Disabled Vehicle Question

[mcs328]

I've always wondered why disabled cars on the side of the road usually have a white shirt or cloth hanging off the window. And some have bright neon orange stickers that range from a sheet of paper to post-it note size on them also. Is the first one a universal sign that the car is kaput and the second the local county/state DOT to remove the vehicle?

My internet searches come up with nothing.

[Jeffbx]

Yeah, the orange sticker is usually a warning to move the vehicle in x amount of time or it will be impounded. I always thought the white 'flag' was a request for help, but guess that wouldn't apply to an abandoned vehicle.

[Jihforce]

I thought i was a ticket for parking the car there too long. I guess i'm not too far off.

[renovation]

Yeah, the orange sticker is usually a warning to move the vehicle in x amount of time or it will be impounded. I always thought the white 'flag' was a request for help, but guess that wouldn't apply to an abandoned vehicle.

[nate el bueno]

We had a car in the parking lot of fry's for about a year an a half before they finally called it in and had it towed. Not quite on subject, but I thought it was pretty funny

[Markel]

Around here, the state police will put a orange sticker (or I've even seen part of one) on the back window of a vehicle that they have stopped and checked. I've always thought that it was a "signal" to other troopers that the car has already been checked.

[lindysd]

Around here, the state police will put a orange sticker (or I've even seen part of one) on the back window of a vehicle that they have stopped and checked. I've always thought that it was a "signal" to other troopers that the car has already been checked.

I agree!

Those orange stickers are also very hard to remove from the windshield.

[Markel]

We had a car in the parking lot of fry's for about a year an a half before they finally called it in and had it towed. Not quite on subject, but I thought it was pretty funny

Funny, I heard about a car at the local community college that was disabled because the alarm system had somehow become activated (and disabled the ignition) and the owner didn't have any kind of remote to disable the alarm. The guy tried everything (even had the college security come out and cut some wires) but couldn't get the car to start.

Luckily for the guy, he had a dad who was pretty savvy and came out and got it started in a few seconds (after he reconnected the wires that they had cut).

[attgig]

It may be a marker to the cops (in lieu of an orange sticker) that they're coming back for the car.

[WhiskeyPapa]

We had a car dumped in our parking lot a couple years ago. Called the cops and they put the orange sticker in the window. I got a good close look. It basically said the vehicle would be towed after such-and-such time (24 hours later). The sticker appeared to have a powerful adhesive and I'm sure would be hard to remove.

Here's an up-close look at one:

[Prngr44]

I had an old Cavalier overheat during my college days that got one of those orange stickers. I went through a bottle of Goo Gone to get the sucker off.

I swear the thing was still steaming when the officer put it on because from the time it overheated I got a ride to my parents, my dad and I bought a new radiator hose, then drove out to replace it the sticker was already there.

I think we had 72 hours before it would be towed by the state.