If you read the general internet it's all mobbed up guys stealing cars from law-abiding single mothers for no reason at all but then again if I believed the general public about parking violation enforcement here in germany I'd come to the conclusion they're the new jews.
So how bad is that whole privatized towing / enforcement thing, really? Is there an actual problem beyond "it's a private company" or is it mostly carbrain tears?
The tow truck industry seems like it's in bad shape. If your car is disabled and you need a tow, they'll charge you a couple hundred bucks UNLESS it's through AAA or an insurance rider or something, in which case you might pay $50 or nothing. Parking lot tow fees are also a couple hundred. I figure it's like healthcare where systems for massive institutional purchases at massive discounts have made it pretty much impossible for small providers to get by, so they either get bought up by AAA or (not an option for medical) resort to, essentially, crime with private tow agreements.
Every tow driver I've met when purchasing a tow myself has been really nice, and the one that I met when being towed against my will (he wouldn't unhook the car or give me a ride to the tow lot) was an asshole. As far as urbanism goes, I think that tows of cars that are in the wrong place should just be to a nearby spot, and you should give them a regular income-scaled fine if necessary. When Chicago tows cars for nonpayment of parking fines, etc., most of the owners can never afford to pay the rapidly-accruing lot fees and eventually the cars are sold for pennies. It's regressive. But when the city tows cars because, e.g., they're filming a movie on the block, they just move them a couple blocks over and your "punishment" is having to walk around for a bit and find your car. They should do that everywhere.