit almost all of the biggies in one post, namely:

  • MAJOR sense of self-entitlement
  • whining
  • unwarranted negativity and hostility
  • refusing to accept responsibility for your own behaviors
  • blaming everyone but yourself
  • throwing bricks at straw men
  • inventing dramas and "causes" where there are/were none, and expecting others to rally to your hoax "cause".

Amazing feat there, fellow! Shining example of mature behavior by a geocacher, both on the street and on the forum. It is behavior like yours that is taking geocaching to a new level.

 

Geez, I've read all the posts to this point and some agree with me, some don't. Some agree I was victimized, some say I should have known better and got what was coming to me. But all in all it was a civil discourse.

 

Now comes this out and out blatant personal attack on me. You don't know me from Adam, but felt it was within your right to spew such virtriol my way? Talk about unwarranted negativity and hostility! I've always felt the GC forums were pretty much a viper pit and had reservations about posting on here in the first place. That's why I only have 56 posts in 4+ years as a Premium Member. I guess that's why you have 3887...

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God bless you! You kinda hit the jackpot with your post! You hit almost all of the biggies in one post, namely:

  • MAJOR sense of self-entitlement
  • whining
  • unwarranted negativity and hostility
  • refusing to accept responsibility for your own behaviors
  • blaming everyone but yourself
  • throwing bricks at straw men
  • inventing dramas and "causes" where there are/were none, and expecting others to rally to your hoax "cause".

Amazing feat there, fellow! Shining example of mature behavior by a geocacher, both on the street and on the forum. It is behavior like yours that is taking geocaching to a new level.

 

Geez, I've read all the posts to this point and some agree with me, some don't. Some agree I was victimized, some say I should have known better and got what was coming to me. But all in all it was a civil discourse.

 

Now comes this out and out blatant personal attack on me. You don't know me from Adam, but felt it was within your right to spew such virtriol my way? Talk about unwarranted negativity and hostility! I've always felt the GC forums were pretty much a viper pit and had reservations about posting on here in the first place. That's why I only have 56 posts in 4+ years as a Premium Member. I guess that's why you have 3887...

You may wish to read my post again. There is, and was, no personal attack upon you as a person. Anyone halfway competent in reading and comprehending the English language can and will tell you that there were absolutely no personal attacks against you in my post. However, there were indeed a number of accurate observations -- that is, reportage -- offered in my post about your BEHAVIORS, that is, about what you wrote and what you reported that you did in and about the situation. You may wish to learn to draw a distinction between the two things, else you may run into some bumps in life and end up takiing offense where none was needed.

 

By the way, I have received several private emails from folks who have followed this thread reminding me that I forgot to list two particular behaviors in the list in my earlier post; I agree with their joint assessments, and so, here goes; the behaviors that I forgot to list were the following:

  • Displaying unbridled arrogance by leaving your vehicle on someone else's private property and then trying to create distraction by finger-pointing and blaming the property owner/lessee (i.e., KFC) when your vehicle was, as would be expected, towed.
  • Victim mentality
  • Denial. Enuf said.

To me, this kind of behavior that you exhibited is akin to driving your car in front of a moving train as it approaches and parking it on the tracks, so that the train will hit your car, and then, in the wake of the crash, huffing and puffing and trying to blame the railroad and the train engineer for the fact that the train, as would simply be expected, hit your vehicle and demolished it. Allow me to remind you that no one forced you to leave your vehicle parked on KFC's private lot, and rather, that was your personal choice. Why not own your behavior rather then engage in denial and huffing and puffing? You are burning a lot of calories, and carrying a lot of anger, rage and blame, where none need be expended nor carried.

 

Frankly speaking, your behavior, as described and exhibited in each of your posts in this thread in a public forum, where all the world can see your words, makes me ashamed to be a geocacher.

Edited by Vinny & Sue Team
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I was there as well, it was extremely hard to even realise that the two parking lots were separate. I could have easily parked there without realizing it was part of the adjoining business. The signs were extremely well hidden as well.

