Knowing that their vehicle would be towed within 72 hours, a clever Portland motorist stopped PBOT in their tracks by stripping it of its wheels. Thinking that they could simply pull the car onto a tow truck, the PBOT likely did not bring any special equipment in order to dispose of the car on March 30th (which would be one week after the warning on March 23rd).

Judging by the appearance of the car, as well as the debris on the floor surrounding where the wheels were taken, it looks like nobody has driven this car in a long time. Based on this, the driver likely knew that the only money they would receive for the car was scrap.

It’s likely that the best thing to do would have been to call a scrapyard and let them buy the car for a few hundred dollars. But failing this, if the wheels were in good condition, they may as well be taken off and sold to get back as much money as possible.

The green sticker on the windscreen is also ripped (likely out of frustration from the driver), but they were unable to remove it all.

Either way, it looks like the PBOT didn’t expect this move since the car has been sitting for well over 30 days after it should have been towed away.

Portland Bureau of Transportation, which is responsible for managing the transportation system in the city of Portland, Oregon. PBOT may tow vehicles for a variety of reasons, including:

1. Parking Violations: PBOT may tow vehicles that are parked illegally or in violation of parking rules, such as parking in a no-parking zone, blocking a fire hydrant, or parking in a handicapped space without a permit.
2. Failure to display current registration plate or temporary permit.
3. Abandoned Vehicles: If a vehicle is left on a public street for an extended period of time and is not moved, PBOT may tow it as an abandoned vehicle.
4. Safety Concerns: PBOT may tow a vehicle if it is causing a safety hazard, such as blocking a roadway or creating an obstruction that prevents emergency vehicles from passing.
5. Road Maintenance: If PBOT needs to perform road maintenance or repair work, they may need to tow vehicles that are parked in the work area.
6. Other Reasons: PBOT may also tow vehicles in other situations, such as during a special event, to enforce parking restrictions in certain areas, or to remove a vehicle that has been involved in an accident or crime.