{"id":5789,"date":"2025-06-01T19:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-06-01T19:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/?p=5789"},"modified":"2025-06-03T12:04:21","modified_gmt":"2025-06-03T12:04:21","slug":"drivers-3k-tow-for-brief-parking-explodes-into-12k-nightmare","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/2025\/06\/01\/drivers-3k-tow-for-brief-parking-explodes-into-12k-nightmare\/","title":{"rendered":"Driver\u2019s $3K Tow For Brief Parking Explodes Into $12K Nightmare"},"content":{"rendered":"<div><img width=\"1024\" height=\"576\" src=\"data:image\/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==\" class=\"attachment-large size-large wp-post-image lazyload\" alt=\"\" style=\"margin-bottom: 15px\" loading=\"lazy\" data-src=\"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/Ram-Truck-kjhdwfjhkl-1024x576-1.jpg\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-6 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:100%\">\n<ul>\n<li>A tow truck hooked up an illegally parked semi truck after it sat briefly.<\/li>\n<li>The initial tow bill was $3,000 but soon ballooned to a staggering $12,000.<\/li>\n<li>New laws may soon begin to put pressure on tow companies in the state.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Parking incidents are all too common. Sometimes people <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/tag\/parking\/\">park<\/a> where they shouldn\u2019t, but usually, it\u2019s for just a few minutes. However, when a quick stop turns into a five-figure disaster, you start to wonder where the line between enforcement and exploitation is.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-placement\">\n<div id=\"82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"0f7e3106-c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"><\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\tvar adpushup = window.adpushup  = window.adpushup || {que:[]};<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tadpushup.que.push(function() {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tif (adpushup.config.platform !== &#8220;DESKTOP&#8221;){<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;0f7e3106-c4d6-4db4-8135-c508879a76f8&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t} else {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;82503191-e1d1-435a-874f-9c78a2a54a2f&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<p>That\u2019s what reportedly happened to the driver in this story. He parked his big rig on West Pointe Drive in Charlotte, North Carolina. Only a few minutes later, he ended up with a $3,000 tow bill that would grow to four times that before the day ended.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p><strong>Also: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/2025\/05\/toyota-rav4-stolen-twice-atlanta-dealership\/\">How A Thief Stole Her Toyota Twice From The Same Dealership<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It turns out that the driver knew he was <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/2025\/02\/vw-golf-abandoned-in-berlin-airport-for-over-a-year-accumulates-over-200k-in-parking-fees\/\">parking illegally<\/a>. As we can see from images available on Google Maps, that road is full of \u201cNo Parking\u201d and \u201cTow Away Zone\u201d signs. Nevertheless, he did it anyway because he claimed he saw other drivers parked there too. And to be fair, the satellite images back up his story, but don\u2019t make it right. Just because others are breaking the rules doesn\u2019t mean the consequences don\u2019t apply.<\/p>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article\"><\/div>\n<div id=\"taboola-mid-article-thumbnails-organic\"><\/div>\n<p>\u201cSince he thought it was just a short time that he was going to be there, probably a few minutes, he didn\u2019t really think that there would be any towing,\u201d says Lisa, the truck\u2019s owner (though not the driver) told <a href=\"https:\/\/www.wsoctv.com\/news\/local\/tow-company-charges-truck-company-thousands-dollars-warning-others\/43TG2EHDUZADVBHODHRRD54X4Q\/\">WSOC.<\/a> She explained that the driver had only just parked when a tow truck from Ingram\u2019s Towing and Recovery arrived and began hooking up the semi.<\/p>\n<p>Initially, they told the driver that it would cost $3,000 to drop the truck. By the time Lisa met the tow company, the bill was $6,000. Things only got worse from there.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>Both sides of the argument acknowledged that other trucks were also parked illegally there. When the driver of the truck being towed told the other truckers to move on to save them from the bill, Ingram reportedly increased the charge to $12,000, citing lost business. She says they went ahead and paid the bill anyway to get their truck back. \u201cI feel nauseous,\u201d she said. \u201cI was \u2026 We could not sleep that night.\u201d<\/p>\n<p><strong>A History Of Questionable Pricing<\/strong><\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-placement\">\n<div id=\"9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<div id=\"bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<p>\t\t\t\tvar adpushup = window.adpushup  = window.adpushup || {que:[]};<br \/>\n\t\t\t\tadpushup.que.push(function() {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\tif (adpushup.config.platform !== &#8220;DESKTOP&#8221;){<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;bb7964e9-07de-4b06-a83e-ead35079d53c&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t} else {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;9b1169d9-7a89-4971-a77f-1397f7588751&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<blockquote class=\"instagram-media\" data-instgrm-permalink=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DE7fUceOPJY\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" data-instgrm-version=\"14\" style=\"background:#FFF;border:0;border-radius:3px;margin: 1px;max-width:540px;min-width:326px;padding:0;width:99.375%;width:-webkit-calc(100% - 2px);width:calc(100% - 2px)\">\n<div style=\"padding:16px\"> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DE7fUceOPJY\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\"background:#FFFFFF;line-height:0;padding:0 0;text-align:center;text-decoration:none;width:100%\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"> <\/p>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: row;align-items: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 40px;margin-right: 14px;width: 40px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 100px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 60px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 19% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"height:50px;margin:0 auto 12px;width:50px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"padding-top: 8px\">\n<div style=\"color:#3897f0;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:550;line-height:18px\">View this post on Instagram<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"padding: 12.5% 0\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: row;margin-bottom: 14px;align-items: