Predatory Towing Experience Becomes A Work Of Art

Flickr.com Photo

I've seen citizens turn their towing horror stories into an expressive, interesting series of photos on Flickr.com before, click here for an example. Oh, and here, too.

But this is the first time I've seen...

...anybody create an actual work of art with a theme of suffering centered on a predatory towing experience.

It's too bad I don't have the resources to sponsor a contest and award prizes!

Welcome To Chicago, Please Proceed Directly To The Impound Lot To Retrieve Your Vehicle

Flickr.com Photo

As I illustrate my blog posts with linked images to Flickr.com, I find myself searching with terms like "Chicago" and "impound lot." Constantly, I seem to turn up little photos stories of misery, and here is yet another one...

The image above is from an album of photos showing a family's visit to Chicago. Their very first day was spent at the impound lot.

I assume they'll think twice about returning to Chicago.

Details On The Illinois "Truth In Towing" Law

Flickr.com Photo

The Illinois "Truth In Towing" law has been a reality for a few months, and seems to be working with only a few minor snags. The intention of the law was to stop corruption, including police taking bribes and tow truck operators shaking down drivers for huge fees after towing away wrecks at accident scenes...

I do try to make my blog as much of a "one stop shop" for predatory towing issues as possible, and that's one reason I want to link to this article, click here. It contains a PDF file of the entire law, which "policy wonks" might find useful as they scrutinize their own towing laws with the intention of reform.

The Opposite Of Predatory Towing: Humanitarian And Merciful Towing

Photo By John Hoff

It has never been my intention to rip on tow truck operators constantly, or to only emphasize the bad while ignoring the good. So I want to go out of my way to publicize something really good happening in Kerrville, Texas...

Midway Wrecker is once again offering free tows during the holiday season for people who've had too much to drink, according to this article in DailyTimes.com, which has been "serving the Texas Hill Country since 1910."

And speaking of serving for a long time...Midway Wrecker has been doing this public service FOR THE LAST 17 YEARS! Every holiday season, according to reporter Rayanne Schmid, the company helps 25 to 30 people.

Matthew Morris, a supervisor with the company, says the effort is worthwhile if it keeps just one person out of the hospital, or out of a coffin.

Though this blog is dedicated to raising consciousness about predatory and abusive towing, I am very glad to see the exact opposite phenomenon, which I hereby dub HUMANITARIAN AND MERCIFUL TOWING.

Bribery Allegation In The "Springfield Towing Alliance" Scandal

Flickr.com Photo, Springfield City Hall

The fun never ends in Springfield, Massachusetts, where allegations recently surfaced of an attempted bribe by president of "The Towing Alliance," according to this article, click here.

But I have to wonder if...

...this was not, in fact, some desperate last-ditch tactic by The Towing Alliance. Is it possible the Towing Alliance is throwing around allegations of graft and corruption on the part of public officials, and this was actually some kind of HALF-BAKED STING ATTEMPT BY THE TOWING ALLIANCE?

We know for a fact the FBI is involved in the controversy, click here, but it seems like everybody (except me) is assuming the FBI is there to investigate the Towing Alliance.

Well, I sure hope that's the case. I hope the FBI is all over the Towing Alliance "like white on rice." And I think the odds favor that conclusion, considering how corrupt The Towing Alliance is alleged to be.

But I say all we know for sure is the FBI is talking to the Towing Alliance. And that's all we will know until more news comes out. As for myself, I'm hoping that Christmas will arrive in a timely way, or possibly even a bit early, with some kind of news release about a federal indictment involving the Towing Alliance or--if it comes down to it--any public official who may have been in bed with The Alliance, and broke the law.

Or both.

Desperate For Details In The Wake Of An FBI Raid In St. Louis

Flickr.com Photo

Like the reporter in Springfield, Massachusetts who couldn't get much information out of tight-lipped FBI officials, click here, the newspaper in St. Louis reported on the FBI seizing 26 vehicles from an impound lot, click here, but nobody seems to know why...

Nobody who is saying anything, anyway.

Online comments posted with the article--the ones who somehow managed to stay focused on relevant, non-theological topics--included some substantive remarks, but I found one of the remarks more substantive than all the others:

It's no wonder St. Louis can't manage to get major conventions. Gee, and you wonder why?

The image above is the St. Louis Convention Center. I can't help but notice nobody is parked out front.

Oh, another good remark: thank goodness for courageous journalism which exposes this kind of government scandal.

FBI Involvement In The St. Louis, Missouri S&H Towing Scandal

Flickr.com Photo,
St. Louis Impound Lot

No sooner have I finished blogging about the FBI's sudden involvement in the Springfield, Massachusetts situation, click here, when there is publicity about the agency's actions with the ongoing S&H Towing mess in St. Louis...

Currently, KTVI is reporting FBI agents were "scattered all over the property," which KTVI could observe from a news helicopter, click here for details.

As I reported before when blogging about this situation, click here, the St. Louis FBI is asking anyone with a vehicle towed in the last five years to complete a brief survey on their website.

In the meantime, KVTI continues to provide great coverage of this predatory towing scandal, with more than half a dozen stories on their website.