Wisconsin State Fair

Review: Hello,

The events that occurred yesterday (Thursday August 8th, 2013) at the Wisconsin State Fair parking lot/ground will sound unbelievable to many if not all. It sounds unbelievable because no one has yet to report it or maybe it has not happened to anyone or no one noticed when in fact it had already happened. To make a long story short, we paid $10 to park on the infield of the Milwaukee mile which ALL traffic was directed by parking lot attendants. We were flagged to park on the infield by the parking lot attendants. We parked our SUV facing NORTH or in that direction parallel to a white van (time, guestimating 4:30ish PM or close to 5PM). Fast forward 5 hours or so later (around 9ish PM), it's dark and late so we proceeded to the parking lot to find our SUV. We could not find our SUV at the spot where we thought we had parked. We then decided to move down to the next row or couple rows of cars walking "east then south then east again". While doing so, my wife suggested we used the panic button to locate our SUV. So here we are pressing the panic button while walking (more like speed walking) south by south east then east... guessing about 10-15 seconds or so later, I see a orange light, then I hear the sound of our SUV. When we finally reached our SUV (not sure on distance from where we originally parked but guessing maybe 50 yards or more) we saw the back of our SUV. Our SUV is now facing SOUTH!

Slight noise and vibration coming from the wheels/drive train.

Legend: NOTE NOT TO SIZE OR CONFORMITY

} : Concrete barricade

|| : two car lane

= : one car lane

[] : cars/trucks/vans/SUVs, etc

_ : open parking spot

[!]: white van

[*]: where we parked, front/engine facing north

X : parking lot attendant/flagger tall fence/barricade facing North Facing South

Time line for Thursday August 8th, 2013:

4:20pm, paid parking to park on the infield of the Milwaukee Mile

4:30pm, parked facing north towards game/amusement entrance

9:00pm, found our SUV parked facing south about 50 yards away from it's original location

9:05pm, spoke with fair staff/supervisor at an entrance

9:10pm, officer Trapp and Brogni on site at entrance

9:15pm, on location at SUV

9:25pm, officer Trapp discovered grass stuck on the two front tires of the SUV using his flash light

9:30pm, snap a few pictures, two rear tires are clean of any grass

9:40pm, Officer Trapp and I agreed the SUV was towed/moved based on the evidence

9:50pm, 894 heading west, noticed noise/vibration from wheels/drive train

10:10pm, snap pictures of front tow hooks

Yesterday (August 8th, 2013) was a beautiful day to go to the Wisconsin State Fair and since my wife bought four tickets, we decided we would go enjoy ourselves. I believe we left our house at around 4ish PM and reached the Wisconsin State Fair park lot around 4:30ish PM. We paid ten dollars to park on the infield at the Milwaukee Mile. There were lot attendants directing traffic and cones set-up to inform drivers where not to go. With the guidance of the parking lot attendants, we proceeded to park where they flagged us. We decided to park the front of our SUV facing north (easier exodus from the fair grounds as we are facing the one car lane, no backing up then Y turn, it would be a simple pull out). There's the white van to the left side of us, free parking behind and to the right of us. We left the parking lot and entered through the game/rides entrance (can't remember what gate). Weather was great, low 70's, perfect day to enjoy the Wisconsin State Fair.

After about five hours or so of fun at the Wisconsin State Fair, it was dark and getting late, we have lives and needed to get up early to go to work. So we decided to leave the fair grounds and head towards the parking lot. Same entrance, same exit location. It's DARK outside, we head south guestimating where we may have parked. After several aisles of car and rows of car, we could not find our SUV. We looked at each other, "shrugs". My wife said something to the effect of "I thought we parked closer than this... and I nodded, agreeing with her. Yea, where the [redacted] is our SUV." We then proceeded walking eastward. My wife then said we should try using the panic button to see if we can locate our SUV. So with that in mind, I held up the Subaru remote and press the panic button, waving and pressing at the same time. I was walking at a pretty good pace, more like power walking. Still moving eastward and then south going over several aisles of car. Moving more eastward and on the right corner of my eye, I can see a shimmer of orange light. As I walked closer towards the orange light I can hear the sound of our SUV. When the SUV came into full view, we saw the back... It's late and dark. I looked at my wife, she looked at me. I'm thinking what the [redacted] Shut off the panic mode on the SUV, do a three sixty around the car. It's dark, can't really see/tell but looks fine... Unlock, locks - fine. Peeked inside (dark, couldn't see much), nothing out of the ordinary it seems. Weird! We thought...

I looked at my wife, I can tell she was confused and scared. I said we should find the parking lot attendants and try to figure all this out. We went to an entrance where we met two people, a women and man in yellow shirt. We explained to them what had happened and the first thing they asked us was "Anyone else have keys to your car?" We said NO. I then reiterated one of my questions, how can our SUV parked facing north and now it's facing south and further away? The women said something to the effect of "I've seen tow trucks move cars before and it's legal for them to move the cars that are blocking others that need to get out." At that moment, I thought to myself... OMFG... if they did tow and move our SUV I hope they use a flat bed... I then told the women and man that we have a 2011 Subaru Forester AWD and it's FULL time AWD. I explained to them that if our car was towed and moved on two wheels, it would certainly cause damage to the transmission/drive train.

