Fight with student may wreck tow firm

[n2doc]

BY DAVID ASHENFELTER
FREE PRESS STAFF WRITER
A Western Michigan University student is giving a Kalamazoo towing company a costly lesson in customer service and the power of the Internet.

The problem began in January when T&J Towing removed Justin Kurtz's car from his apartment complex parking lot, saying he didn't have a parking permit. Kurtz, 21, said he had a permit, but the tow crew scraped it off his windshield to justify taking his car.

After getting nowhere with the company and paying $118 to get his car back, Kurtz created a Facebook page, "Kalamazoo Residents Against T&J Towing," which has attracted more than 11,000 members since February, many with similar complaints about the company.

T&J has lost half of its commercial towing accounts, including Kurtz's apartment complex, since the controversy began and filed a $750,000 slander and libel suit against Kurtz in April. Kurtz, an $8.50-an-hour store clerk, countersued T&J for violating his free speech rights and the state's Consumer Protection Act.

Marketing experts said the episode, which is garnering national news interest, shows how the Internet and social networking sites have empowered consumers.



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http://www.freep.com/article/20100523/NEWS06/5230525/

[JBoy]

1. The Hullabaloo in Kalamazoo.

[HiFructosePronSyrup]

2. Good.

Lots of people here complain about Facebook.

Here's an example of the good it can do.

[Manifestor_of_Light]

3. TRUTH is an absolute defense to Slander.

The towing company's new breakfast cereal will be "You Ain't Gettin Nuttin' Honey".

:evilgrin:


YES I am a lawyer but I do not play one on TV.

[MadMaddie]

4. I want to see more Americans standing up to companies that

have just gotten too lazy to conduct good business. If they run a shitty business then maybe they shouldn't be in business in the first place. This goes for the too big to fail banks, oil companies etc.

[TexasObserver]

5. He is going to own the company before this is over.

Whoever decided suing him was a good idea needs his head examined. If there is one person in society no juror likes, it is the tow truck guy. There will be no sympathy for this plaintiff.