do I have a case for contesting my car being towed?

[elainek77]

Hi, my car just got towed from a parking lot with a sign that said "unauthorized vehicles will be towed". The only other detail given besides the towing company name, towing location, phone number, and ticket amount, was that 90 minutes was the total time authorized to stay in the lot.

My question is that I left the lot for a few minutes to go to the bank next door to make a deposit so I could go grocery shopping - I had planned to go to Jewel which was located in the parking lot area upon my return. Upon entering the lot again literally 10 minutes later, I noticed my car was gone.

I was under the impression that I my vehicle was not "unauthorized" because I was planning on shopping there. Plus, I was within the 90 minute time frame. I could see if I left the parking lot for 90 minutes or more for instance, but it was barely a moment.

When I called the towing company, they said I shouldn't have left the parking lot, but nowhere on their signs does it say I cannot do so.

Do I have a case for contesting this? Thanks for your help!

 

[army judge]

Read your post, OP.
You admit to making a detour by going to the bank first.
That was your undoing.
Had you gone to Jewel, your car might not have been towed.
You didn't say, but I presume this was Jewel's lot.
You can protest, but I doubt it would do any good.

 

[elainek77]

Thank you for the reply. I had made a deposit at the bank next door so that I could go shop at Jewel - that's why I didn't go to Jewel first. Yes, this was Jewel's lot along with other businesses.

I'm trying to give Jewel business so this is why I don't think this is fair. Does this make sense?

 

[army judge]

It doesn't matter if it makes sense to you.
As far as Jewel was concerned, you violated their no trespass/no parking directive.
Don't waste your time convincing me, I'm a nobody, powerless to do anything except dispense marginal legal information.