The man and women ask if we would like to speak with a police officer. We said yes. With the women leading the way, we head out from the entrance in search of a police officer. We were unable to locate a police officer after wandering out the entrance. The women then notice her supervisor walking towards the man at the entrance. The women said we can tell her supervisor what happened and then the supervisor can call the police for us. So then we proceeded back to the entrance where we met the women and man. I greeted the supervisor and explained to her what had happened. She then asked us the same question as the man and women did earlier. Our response was the same... At this point we ask that she call the police for us. She radio the police. Minutes later, officer Trapp and Brogni showed up on their bikes. They asked us the same question as the man, women and supervisor had asked... Our answer was the same...

Since we were not going anywhere with this, we proceeded to go to our SUV. The officers followed with their bikes, lights on. Officer Trapp asked if our SUV had a push button start. I said no and then he replied that he's seen a few of those cars still "on". A minute or so later, we arrived at our SUV. Our SUV and a Ford was sort of like in an island by itself. There were empty parking spaces all around our SUV and the Ford. But there were cars parked north, south and west of our SUV and the Ford. East side is the fence/barricade. I start talking and explaining, asking the officers how can a car move and now facing the wrong direction that it was originally parked. Officer Trapp turned on his flash light and started doing a three sixty around the SUV. He took a peek inside with the flash light and said the key/ignition isn't broken. I then told the officer Trapp that the engine felt warm to me. Popped the hood open, officer Trapp felt the engine and said it was cold but I said it was warm. At that moment, I then realized that we have been outside all day and perhaps my hands were cold feeling the ambient heat from the SUV. Officer Trapp then started looking at the wheels with his flash light. He did a three sixty again with this flash light trained on the wheels. When he came around, he said that our SUV was towed/moved based on the grass that were stuck on the two front tires of the car. I then looked at officer Trapp and said to him that our SUV was a Subaru with full time AWD. He said he knows as he is also a Subaru owner. I went on to say that hopefully they tow/moved our SUV on a flat bed as using a auto dolly or tow by two wheels would certainly damage the transmission/drive train. Officer Trapp knew what I was talking about being a Subaru ower, he felt genuinely concerned at that point for our safety and the safety of our SUV.

I took out my phone and took some pictures of the wheels on our SUV while officer Trapp provided a light source. The pictures clearly show the two front tires having grass stuck on them while the two rears are clean. I'm looking at the SUV and thinking... well, how the hell is there grass stuck on the front wheels/tires but not the back? I asked officer Trapp this and he said the SUV was towed and moved. I then said I hope they at least use a flat bed because our SUV is all time, all wheel drive. Officer Trapp understood what I was talking about and he said they should know what they are doing (tow company).

We agreed that the SUV was moved based on the evidence. The last thing to do was to test and make sure there was no damage to the car. I got in the SUV, tried to start the car but the key would not turn. I said out loud, the steering wheel is locked (driver side window was open), I can't start the car, I can't turn the key. Tried turning the steering wheel to the right, no go. Turn the steering wheel to the left, budge a little bit and I was able to turn the key, starting the SUV. Put the SUV to drive and the shifts were harder then usual. It's as if the SUV was parked on an incline or a downhill, making it harder than usual to shift gears. Drove the SUV about two car lengths, thank god no grinding sound! Put it in reverse, thank you Jesus no grinding sound! I asked the officers if there were going to file a report and they said no but assured me the incident is "logged". I thank the two officers for their help, they gave me their card with names and the card for towing company.

As we drove the SUV home on the free way at higher speeds, 45+ MPH, there is noticeable noise and vibration from the wheels/drive train. The noise and vibrations were not present before this incident.

Time line for Friday August 9th, 2013:

9:00am, spoke with [redacted] and [redacted] (supervisor) at Wisconsin State Fair

3:05pm, spoke with [redacted] who then transferred me to the Police department near the Wisconsin State Fair

6:00pm, spoke with officer Trapp

8:20pm, spoke with Captain [redacted]

Extremely unhappy that my personal property (SUV) was towed/moved even though we were instructed to park in a certain spot.

Extremely unhappy that our like-new car sounds like [redacted] Extremely unhappy that the Wis State Fair reps didn't know anything, let alone lift a finger to help me when asked!

Extremely unhappy that the towing company is allowed tow/move your car without your consent and to that fact, there's no [redacted] sign stating so nor was it implied when we paid for parking, that's [redacted] bt!

Extremely unhappy that no authority figure believes me/us (Are you [redacted] bt me? Who in their right mind would forget which direction a car was parked if that person parked it? With the wife and kids? Seriously?).

Please excuse my French.

NEED HELP! Thank you!

Sincerely,

xxx xxxDesired Settlement: The truth and repair/restore the car.

Business

Response: