Have you ever walked into the parking lot, grabbed your car keys and noticed your car is missing? You think to yourself, “was my car stolen?” But then it hits you; your car was towed.Tow truck companies are taking advantage of students in Tallahassee.
It’s not the issue of parking in the wrong area because parking in a no-parking zone is a risk. The real question is if tow-truck companies are taking advantage of students with its charges and fee’s.
If you want to pick up your car the day it was towed, the fee is usually higher than if you wait 24 hours. There are over-hour, service and extra-day fees.
But as if having your car towed wasn’t enough, when you finally arrive the next day to pick up your car, the employees working are rude and have no sympathy. They act as if they are the ones who just got towed.
It seems as though these companies wait until we walk away to victimize us. They just drive around our campus waiting and hunting to tow someone’s car.
Recently, I have been the victim of bad customer service and over-priced towing. A couple of weeks ago I was towed by Professional and Parking Services from the gravel parking lot near Potbelly’s because I did not see the private property sign. I knew I was in the wrong, and there was no question as to whether I should have been towed. But the only question was the money issue.
I decided to go inside the building and ask the employee how much it would cost to get my car because I was thinking about getting my car out that day. He told me that it was going to be $188 that day and $88 the next day.
So, I decided to come back the next day and pick up my car. But he told me since I came in to ask about my car, it was going to be $188.00 the next day also.
I thought to myself that this was ludicrous; I cannot be charged for asking a question. There were no signs, posters or policies within my view that explained these extra charges. I then asked to speak to the manager, but he would not give me the name. The employee began to become disgruntled and he lashed out at my friends and me. He told me if I continued to ask questions, he was going to charge me an extra $15. Even though I told the manager about the problem, she sided with her employee.
Since she did nothing, I called the police to get evidence of her biasness and unforeseen prices and policies. But when the police got involved, not surprisingly, the manager decided to let me pay for my car at regular price.
In order to stop discrimination and bad customer service, students have to take a stand. Sooner or later, these companies with bad customer service are going to make up fees. There will be a fee for towing in the rain, the color of your car, and the direction you parked.
You will soon need financial aid to get your car out the lot. But until then, will you take a stand?
Latasha Edwards is a sophomore public relations student from Houston. She can be reached at lakers3482001@yahoo.com.