All in a Day's Work

Do you know what Librarians do all day?  Heck, do most Librarians know what they're going to do day by day?  

Like most days, I plan to do a whole bunch of things and then actually only get to a couple things.  

Like today.  I was going to write a few letters, call a few people, finish up a report, get ready for a presentation - and then the tow truck guy showed up.

See, our Library owns the lot next to our law library and it is a private lot for which we sell monthly and daily parking passes.  Each parking spot can be rented for $60 per month (or $8 per day).  

That sounds like a lot but in downtown Riverside (where we are located), but that's pretty competitive.  

Anyway, if you happen to park in our lot and you don't have a permit hanging on your rear-view mirror (or a daily parking pass on your dash), you can, and will, be towed and I'm probably the guy that's going to have to effectuate that tow.  I really don't like doing it but you do what you have to do, right?!

I remember this one lawyer we towed.  He was peeved off so much that he said, "You will rue the day that you towed a lawyer."  I was thinking, who do you think you are channeling Shakespeare?  

Rue the day?!  Really, who talks like that?  Fact is, we've towed everyone from police cars to FBI and DOJ agents; from little old ladies to little old men; from a tiny "Smart" car to a huge Ford F-450 truck.

The thing is that we've been towing vehicles out of our lot for almost a year now and people still freak out claiming we are breaking the law.  Really?  

You don't think an army of law Librarians are going to research the heck out of this before we do anything?!?  For those who are skeptical of my law Librarians research skills, I point your attention to the California Vehicle Code which covers the issue of tow trucks in fine detail.

Now, maybe you don't live in California but want to know how your state deals with tow trucks? Then might I point your attention to AWDirect and its listing of laws relating to Tow Truck regulations in the USA. 

Yep, law Librarians are full of surprises (and days full of stuff to do).  Thing is, we're not too busy to stop and help you.  So, when next you need help of the legal research kind, why not stop by your local county law library and let us help you get unsnagged from your next snag.