Car towing sparks confusion over free parking near downtown Nashville
Musician said he parked on Peabody Street in an area not clearly marked as a “No Parking Zone.”
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Nashville musician Jake Loban parks his car on Peabody Street about three to five times a week.
He said there is no signage that indicates whether parking on the side of the street is prohibited. However, he was recently penalized for parking in the area.
“I play downtown. I work downtown. I play in all of the honky tonks down there like a lot of people in Nashville do,” said Loban.
Loban parked his truck on the side of Peabody Street, which is about a half a mile from Broadway, because he said it’s free parking. However, last Friday he went back to his car and noticed it was no longer there.
“I parked down here and went to work, like any other day, and I came back and my truck was gone,” said Loban.
Loban thought his truck was stolen but later found out, after canvassing the area, that Metro towed it.
“The ticket said I was in the tow away zone and that I was blocking a lane, which is really strange because there are plenty of cars here now and they’re not blocking any lane whatsoever,” said Loban.
WSMV4 noticed “no parking” signs in front of a gate not too far from where Loban parked, but it appears to prevent drivers from blocking the Metro Nashville District Energy System’s driveway.
“Like anyone does in any city, you check for curbs, you check for signs. You make sure other people are parked here and I’ll ask anyone who is working in that area if it’s a safe place and if it has been for years,” said Loban.
WSMV4 checked with NDOT, which is working to find out if the area of Peabody Street near Hermitage Avenue prohibits drivers from parking there.
“I had to spend $300 to get out of the tow truck lot and then when I got to my car there was a ticket on the windshield for $100,” said Loban.
A costly expense Loban said is unfair because there’s nothing there indicating a “no parking zone.”
“The inconsistency is also a very frustrating part of it. I just think people want to know what is OK and what isn’t,” said Loban.
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