![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
geekchick$589 that I didn't really have later, I have my old car back in my possession and tow-proof. Yay. As I've said before, when I get around to actually buying a house of my own, the #1 non-negotiable requirement will be "absolutely *no* homeowners' association".
Backstory for those who hadn't seen it: it seems the fine, upstanding folks in the HOA of the neighborhood I rent in had my old Protege towed because of an expired safety inspection sticker. Since the car isn't being driven right at the moment for reasons a bit complicated to get into and it's not parked in the main lot, I didn't notice what had happened for two days and it ended up costing me $450 to get it back from the towing company.
I gotta find a way to get into a racket that lets me steal someone's property (er, wait, it's not actually stealing because they don't at first intend to permanently deprive you of your property or something like that), charge $50 a day for nothing more than parking a car on my lot, and then confiscate the car and sell it off if I don't get huge stacks of cash within a certain time frame.
-------------------------
I can't believe it's noon and I've already been up for four and a half hours, gone to Sears for tires, Silver Diner for pancakes and a vat of coffee, Pep Boys for a brake light bulb and some engine cleaner, Shell for an inspection, and been back home for twenty minutes or so. Those who know me know how extremely unusual it is for me to be awake and highly productive before noon on Saturdays.
It's a gorgeous day outside, sunny and about 79 degrees, and I think I'm going to try to find something to do that lets me take advantage of that. The fact that my copy of Deathly Hallows will not show up on my doorstep until sometime after 4 PM (if past performance is indicative of future results) makes that an easier decision.
Backstory for those who hadn't seen it: it seems the fine, upstanding folks in the HOA of the neighborhood I rent in had my old Protege towed because of an expired safety inspection sticker. Since the car isn't being driven right at the moment for reasons a bit complicated to get into and it's not parked in the main lot, I didn't notice what had happened for two days and it ended up costing me $450 to get it back from the towing company.
I gotta find a way to get into a racket that lets me steal someone's property (er, wait, it's not actually stealing because they don't at first intend to permanently deprive you of your property or something like that), charge $50 a day for nothing more than parking a car on my lot, and then confiscate the car and sell it off if I don't get huge stacks of cash within a certain time frame.
-------------------------
I can't believe it's noon and I've already been up for four and a half hours, gone to Sears for tires, Silver Diner for pancakes and a vat of coffee, Pep Boys for a brake light bulb and some engine cleaner, Shell for an inspection, and been back home for twenty minutes or so. Those who know me know how extremely unusual it is for me to be awake and highly productive before noon on Saturdays.
It's a gorgeous day outside, sunny and about 79 degrees, and I think I'm going to try to find something to do that lets me take advantage of that. The fact that my copy of Deathly Hallows will not show up on my doorstep until sometime after 4 PM (if past performance is indicative of future results) makes that an easier decision.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2007-07-21 07:36 pm (UTC)I've warned realtors about my no-HOA policy. I've pointed out that I will actually walk away from a closing ceremony if they pull one. I want to send the message to the builders that HOAs reduce values (and therefore their profits). If only I could convince fifty million of my closest friends to do the same thing, we'd have change in a couple of months!
no subject
Date: 2007-07-22 10:00 pm (UTC)In California they wouldn't be able to tow you. A car has to have current tags if it's on a public street (no matter if it's parked, driving, or being towed; though a flatbed might obviate the latter).
So a private lot; which the HOA lot would have to be, would be exempt.
I won't live where there is one (which means the entire city of Irvine is off limits).
Calif. has some pretty good laws protecting people from towing, but you have to 1: know what they are, and 2: be willing to physically prevent the tow from taking place.
On the flip side, if you have witnesses, or video, you can sue the pants off the tow, not the least because you can name the operator; as well as the company. If a lackey, who isn't legally authorised to demand a tow (the owner, or a person with a written POA, in hand) should make the call, you can name him, and the lot owner as well.
Which makes for some deep pockets, and (While the damages are small) the lawyers fees put a painful bite; because it's a slam dunk statutory violation, and they lose.
TK