Public Service Announcement
Apr. 3rd, 2003 01:23 pm![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
fidgetmonster.livejournal.com posting in ![[community profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/community.png){kind=small}
davis_squareI originally posted this in my journal, then realised it should probably go in this community as well. Sorry those who have to read it twice.
Street Cleaning in Somerville has resumed! I was wondering why everyone on my street was getting towed the other day, and then saw the cleaner go by several times, making sure he was giving the street a good scrubbing.
The Good News: This means even the city believes it will not snow anymore.
The Bad News: The city will tow your ass! Given the "fiscal crisis" Somerville is charging the maximum allowed by the state for towing, which is $75 for the tow, and $20 for storage. Plus whatever ticket you get too, for obstrucing the street cleaner, which is I think $25.
So make note of when street cleaning is in your Ward, and move your car! If you happen to get towed, give me a call and I'll drive you to Pat's to pick up your cah.
The city has said they are going to be vigorous about towing this year because too many people have complained about dirty streets. They know people will complain about towing too, but at least this way they get clean streets AND money for the coffers. The city receives $15 for each car towed (I think Pat's gets the rest) which goes into a general fund for the city. The Mayors spokesman said that the "fees were set with teyes for the fiscal crisis".
Conversely, Cambridge who also has a contract with Pat's, only gets $7 per car, presumably because the fees are $60 for towing and $10 for storage. Still, I don't know why Pat's gets to make it so well on this deal. They're evil bastards! Going in to get a car feels like invading a mafia stronghold. (who knows--that could well be the case).
Cambridge also has instituted a "reverse 911 call-back system" in which residents in certain areas recieve phone calls to remind them that street cleaning season is resuming again. I seem to also remember the cops going around at 7am will bull horns saying 'street cleaning! move ya cahs!". I was awake on Tuesday morning when all the cars on my street got towed; I saw the cops writing tickets and putting in the towing orders, but I heard no bull horns. Guess they're not being nice in Somerville this year: Last year they ticketed and put a nice orange flyer on the windshield as a gentle reminder that street cleaning was starting again.
Curiously, if you get towed in Arlington (which is not as heavy handed with the police ordered towing), you still get charged $95 total, but the city gets none of it: Mal's Towing scores all. Same goes for Medford, which HAS said it will be stricter this year because of all the winter sand.
Everett Chief of Police says they do not go out on a normal basis to tow cars, just ticket those blocking sweepers. If you do, it's $75, and the town keeps $25 of that.
In Boston, no shocker, you get towed for so much as blinking at a fire hydrant wrong. I'm not sure this info is right, but the Journal says there is a $12 tow fee and a $15/day storage fee in Boston. But I think they tow your car to Quincy! hahaha. ahem.
Who cleans the sidewalks? Do they have little dohickeys that go down the sidewalks?
There ends more than you ever needed to know about towing fees.
Street Cleaning in Somerville has resumed! I was wondering why everyone on my street was getting towed the other day, and then saw the cleaner go by several times, making sure he was giving the street a good scrubbing.
The Good News: This means even the city believes it will not snow anymore.
The Bad News: The city will tow your ass! Given the "fiscal crisis" Somerville is charging the maximum allowed by the state for towing, which is $75 for the tow, and $20 for storage. Plus whatever ticket you get too, for obstrucing the street cleaner, which is I think $25.
So make note of when street cleaning is in your Ward, and move your car! If you happen to get towed, give me a call and I'll drive you to Pat's to pick up your cah.
The city has said they are going to be vigorous about towing this year because too many people have complained about dirty streets. They know people will complain about towing too, but at least this way they get clean streets AND money for the coffers. The city receives $15 for each car towed (I think Pat's gets the rest) which goes into a general fund for the city. The Mayors spokesman said that the "fees were set with teyes for the fiscal crisis".
Conversely, Cambridge who also has a contract with Pat's, only gets $7 per car, presumably because the fees are $60 for towing and $10 for storage. Still, I don't know why Pat's gets to make it so well on this deal. They're evil bastards! Going in to get a car feels like invading a mafia stronghold. (who knows--that could well be the case).
Cambridge also has instituted a "reverse 911 call-back system" in which residents in certain areas recieve phone calls to remind them that street cleaning season is resuming again. I seem to also remember the cops going around at 7am will bull horns saying 'street cleaning! move ya cahs!". I was awake on Tuesday morning when all the cars on my street got towed; I saw the cops writing tickets and putting in the towing orders, but I heard no bull horns. Guess they're not being nice in Somerville this year: Last year they ticketed and put a nice orange flyer on the windshield as a gentle reminder that street cleaning was starting again.
Curiously, if you get towed in Arlington (which is not as heavy handed with the police ordered towing), you still get charged $95 total, but the city gets none of it: Mal's Towing scores all. Same goes for Medford, which HAS said it will be stricter this year because of all the winter sand.
Everett Chief of Police says they do not go out on a normal basis to tow cars, just ticket those blocking sweepers. If you do, it's $75, and the town keeps $25 of that.
In Boston, no shocker, you get towed for so much as blinking at a fire hydrant wrong. I'm not sure this info is right, but the Journal says there is a $12 tow fee and a $15/day storage fee in Boston. But I think they tow your car to Quincy! hahaha. ahem.
Who cleans the sidewalks? Do they have little dohickeys that go down the sidewalks?
There ends more than you ever needed to know about towing fees.
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Re: ah yes, the infamous 48-hour rule...
Date: 2003-04-03 05:56 pm (UTC)nah, i haven't sent anything to city hall but i probably should send a copy of my (3 page-long) appeal to a lot of higher-ups pretty soon...