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Old 10-01-2014, 11:59 PM   #1
nookandcrannycar
 
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City rules take initial control of your breakdown out of your hands

Late last night I was driving my 2007 Yaris north on the I-610 Freeway ('The Loop' -- the closest in 'beltway ring' around the center of Houston). U S Hwy 290 starts at I-610, continues through the NW suburbs of Houston, goes to Austin, then through Austin and into the Texas Hill Country until it meets I-10 (261 miles from where it starts at I-610). There is a TREMENDOUS amount of road construction going on where Hwy 290 meets I-610, as the roadbeds are expanded and rerouted and new overpasses are built.

The lighting in this area at night falls short (in places) of what it was before this construction started. Last night, just before the point where Hwy 290 splits off, I ran over something hard with my left front tire and got a flat. I couldn't see if there was adequate (or any) shoulder on either side of this expanse (6-8 lanes?) given the darkness/lack of lighting/location of cement barriers rerouting traffic/etc. I wanted to stop ASAP before I'd be 'rim resting on road' (tire shredded off). I had to make a split second decision and stopped in the cross hatched area (not part of any lanes) in front of the near oil barrel sized orange pylons that are in front of the exact corner where the roadway physically splits. There was room for one vehicle in front of me and probably 3 vehicles behind me.

I immediately called AAA. While I was on the phone with AAA, I could see flashing lights stopped well behind me in the fast lane. After hitting what was in the road, I immediately saw a stopped car off to the left and thought I might have run over a part that had come off that vehicle. Eventually the lights were directly behind me. I couldn't see the vehicle re the intense lights bearing down on my car. The flashing lights were quite elevated. I figured it was some sort of non LEO traffic control vehicle. The driver didn't get out of that vehicle right away (eventually he did). He had a 'reflectorized' vest on and a bright shirt, both similar to what highway construction workers wear while working at night here in Texas. He handed me the 'Safe Clear Motorist Bill of Rights'. He said a camera monitors that area and that is why he was notified I was there. I told him I called AAA a couple of minutes before that and that AAA put me as first priority (re my particular location), and told me the AAA person would arrive within a maximum of 18 minutes. He said there is a police officer 'back there' (pointing to where I had seen the stalled car). He said if AAA gets here before the police officer does, I leave, and you're fine.....If the police officer gets here before AAA, then I will have to tow you.

Fortunately, AAA got there while the police officer was still tending to the motorist 'back there'. Right after I called AAA, I pulled the full sized spare with tire I purchased from CTScott () out of my hatch and leaned it against the rear bumper. The AAA guy (who was driving a 3rd Gen Prius) changed the tire. He had a really sturdy jack (a portable version of what might be used at a repair facility if no bay with a lift was available) and jacked my Yaris while I was in the car (his idea). He said the rim wasn't bent. He completed the call, and I pulled out safely into the slow lane on Hwy 290 and then hung up with the AAA dispatcher (it was her idea to stay on the phone with me all that time). I decided to stop at the Wal-Mart in Cypress onmy way back. Once there, I could see that the inside of the rim IS bent.

I subsequently did a few internet searches re what happened and found the following:

http://www.chron.com/news/houston-te...am-1486690.php

The 'Bill of Rights' I was handed stated "you are required by law to be removed from the freeway" without citing the statute (the statute probably doesn't require that the notice reference the statute ).

In practice, the 'reflectorized vest guy' (huge tow vehicle driver) has discretion to not immediately start a tow , but the way the link describes the city ordinoance (the driver used that nomenclature), he can tow immediately EVEN IF YOU HAVE ALREADY MADE ARRANGEMENTS WITH AAA. I try to stay out of the 'People's Republic of Houston' itself as often as is possible . In my view it is too much like the 'People's Republic of California , and I want as few of my dollars going into the City of Houston coffers as possible. This law...taking initial control of your breakdown out of your hands....is just one more reason to stay outside the city limits as often as possible. The law has been on the books since January 1, 2005. I've been here since 2008 and was unaware of it until last night. I found it interesting (see link) that Michael Berry (then a city councilman, but now a prominent local conservative radio talk show host) helped former mayor Bill White get this passed into law. I would have guessed that he would think that this errs on the side of 'too much government'.

Last edited by nookandcrannycar; 10-02-2014 at 12:14 AM. Reason: added link (link only accepted as an edit)
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Old 10-03-2014, 12:35 AM   #2
why?
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Maybe they lied to him about what was in the bill. I actually like to listen to Michael Berry, he is usually very entertaining. And it comes through loud and clear that Houston is seriously messed up government wide.

Even Mass wouldn't think about trying that unless it is a major intersection with nowhere to move the vehicles.

There are far too many idiotic automobile laws. Frankly that one is outright theft.
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Old 10-03-2014, 05:04 AM   #3
nookandcrannycar
 
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Quote:
Originally Posted by why? View Post
Maybe they lied to him about what was in the bill. I actually like to listen to Michael Berry, he is usually very entertaining. And it comes through loud and clear that Houston is seriously messed up government wide.

Even Mass wouldn't think about trying that unless it is a major intersection with nowhere to move the vehicles.

There are far too many idiotic automobile laws. Frankly that one is outright theft.
Could be. I don't listen to him as much as I used to, but I agree...and I love that people have to deal with the meat of what he is saying, or just look foolish if they change the subject. Has to be one or the other...they can't take the third option (playing the race card) without also looking foolish because his wife is Indian and his two sons are black.

Particular tow companies must have lobbied quite hard/exerted influence to get the law passed The government in Houston is messed up, and this bleeds into other parts of Harris County (one reason I would never live in Harris County). I once heard Houston (the city, not the metro) described as an island of blue in a sea of red.
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Old 10-03-2014, 10:24 PM   #4
why?
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Quote:
Originally Posted by nookandcrannycar View Post
Could be. I don't listen to him as much as I used to, but I agree...and I love that people have to deal with the meat of what he is saying, or just look foolish if they change the subject. Has to be one or the other...they can't take the third option (playing the race card) without also looking foolish because his wife is Indian and his two sons are black.

Particular tow companies must have lobbied quite hard/exerted influence to get the law passed The government in Houston is messed up, and this bleeds into other parts of Harris County (one reason I would never live in Harris County). I once heard Houston (the city, not the metro) described as an island of blue in a sea of red.
Yup, Houston and Austin are oddballs.
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