It’s been in the news for a couple of days now, the vicious, insulting statements ESPN reporter Britt McHenry made against a tow truck company clerk when she went to retreive her towed vehicle…

Ouch.  Amiright?.

Seems the entire internet has turned on Ms. McHenry, offering some choice words regarding her behavior and comments.

So, you think I’m going to pile on?

Nope.

In fact, while I cannot condone her words, I feel sympathy toward her and her situation.  Further, based on my own experiences with tow truck companies, I can completely understand why she blew her top.

You see, when I”m not writing I work in a high density area where tow trucks are an ever present constant.  As a business owner, you have a love/hate relationship with these companies.  On the one hand, you appreciate what they do.  On our property, there have been innumerable times when cars have illegally parked in our parking area.  Sometimes the offending parkers don’t realize this area is our space and when you point it out to them, they’re quick to move their vehicle and offer apologies.

Sometimes, however, they know very well what they’re doing and/or are rude to you when you point out their illegal parking and ask them to leave.

Sometimes, the very worst of times, someone illegally parks in our lot and we don’t realize this until we find that one of our legitimate vehicles is blocked in.  If the legitimate vehicle’s owner has an urgent meeting or needs to get out quickly, the illegally parked vehicle -and nowhere to be found owner- can create a big problem for us.

In cases like these, I’m pleased I have the option of calling a tow truck to remove the illegally parked vehicle and free the blocked-in vehicle.

But though I appreciate the tow truck services in this case, I’ve seen enough cases and read enough stories -some reaching the local news- of predatory towing to make me very uncomfortable with their business.

I don’t know all the details of Ms. McHenry’s towing situation.  I don’t know the hows or whys of her vehicle getting towed.

But I can completely understand -if not condone- her anger.