State Senator Calls For Moratorium On New Wrecker Law
City Council Asks Mayor To Review Ordinance
POSTED: Wednesday, January 5, 2005
UPDATED: 5:38 pm CST January 5,
2005
HOUSTON -- A state senator called for a stop Wednesday to Houston's new controversial towing law, Local 2 reported.
SAFEclear program, has been under fire since its inauguration on Jan. 1.It requires all stalled vehicles to be towed at the owner's expense after six minutes, which has drivers angry that they are forced to pay a fee for a service they do not want.State Sen. John Whitmire said if the city does not issue a moratorium on the ordinance, he is prepared to take action at the state capital.He said he is most concerned about residents who cannot afford the mandatory towing fee or who are not given enough time to fix their broken vehicles."They are implementing this policy without the common sense approach of allowing people, if they can (in a) timely and safe fashion fix their automobile, go on to work or go to school -- they're not being allowed to," Whitmire said.SAFEclear wreckers charge a flat fee of $75 for the first five miles and $1.50 for every mile after. Credit cards and checks are accepted.Wrecker drivers have also voiced complaints about communication problems.Despite the controversy, Mayor Bill White is defending the program. He admits it's not perfect, but said it still clears traffic quicker."I don't know any district in the state House or the state Senate where people want more traffic congestion," he said.Some City Council members urged the mayor Wednesday to make changes to the ordinance before Whitmire takes the issue to the state level.White did not make any promises, but said the plan remains under review.
Copyright 2005 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
Previous Stories:
- January 5, 2005: White To Ride With Wrecker
- January 4, 2005: Hundreds Of Vehicles Towed In New Program
- November 24, 2004: Drivers To Follow New Rules For Towing
Copyright 2005 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
A man is wanted after he kicked a front door off its hinges and shot a woman, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A 19-year-old is accused of using a stolen gun to shoot a Houston police officer who was trying to stop a burglary, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A man dies nearly two weeks after a masked gunman shot him in the head, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A driver admits to drinking and taking drugs before getting behind the wheel and crashing, police tell KPRC Local 2.
Three men pose as police officers to get a businessman into the car to rob him, police tell KPRC Local 2.
Feb. 9, 2010: A man is accused of using a stolen gun to shoot a Houston police officer who was trying to stop a burglary. Mariza Reyes reports.
Anthony Yanez
February 8, 2010: Charles Barkley joined Randy McIlvoy via satellite to talk about the 2010 NBA All-Star game and the Rockets.
Feb. 9, 2010: Local 2 investigates florists. Are you getting what you paid for? Amy Davis reports.
Feb. 8, 2010: A METRO bus hits a light-rail train in downtown Houston, injuring nine people and knocking the train off the tracks, KPRC Local 2 reports.
Check out our slideshow forecast to find out how long the chilly temperatures will stick around.
A police officer is shot in northwest Houston, KPRC Local 2 reports.
A METRO bus and a light-rail train collide in downtown Houston.
It has been 25 years since the debut of the hit comedy "The Breakfast Club" in theaters. What are the stars of the film up to today?
Email Alerts
RSS News Feeds
Mobile
Live Streams
Slideshows
Video
Search
