A DRIVER was left baffled after being told he wasn’t allowed to park outside his home because of an insurance policy.
Ronnie Carter has been living at his city-subsidized apartment complex in Austin, Texas, for a year and a half.
Ronnie Carter battled to obtain a parking permit for his home, leaving him worried sick[/caption]
The 70-year-old had no reason to complain – until he started driving for Lyft in August.
The company rents Carter a car which is the only one he drives.
But when he went to obtain a parking permit for the vehicle to use at his complex, he was instantly rejected.
“I just went into the office like I knew I was required to do. To ask the manager to give me a parking permit,” Carter told Fox7 Austin’s 7 On Your Side.
“When I explained to her that it was a Lyft rental vehicle, she said that it could not be possibly permitted to park because it was not my vehicle.”
Carter said he went to check the complex’s policy which says vehicles owned or operated by a resident are eligible to park there.
But when he returned to the building manager with the required documents, he was quickly shutdown again.
“She said since the insurance is not in your name, you still would not be able to qualify for a parking sticker,” Carter said.
Since Lyft owns the car, the insurance on the vehicle is considered a fleet policy.
Carter pushed back and the dispute was sent to the Housing Authority of the City of Austin (HACA), which oversees Carter’s complex.
He was told he needed to wait for a supervisor, and for the next two weeks, Carter was forced to park in the visitor’s bay overnight – even though it only allows drivers to stay until 9pm.
It meant the frustrated driver was left risking his car being towed by unwillingly breaking the rules.
“I can’t sleep at night,” he said at the time.
“I keep waking up overnight wondering if my car has been towed.
“It keeps my blood pressure up. It’s like they’re punishing me for going to work.”
Since then, Carter has been told he is allowed to have a parking permit – after Fox 7 Austin’s 7 On Your Side paid a visit to his housing complex.
“HACA said in a statement, At HACA, the needs of our residents always come first. Mr. Carter sent an email on Monday, August 26th seeking a parking permit.
“He was asked to provide documents that are requested from all residents before a parking permit is issued… Mr. Carter submitted his paperwork on Tuesday, September 3rd and a permit was subsequently issued on Tuesday, September 10th.
“While our Pathways at North Loop community has limited parking, Mr. Carter still had access to visitor parking while he waited to receive his permit.”
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Pathways at North Loop – the apartment complex – and Housing Authority of the City of Austin for comment.
What to do if your car is towed
Wrongfully or not, retrieving a towed vehicle can be a hassle.
If your vehicle is towed after parking in a “No Parking” zone or other legitimate reason, there are a few steps to take to get it back.
Steps to take when your car is towed:
- Try to figure out why your car was towed. Did you not see a posted “No Parking” sign? Did you miss a car payment? Did you return to a lot where you have unpaid citations? Finding the reason can narrow down the phone numbers to dial.
- Locate the vehicle. Most states, cities, or counties require towing companies to leave some form of contact information via a posted sign or sent by mail.
- Recovery dates and times depend on the company that towed the vehicle, but those times will be posted to the website or can be recited by a representative.
- Pay the fees. Be careful to be as prompt as possible, as some tow yards may charge storage fees by the day.
If you feel your vehicle was wrongfully towed, contesting the action can be done with the following steps:
- Be prompt – many states have a small window of time where it’s acceptable to file a complaint against a company that wrongfully towed the vehicle.
- Gather supporting documents: photos, emails, receipts, police reports, and witness statements if applicable. The more evidence, the better.
- Get familiar with your local laws, as laws for towing companies vary per state.
- Try speaking with the towing company. Sometimes it may have been a simple oversight, and the matter can be resolved quickly.
- Contact the Justice of the Peace in your area, as they may have more insight or resources to help. They are often utilized for towing cases.
- Talk to a lawyer. Many lawyers have free case consultations, and depending on the case, it may be worth it to utilize a lawyer.
Source: Oregon Department of Justice, National General, Rak Law Firm
The apartment complex (not pictured) was quick to reject the Lyft driver’s permit[/caption]
