[ghoti]

I see an abandoned car next to the road at least once a day. They're everywhere, on the Interstate, on major roads, etc. I saw at least five today. FIVE. I can't believe that that many cars break down or run out of gas. This isn't the '60s anymore. And the cars aren't even necessarily old, I see a lot of cars on the roads here that are much older than the ones that are usually sitting there next to the road.

And what's up with the t-shirts in the window? Is that some kind of sign that says "My owner will be back soon, don't tow me!" or something? I don't get it.

Can anybody shed some light on this?

[Dave]

They're left there by drunk people who think they've gotten home?

[Banana]

My personal hunch is that it was abandoned by people who have bad credit and has no money to get it towed, and was driving it uninsured, and they think that it'd cost more to get it towed and fixed than if they just abandoned it, at which it just becomes our expenses (yay for free rider program sponsored by your government!) and it gets auctioned off.

[alcimedes]

More likely the city is trying to save money so lowered the bounty on parked cars, or the cops aren't getting around to inspecting/tagging them for towing.

Typically towing companies jump all over abandoned cars as long as they're tagged as inspected by an officer. (at least in MN)

[ghoti]

They're usually gone after a day. Also, they tend to be somewhere in the middle of nowhere, like somewhere on the Interstate. Not the most convenient place to leave your car if you want to get rid of it. That's why I find that so strange.

[Swox]

They've got massive student loan debt and they're living in their cars to avoid the man?

(me in 7 years)