Mass car towing near Cliff Bells / Foxtown

**detroithealth** · January-12-12, 10:27 PM

Does anyone know what's going on near Park/ Elizabeth/ Columbia? There's been a mass car towing operation over the last half hour or so [[accompanied by cop cars).

**Meddle** · January-12-12, 10:51 PM

Revenue generation.

**detroithealth** · January-12-12, 10:58 PM

They were parked legally.

**MSUguy** · January-12-12, 11:00 PM

I saw a ton of no parking by police order signs taped to the light poles in the area with today's date in the area.

**ResurgetCineribus** · January-12-12, 11:02 PM

I've seen this before, last time it was a blitz by parking enforcement to round up a bunch of cars with multiple overdue parking tickets. They did it during a graduation at Chene park. They pretty much targeted just one block of one street. First a sight car drove down to check all the plates, then a van to put on boots, then the flatbed...

**detroithealth** · January-12-12, 11:04 PM

Weird. Ok, thanks, I believe that. I didn't see the signs, I just observed the happenings from a highrise [[knowing on-street parking is typically permitted where they were being towed). I'm guessing the cars parked there were used to parking there otherwise as well. Several cars were towed at rapid fire pace.

**thredmission** · January-13-12, 12:16 AM

This is not from overpaid parking tickets. Olympia and the city are in on this together and claiming it is due to "crime issues" so they are making the entire area a no-street parking sector after 6pm with the theory it will reduce theft by there not being any cars on the street. So where will everyone park instead ? Oh that's right…in all the surface lots that Olympia owns.

**EastsideAl** · January-13-12, 12:22 AM

So Meddle was righter than he knew. It's revenue generation for both the city and the Ilitches. If I ran Cliff Bell's or any of the other evening businesses over there I'd be absolutely furious over this act of multiple extortion of my customers.

Ravine · January-13-12, 02:30 AM

Originally Posted by thredmission

This is not from overpaid parking tickets. Olympia and the city are in on this together and claiming it is due to "crime issues" so they are making the entire area a no-street parking sector after 6pm with the theory it will reduce theft by there not being any cars on the street. So where will everyone park instead ? Oh that's right…in all the surface lots that Olympia owns.

So, is that your assessment, your guess, your insider info, your Wikipinion, or what?

**Zacha341** · January-13-12, 03:22 AM

Yep, if you have over three four or five tickets and you're parked illegally or if your meter runs out on goes the boot, then the tow. And every day you don't come get your car the fees go up! I saw a car on Virginia Park with a boot on it... the parking enforcement teams are starting to go up and down residential streets running plates I suppose of those illegally parked.

Originally Posted by ResurgetCineribus

I've seen this before, last time it was a blitz by parking enforcement to round up a bunch of cars with multiple overdue parking tickets. They did it during a graduation at Chene park. They pretty much targeted just one block of one street. First a sight car drove down to check all the plates, then a van to put on boots, then the flatbed...

Occurrence · January-13-12, 05:12 AM

They do this occasionally. It makes money for the city and the towing companies.

Lesson to be learned: Don't park where you shouldn't [[even if they only enforce it once or twice a year.)

**Meddle** · January-13-12, 05:50 AM

If it was crime prevention, they'd put a few more cops out there on foot patrol [[you know, the ones who aren't sitting in the closed precincts overnight).

This is about the Cha-Ching!!!

**OriginalG313** · January-13-12, 08:14 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/2012011...y-Detroit-says

"Don't expect a break this year from parking enforcement in downtown Detroit if you're heading to the North American International Auto Show.

Parking crews will issue tickets for people who don't feed meters as required over the weekend and during normal weekday enforcement hours, city officials said Thursday. They'll also ticket vehicles -- and tow them, if necessary -- that are parked illegally in handicap parking spots, too close to intersections, blocking crosswalks and hydrants, and the like.
Last summer, the City of Detroit announced it would no longer be lenient about parking because of its financial crisis and a backlog of unpaid parking tickets that hit $35 million."

**drjeff** · January-13-12, 11:44 AM

I don't know why anyone thinks parking in the CBD of a major city should be free. It's not free anywhere else, and is actually pretty cheap in Detroit.

