Any San Franciscan can tell you that daily life in the city is a succession of fees, fines and arbitrary-seeming small expenses that can leave the average citizen feeling strained and helpless.

So it’s great news that San Francisco is waiving a hefty fee for one of the most unfair experiences of all — recovering a stolen car after it’s been towed away.

The previous policy added insult to an already difficult injury. In addition to a tow charge of about $225.75, if auto owners weren’t able to get to the impound lot within four hours, they’d have to start paying storage fees of $68.25 per day.

Now, after an outpouring of victim complaints, the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency has waived the tow charge for local auto-theft victims and gives them two days to pick up their vehicles before they have to begin paying storage fees.

This smart, sensible change didn’t come easily — San Francisco Supervisor Scott Wiener had urged the SFMTA to fix the policy for many years. In November 2014, San Francisco’s Board of Supervisors passed a resolution urging SFMTA to make the change.

And it’s worth noting that out-of-town auto-theft victims are still stuck with a tow fine. SFMTA lowered the fees for nonresidents — to $133, a 50 percent reduction — but they still have to pay. Their recovery grace period from storage fees is shorter, too — just 24 hours.

Still, this policy change is a big step in the right direction.

Coping with a stolen vehicle is costly, complicated and excruciating. San Francisco is right to waive a fee that’s served as an extra punishment for the unlucky.