[shankar.balan]

Originally Posted by StrangeWizard

This incident happened today.


What I wanted to ask is : is there any rule which says they can tow away vehicles even after the no parking time period is over and the car isn't obstructing any traffic?
And why do they only target small cars ? If they are so strict then they should use wheels clamps for bigger cars.
I've seen them open cars using a scale and then disengaging the hand brake and push the car out. Is there any rule which states that they are allowed to open a person's car in such a way without his permission?

The month is getting over and it seems as if they want to complete their targets. To hell with the citizens who have to bear this, and to hell with the damage caused to their cars!

Lets be clear. If the car is chain-lifted by a winch or crane, loaded onto a flatbed truck and towed away on account of parking or other violation that would be acceptable.
However, opening the car windows or doors illegally using the scale/ ruler or other incorrect method is tantamount to breaking, entering and unlawfully removing private property.
The thing is, even if you take a video of the scummycops doing these things, to whom can you turn, in our convoluted and corrupt legal system, for help? Unless of course someone in the family or friends circle is a lawyer who can help take the case up. Even then, if our Courts took 5 years to kill Kasab the butcher despite having proper indisputable video evidence to do it, do you really think they are going to care about one regular common man and his small car and the unlawful towing away by cops?
I think you would know better than to even bother trying. Thing is, if you want fairness, timely justice and public servants who are more genuine and honest in their dealings with the common people, then please emigrate. It will not happen here in India, either in my lifetime or yours.
Unfortunately we can't all be billionaire businessmen, politicians, rogues, thieves and scoundrels, to enjoy that unique distinction of being above the law...our taxes help oil the system and we are the tax paying servants of the system, not the masters, as we would be anywhere else which is more civilized than this disgustingly filthy, corrupt hole in the ground that we call India, our motherland and home country.
Sorry to be acerbic but it is really frustrating and does not seem like there is an end in sight.

[PPS]

Originally Posted by StrangeWizard

Then they just go away a bit ahead and pick up a WagonR.

WagonR owner would have had no idea what time his car was towed & would have paid the fine.

What I wanted to ask is : is there any rule which says they can tow away vehicles even after the no parking time period is over.

Don't think there is any such rule.

And why do they only target small cars ? If they are so strict then they should use wheels clamps for bigger cars.

I recently saw an Octavia which is a large sedan being towed away!

[sinharishi]

The traffic cop and towing operators trying to get inside the car to release the handbrake,failing to do so they damage the front bumper and tow the vehicle.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aZb_BeCqDNk

[ghodlur]

Close on the heels of the above post where the traffic cop eggs the towing guys to break into the car, this news brought much relief. Now you can claim compensation to any damages incurred during the towing of the vehicle. The judicial system has indicated that the traffic cop should give in writing an order to tow the vehicle in case the hand brakes are engaged.

Another shocking revealation. There are 116 towing contractors currently engaged by Mumbai traffic dept and many of them are owned by relatives of the traffic cops (16 nos).

Link as below:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/30971425.cms

[faustus77]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Close on the heels of the above post where the traffic cop eggs the towing guys to break into the car, this news brought much relief. Now you can claim compensation to any damages incurred during the towing of the vehicle. The judicial system has indicated that the traffic cop should give in writing an order to tow the vehicle in case the hand brakes are engaged.

Another shocking revealation. There are 116 towing contractors currently engaged by Mumbai traffic dept and many of them are owned by relatives of the traffic cops (16 nos).

Link as below:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/30971425.cms

Ghodlur
Hi.
Getting justice/compensation will not be easy. Difficult to prove that any damage was due to bad handling and did not exist before.
Unfortunately the victims are victimised .
Regards

[aviraj]

On towing the vehicle, the towing agency extorts Rs. 200-250 from the vehicle owner while Rs. 100 goes as fine to the government. What about the case when they don't tow the vehicle but just put a chain or lock on the wheel. Why does the towing agency charge Rs. 200-250 for that? That's daylight robbery (Though it saves your car from the damage of getting towed)

[StrangeWizard]

Originally Posted by ghodlur

Close on the heels of the above post where the traffic cop eggs the towing guys to break into the car, this news brought much relief. Now you can claim compensation to any damages incurred during the towing of the vehicle. The judicial system has indicated that the traffic cop should give in writing an order to tow the vehicle in case the hand brakes are engaged.

Another shocking revealation. There are 116 towing contractors currently engaged by Mumbai traffic dept and many of them are owned by relatives of the traffic cops (16 nos).

Link as below:
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/c...w/30971425.cms

Originally Posted by faustus77

Ghodlur
Hi.
Getting justice/compensation will not be easy. Difficult to prove that any damage was due to bad handling and did not exist before.
Unfortunately the victims are victimised .
Regards

Hi ghodlur and faustus77,

It is a pain to claim damages from these guys. My car's AC condenser got damaged while my car got towed last month. Even the AC service guy could make out that it broke while towing. I called the traffic police helpline and the constable directed me to go the towing centre/chowky and tell them about the damages.

I even mailed all the biggies like Joint Commissioner of Police, Traffic and few others and as expected NO REPLY.

I then went to Andheri Towing Centre which is near Andheri Station (W). Told them about the damages and showed the receipt. They were like, "How can the condenser get damaged while towing?" I said it got damaged because you guys have a very crude way of attaching vehicles to the truck using those rods and it was because of that, that it broke.

Then they said we can't do anything. Go to Juhu Police station (since my car got towed from JVPD) and file a report that your car got damaged while towing and you can then claim your own insurance.