**Detroitnerd** · January-13-12, 11:51 AM

I had my car booted and towed last year. My friends all said the same thing -- "revenue generation" -- but I thought of it a bit differently. It's just enforcement. And if you're going to spend money on enforcement, you should also make some money on it. That is to say, booting cars parked near the Hilberry Theatre on a Friday night would tend to nab suburban scofflaws with the resources to pay. Or perhaps parking enforcement should boot and tow cars in the hood that won't be bailed out of storage? See what I mean? Anyway, I'm all paid up now, even though I had to crack my IRA and sell some stock to make the $700. My advice: Pay those old parking tickets. Much better than paying the administrative fees, storage fees, processing fees and whatnot they stack on top when they boot you. And it's kinda cold out to be stranded for a night, even if they do seem to boot you in nicer parts of town.

**Meddle** · January-13-12, 12:05 PM

Enforcement is ticketing/towing cars from fire hydrants, crosswalks, building entrances, expired meters, etc.

Revenue Generation is putting up paper signs on normally legal spots, altering hours during special events and towing everything in sight.

And if you don't think there's collusion between the city and the paid parking lots and vendors, you haven't been paying attention. The lots want the money, they don't want people to be able to park on the street for free or at meters. I wouldn't be surprised if there isn't a side deal that kicks back some of the towing and impound fees to the lot owners. If you doubt that, remember which city we're talking about.

**313rd** · January-13-12, 12:59 PM

I have not been around in a few years, but in the past the area around Cliff Bells has some limited street parking with meters. Other areas on the streets do not have meters, but people have always parked. There were never "No Parking Signs"

Also, above mentioned that all the Olympia owned surface lots could accept the parking for a fee. These lots are typically closed on non event days, which is probably about 60-70% of the time.

So if you are going to Cliff Bells your options of parking are 1.) Street Parking Legally at a Meter 2.) Fox Garage 3.) Garage off of Elizbeth 4.) People Mover to GCP and walk less than a 1/10 of a mile 5.) Ride your Bike 6.) etc........

**Zacha341** · January-13-12, 01:37 PM

Or take the bus [[smile)...

Originally Posted by 313rd

...So if you are going to Cliff Bells your options of parking are 1.) Street Parking Legally at a Meter 2.) Fox Garage 3.) Garage off of Elizbeth 4.) People Mover to GCP and walk less than a 1/10 of a mile 5.) Ride your Bike 6.) etc........

**SaintMe** · January-13-12, 05:52 PM

According to Channel 4 everyone who was towed or ticketed will be reimbursed. The police put up parking signs in order to get people into the Olympia lots, but all the lots were closed.

Occurrence · January-13-12, 07:32 PM

I still don't know how booting a car is legal. Something seems a little bit lopsided when they basically take a $15,000 car hostage when only a few hundred dollars is owed. They should only be able to seize property equal to what you owe.

**Dent** · January-13-12, 07:42 PM

Parking tickets in Detroit have to be PAID? 'No Parking' laws need to be abolished for native Detroiters, since this problem is mostly from outsiders trying to take all the good parking for free.

**Gannon** · January-15-12, 08:14 AM

http://www.freep.com/article/2012011...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

Punish the people instead of dealing with the problem.

Nice we can help enrich one of the area's richest families at the same time.

Godbee is a total idiot. He needs to be replaced with someone who understands how to solve problems, not corral the potential victims so the perps have it even easier.

No cheers on this one...glad I'm with a partner who has paid parking downtown.

**Kathleen** · January-15-12, 08:46 AM

According to a WDIV report on Friday evening, the parking fees would be only $1 or $2 unless a special event was going on and so the going rate of $10 or whatever would be in place.

Question is...will the lots be attended until closing time for the nearby bars and clubs and restaurants? If not, that defeats the intended purpose of cutting down car thefts and break-ins!!

**Meddle** · January-15-12, 09:09 AM

Originally Posted by Kathleen

If not, that defeats the intended purpose of cutting down car thefts and break-ins!!

That may be the stated purpose.

Which would be a lie.

Come to think of it, I wonder how much of that vandalism could be traced back to parking lot owners/operators trying to discourage people from parking on the streets?