Passerby said that the truck, parked near the historical Vitebsky Railway Station, was parked in a red zone, less than a meter from a pedestrian crossing zone.
"They took the truck to their lot, told us to come and get the truck, and to bring 16,000 rubles [about $270 US]. This is complete lawlessness. Now we're going down there to deal with this. No one is willing to show us the report [about why the truck was towed]," the angry owner of the tow truck that got towed told RSN.
Commentators on Russian social media have had a great deal of fun with the story, some saying the trucks are mating, others joking "but who has a right to tow the tower," and one kidding "This is terrible. The world has turned upside down. How are we to continue on living?!"
The tow truck getting 'towned' was a little bit of sweet revenge for drivers in metropolitan areas of Russia. Car owners in big cities like St. Petersburg and Moscow face a constant battle against city authorities attempting to prevent them from parking in illegal zones, including sidewalks, on roadsides and in other unsafe areas.
Historic cities' road infrastructure wasn't meant to handle the massive growth in car ownership which has occurred over the last 15 years, and as a result car owners are waging a literal turf war with authorities and pedestrians over space. Deeded residential parking is still almost non-existent, and cars commonly crowd onto sidewalks near apartment blocks and even into green courtyards between building. Tourists in Russia seem amused by the roving bands of tow trucks patrolling city streets, looking for prey. Even more amusing are scenes of cars, their alarms blaring, as if in a cry for help, being towed down the street to a city lot.
Было ваше, стало наше. Власти Москвы забирают частные эвакуаторы http://t.co/oFd8lCbevy pic.twitter.com/5e3tjbIZxZ
— Persona Grata (@PertaRu) 4 Март 2015
"What was once yours, has now become ours. Moscow city officials are buying up private tow trucks."