Opposite my college, the board says No Parking from 1700-2100 hrs and my car was there between 0700-1300 hrs and still it got towed only because it is small and hence an easy target whereas the Vernas and Lauras and others were untouched. This I consider really unfair that only small cars get towed. These people come to clamp the bigger cars once in a blue moon, and sometimes not even that!

Originally Posted by aviraj

On towing the vehicle, the towing agency extorts Rs. 200-250 from the vehicle owner while Rs. 100 goes as fine to the government. What about the case when they don't tow the vehicle but just put a chain or lock on the wheel. Why does the towing agency charge Rs. 200-250 for that? That's daylight robbery (Though it saves your car from the damage of getting towed)

If your car gets towed, 300 is the fine which includes 100 for No parking fine and 200 as towing charges. If it gets clamped than the total fine is 200.

[ghodlur]

Originally Posted by StrangeWizard

it got towed only because it is small and hence an easy target whereas the Vernas and Lauras and others were untouched. This I consider really unfair that only small cars get towed. These people come to clamp the bigger cars once in a blue moon, and sometimes not even that!

+1 to that. Even I have seen the Towing vehicles targetting the smaller cars even when sedans & SUV are parked in the No parking Zone. The funny part is that they totally disregard the bigger vehicles presence. Above that the traffic jam which they create is something which only seen to be believed. Even in the video if you observe, they removed the front grille to make way for the towing hooks. Definitely the bumper must have developed a crack with the chain pressures.

[Rehaan]

Saw a new Mumbai Police tow van hauling a Fortuner yesterday...

...and I was impressed!

The rear tyres were on a wheel-lift, and the front tyres were on a trolley/dolly.

Looked something like this:

source

[The Great]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Saw a new Mumbai Police tow van hauling a Fortuner yesterday...

...and I was impressed!

The rear tyres had been lifted up, and the front tyres were on a trolley.

Looked something like this:
Attachment 1616295
source

AFAIK, this method is only used in case you/owner calls them and gets the vehicle towed.

The RTO towing vehicles are still old fashioned which still keep ruining those bumpers.

Also for insurance purpose, if the towed vehicle is damaged during towing, the insurance company will not validate the claim.

[AkMar]

Originally Posted by The Great

AFAIK, this method is only used in case you/owner calls them and gets the vehicle towed.

The RTO towing vehicles are still old fashioned which still keep ruining those bumpers.

Mumbai police has indeed got new towing vehicles as described by Rehaan. I have also seen them towing vehicles to their chowkies on numerous occasions.

[salilpawar1]

Originally Posted by Rehaan

Saw a new Mumbai Police tow van hauling a Fortuner yesterday...

...and I was impressed!

The rear tyres were on a wheel-lift, and the front tyres were on a trolley/dolly.

Looked something like this:
Attachment 1616295
source

Originally Posted by The Great

AFAIK, this method is only used in case you/owner calls them and gets the vehicle towed.

The RTO towing vehicles are still old fashioned which still keep ruining those bumpers.

Also for insurance purpose, if the towed vehicle is damaged during towing, the insurance company will not validate the claim.

Originally Posted by AkMar

Mumbai police has indeed got new towing vehicles as described by Rehaan. I have also seen them towing vehicles to their chowkies on numerous occasions.

Originally Posted by ghodlur

+1 to that. Even I have seen the Towing vehicles targetting the smaller cars even when sedans & SUV are parked in the No parking Zone. The funny part is that they totally disregard the bigger vehicles presence. Above that the traffic jam which they create is something which only seen to be believed. Even in the video if you observe, they removed the front grille to make way for the towing hooks. Definitely the bumper must have developed a crack with the chain pressures.

Mumbai traffic police has got a new fleet of Tata Xenons and 407s with modern towing equipment.

There is also a special towing van only for towing two wheelers which has a hydraulic crane to lift and place the bikes on the loading area.

Here's a video of the car trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Abim4-8ZfHA

[rohiT Nonu]

Originally Posted by salilpawar1

Mumbai traffic police has got a new fleet of Tata Xenons and 407s with modern towing equipment.

There is also a special towing van only for towing two wheelers which has a hydraulic crane to lift and place the bikes on the loading area.

Here's a video of the car trailer:

This is a good one for not damaging any car during towing exercise by the police. But I happen to have few questions regarding this.

1. Do the towing guys have that much space available around the car in a practical scenario (on a traffic road) to engage all those rods and other stuff below the front and rear of the car? If at all available, do the towing guys (who are well-known for their "less patience" and "chalta hai attitude") take up all these efforts to utilise these stuff to tow away the car without damaging the car?

2. What if the car is parked close to a footpath? How can they manage with the another set of small wheels that they are attaching to the rear wheels of car?

Correct me guys if my doubt is improper but I think I may probably arrive at the validity when its fully implemented in the city in all the possible scenarios.

[salilpawar1]

Originally Posted by rohiT Nonu

This is a good one for not damaging any car during towing exercise by the police. But I happen to have few questions regarding this.

1. Do the towing guys have that much space available around the car in a practical scenario (on a traffic road) to engage all those rods and other stuff below the front and rear of the car? If at all available, do the towing guys (who are well-known for their "less patience" and "chalta hai attitude") take up all these efforts to utilise these stuff to tow away the car without damaging the car?

2. What if the car is parked close to a footpath? How can they manage with the another set of small wheels that they are attaching to the rear wheels of car?

Correct me guys if my doubt is improper but I think I may probably arrive at the validity when its fully implemented in the city in all the possible scenarios.

Valid points but I recently saw an SX4 being towed which was parked in a narrow lane and close to the footpath.

The rear wheel supports are optional. If the parking brake is not engaged, I guess the vehicle can be towed with the rear wheels rolling.