Help with towing company shizzle?

[Jamezo]

Hi guys. Following my accident, my bike was towed, by Kearneys, following instruction by police.

It's been over a month and I'm still waiting on the outcome of the traffic investigation, so I rang and enquired about getting my bike back. It has now accrued over $320 in towing and storage fees, increasing at $5 a day. Hmm.

The person I spoke with said I should have recieved a letter telling me about this, but I have recieved no such letter. Nothing dodgy about my address, it's been the same as ever. "....Oh...." the person said.

Now, if I manage to claim this on the insurance of the guy that hit me, I won't have much of a problem. If I can't, I'm pretty much fucked. Either way, I won't be able to cough up enough to get my bike out of there in the near future. Bad.

A friend can help me tomorrow with a trailer, but do I need cash up front to take my bike, or can they send me a bill? Is there any chance of them waiving the storage fees that they failed to tell me about?

Thanks, James

[GR81]

chances are... 'no cash, no bike'

[kickingzebra]

They are in a hard business, and I have only ever had one towie do me a favour, and that was in te kuiti. He didn't charge storage.
Might be worth giving it a go, but they are used to people coming in all pissed off, so that probably won't work. Try making something out of the storage fees, but be reasonable. Mention the word laywer if needs be ;)

[spudchucka]

I think they usually expect payment when the vehicle is being picked up. Usually your insurance would cover these costs.

[Motu]

Their yard is full,and they'll only recover towing and storage fees on a fraction of those.If they actualy get someone who wants to claim their vehicle instead of just forgetting about it - you can be sure you won't get it untill you pay.

[Korea]

Try: A teaspoon of honey Vs. a litre of vinegar...
"...and a baseball bat!" (pisstake p/t)

[Lias]

Yours odd of getting your bike out of the towies yard without cash in advance are about the same chance I have of winning 50 million in lotto this week.

For both our sakes lets hope I win lotto this week.

[Str8 Jacket]

For both our sakes lets hope I win lotto this week.


Not this week sonshine, Im winning it. Try again next week.

As for your bike Jamezo, im sorry but you'll more than likely have to pay the charges before they let you take it. Were you insured? If so, talk to them and see if they will make arrangements to pay it. That way the towies MAY let you take it if they are guaranteed payment from your insurance.

[The_Dover]

Pay it and write a letter to the pigs advising that you were not informed of the towing cost, storage cost or timeframe.

I did this when my beetle was stolen and the pigs towed it for "fingerprinting". Paid up, hotwired my own car and then wrote a shitty letter to the chief cuntstubble.

Got a cheque two weeks later. Thank you mr piggy.

[Jamezo]

I can't guarantee an insurance payout, as I only have third party. Any chance of insurance coverage rests on the insurance of the other guy, and by extension, him being found at fault.

I wonder if they would be amicable to a similar arrangement guaranteeing payment from the other party's insurance (which would require proof of liability..... queue displeasure with tardy traffic investigation.)

[Str8 Jacket]

I can't guarantee an insurance payout, as I only have third party. Any chance of insurance coverage rests on the insurance of the other guy, and by extension, him being found at fault.



I reckon a more polite version of what Dover has said may be the go. Have you rung the Towing Company to find out what the go is yet?

[madboy]

No offence, but the word "naive" springs to mind. Towies are in the business of towing and storing cars. It's a reasonable expectation to have that if your bike was picked up by a tow truck and sits in their yard that there would be a cost associated with it. That's why it's called a towing "business" not a towing "charity".

Just chalk it up to experience, find a way of paying the bill and move on.

[The_Dover]

Sorry piggy, I have writed my wrongs.

[Jantar]

You may need legal advice on this one, but my understanding is that what the towies are doing is illegal. You did not request them to take your bike to their yard. The police requested them to do that so the police are responsible for the debt.

You are only legally entitled to any costs that you were informed of before they were incurred. Now that you are aware that your bike is incurring storage fees, you are only liable to those fees from the time that you were first made aware of them. You are also entitled to remove your bike to prevent being liable for even more storage fees. If they do not let you take your bike then imediately serve written notice to them that you will not be liable for any fees that may be incurred due to their illegal possession of your bike.

[The_Dover]

Of course I'm overqualified to be a cop. I can reed, right and spel gud.

[Jamezo]

We pay for the first day of storage and then you are notified. If the police didnt notify you that it had been recovered then we are liable to pay for the excess storage costs. You can't clear the vehicle in the police system unless you do notify them however.

When you report your car stolen you are asked if it is ok for us to tow it when we find it. If you said yes then you pay for the tow, if you say no we dont tow.

Your insurance company covers all the towage costs in any case.

Oh and its "write" not "right" college boy.

The bike was towed because it was unridable, and I was departing in an ambulance. I wasn't exactly given a choice in the matter.

The Officer at the scene said towage would be $200 (I believe that is fairly accurate, for the straight towage fee), and that it could be claimed on insurance (this does extend to the other party's liability, surely?)

What's this about being notified? Cleared in Police system?

[dhunt]

The bike was towed because it was unridable, and I was departing in an ambulance. I wasn't exactly given a choice in the matter.

The Officer at the scene said towage would be $200 (I believe that is fairly accurate, for the straight towage fee), and that it could be claimed on insurance (this does extend to the other party's liability, surely?)

What's this about being notified? Cleared in Police system?
I know when I was in the same situation as you my bike got towed to a yard somewhere. Then I claimed my bike on the person that hit me's insurance - which they paid out and effectively "bought" my bike and any towing fees etc that it incured :) So this might aply to you??

[The Pastor]

If the accident is not your fault, then the person who caused the accident will have to pay - if he has insurance (even third party) it will have to pay for the towage and the storage fee and the replacement of you bike + any hostpitalbe (sp) bills and you could try to get money for not being able to work. If he does not have insurance then you will have to go to the disputes tribunal (and good luck)

If you caused the accident and have 3rd party then your insurance will cover any damamges done to the car (im assuming you hit a car) but as far as towage is concerd you will have to pay for it (on full insurance its a bit differnt).

How ever as you were not informed of your bike being ready to be picked up you can (as dover said) write a letter to the police or whoever neccary and try to get out of it that way.

Good luck. (and dont be a dick on the roads:nya:)

[Jamezo]

Hence lies the problem. I want to get the bike out and stop any more fees being incurred, but I won't get the insurance compensation, if any, until I successfully make a claim on the guy's insurance. I don't have two scheckels to rub together.

[Str8 Jacket]

Hence lies the problem. I want to get the bike out and stop any more fees being incurred, but I won't get the insurance compensation, if any, until I successfully make a claim on the guy's insurance. I don't have two scheckels to rub together.


Have you called to towing company yet and explained this to them?

[The Pastor]

another thought is, if you can get an insurance payout, just leave the bike there......