04/04/2026
I don’t prefer to address private property impound issues on social media. Not that I haven’t done so in the past or won’t today or in the future but it is not my preference. Despite my preference, here we are.
The person who wrote the post is a nice person. I am not tryin to vilify her. I make this post to explain why her vehicle was impounded. I also share screen shots of her post and the comments on her post to offer a glimpse into what people say about me and FST.
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In today’s digital world, every digit and/or tap of your thumb matters. Entering information exactly—often referred to as "precision data entry"—is critical to avoid legal, financial, and security consequences. Inaccurate data can often lead to unintended and unfortunate consequences. Using the ParkMobile parking system – or any of the other parking systems used in Bowling Green or across the United States – is no exception to the "precision data entry" rules.
When using the ParkMobile app, customers need to input a significant amount of information. Most importantly, is the correct license plate number. And the correct zone number. The zone number identifies what parking lot the customer is parking in and the license plate number identifies the vehicle. Customers MUST enter these numbers correctly.
The license plate number is the identification for the vehicle being parked. Fountain Square Towing - and every parking enforcement company across the country who provides enforcement services to ParkMobile or any of the other mobile/web app parking providers - use this EXACT data when doing compliance checks.
You may be wondering why FST can’t compare the make, model and color of the car with the incorrect license plate number and “call it good” if it’s close and assume this what the customer meant to do.
Short answer: FST does not have that information.
Longer answer: FST scans or inputs the license plate data into the system. If the customer entered one digit or letter wrong on either the license plate or the zone number, the vehicle will be impounded.
License plate numbers and zone numbers are a critical part of the parking transaction and are 100% the responsibility of the customer to enter correctly in order for the parking session to be identified correctly by FST.
These exact numbers are the identification for the vehicle, similar to a phone or credit card number or an email address. Using correct license plate and zone data (numbers & letters) is critical because it IS THE ONLY INFORMATIOON FST IS ABLE TO ACCESS. If the license plate number on the vehicle that is parked does not match what was entered for payment, the vehicle will be impounded. FST has no way of knowing the customer entered the wrong numbers or letters. See last photo.
You may be wondering why FST can’t just return a vehicle without payment if a customer can show proof that they paid EVEN IF they entered numbers or letters incorrectly. Another let’s “call it good” if it’s close.
FST operates just like every other business. FST business to provide the service of private property impound. That service is, at times, unpopular but it is a needed service nonetheless. Like in all business environments, once a service has been provided it must be paid for or the business will go … out of business. A customer showing proof that they paid to park but also entered numbers or letters incorrectly does not cover the costs and resources that FST has already expended.
Private property impound can be unpopular but it is also necessary. In order for paid parking to work properly, the customer must precisely enter their own data.
