The California law isn't quite as dumb as it sounds. In CA the license plate stays with the car (as opposed to states like New York where a new owner gets new plates) The state likes to keep track of the plates so they don't start being switched on cars for other, often illegal purposes. A vehicle that is not being used is supposed to pay a nominal $5 or $10 annual fee to keep the plate but then can't be driven without properly registering the car. If you want to avoid the fee you turn in the plates in which case they can't tow the car, especially if on private property. If you keep the plates and don't pay the $5, the car is fair game.

aidaiw83,
It sounds like the lady that hit you is trying to do the right thing. Met has a decent reputation and will likely play fair if you play fair. Like others said, tell them only what they need to know and settle with as little a fuss as possible. As with most of these situations it may not be as much money as you'd like but in this case I'd not want to argue it too hard. Good luck.

LRG

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LRG
1987 300D Turbo 175K
2006 Toyota Prius, efficent but no soul
1985 300 TDT(130K miles of trouble free motoring)now sold

Remember this is the People's Republic of Kalifornia. I know a guy who saw a another guy beating a woman; he call 911, got his 1911A and stopped the bastard. When the cop arrived the guy with the gun was arrested, the beater was let go. It's use a gun go to jail, even if your in the right.


If you defend your property with a firearm you will be called a "gun toting maniac" in the press and shot dead by the police. The only lawful use of a firearm against a criminal in Kalifornia is if he has the ability to use "lethal force" against you e.g. he has a gun too!

M.

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He's wild and free and so close to it only Gunk will clean his fingernails!

oh man...try to tow a car off someone's property at night in Texas!!! They have a provision that says deadly force may be used to protect property at night i believe.

The tow guy would end up swiss cheese

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Nick
*****
2002 Sprinter 2500 140" High Roof :

Wasn't it in Texas where a repo man was trying to get into a car to take it away and the owner shoots him dead with a rifle from his house?

No crime committed. No arrest. The owner is allowed to protect his property from what he believed to be grand theft.


Brian Carlton
1984 300SD

Well it wasn't exactly his property, but if I were the repoman (very profitable I hear) I'd surely identify myself first. If he gave me crap I'd be coming back with some police or something first.

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Jeff M.
Mercedes W123 DIY pages are now located here.
1983 / 1984 300D Sold
2000 CLK430 Cabriolet ~58k Sold
2005 Avalanche 4x4 ~66k

Repo people are supposed to stop, if someone protests their presence. If the protests are after they repo person is in the car, then he can drive off.

Is this the way it happens in real life? yeah...right..

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It is a truism that almost any sect, cult, or religion will legislate its creed into law if it acquires the political power to do so. Robert A. Heinlein


09 Jetta TDI
1985 300D

In the United Soviet Socialist Republik of Kalifornia, you need to have acreage. That gives you the necessary space to bury the body of the loser that tried to steal your property.

I have talked with the California DMV on this, and their view is that if you have not declared a vehicle as non-operational (in advance of the registration due date), then you must be operating the vehicle, and registration payment is due. Not only can they tow the vehicle from anywhere they want, they can do collections (State tax people) to get the money you owe them.

Years ago, people would drive cars unregistered and if they got caught they'd pay back years registration and late fees. If they didn't get caught, they'd just file a non-op form with the DMV, and the current fees. So the state lost money.

Also, I'm sure the emergence of the large wrecking yard chains is a factor in this also.