Tow Truck Turf War | Page 8 | GTAMotorcycle.com

Tow Truck Turf War

GreyGhost said:
Someone has to pay the graft and JZ was obviously not playing along. Might as well try and extort someone else. It seems that a reasonably simple solution would be a lifetime license ban with conviction for extortion as a tow-truck driver. When your entire livelihood is at stake, maybe you are a little softer in your approach and how hard you squeeze every client.
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He didn't give me an opportunity to pay, he went full Rainman as soon as he dropped the vehicle. I literally stood there dumbfounded as he was bouncing around. No one knew what to do other than give the guy a little space.

The GM came running out and said he would take care of it and give him a cheque. Tow operator lost it again and demanded cash. I have never seen anything like it since. He finally calmed down and took the cheque.
 
JZ67 said:
He didn't give me an opportunity to pay, he went full Rainman as soon as he dropped the vehicle. I literally stood there dumbfounded as he was bouncing around. No one knew what to do other than give the guy a little space.

The GM came running out and said he would take care of it and give him a cheque. Tow operator lost it again and demanded cash. I have never seen anything like it since. He finally calmed down and took the cheque.
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Drugs are bad kids.
 
Pure scumbags.

Guy I know has a few friends in the industry. Told me one instance of a tow truck driver throwing a rim and tire onto the highway hoping to cause an accident. Told me a story about when its slow they will just roll up and tow a car away from anywhere.

The whole industry needs a shakeup. Anyone caught trying to extort, rip off insurance companies or other fraud should be given jail time and be banned for life.
 
ChrisCBR said:
Pure scumbags.

Guy I know has a few friends in the industry. Told me one instance of a tow truck driver throwing a rim and tire onto the highway hoping to cause an accident. Told me a story about when its slow they will just roll up and tow a car away from anywhere.

The whole industry needs a shakeup. Anyone caught trying to extort, rip off insurance companies or other fraud should be given jail time and be banned for life.
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Had that happen to me when i owned my shop, Crackhead stole my caravan from my shop parking lot and sold it to someone i knew of. I tracked it down on the guys country property the next day and told him he owed me 3grand for the van or i'm calling the cops. the POS broke all the windows out of it. Anyway he paid up for a van that was worth a 1000.

I left it up the dude who bought the van from the crackhead to recoup his money
 
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justride said:
www.thestar.com

Ontario has finally introduced new regulations for tow truck drivers — which could help protect consumers and towing companies

New provincial rules replace a patchwork of municipal regulations that just weren’t working, businesses say. Zoned monopolies welcomed as way to end cutthroat competition that led to turf wars.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
You will only have to deal with one organization. Everything should be fine now.......
www.outline.com
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The gov't was annoyed they weren't getting a cut. If they think that selling sections of the highway to the highest bidder will insure that the honest contractors win and the dirtbags are driven out, they are dumber than even I gave them credit for.
 
justride said:
www.thestar.com

Ontario has finally introduced new regulations for tow truck drivers — which could help protect consumers and towing companies

New provincial rules replace a patchwork of municipal regulations that just weren’t working, businesses say. Zoned monopolies welcomed as way to end cutthroat competition that led to turf wars.
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
You will only have to deal with one organization. Everything should be fine now.......
www.outline.com
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This is actually quite similar to what we have and it seems to work quite well.

Its definitely better than the current free for all. I got rear ended by a dump truck on the 407 a few years ago and was towed to some dodgy place in Vaughn. Thank god the car was written off, I wouldn't have let those people work on my lawnmower

One or maybe more companies are assigned an area by the government. The companies are licensed and trained/certified and are mandated to take a vehicle to the car owners preferred shop (within reason - they are not going to tow a car 500 miles) or a shop designated by their insurance company as one of the insurers preferred locations.

You also have the option to have the car towed to a DOT yard where you get free storage for 24 hours until you decide where to move it to.

The tow companies are also required to have liability insurance, so if they damage your car they pay to repair it - I assume this mostly applies if you get towed for a parking or moving violation.

Companies are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are meeting standards.

This applies to Emergency towing, If I decide to move my car later myself, I can use anyone.
 
Delboy said:
This is actually quite similar to what we have and it seems to work quite well.

Its definitely better than the current free for all. I got rear ended by a dump truck on the 407 a few years ago and was towed to some dodgy place in Vaughn. Thank god the car was written off, I wouldn't have let those people work on my lawnmower

One or maybe more companies are assigned an area by the government. The companies are licensed and trained/certified and are mandated to take a vehicle to the car owners preferred shop (within reason - they are not going to tow a car 500 miles) or a shop designated by their insurance company as one of the insurers preferred locations.

You also have the option to have the car towed to a DOT yard where you get free storage for 24 hours until you decide where to move it to.

The tow companies are also required to have liability insurance, so if they damage your car they pay to repair it - I assume this mostly applies if you get towed for a parking or moving violation.

Companies are reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that they are meeting standards.

