Dati leumi websites are addressing different aspects of the blizzard and one of the questions asked is who pays the bill for vehicles towed from Highway 1, Highway 443 or other areas. These vehicles belonged to many motorists who ignored police calls to distance from the capital but they wanted to come and see the snow nonetheless.
The Keter Institute released a psak halacha that the motorists are responsible to pay the towing costs for their vehicles were left in a public place and this is the equivalent of ‘causing damage’ as well as stealing from the public. Rabbi Shlomo Ishun explains the owners of the vehicles are responsible. The rav explains that they drove towards the capital despite warnings against it. “Driving to their destination despite a likelihood of getting stuck is negligent and while the driver did not feel this would be the case, and he did get stuck, he is an ‘onus’ and responsible”.
The rav adds that the motorist compelled the towing service when he got stuck and he directly caused the expense of the service. In addition, a vehicle in an abandoned area is prone to being stolen or broken into so towing also prevented this from occurring. Bottom line, the driver is responsible to pay the towing bill.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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7 Responses
That of course assumes that the person who got stuck was “joyriding.” What if he was actually just trying to get home as probably most were trying to do that day – would he still be responsible? And how does the halachah measure intent – can we necessarily get into everyones head to determine what their motives were?
The storm hit on Wednesday and everyone went home Wednesday night knowing that snow was expected by morning. Most people work dayshifts. The only people who might have been trying to get back home would have to have been those who worked overnight outside the city. How realistic is it that most of those who got stuck were overnight workers trying to get home. Doesn’t make sense to me.
Who is responsible? What is the question? THE OWNER OF COURSE!
Oh I forgot they are really a socialist county so nothing is anyones fault.
#1. What you are saying is that people aren’t responsible for their actions? If the same thing happens to you in NY, would you expect the City to pay for your car to be towed?
“. . .responsible to pay the towing costs for their vehicles were left in a public place”
All those drivers who park on the sidewalk take note.
Not quite so simple. I gladly paid the towing and storage costs when my car was parked next to a fire hydrant that I could not see, because it was covered in snow. However, when I was stuck overnight on the Garden State Parkway in a 4-wheel drive vehicle, because the cars in front of me got stuck all over the road, the state of NJ did not charge for towing my car, and I assume the hundreds of others they had to tow to also get mine out. They towed them to a parking lot, and did not charge us for the bus to the parking lot when they finally got them all out.
These people caused so much damage and hassle to emergency services, unless they can prove that they *really* needed to be on the road they shouldn’t just be charged they should also get a hefty fine on top.