NEW LAW IN HOUSTON, Others BEWARE!!!!

[5SpeedBird]

NEW LAW IN HOUSTON, Others BEWARE!!!!


The Illustrious Mayor & City Council in Houston have put a new LAW into effect in Houston 1/1/2005.

"Tow Trucks coming with help You Can't Refuse"
"Motorists won't be allowed to call for own tow, or change their own tires"
Basically, IF you have a Flat, Run out of gas, etc. a wrecker can pull you OFF the Shoulder of a road, and charge you $75 and take NO RESPONSIBILITY for ANY DAMAGE to your Vehicle.
IF you can't pay, Cash, Check or Credit card, they can IMPOUND your Vehicle & charge Storage Fees, OR tow you to a Repair shop, and have the Shop pay them, & add it to your repair bill.
A situation happened Christmas Eve, where "Someone" paid a wrecker Driver Cash to tow a car from an Apartment Lot (Not the car's owner nor the Appartment Management) and have it taken to another location.
The Wrecker Driver, is NOT responsible, as he "Acted in GOOD Faith". Towing Company is not responsible either. Car is gone, Owner is OUT.

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I havn't found a site to verfyi this yet but it sounds messed up.
Steal anything you want for $75. Pay a guy $75 to take a $200,000 car off a car lot and leave in it an dirty alley.

[Skapimp]

Where's the actual law/ I don't like reading bias interpretation of things... show me the actual text, I doubt that would pass.

[CAMAROWIDBASS]

ill be D@MNED if im going to let some idiot change my tire if i have a flat.

If this law is real, and if i ever get a flat and a tow truck driver pulls up i think ill be going to jail that day for assualt or something.

[3.4 slow to go]

Originally posted by 5SpeedBird:

I havn't found a site to verfyi this yet but it sounds messed up.
Steal anything you want for $75. Pay a guy $75 to take a $200,000 car off a car lot and leave in it an dirty alley.

read the whole thing people

[BiH]

damn what a ghey law :rolleyes:

[5SpeedBird]

anyone know anyone who lives in or around huston? about the only way to confirm it.

I have had two people say its true but no links or site to confirm it. They did just what I said .asked someone they know in huston.

[5SpeedBird]

still no link but this was posted.

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Here's the newspaper article from the Houston Chronicle to verify this! Sounds communistic to me!!!!!!
Dec. 27, 2004, 5:19PM
Stranded on freeway? Tow truck's comingMotorists won't be allowed to call for own tow, change their own tiresBy LUCAS WALL
Copyright 2004 Houston Chronicle
'SAFE CLEAR' PROCEDURE

What happens if my car breaks down on a Houston freeway beginning Saturday?
• Response: A wrecker holding a city contract, or a subcontractor, should respond within six minutes. You can also summon help by calling police at 713-884-3131.
• Identification: Authorized tow trucks will have the Safe Clear emblem on the back and both sides. Drivers will carry a city ID and wear a Safe Clear safety vest. Don't accept help from unauthorized wreckers.
• Brochure: The driver will hand you a document explaining the new city ordinance that requires your car be towed immediately. It will explain what your options are.
• Removal: The driver will get on the phone to Houston TranStar and obtain authorization from a police officer for the tow. You may direct where the vehicle goes, within a 30-mile limit.
• Cost: You will be charged $75 for the first five miles, $1.50 per mile thereafter.
• Payment: Wreckers must accept cash, credit cards and checks. If you are short of funds, your car will be taken to a repair shop or impounded until you can pay.

RESOURCES
Graphic: Map of Tow Zones

Starting New Year's Day, if your car breaks down on a Houston freeway, expect a tow truck to show up promptly to whisk you out of the way whether you want the service or not.


Houston's new towing ordinance takes effect Saturday. It is a major piece of Mayor Bill White's traffic-management plan that declares all freeways to be tow-away zones. The city has signed contracts with wrecker companies to patrol 29 freeway sections and immediately remove any stalled or wrecked cars, expanding a pilot project that's been in place on the Katy Freeway since March.

White contends the policy will reduce traffic congestion created by stalls and crashes as well as reduce the potential for secondary wrecks.

"Studies have shown that our freeways are much safer if we can get stalled and wrecked vehicles towed out of the way faster," White said last week at a news conference about the program. "We think this will be a model for the country."

Workers are installing 72 signs at the city limits and other locations warning: "Disabled Vehicles Will Be Towed — It's the Law."

Traffic managementCouncilman Michael Berry, the chairman of the transportation committee, who helped White push the ordinance through in May, said motorists will notice an improvement in commute times.


"The public told us they did not want to be stranded on a freeway that became a parking lot because one car ran out of gas or blew a tire," Berry said. "What a difference this is going to make in the day-to-day lives of our residents."

Other city officials also are pledging the towing program will ease traffic congestion. Under current rules, a stalled vehicle may not be towed until a police officer arrives on the scene and requests a wrecker. Because dealing with broken-down vehicles had not been a police priority, cars often sat for hours before being moved.

"You will see a tremendous difference in the flow of traffic starting in January," said Joe Breshears, director of the Mayor's Office of Mobility.