This applies to Emergency towing, If I decide to move my car later myself, I can use anyone.
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The problem is they theoretically implemented most of those rules a while ago and the tow trucks are still extorting with impunity. It's like the white van scam, they flash a rate card and then tack on hundreds in unnecessary charges. Unless the gov't sets the rate and immediately terminates the contract if any extras are added, the dirtbag vultures will continue their scam with the added power of a monopoly. My brothers wife got in a crash on the 401, the tow truck was a sub contractor to the company with a license and the truck was dropped in a yard owned by a 3rd company. They were probably all the same owner, but they were at $750 base rate to get you off the highway and it quickly went up from there. The truck was a writeoff (and no insurance coverage) so my brother told them to keep the truck to pay the bill and they said the clock is still running until it is out of their yard and they will send it to collections and destroy your credit.
 
GreyGhost said:
The problem is they theoretically implemented most of those rules a while ago and the tow trucks are still extorting with impunity. It's like the white van scam, they flash a rate card and then tack on hundreds in unnecessary charges. Unless the gov't sets the rate and immediately terminates the contract if any extras are added, the dirtbag vultures will continue their scam with the added power of a monopoly. My brothers wife got in a crash on the 401, the tow truck was a sub contractor to the company with a license and the truck was dropped in a yard owned by a 3rd company. They were probably all the same owner, but they were at $750 base rate to get you off the highway and it quickly went up from there. The truck was a writeoff (and no insurance coverage) so my brother told them to keep the truck to pay the bill and they said the clock is still running until it is out of their yard and they will send it to collections and destroy your credit.
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$750 just to get you off the highway is crazy.

I ended up getting my wife's car towed for a parking violation last October. The tow was $250 which is a flat fee set by the government and the storage fee was $50 a day although that only kicks in after a certain amount of time so I was able to get it out before I had to pay storage. Same fee structure applies to accidents.

The bizarre thing I noticed on the sign is that if you are classed as low income the tow fee is reduced to $100, or if you are homeless the tow fee is $0... LOL

When you consider it probably took the guy an hour to hook it up, tow it and unhook it + the cost of the truck + gas + insurance there is probably not a huge amount of money in it at the end of the day

I think the fee structure needs to be regulated other wise whats to stop someone charging you $1,000,000
 
Delboy said:
$750 just to get you off the highway is crazy.

I ended up getting my wife's car towed for a parking violation last October. The tow was $250 which is a flat fee set by the government and the storage fee was $50 a day although that only kicks in after a certain amount of time so I was able to get it out before I had to pay storage. Same fee structure applies to accidents.

The bizarre thing I noticed on the sign is that if you are classed as low income the tow fee is reduced to $100, or if you are homeless the tow fee is $0... LOL

When you consider it probably took the guy an hour to hook it up, tow it and unhook it + the cost of the truck + gas + insurance there is probably not a huge amount of money in it at the end of the day

I think the fee structure needs to be regulated other wise whats to stop someone charging you $1,000,000
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The regulation has to be all in pricing too. They added things to the bill like sweeping up, using the winch, etc. Basically you had the base fee and then everything they touched was more. It needs to be something like "light vehicle crash" pays $400 and includes 72 hours of storage. After that $50 a day. Some dirtbag companies even charge you a fee ($50 to 100) to move your vehicle from the back yard to the front lot so your truck can pick it up as only their trucks are allowed in the back. Gov't needs a call centre where if a tow company is holding you hostage, you can call the number and bring the regulatory axe down on them that day. If you have paid the government regulated fee and are there with a tow truck to pickup your vehicle, that's it, it's over, no more extortion.
 
Cool.
So the government solution is to add a new tax to your tow bill. The towing company now has to pay the government for the right to tow your car... and pass that tax, plus a bit of markup, to your already over priced tow.
If you want to bid on a highway contract, you need a $1,000,000 rotator truck (so you can lift a CAR off the guard rail and only close one lane).
Cool. MORE costs.
This isn't going to solve any of the problems in the towing industry and it DIRECTLY adds to your towing bill. A LOT!

When are they gonna figure out what the problem is, the problem is not "chasing". No body is getting their truck burned or getting shot over chasing. Chasing isn't costing insurance companies millions of dollars every year.

In case you guys don't know, the problem with the towing industry is the kick backs from the body shops. When a tow truck driver convinces a driver to tow a crashed car to HIS body shop, his body shop kicks back 10% off the top of the repair bill... in cash. 10% of insurance billing to body shops is a pretty penny, like tens of millions of dollars every year... in cash.
... and then some genius saw this was working and paying so well with cars, they should try it with the people that were in those crashed cars.
So they 're getting a kick back from doctors, physio and rehabs too. In cash. Cash that ultimately comes from your insurance premium.
This isn't particular to Toronto.
The solution is to clean up the corruption in the auto collision industry.

A couple of things YOU can do to wipe this out.
1) Know the phone number of a towing company that doesn't "CHASE". A company that makes their money from towing. That Abrams guy has been around forever. I used KBW. There are legit tow trucks.
2) Know a repair shop.
 
POWERMAN said:
I don't understand...why would the dealership pay him?
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A logical question to an ethical person. We aren't dealing with ethical people.

