Impound of your expensive bike OR cage | GTAMotorcycle.com

Impound of your expensive bike OR cage

micelli.i

Well-known member
This is just a hypothetical.

If your high-end bike OR cage (i.e. 2016 Harley or Porsche 911) gets impounded at side off road for speeding, for ex., and your vehicle hidden camera shows later that the tow truck driver and/or his friends were "test driving it" after impounding it, can one press charges against them? Assume there is no damages to the machine; they just used it to show off to friends.

Thanks!
 
Theoretically I think the answer is yes but where are you going to get proof? You can press charges but the court doesn't have to pursue them.

Also if the vehicle is impounded NO ONE is supposed to drive it. How much lawyer money do you have to pursue this?

If your vehicle is impounded for a HTA 172 do you have to give the keys?
 
If your vehicle is impounded for a HTA 172 do you have to give the keys?

It's been a few years, I don't remember if I held onto the keys or not but I did ask the officer to write down the exact odometer reading so we would both have a record of the mileage when the car was picked up.
 
There is a charge under the HTA of "Take Auto Without Consent" which could be laid.
If you have solid evidence that this happened, the best result might be obtained with a complaint to the agency that licences the tow truck in that area.
A suspension or even revoking the licence could result.
Also complain to the police about it. Police use tow trucks that are under contract to tow vehicles.
Enough complaints and the cops will cancel the contract and go with someone else.
 
It's been a few years, I don't remember if I held onto the keys or not but I did ask the officer to write down the exact odometer reading so we would both have a record of the mileage when the car was picked up.

That's a good question actually...never thought of that. I'd assume with a car they'd need the keys to move it around in the impound (truck drops it off, and they need to put it in a parking space), but with a bike as long as the steering was unlocked they could just roll it into place.

Granted the easy solution is to never get into a position where they need to impound the vehicle in the first place...
 
That's a good question actually...never thought of that. I'd assume with a car they'd need the keys to move it around in the impound (truck drops it off, and they need to put it in a parking space), but with a bike as long as the steering was unlocked they could just roll it into place.

Granted the easy solution is to never get into a position where they need to impound the vehicle in the first place...

If the tow truck driver knows how to drive, it shouldn't be hard to put the car wherever they need to put it in the lot. Probably more difficult with a flatbed, which is what they used to tow my car back when.
 
no logical reason for them to be driving the car. having driven tow truck as a side job many moons ago even a mediocre tow operator will be able to put right in a spot flatbed or reg hookup.

if video evidence existed then a charge is certainly appropriate. minimum complaint to tow company owner, (puts him/her at a huge liability), plus licencing standards at the city, they control tow companies.
 
Not too sure that's an HTA charge.. I'm more than sure it's a criminal code offence.

There is a charge under the HTA of "Take Auto Without Consent" which could be laid.
If you have solid evidence that this happened, the best result might be obtained with a complaint to the agency that licences the tow truck in that area.
A suspension or even revoking the licence could result.
Also complain to the police about it. Police use tow trucks that are under contract to tow vehicles.
Enough complaints and the cops will cancel the contract and go with someone else.
 
we dont press charges. An officer makes a report, recommends a charge to the prosecutor, prosecutor charges.
 
we dont press charges. An officer makes a report, recommends a charge to the prosecutor, prosecutor charges.

Charges are not automatic. The prosecutor first considers the effects on his/her resources ($$$), the benefit to society, cost of damage incurred and the chance of conviction. Then he/she either proceeds or drops the charges.

If the crown member making the decision hates motorcycles but loves Porsches two similar events might have different outcomes, especially if they live in a noisy-ride prone area. FOTC etc.
 
Charges are not automatic. The prosecutor first considers the effects on his/her resources ($$$), the benefit to society, cost of damage incurred and the chance of conviction. Then he/she either proceeds or drops the charges.

If the crown member making the decision hates motorcycles but loves Porsches two similar events might have different outcomes, especially if they live in a noisy-ride prone area. FOTC etc.

exactly. its up to the prosecutor. neither the cop or us has a legal influence when it comes to charges
 
If I had reliable information (ie. video) of a tow operator joy riding in an impounded vehicle, I would be more than happy to pursue that. Most of the tow operators that I have worked with would never risk it. Writing down the mileage is a great idea, and easy insurance. Especially if the tow operator knows that it's been recorded.
 
Consider that it's the sort of thing that could get a yard's license pulled, or see them lose a lucrative public contract.
 
Consider that it's the sort of thing that could get a yard's license pulled, or see them lose a lucrative public contract.

Thats assuming the fairly clever guy that owns the yard and license knows what the yard dummy at 2am is doing. Lots of shenanigans happens behind the owners back.
 
If anything like that happens or in general if you are getting your car towed or leaving with a service shop, make a small video showing odometer plus a walk around of outside and inside to show no damages when you gave them the car...make sure you sneak in the person taking possession to prove you made the video there.

If you do see damage after DO NOT drive off, always walk around and check things out before you get into the car.
Get it documented right away and also make another video.

That should protect you all the way around, small claims court should be easy to resolve it.
 
This is just a hypothetical.

If your high-end bike OR cage (i.e. 2016 Harley or Porsche 911) gets impounded at side off road for speeding, for ex., and your vehicle hidden camera shows later that the tow truck driver and/or his friends were "test driving it" after impounding it, can one press charges against them? Assume there is no damages to the machine; they just used it to show off to friends.

Thanks!

What do you own, since you're asking? Mortals won't be considering this type of thing
 
If anything like that happens or in general if you are getting your car towed or leaving with a service shop, make a small video showing odometer plus a walk around of outside and inside to show no damages when you gave them the car...make sure you sneak in the person taking possession to prove you made the video there.

If you do see damage after DO NOT drive off, always walk around and check things out before you get into the car.
Get it documented right away and also make another video.

That should protect you all the way around, small claims court should be easy to resolve it.

Had a customer complain after watching his dash cam vid. Was very upset that I ran the car 20 mins on the highway after begging me to get his car through emissions without spending a fortune (which I did).. he then demanded compensation; was going to call lawyer's etc etc; never did see him again.

What a shame.
 
Had a customer complain after watching his dash cam vid. Was very upset that I ran the car 20 mins on the highway after begging me to get his car through emissions without spending a fortune (which I did).. he then demanded compensation; was going to call lawyer's etc etc; never did see him again.

What a shame.

A friend is a GM manager and took a customer car on a 20 mile road test to double check a repair that had to be redone. The guy demands "Who's going to pay for the gas?" so my buddy pulls $10 from his own pocket to end the issue. The customer snarls "I don't want your money."
 

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