Motorists no longer will be allowed to change a flat tire on the freeway shoulder, walk to the nearest gas station to obtain additional fuel or call their own help. The 11 companies that have the new city towing contracts are required to respond to all disabled vehicles within six minutes and promptly get them off the highway once authorized by a police officer at Houston TranStar, the region's traffic-control center.

Drivers will be able to say where their cars should be taken, within 30 miles. They'll be charged $75 for the first five miles and $1.50 per mile thereafter.

"We are going to attempt to move those vehicles immediately, even if it's just off the freeway to a safe location," said Ken Ulmer, president of A-1 Towing, which holds the towing contracts for parts of the Katy Freeway. "For that towing fee of $75, we would change the tire for the consumer."

Tow trucks participating in the freeway towing program, dubbed "Safe Clear," will be required to accept credit cards and checks. Typically wreckers only accept cash and impound vehicles if motorists don't have it.

Motorists still face temporary seizure of their vehicle if they lack any form of payment. They will have to pick up their cars from storage lots, paying a storage fee in addition to the standard towing rate. Or a car can be sent to a mechanic, who will add the towing charge to the invoice for repairs needed.

Berry said the Katy Freeway pilot project, which has towed an average of 140 cars per month outside Loop 610, has been a success.

"These individuals who were stranded on the freeway have said they didn't know how they were going to get their cars moved out of the way," he said. "Most were thankful we were there."

Training driversSome motorists, however, have been irate when told about the mandatory tow. Participating wrecker drivers are being trained in how to handle conflicts, and to request that a police officer respond to deal with any unruly person.


David Saperstein, the mayor's mobility chairman, said public safety and traffic flow overrules the interests of individual drivers who are stranded.

"They need to know to check their gas before they get on the freeway and make sure their car is freeway-ready," Saperstein said. "If they have a problem, they are not going to be able to call a friend and wait to get it fixed. They are going to be towed."

Members of auto clubs offering roadside assistance will no longer be allowed to wait for that service to show up. They will be towed by the city contractor, which has exclusive towing rights in its zone, and can seek reimbursement later.

Anne O'Ryan, public and government affairs manager for AAA Texas, said her association will reimburse its members for any police-ordered tow including one under the Safe Clear program. AAA is talking with the city and its contract wreckers about setting up direct billing so the member won't have to foot the bill on the scene, she said, but that issue won't be resolved by Saturday.

Jeanette Rash, owner of Fast Tow, which will patrol some Inner Loop freeway zones, said she hopes drivers understand and appreciate the program.

"It's imperative for the public to know that we are just trying to put them in a safe place," Rash said. "We are doing this at the minimal cost we possibly can."

The $75 base tow fee is a reduction from the Houston Police Department's current $115 authorized charge.

That charge will remain for vehicles towed at the direction of police officers off the freeway network, where any city-licensed wrecker stays eligible for the work.

Rash said she expects to encounter some hostile motorists but knows the program is important.

"People do get hit and killed on the side of the road while changing a tire or working on their car," she said. "What is the cost of a tow versus a life?"

traffic@chron.com

[5SpeedBird]

What I would do.......

Dig around and see who made this law. Then see which friends or family they have that own towing companies.

[RdBrd83]

I think it would be very interesting to see the city contract for this one.
Is the city paying these tow truck drivers to 'police' thier own section of highway? Or is the city getting their cut on the towing fees?
Also, what happens if you're in a parking lot or any street that isn't the highway, and your car breaks down? Do you now have to wait even longer because all of the tow truck companies are out circling the highway?
It's nice to know though, that in the event of an accident, your car would be towed away before the ambulance gets there to take you to the hospital.
Something just doesn't quite add up...

[sac2165]

I don't think its all that bad. I hate to be stuck in traffic for an hour, only to find out the backup is caused by rubber-neckers checking out some guy changing a tire.

I think if you don't want to get your car towed, keep your gas tank full & get some run-flat tires, or stay off the freeways.

[MTMike]

Chalk up yet another reason putting up with 6 month winters here is still better than living anywhere else in the country....

[5SpeedBird]

Part 1

If ya break down on the Huston highway.

You have 6 mins to get moving or your getting towed.
Its gonna cost $75 for 5 miles and $1.50 each additional mile.
Your gonna be towed to a repair shop.
Charged for your repairs and the towing charges.
If you don't have enough money to pay, they impound your car and charge you a storage fee.

What a racket.

Part 2

How to become rich.

Open a repair shop, towing service on a Huston highway.
15-20 miles away from your section of highway.
$85hr emergency repair services.
Retread tires at 400% above cost.
Bent used rim $50

[5SpeedBird]

Though Cleavland has a similar thing. But they help you for free. Give you gas or a spare tire. Use their phone, anything they can to help you get on your way and for free. That's how you treat travelers.

[RdBrd83]

Around here I usually see state cops helping people who are broke down on the side of the highway. If nothing else, motorist have to give a lane to all emergency vehicles that are on the shoulder of the road, so atleast that way you can replace your tire or whatever a litte more safely.

[Blue Flame V6]

I think the tire change is bull****. I mean come on most people can change a tire in under 10 minutes or at least mechanically inclined males. No offense ladies we do tend to be stronger and can move larger tires around easier, but if you don't get it changed in 6 minutes then its gonna cost you a minium of $75 or probably in my case alot of court costs for assault and battery. Which is why I'm glad I don't live in houston.