Unjust

One thing you must know about me is that I am a rule follower and if you know me at all you know that I am totally one.  Ask my mom, my teachers, and the girls in hygiene school who called me, "Goodie Goodlin" (yes, they really called me that).  I just don't like getting in trouble, never have.

That is why when I feel like I am following rules and being intentional about it, yet still manage to get in trouble it is really upsetting.

Today I heard the girls wake up early so I decided last minute for us to hop in the car and head to see the lift off of the Hot air balloons (not something we get to see normally)  So Brett and Sarah got to sleep in and off Norah, Maya & I went.

We had so much fun!! I will have to do another post, because it was unlike a morning we have ever had nor ever will, such special memories!  We headed back to the car after about 2 hours of being there and the car was gone......... I immediately thought someone stole it, my heart sank, I didn't even know what to do with Maya & Norah with me.

There was a young girl standing there and she said to me, "the towing company just went to town in here!"  What, why?  Why did they tow my car, what did I do?  I mean I am in a strip mall, and there are some "restuarant only" parking signs in those 5 spots, but I did not park there.  The entrance I came through, it didn't say anything about "no parking" or "private parking.'  The girl proceeds to show me the sign at the entrance on the opposite side of the lot that says "private parking."  I never saw it, never once did I think I was parking illegally.

this is where I entered, there is a brown sign with a list of all the business' that is the only sign

here is where i parked, the yellow sign to the left is an Ad

I call the towing company and find out my car is there.  I ask them how I am suppose to get my car with my 2 children and they tell me to "figure it out myself."

Options:
 -Call Brett who can come get us with the civic that doesn't  hold all of us and is like 25 minutes away
-Call a cab, that doesn't have car seats
-Walk

Yeah, I googled the tow place and it was just over a mile a way.  I decide to walk.

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 "Ok girls, we already walked about half a mile, what's another mile? "
Well actually, it is a heck of a lot, when its hot, you are going uphill, you have no water, and are walking in an unsafe area with 2 toddlers.  My arm fell off from pulling the wagon and I cried the whole way.

I cried because our morning was ruined
I cried because every time something great happens in our family, something like this always follows
I cried because what was done was simply mean. ( I mean really, the business weren't open, no proper signs, and to do that to about 50 other families on a holiday weekend, I am pretty sure it was a planned way to take advantage of people)

I get to the tow place, try to pull it together and be nice, I mean they are just doing their job, just doing what the properties owners told them to do.  They tell me "no credit cards"...... of course, why not inconvenience me more please.  Let me call my husband have him wake the baby and go to the ATM and drive 25 minutes, or I can just walk back another few miles to an ATM?  Yep, Brett came, actually he was already on his way, he had watched were I walked the whole time via Iphone.

And then I ask the tow company.
Wait, why don't you take credit cards, doesn't everyone?
"It's our policy mam"
Oh and by the way you have to stand outside by our scarey parking lot and wait and wait bc we don't have enough room in here for all of the families we just screwed over, and we don't have a restroom or water or anything to survive for more than 5 minutes, oh and we will just be complete jerks to you, ok?

Yay think the towing people and property manager of the parking lot were in kahoots, sharing a little bling bling from their profits.... maybe?

So we wait for Brett, I can hear people around us, they are upset, for the same reason, they did not know they weren't allowed to park there.  And one lady told us she had parked in the same spot for the past 3 years! I did mention to the tow guy that the entrance I came in had no signage, and his response was, "well you came in the wrong entrance."  There was no wrong entrance, or wrong way sign, or one way arrow, just 2 entrances.  The tow guy also told us that the business' didn't want trash and loitering around their business' even if they weren't open.......
yep and that is why 50 people we simultaneously towed during a small window of time.  I might believe that had we been in a nice part of town, but we were in scareyville that was already trashed, so if you don't want me to park there, just tell me, like with a sign, otherwise, I DON'T KNOW! 

I know this looks like a really classy area of town, but don't be deceived by the photo

Maybe I am not an average person and couldn't notice the hidden signage, or maybe I am like all the other people who thought it was totally fine to park there.

I actually don't know what the Colorado law is on parking in a private business area.  I am unsure if adequate signage is needed, or if in fact they can just tow for any reason.  Working on figuring that out.

So, as Brett and are upset about the issue and feel like something should be done, we start researching.  We come to find out that the Colorado law requires that all towing companies accept credit card as a form of payment, and that law started on September 1, 2012.  Brett calls the towing company to ask them about this, they seem unaware, and told him he can come talk to them about it.  So of course, Brett goes back to talk them.  He shows the manager the law about credit card payments and the manager proceeds to shove him out of the building.  OK?

Well, we are going to proceed with something more.  It really is not about the money.  It is about being conniving and taking advantage of people and we want to make sure that is not happening to others. It is about making a point.  And even more for Brett it is about what the girls and I went through, he couldn't stand for anything that happened to us, he was really upset that we were treated that way.  He comes to my defense, he stands up for us and loves us, I know he would do anything for us.

What happened today didn't seem unfair, it seemed unjust.