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Austin pizzeria owner warns of towing nearby
Roppolo’s Pizzeria near West Campus is warning customers of excessive towing nearby. 7 On Your Side reporter Carissa Lehmkuhl has the details.
AUSTIN, Texas - Outside of Roppolo’s Pizzeria on Guadalupe St., bright red signs with large, white font have recently been installed.
However they aren’t advertising Sicilian-style slices, they are warning customers they may get booted if they park in a nearby lot.
The owner of Roppolo’s put them up himself.
"It was happening at such an alarming rate that I felt I had to protect them," said Marc Roppolo. "I made them large, trying to catch the attention of the students, to try to make sure that they knew. I actually would have employees sometimes sit out here…and say, ‘Don't park there.’"
Roppolo, either in real time or on surveillance video, has watched a similar scenario play out multiple times. DoorDash drivers or customers will park next door in the 7-Eleven parking lot, run in to pick up a pizza and walk out to a booted car.
"98% of the people who park there come over here, grab a pizza and take off," he said.
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Vehicle towing rights in Texas
In this 7 On Your Side, FOX 7 Austin's Carissa Lehmkuhl looks at the regulations for vehicle towing in Texas, as well as police and regulatory data on towing company complaints.
Roppolo said some may even get gas or buy something from the convenience store before they step off the property. He acknowledged the parking lot is 7-Eleven’s, but he feels students are being targeted too quickly.
"They're going to school, they're trying to make a few dollars, and then they get hit with stupid stuff like this," said Roppolo.
While the state of Texas regulates and licenses towing companies, booting companies are licensed by the City of Austin. According to city records, the booting company that operates next door to Roppolo’s is currently licensed, and there are signs in the 7-Eleven parking lot warning drivers.
However, Roppolo isn’t the only one complaining. Negative reviews of the company can be found on the Better Business Bureau website, Reddit, and Google.
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"It's just hard to understand how 7-Eleven could hire a company that would come in and not give these kids a minute or two to grab their food and go," said Roppolo. "I get it, if you're going to sit there and park for say, 30 minutes, 20, 15 minutes."
Roppolo said he sees an employee there daily sitting in the parking lot in an unmarked car during lunch hours and during the evening until they close.
However, just a few days before 7 On Your Side stopped by, Roppolo said he had been in contact with a regional manager for 7-Eleven. Since then, he hadn’t seen the booting company.
He hopes that it stays that way. "It's common sense, common courtesy," said Roppolo.
According to the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation, those who feel they have been booted illegally or over-charged may request a tow hearing at any Justice of the Peace Court in the relevant county within 14 days.
FOX 7 reached out to 7-Eleven and the booting company and has not heard back.
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