Radnor looks at changing ordinance to block aggressive towing
RADNOR » Anyone who’s ever had their car towed knows what a hassle it is.
After getting some 56 comments on his Facebook page, along with phone calls and emails from residents upset over what they believe is overzealous towing, Commissioner Jake Abel is requesting the Radnor Board of Commissioners amend its policy on towing. The issue is on the agenda for the Jan. 27 commissioners meeting.
The privately owned parking lot that brought this brouhaha is next to the Pennsylvania Fine Wines & Good Spirits store at 127 W. Lancaster Ave. near the Anthony Wayne 5 movie theater in Wayne. Anyone who does not shop at the state store, which is a tenant, may have their vehicle towed. Although there are warning signs, people are miffed.
“While there are signs warning people the lot is for state store customers, how does the tow company know someone is not getting a coffee before entering the store?” Abel wrote on his Facebook she could not pick it up until Monday morning because of the towing company’s policies. She also had to pay $450 cash to get her car back.
“I feel that is unfair when I did in fact shop at the liquor store and the signs do not clearly indicate the lot to be for their customers only,” she wrote. “The owner of the tow company does stand there waiting for you to not return immediately to your car and then they immediately tow. The signs need to be more clear and the fine-wait time less (especially for single moms who need their car and cannot afford that steep of a fine). According to the township, the liquor store has the agreement with the towing company because it is their private property, so I asked them to help me because my son was with me and they refused to do anything. I think we can do better.”
The suggested revision to the township’s towing ordinance would say that towing companies must “notify the Radnor Township Police Department of the removal of a vehicle from private property immediately prior to such removal and provide a description and license number of the vehicle thus removed. If more than one vehicle is towed from the same lot within a 24-hour period, the tow company shall, in addition to the vehicle description and license number, provide the location of the lot thus giving the police department the opportunity to intervene if it determines ‘predatory towing’ is occurring.”
Dave Money, owner of the Upper Darby-based Tow Squad, declined to comment for this article. Matt Travagelini, manager of the state store, also declined comment.