Extortion

So it turns out that having your car impounded isn't the greatest thing in the world. The towing company who impounded it would like us to pay twice the usual rate for the tow, plus $35 for each day they keep our van locked in their tow yard.

If we had no money to bail it out (which we would not have, were it not for divine providence) the ransom for the van would continue to rise $1,050 each month, until it would soon cost more to rescue it than to buy another van. At that point, they would auction it off, and we would never see it, or its contents (which are many, and varied in importance) again.

So basically, if your car happens to break down on the pass, and you happen to be poor, you lose your car. Forever. If you have money, or the connections to get the money, it's not a big deal. That seems an awful lot like taking advantage of the poor.