Politics & Government

SPEAK OUT: Is Towing from County Parking Lots a Problem?

ABC7 highlights the issue of towing in Montgomery County.

 

With Montgomery County feeling the parking crunch, have you been towed after parking in a lot and “walking off” to a different establishment? Or worse, have you seen your car unfairly towed from the lot of the business in which you were shopping?

ABC7 recently highlighted the issue of towing in Montgomery County—30,000 cars last year alone, according to ABC7—and spoke with a family who says their car was unfairly towed. Towing is the No. 1 complaint fielded by the Montgomery County Office of Consumer Protection, according to the report.

Find out what's happening in Potomacwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“We really are in crisis mode in Montgomery County with respect to non-consensual towing,” Eric Friedman, Office of Consumer Protection director, told ABC7. “They’re just hiding, waiting for someone to walk away or do something wrong, then they swoop in like a hawk and get their car.”

But enforcing parking policies can provide a safeguard for the business community, merchants say. In Bethesda, where parking is especially scarce following the , a major surface parking lot that’s being redeveloped into a parking garage, business owners say they have to be vigilant when it comes to their spaces.

Find out what's happening in Potomacwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“You have to be aggressive," Tim Merkel, of , told ABC7. “Otherwise, your lot is filled up with customers that aren’t coming into your establishment.”

Do you think towing in Montgomery County is an issue, and if so, what should be done about it? Has your car been towed? Tell us in the comments.



Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here