Posted on Mon, Jul. 26, 2010
Commentary
Towing as organized crime
By Ronald W. Kosh
Does someone have to be killed to focus the city's attention on towing problems?
It was bad enough that Philadelphia continued to condone the towing companies' gouging of area motorists, who contend with unethical towing practices and obscene storage charges. But now we have gunfights erupting over which towing company should get a job.
One of three Philadelphia-based tow-truck operators responding to a car crash last week was shot in an apparent dispute over what is commonly known as "wreck-chasing." Arson and more gunfire followed before police arrested one of the operators suspected in the violence.
This shooting in broad daylight - and other disputes over the vehicles of innocent drivers unfortunate enough to have accidents here - would not have happened if Philadelphia had properly implemented its rotational towing ordinance, which City Council adopted more than two years ago.
In December 2007, City Council approved an ordinance prohibiting certain towing practices and establishing a so-called rotational system. The law provided that "no person shall engage in towing from the scene of an accident or with respect to a disabled vehicle ... unless that person has either been selected through operation of such rotational system or has been selected or permitted to perform such tow ... by the State Police."
However, while the rotational towing system was designed and approved to eliminate the dangers of wreck-chasing, and while the city's Office of the Managing Director has adopted appropriate regulations to implement the ordinance, it is apparently being ignored.
Safety should be the primary concern for those responding to accident scenes. Had the rotational towing system been in place, it's unlikely that any of the recent violence would have occurred.
City officials and police must fully and immediately implement the rotational towing system to protect the stranded motorists who rely on them for assistance.
Read more: http://www.philly.com/inquirer/opinion/20100726_Towing_as_organized_crime.html#ixzz0utIg9G7G
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Towing as organized crime | Philadelphia Inquirer | 07/26/2010