A buddy, driving a company vehicle, got into a crash. Another driver did a U-turn in front of him. The tow driver wanted a stupid amount of cash from him. CASH, hundreds, and the crash wasn't his fault. He didn't own the vehicle.

Basically he was being robbed by a thug using his service as an excuse to extort money.

Let's call it what it is, EXTORTION by intimidation.

It's bad enough for guys but what if a femme needs a tow at midnight and a 300 pound goon shows up demanding cash?
 
GreyGhost said:
The gov't was annoyed they weren't getting a cut. If they think that selling sections of the highway to the highest bidder will insure that the honest contractors win and the dirtbags are driven out, they are dumber than even I gave them credit for.
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As I read it the legislation covers Ontario highways. My buddy's crash was on Burnhamthorpe Road. What about the 99.99% of the province that isn't a provincial highway? What about county roads or parking lots?

Take the "If you can steer it, clear it" advice and move your vehicle to a traffic safe parking lot. You're dead meat.

I know a mechanic that used to tow and pay off cops. Who's on your side in an altercation?

This needs legislation more like the gambling and liquor industries. Training and background checks might help. Random drug tests. No one who has just had a crash needs to be further victimized at the side of a road by someone on roid rage.
 
Yes on the extortion....

I couple friends of mine (brothers) were in a minor fender bender on the QEW, not at fault (but that does not matter in this context)--both cars had minor sheet metal damage only and were completely drive-able. Cop shows up, then tow trucks right after. While talking to the cop and exchanging info the trucks hook on to both cars. My buddy (smaller of the two brohters and the driver) tells them to put the car down, truck driver ignores him, cop ignores him. It continues to escalates and the tow driver says it is on the hook you need to pay me now to put it down....cop ignores all this. They ask the cop to intervene and he ignores them

Driver starts to try and physically intimidate (tire iron), cop does nothing. Well my one buddy (larger brother) can take care of himself... at this point he backs the driver against his truck, grabs the driver by the throat and lifts him up (one handed), ties up the hand with the iron with his other hand. Driver starts flailing around looking for a weapon. Cop finally has no choice.... starts yelling, tells my buddy to put him down or he will charge him with assault, tells the driver to put the car down or he will charge him with grand theft.

Other car still got towed (and did not need to be for a dent). Most people would have ended up with a huge tow charge etc. like the other driver did.
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As far as any changes, it has become so corrupt I think these changes are not enough at this point to fix the problem.
 
backmarkerducati said:
Yes on the extortion....

I couple friends of mine (brothers) were in a minor fender bender on the QEW, not at fault (but that does not matter in this context)--both cars had minor sheet metal damage only and were completely drive-able. Cop shows up, then tow trucks right after. While talking to the cop and exchanging info the trucks hook on to both cars. My buddy (smaller of the two brohters and the driver) tells them to put the car down, truck driver ignores him, cop ignores him. It continues to escalates and the tow driver says it is on the hook you need to pay me now to put it down....cop ignores all this. They ask the cop to intervene and he ignores them

Driver starts to try and physically intimidate (tire iron), cop does nothing. Well my one buddy (larger brother) can take care of himself... at this point he backs the driver against his truck, grabs the driver by the throat and lifts him up (one handed), ties up the hand with the iron with his other hand. Driver starts flailing around looking for a weapon. Cop finally has no choice.... starts yelling, tells my buddy to put him down or he will charge him with assault, tells the driver to put the car down or he will charge him with grand theft.

Other car still got towed (and did not need to be for a dent). Most people would have ended up with a huge tow charge etc. like the other driver did.
**
As far as any changes, it has become so corrupt I think these changes are not enough at this point to fix the problem.
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I've seen a fender bent up against a tire. Yank it out and drive away. No tow needed.

The sad part of this situation is that the corruption has gone multi-level. If an individual wants to go after the scumbags they fight the police, towing industry, inept politicians and over loaded court system. If you choose to pursue any action you aren't allowed to carry a weapon to defend yourself, not that most would know how to use it.

Add to the problem is that the insurance industry does little. Why should they spend money on fixing a problem that costs them money. The answer is that the costs are a business loss that gets used to justify higher rates.

If you get into a collision don't call a tow truck, call a lawyer.

How about a flat fee to tow a vehicle to a safe spot off the highway so it can reopen. The fee is paid by the insurance company adding a dollar or two to the premium. Once in a safe spot the owner can collect their thought and proceed.

How about nothing gets touched without a written contract with authorization from the OWNER not operator of the vehicle.
 
bitzz said:
Any roadway, owned by the province, is a "highway". If you drive on it, it is a highway.
Burnamthorpe, as defined by the province, is a highway.
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I may not know the legalities of pieces of ground one can drive a vehicle on. The province balanced their budget a while back by downloading those pieces of land to counties etc.

Still the legislation is barely a head nod of recognition to the problem.
 
wow I haven't been following this topic too closely, and ya all have great points and experience with all this nonsense.
All I have to add is a CAA membership is looking like a real deal now, and must have to avoid all of this.
 
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