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Burger King - Vehicle Towed While At Children's Hospital
Complaint
Review by clwoods on 2013-01-15
Rating: 
BIRMINGHAM, ALABAMA -- On Sunday morning, 01/13/13 my 16 year old grandson was involved in a very bad auto accident and was taken by ambulance to Children's Hospital in downtown Birmingham, Alabama.
My husband and I arrived at the Emergency Entrance of the hospital around 2 A.M. We parked in a Burger King parking lot directly across from the Emergency Entrance. We were very worried about our grandson, who had a head injury and was bleeding badly. About 4 A.M. the doctor came out and told us that they had stopped the bleeding.
We left the hospital with our other three grandchildren, ages 6, 8, and 12 to get them home so that our son could stay with the injured grandson. We got outside the hospital; our vehicle had been towed away with no phone# to call to reclaim it. Got the # finally (frightening experience) Had to stand out in rain and wind and knock on the walk up order window for 10 minutes in downtown Birmingham in order to get the #. Cost $250.00 cash to get it back an hour and a half later. Lucky we had it.
From 2 to 4 A.M. parking lot empty. Really?? This is very bad public service.
My husband and I arrived at the Emergency Entrance of the hospital around 2 A.M. We parked in a Burger King parking lot directly across from the Emergency Entrance. We were very worried about our grandson, who had a head injury and was bleeding badly. About 4 A.M. the doctor came out and told us that they had stopped the bleeding.
We left the hospital with our other three grandchildren, ages 6, 8, and 12 to get them home so that our son could stay with the injured grandson. We got outside the hospital; our vehicle had been towed away with no phone# to call to reclaim it. Got the # finally (frightening experience) Had to stand out in rain and wind and knock on the walk up order window for 10 minutes in downtown Birmingham in order to get the #. Cost $250.00 cash to get it back an hour and a half later. Lucky we had it.
From 2 to 4 A.M. parking lot empty. Really?? This is very bad public service.
Comments:
Posted by madconsumer on 2013-01-15:
were you also a patron of burger king?
Posted by DebtorBasher on 2013-01-15:
I hope your Grandson has a full recovery. I can understand your panic.
However, there is most likely a sign in the BK Parking lot stating it is for BK customers only and violators will be towed. (There should be a phone number for tow company on the sign). The tow company is hired by BK to tow anyone who parks there that are not customers. They can not possibly try to find the owner of the car to warn them, that is why they post signs...as a warning.
It's too bad you had to go through this, but it is not the fault of BK or the Tow company.
I have to ask (you don't have to answer)...wouldn't you have been closer to the ER entrance if you parked in the ER lot? At 2am, I would think there would be available parking there.
Anyway, it's a lesson learned and I'm sure you had your reasons for parking in BK's lot and towing is the chance a person takes and the price of the tow for doing so.
Even if a person was a customer of BK's, once they leave the establishment and walk to another establishment, they are in violation...they need to take their car with them...as seen many times over on Parking Wars.
Speedy recovery to your Grandson.
However, there is most likely a sign in the BK Parking lot stating it is for BK customers only and violators will be towed. (There should be a phone number for tow company on the sign). The tow company is hired by BK to tow anyone who parks there that are not customers. They can not possibly try to find the owner of the car to warn them, that is why they post signs...as a warning.
It's too bad you had to go through this, but it is not the fault of BK or the Tow company.
I have to ask (you don't have to answer)...wouldn't you have been closer to the ER entrance if you parked in the ER lot? At 2am, I would think there would be available parking there.
Anyway, it's a lesson learned and I'm sure you had your reasons for parking in BK's lot and towing is the chance a person takes and the price of the tow for doing so.
Even if a person was a customer of BK's, once they leave the establishment and walk to another establishment, they are in violation...they need to take their car with them...as seen many times over on Parking Wars.
Speedy recovery to your Grandson.
Posted by Bee on 2013-01-15:
While I am sorry your grandson was injured, Burger King had every right to tow your vehicle as it was parked on their property while you were at the Hospital. Why didn't you park in the hospital parking in the first place? Presumably, because of the location of this restaurant they have this problem frequently. People don't want to pay hospital parking prices, so they park at BK for free. This means legitimate customers are unable to find parking because someone who isn't even there has taken the spot to save a few dollars. Even if they are not open or the parking lot is empty, that does not give you the right to park on private property. Consider this a very expensive lesson learned. Had you simply parked in the hospital parking, you would not have had to pay $250 and you would not have been standing out in the rain looking for your car.
Posted by trmn8r on 2013-01-15:
I'm sorry about your relative, but it is irrelevant to your complaint. You parked illegally, evidently, and there is little chance that a family medical condition is one of the excuses the land owner accepts. In fact, I don't believe they accept any excuses once the tow truck takes the car, because that costs money.
At this hour, was there not parking available at the hospital? You had money to pay for it.
At this hour, was there not parking available at the hospital? You had money to pay for it.
Posted by Bill on 2013-01-16:
$250.00 is an insane amount for a tow. Plus you have to pay in cash. I'd like to see the IRS investigate some of these predator tow companies.
I'm positive a lot of this money goes unreported.
I'm sure they could reduce the national debt substantially.
I'm positive a lot of this money goes unreported.
I'm sure they could reduce the national debt substantially.
Posted by Dryer Lint on 2013-01-16:
Bill, if every man woman and child in America got a $250 ticket this year you'd pay off less .05% we use higher numbers for accounting errors.
Thanks liberals...
Thanks liberals...
Posted by Susan on 2013-01-16:
Unfortunately Burger King isn't in the public service business and I'm sure considering their location across from a hospital that vehicles in their parking lot is a major issue. Did the hospital not have a parking facility?
Posted by At Your Service on 2013-01-17:
Really good response DB. I sure hope your grandson is doing okay.
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