Why is it???
By
Richard Wolfe
(Printed approximately 1999)
For all you companies that do impounds, you know the kind, parking lot impound, private lot impounds, private property impounds, PPI’s, PLI’s or what ever you happen to call them, you have heard all the stories and excuses.
Well I happen to work for such a company, and yes we do patrol parking lots looking for violators in fire lanes, double parked, no permits, and parked vehicles in handicapped spaces. I have heard all the excuses, the signs were not up when the person parked the car (sign is also posted inside the building in the window), the business is closed, or even that the semi trucks at the truck stop blocked the signs from the drivers view, (he suggested that the trucks do not park there so he could see the signs).
Or how about the all time favorite one that I have, “we do not live around here so how do we know the rules?” I would like to know where there is a place that does not have a parking problem and no need for cars to be towed.
It has been suggested that we actively search for the person so that they have a change to move the vehicle before it is towed. I keep asking them, “Ok how far do I look? 1 door, 1 floor, 1 building, 1 block, or 1 mile” I have not got an answer of that one yet!
Or how about the person that does not read English very good, last time I checked, you have to have read English to have driver’s licenses in the United States, and yes I know about International drivers licenses.
Do we have to have signs in every language, so that everyone gets the message, (that’s gonna be a very big and crowded sign). Or how about a sign in every space, or make them in Day-Glo letters, or signs with lights above them.
I one time had a customer call us from a rental car business who wanted a vehicle removed that was blocking him in, so that he could leave the bar and drive home. Did I mention that he was parked at the rental car location and blocked in by a returned rental?
Why should the property owner care if people park vehicles on their property, as the business is closed or it is a vacant lot? It’s not hurting anyone, and the garbage that is left in the lot is not a problem to the property owner. Most customers do not realize that the property owner is responsible for things that happen on the lots and maybe the insurance company has said that no unauthorized vehicles are to be on the lot after business hours.
Of course one of my favorite places to tow vehicles from is around colleges. When I am caught, I always listen to the excuses and then ask them if they saw the sign and read it. If it was a test would you do what the signs say, after all you pay how much to go to school and learn.
It would seem that everyone has an answer to solving the problem; it just happens that they were one of the problems and they got caught. Is a open lot across from a lot where you have to pay $5.00 or more to park, so appealing that they are going to try and save the money and not read or obey any warning signs.
But now they are in your office or waiting room, yelling and screaming, beating on the walls, doors and hopefully not your drivers, because to save the parking fee they the now have to pay $100.00 or more.
We had one window broke out in the building several times in the past by customers, The last time it was by a customer whose car we had towed, by police request who was arrested for drunk driving. Of course the price that he paid to get the vehicle out was a bit higher when he came to get it after the trip to the hospital for stitches to sew his hand back up; He paid for a new window also.
The amazing fact of all this, at least that I think is that we did not park the vehicle there; they parked it there and then got caught. A lot of the time we get a call to remove a vehicle, and it takes us up to an hour to get there and pick up the vehicle. But we get the person who swears that “they only parked there for 5 minutes” and we have had the vehicle for 1 to 2 hours in the yard.
I must admit that I am glad that I am a driver not the dispatcher which has to put up with the customers, but they have a hold button on the phone and I am still looking for the one in my truck. I only have to deal with them if I get caught, and driving an Eagle, that is not often. It’s funny that we are such crooks and the public is such a law abiding group. They do not drive drunk, have no insurance, or no licenses, or disregard property owner’s rights. That is a different set of people.
Our Customers have no need for us, as they are always right (first rule of business). Property owners should not care if their lots are full of cars, or abandoned vars. People can always find some other place to park if they want to spend their money at that business. I mean its why a business has a parking lot for other people to park in and take their business down the street and spend their money.
I would love to hear some of your favorite excuses but there
is the same nationwide, same story – different location. I guess the bottom line is “WHAT PART OF NO PARKING DO YOU NOT UNDERSTAND”
Oh yeah before I forget, when I am asked how I manage to sleep at night, I have a great comeback that was given to me by another driver (thanks Jessie), “I DON’T, I WORK GRAVEYARD”
