lifeliberty
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from your description it seems like entrapment, and I can see it that way. i hate tow truck companies(though sometimes they are useful) and I do think sloopys is bad for the neighborhood.
the first time in a long time I saw a paddy wagon on campus was in front of sloopys the same night my friends got towed.
paddy wagon in front of establishment does not imply good neighbors.
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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Ndcent wrote I feel like Pro Tow and it's employees should all die horrible deaths.
I'm thinking drawn & quartered using tow trucks. Some self-petard-hoisting should be involved.
Or maybe if you could somehow get one of their trucks impounded by the city…that would be sweet.
Bear
The woods
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Ndcent wrote I feel like Pro Tow and it's employees should all die horrible deaths.
Well, don't get me wrong, I won't be sending them Christmas cards. But if it weren't for businesses like Sloopy's, tow truck companies would make their living by towing people who had been in accidents or whose cars had broken down... that sort of thing.
Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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a quick glance at their "yelp" rating is good for a few LOLs
Bear
The woods
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FWIW, here's a visual of the lot.
This is old, from Google street view. The big white rectangle on the building is gone. The smaller signs underneath and to the right... I think are gone but may still be there. The sign to the left of the big white rectangle (and the old, torn half-sign to its left, which I think is just litter waiting to be removed) are the only hints that this is anything other than an open lot.
The guy from the towing company and his pal sat on the raised brick flower bed to the left of the entrance. They saw us get out of our cars. We saw them. They almost certainly heard us discuss the question of whether or not it was a private lot, because that's what we were discussing when we were standing right there. They would have heard us say that we couldn't tell. They chose not to enlighten us.
If they were there to catch people who knowingly park in their lot and go somewhere else, that moment was precisely the one at which they could have proved it by saying, "Actually, it's a private lot" and pointing out the sign. If we had said, "Oh well," and kept on going, then they'd have been in the clear, ethically speaking.
lifeliberty
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Bear wrote ethically speaking.
towtruck driver ethics are a lot of what keeps me from being a tow truck driver. (cept the AAA tow drivers, they seem to be a good lot)
nexttuesday
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Bear wroteThe guy from the towing company and his pal sat on the raised brick flower bed to the left of the entrance. They saw us get out of our cars. We saw them. They almost certainly heard us discuss the question of whether or not it was a private lot, because that's what we were discussing when we were standing right there. They would have heard us say that we couldn't tell. They chose not to enlighten us.
Well if they told you, they would be costing their company money. Where's the fun in that?!
You could spend your night on a Friday or Saturday warning everyone who parks in the lot, but that would take a lot of time and those guys might try to hit you or something. I would suggest letters to the editor, particularly the lantern since it'll reach the most possible victims.
Bear
The woods
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nexttuesday wrote You could spend your night on a Friday or Saturday warning everyone who parks in the lot, but that would take a lot of time and those guys might try to hit you or something. I would suggest letters to the editor, particularly the lantern since it'll reach the most possible victims.
I was thinking of printing up bright yellow t-shirts that say "THESE ASSHOLES ARE HERE TO TOW YOUR CAR" and then going there on a Friday or Saturday night to hang out with them.
It also occurred to me that there might be applicable laws against loitering.
Mercurius
First Avenue
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Bear wroteTry looking for Sloppy's on Google Maps. I'll give you a hint, here is the address I got:nexttuesday wrote You could spend your night on a Friday or Saturday warning everyone who parks in the lot, but that would take a lot of time and those guys might try to hit you or something. I would suggest letters to the editor, particularly the lantern since it'll reach the most possible victims.I was thinking of printing up bright yellow t-shirts that say "THESE ASSHOLES ARE HERE TO TOW YOUR CAR" and then going there on a Friday or Saturday night to hang out with them.
It also occurred to me that there might be applicable laws against loitering.
30 W Lawn Ave, Columbus, OH
:twisted:
Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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Bear wroteIt also occurred to me that there might be applicable laws against loitering.
I don't think you can 'loiter' on your own property.