 

Anyway, the event was cool as was the whole of GW7.

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God bless you! You kinda hit the jackpot with your post! You hit almost all of the biggies in one post, namely:

  • MAJOR sense of self-entitlement
  • whining
  • unwarranted negativity and hostility
  • refusing to accept responsibility for your own behaviors
  • blaming everyone but yourself
  • throwing bricks at straw men
  • inventing dramas and "causes" where there are/were none, and expecting others to rally to your hoax "cause".

Amazing feat there, fellow! Shining example of mature behavior by a geocacher, both on the street and on the forum. It is behavior like yours that is taking geocaching to a new level.

 

Geez, I've read all the posts to this point and some agree with me, some don't. Some agree I was victimized, some say I should have known better and got what was coming to me. But all in all it was a civil discourse.

 

Now comes this out and out blatant personal attack on me. You don't know me from Adam, but felt it was within your right to spew such virtriol my way? Talk about unwarranted negativity and hostility! I've always felt the GC forums were pretty much a viper pit and had reservations about posting on here in the first place. That's why I only have 56 posts in 4+ years as a Premium Member. I guess that's why you have 3887...

You may wish to read my post again. There is, and was, no personal attack upon you as a person. Anyone halfway competent in reading and comprehending the English language can and will tell you that there were absolutely no personal attacks against you in my post. However, there were indeed a number of accurate observations -- that is, reportage -- offered in my post about your BEHAVIORS, that is, about what you wrote and what you reported that you did in and about the situation. You may wish to learn to draw a distinction between the two things, else you may run into some bumps in life and end up takiing offense where none was needed.

 

By the way, I have received several private emails from folks who have followed this thread reminding me that I forgot to list two particular behaviors in the list in my earlier post; I agree with their joint assessments, and so, here goes; the behaviors that I forgot to list were the following:

  • Displaying unbridled arrogance by leaving your vehicle on someone else's private property and then trying to create distraction by finger-pointing and blaming the property owner/lessee (i.e., KFC) when your vehicle was, as would be expected, towed.
  • Victim mentality
  • Denial. Enuf said.

To me, this kind of behavior that you exhibited is akin to driving your car in front of a moving train as it approaches and parking it on the tracks, so that the train will hit your car, and then, in the wake of the crash, huffing and puffing and trying to blame the railroad and the train engineer for the fact that the train, as would simply be expected, hit your vehicle and demolished it. Allow me to remind you that no one forced you to leave your vehicle parked on KFC's private lot, and rather, that was your personal choice. Why not own your behavior rather then engage in denial and huffing and puffing? You are burning a lot of calories, and carrying a lot of anger, rage and blame, where none need be expended nor carried.

 

Frankly speaking, your behavior, as described and exhibited in each of your posts in this thread in a public forum, where all the world can see your words, makes me ashamed to be a geocacher.

 

Anyone competent in the English language will tell you that by calling someone a whiner, or stating they are whining, is a personal attack. I am sure in a head as large as yours you would be able to figure that out.

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I was actually trying to not cram the Clarion hotel lot full of cars, thinking the guests staying there might want a place to park.

This is the thing that gets me on this one. The Clarion was hosting the event and knew it was going on and when. You *were* their guest. If they felt they did not have the parking, they would not have agreed to the event.

 

You made a mistake. Firing up the torches and passing out pitchforks isn't the way to deal with this in my opinion. Take your licks and learn from it and move on.

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The OP is a cornerstone of the Houston caching communityand a rock-solid cacher. He cares enough about the hobby to drive 900+ miles to GeoWoodstock, caching and adding states along the way. He makes a reasonable mistake going to another event and pays $150 for it. The next day, on the way home, he hikes 10+ miles to enjoy the Virgin Falls Earthcache and writes a log where you can tell just how much he enjoys our hobby. He then makes a second mistake and vents in this forum, maybe expecting some sympathy from his fellow cachers. No such luck. Cache on, HC, and don't let these snipers get you down.

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