center\">\n<div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px;flex-grow: 0;margin-right: 14px;margin-left: 2px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;height: 12.5px;width: 12.5px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: 8px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 50%;flex-grow: 0;height: 20px;width: 20px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 2px solid transparent;border-left: 6px solid #f4f4f4;border-bottom: 2px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"margin-left: auto\">\n<div style=\"width: 0px;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-right: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;flex-grow: 0;height: 12px;width: 16px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"width: 0;height: 0;border-top: 8px solid #F4F4F4;border-left: 8px solid transparent\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div style=\"flex-direction: column;flex-grow: 1;justify-content: center;margin-bottom: 24px\">\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;margin-bottom: 6px;width: 224px\"><\/div>\n<div style=\"background-color: #F4F4F4;border-radius: 4px;flex-grow: 0;height: 14px;width: 144px\"><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;line-height:17px;margin-bottom:0;margin-top:8px;overflow:hidden;padding:8px 0 7px;text-align:center\"><a href=\"https:\/\/www.instagram.com\/reel\/DE7fUceOPJY\/?utm_source=ig_embed&amp;utm_campaign=loading\" style=\"color:#c9c8cd;font-family:Arial,sans-serif;font-size:14px;font-style:normal;font-weight:normal;line-height:17px;text-decoration:none\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A post shared by JUST TRUCK IT \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6\ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\uddf8 (@usa_transportation)<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p>Ingram appears to have previously drawn criticism over what some have described as unusually high towing fees. According to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.overdriveonline.com\/channel-19\/article\/15448198\/video-sparks-outrage-over-predatory-towing?fbclid=IwY2xjawKjFElleHRuA2FlbQIxMQBicmlkETFLb1oyVDNjb0lQMzRPR0wzAR4FmIfufWboTWQOskaZXBz9gN5Rl2eG4Qcf9Hcp6PWtDL3cXTJl_aDjrJXTKg_aem_ENKVKXMZVJGoDbzw_czK6Q\">OverdriveOnline<\/a>, the company drew backlash in 2023 over a $6,000 bill, including $3,000 for the truck and another $3,000 for the trailer. The report states the vehicle was towed just 16 miles, and payment was required in cash.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWilliam Ingram, owner of the tow company in this case, maintains his business operates legitimately, though he refused to explain how he arrived at the $6,000 price tag,\u201d wrote <em>OverdriveOnline<\/em>. \u201cInstead, he told us to contact several other area tow companies and ask what they would charge for a similar service.\u00a0None of the competitor companies Ingram suggested said they\u2019d charge anything close to $6,000 for a short tow and impound, citing figures from $750 to $4,500 in situations that required hours of extensive vehicle recovery.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>As we speak, there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.change.org\/p\/investigate-and-close-ingram-s-towing-recovery-for-unfair-practices-in-north-carolina\">a petition on Change.org<\/a> to \u201cInvestigate and Close Ingram\u2019s Towing Recovery for Unfair Practices in North Carolina.\u201d The company\u2019s practices are clearly raising concerns among members of the public.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ad-placement\">\n<div id=\"e46c436a-adeb-4b5e-a2c7-56bc36561c10\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<div id=\"b25ecba7-3bbb-4ea7-a3a8-dbea91695c07\" class=\"_ap_apex_ad\"> <\/div>\n<p> \t\t\t\tvar adpushup = window.adpushup  = window.adpushup || {que:[]};<br \/>\n         \t\tadpushup.que.push(function() {<br \/>\n             \t\tif (adpushup.config.platform !== &#8220;DESKTOP&#8221;){<br \/>\n    \t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;b25ecba7-3bbb-4ea7-a3a8-dbea91695c07&#8221;);<br \/>\n             \t\t} else {<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t\tadpushup.triggerAd(&#8220;e46c436a-adeb-4b5e-a2c7-56bc36561c10&#8221;);<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t\t}<br \/>\n\t\t\t\t});<\/p><\/div>\n<p><strong>Who Is Right?\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>We often talk about vehicle pricing and how, to some extent, the free market sets the rules. But should the same approach apply to a towing company that\u2019s legally allowed to set its own rates? In this case, there\u2019s no question the driver parked illegally \u2013 it is indisputable. <\/p>\n<p>On top of that, they parked illegally on private property. Despite that, paying thousands of dollars, up to $12,000 for a single tow, seems like little more than taking full advantage of the situation. In the future, tow companies might not have this sort of freedom though.\u00a0<\/p>\n<p>In the past, the Supreme Court of North Carolina made it illegal for towns and counties to put a limit on pricing for tow truck companies. Now, however, state lawmakers are pushing a new bill that would ban booting semi trucks. While that wouldn\u2019t stop towing companies from issuing steep charges, it could be a step in the right direction. <\/p>\n<p>What\u2019s your take? Is this simply the cost of breaking the rules, or does it cross the line between enforcing the law and taking advantage of it? Let us know in the comments below.<\/p>\n<p>        <a href=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/srthshrn.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image-block\"> <\/p>\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\">\n<p>                    <img loading=\"lazy\" class=\"lazy \" src=\"\" alt=\" Driver\u2019s $3K Tow For Brief Parking Explodes Into $12K Nightmare\" width=\"1920\" height=\"1080\" data-src=\"https:\/\/www.carscoops.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/05\/srthshrn-1024x576.jpg\" data-type=\"inarticle-image\" \/><figcaption>Photo Google Maps<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>        <\/a>  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A tow truck hooked up an illegally parked semi truck after it sat briefly. The initial tow bill was $3,000 [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5791,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[9],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5789"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5789"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5789\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5792,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5789\/revisions\/5792"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5791"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5789"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5789"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/autofusiontech.co.uk\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5789"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}