Bear
The woods
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Rockmastermike wrote I don't think you can 'loiter' on your own property.
The towing company doesn't own Sloopy's.
Mercurius wrote Try looking for Sloppy's on Google Maps. I'll give you a hint, here is the address I got:30 W Lawn Ave, Columbus, OH
Um.
I don't think the towing company owns Sloopy's....
... but the only address I see for Sloopy's in Google Maps is the one on High St. ?!?
but yeah the Lawn St. address is the address of those s.o.b.'s with the tow trucks, all right
nexttuesday
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Hmm, maybe you are on to a giant conspiracy. Maybe the bar's main purpose is not to turn a profit off of alcoholic college students but actually to run a front bar to attract alcoholics who will foolishly park their cars and get towed.
You can afford to give great drink specials if you're making the majority of your money off of towing. And the customers associate your business with great cheap drinks, not counting in the 100 dollars they paid for parking.
Edit to add: they can call the cops on you for loitering, but they'll just tell you to leave if you're doing something wrong. If you explain to the cops why you are there they might even let you stay when they see you're not drunk.
Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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Bear wroteI don't think the towing company owns Sloopy's....
... but the only address I see for Sloopy's in Google Maps is the one on High St. ?!?
but yeah the Lawn St. address is the address of those s.o.b.'s with the tow trucks, all right
Property ownership is really not where I was going with that. The land the bar sits on is actually owned by someone named Salim Ailabouni, but it is clearly the management of the tenant who gives permission for the 'loitering'.
blammo
in the shadow of the wonder of bread
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The police usually maintain a favorable relationship with tow truck operators. I wouldn't look to them to go out of their way to help you take them on. A friend of mine had a tow truck driver pull a GUN on them…then when the police arrived, the driver put his gun away, told the police my friend had a knife but threw it away…the police spent all their time looking for the "missing knife" then arrested my friend and never even questioned the tow trucker.
I had a friend who worked as a tow truck driver for a repo company & they pretty much could run lights & break whatever traffic laws they felt like & the police looked the other way for the most part. So there's certainly a brazen feeling of invulnerability some of those guys have and act upon.
misskitty
Columbus
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Roland wrote They may own the parking lot but aren't the sidewalks public property? You should be able to stand around there as long as you want. It might be fun to spend time there making sure they don't make a dime.
thats true ! it is public so if you stand on the side walk right at the drive !
You could spend your night on a Friday or Saturday warning everyone who parks in the lot, but that would take a lot of time and those guys might try to hit you
^^ then you could sue them ;)
Rockmastermike
CORNspiracy HQ
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misskitty wrote^^ then you could sue them ;)
wouldn't be the first... (assuming the bar management is responsible for these thugs being there)
(from http://www.liquorcontrol.ohio.gov/franklin.txt )
MJ CLUB 23 LLC $SLOOPYS $2619 N HIGH ST
(from http://dockets.justia.com/docket/court-ohsdce/case_no-2:2008cv00889/case_id-125618/)
Plaintiff: Joe Hand Promotions, Inc.
Defendant: Michael Bradshaw, John Howland and MJ Club 23 LLC
Case Number: 2:2008cv00889
Filed: September 19, 2008
Court: Ohio Southern District Court
Office: Cable/Satellite TV Office [ Court Info ]
County: FRANKLIN
Presiding Judge: George C Smith
Referring Judge: Mark R. Abel
Jury Demanded By: 47:553 Unauthorized Reception of Cable Service
Amount Demanded: $170,000.00
laChewla
Victorian Village, The Heart Of It All
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Hael wroteAlways assume you will get towed in situations where you are not sure.
My father told me that a long time ago. Always assume they're going to tow you. Only park where you definitely know you will not get towed.
Or ride a bike. ;)
Seriously though, I am sorry to hear about all the BS with this lot. Unfortunately I think it's common practice for a lot of places where parking is at a premium.
Always a safe choice to Park on Duncan or somewhere East of High *Double Check the Signs!* and huff it for a few blocks. Beats the hell out of $150 for a tow.
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