Did anyone else get caught in the fog on Sunday? I went out of Padnarum sunday a.m. and the fog was so thick you couldn't see more than 30 feet in any dirction around you, it was like that all the way out and past the Elizabeth Islands. Quick's Hole was a madhouse with boats flying around blindly in the fog. I made way to Lucas's Shoal for some Fluke, did good but most were too small, turned out to be a nice clear day though. Left there around 1:30 p.m. and the fog came out of nowhere and shut down visibility again all the way back to the ramp.

Here's the kicker to how the day ended. I parked my truck at the beach parking lot because the lot was full, the guy leaving the money envelopes said the town ok'd it for the day being the weekend and it being so hot and all ... and that the reason the ramp lot was full was because the commercial guys were out in force and were occupying most of the parking slips. Now I get back to the dock, tie up and go to get my truck and SURPRISE!!!! It's gone! :scream2:

The park department had my truck and trailer towed but I wasn't alone ... they got 11 other unsuspecting suckers too! This should make you giggle ... to get our rigs back we needed to catch a ride to where they towed the trucks and bring at least $300.00 cash! They charged us $90.00 to tow the truck, $90.00 for the trailer, $40.00 for the tow truck driver, $37.00 for his wife to sit with him in his truck and take our money, $50.00 to cut off our locks on the trailers so they could tow them, making it a grand total of $307.00 for the tow! :rtfm:

Anyone ever had this happen to them anywhere? I called the Harbormaster's Office on the advice from some local friendly's on the Police Dept. and was told the guy with the envelopes wasn't one of their guys and to call the Park Dept. So I did for 4 straight hours from work and never got through, busy ... leave a message. So I leave a message and still haven't gotten a return call from them. I called the selectmans office and was told he was on vacation as of this weekend and to just leave a message for him and he'll get back to you after his vacation. :gf:

Ever heard of anything so damn corrupt? Everyone who got towed had to get their rigs by 4:00 p.m. or they'd have to wait until Monday and they'd also have to pay overnight storage fees for both the truck AND the trailer ... plus the harbormaster would have to moor their boats for the night and yes you guessed it ... mooring fees! :humpty:

There is a good thing that happened out of this event though, while I was waiting for my ride down to get my truck I started talking to this guy from Assonet (his 1st time launching in Dartmouth) and he didn't have anyone to give him a ride or the cash to get his truck & trailer so I told him I would let him borrow the money. I did, he got his truck and left with the boat in tow, he returned to my house a couple hours later with the cash in hand for me. He asked me later... why did you let me borrow the money, you don't even know me? I told him "I wasn't worried about you coming back with the money, after the day that we had ... it couldn't have gotten any worse!" So now I have a new friend out of the ordeal, that's what it's all about right, Friends and fishing? :cheers:

Here's my question ... should I try to pursue this and try to get a refund or am I just wasting my time? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated by me and anyone else caught in this trap.

Thanks all, Tight lines!

Chalk it up to a bad day - trying to get satisfaction is like trying to stop the tide!:gorez:

Send a letter to the local paper? While I agree chalking it up to a bad day works on a limited basis, this has the capacity to keep going on... Just a thought

You got screwed. He can't charge you for the extra help if it wasn't needed. You can't be charged $40.00 for the tow truck driver to tow anything. Any charge for the driver is included in the $90.00 tow fee. Getting charged for the wife to sit in the truck is also wrong. If extra help is needed it has to be approved by the agency who called the tow truck. They get to charge on a per one half hour basis at a rate of $35.00 per as long as needed. Getting charged $50.00 to cut a lock is offensive as well. Cutting a lock isn't mentioned in the regulations but the most you should have been charged is for one half hour at $35.00 per also for the chain. These are regulations that the STA, State Wide Towing Association, negotiate periodically with the commissioners of the DTE, Divisin of Telecummunication and Energy on behalf of every tow truck in the commonwealth of Massachusetts. The regulations and negotiations can be found on line. If you need a copy PM me with your address and I'll make copies and send them to you.

Here are the fees that can be charge legally for a tow i n Massachusetts.

Although there are maximums muicipalities are urge to negotiate a lower rate on behalf of the citizens they serve. That being said here is what you can be charged:

Passenger vehicle-a motor vehicle capable of transporting not more than eight passengers and a driver, including otorcycle, and displaying a passenger of motorcycle plate.
Coomercial vehicle-all other vehicles different from above......

Max tow for vehicle/motorcycle tow $90.00
Second tow when needed $90.00 because the expenses are considered the same

If tow truck is at scene of involuntary tow(police tow) for more than one hour it is allowed to charge $35.00 per one half hour for every one half hour increment over one hour.

Tow truck driver needs additional help they are allowed to charghe $32.00 per hour

Excess mileage is $3.00 per mile for cars and $4.25 per mile for trucks...over five miles

Like I said anyone who would like this info I will scan it all on my home computor and send it via email to anyone who would like it.

Teaser you have a very legitmate complaint

John ... great thought! I figured I'd probably get hosed on this but it's worth a shot.

Swimmer ... pm sent.

Thanks guys!

in the worst situations, you always find the nicest people... sometimes

that really sucks about your truck and trailor being towed.. what happened with your boat while you went and picked your truck up?

Here's my question ... should I try to pursue this and try to get a refund or am I just wasting my time? Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated by me and anyone else caught in this trap.


Learning experience.

The S. Dartmouth locals don't want non-locals using their ramp/beach.

I would not be suprised if kick-backs are involved:af:

I use the Westport ramp. Although for 10 years I used the Padanarm ramp I no longer go there unfortunately just like Sakonett point the locals don't want you and can get away with it

Katie - I had to leave my boat at the ramp tied up with a friend while I went to get my truck.

Likwid - I am from Dartmouth, the ramp is owned by Dartmouth but funded by the state.

Bigcat - I think you've got something there as anytime something happens down there it's always the same cop calling for the tows and the same guy doing the towing.

Here's a good example of the guy doing the tows logic ... he told me he has a commercial license and he wished he was out catching his 5 fish that day rather than being there collecting for the tows, now at $300.00 each X's 11 towed vehicles = $3,300.00 and the town don't receive any of that money ... all in his pocket, so do you think he'd rather be fishing for fish or unsuspecting boaters.

And that figure is providing that the last 5 guys got their boats by 4:30 that day, if not then there's the overnight storage for both the truck and the trailer plus the mooring for their boat for the night. Talk about a scam!

Bigcat - I think you've got something there as anytime something happens down there it's always the same cop calling for the tows and the same guy doing the towing.

There was a time that I hiung out a Padanarum bridge. There was a guy called _________ and his son ______ that ran a towing service. I recall him getting all the calls for reasons that I can't mention in a public forum.

small town politics.

Never go there again, there all a bunch a ----0's. The ramp is the worst one on the east coast,,,, i started a thread on the south coast forum(dartmouth) how chity conditions are there and they laughed. Season pass went up last week to 35$ and from 3 to 5$ per launch,, still cheap but they want people out. I've butt heads with harbor master 3 times this year....A---0's. You ain't gonna win.