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Speaking Out
The Towing System
I had a costly and painful experience with R & K Towing, Inc., the
towing operation whose service is employed by the University. I came to
school on Saturday afternoon, July 17, to clear out some books and papers
from my office in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall. The school was very quiet, no
cars were parked in the small lot behind the building, and I came in through
an open back door, unaware that the reception desk (where one gets temporary
permits to park behind the building) was even open. In any case, I was only
going to load up a few boxes and take them down, a job that took me 5 minutes
more than I anticipated-20 minutes. But during that interval my car had
been towed away by R & K, although the lot was still empty, I was certainly
not blocking the dumpster, and my car had a Lot 14 sticker on it showing
that I was a member of the University community.
So after figuring out what happened, I had to scout around to raise $90
in cash plus cab fare to get my car back, find a cab, drive out to R &
K, and pay my ransom. This took an hour and a half, and an expenditure of
nervous energy in worry and anger (mainly at the University administration).
There is a procedure at Penn for recovery of the $90 for unjust towing;
the manager at R & K, after asking me whether I hadn't been blocking
the dumpster, quickly offered me a University recovery form to fill out,
an interesting arrangement that suggests a defective system in operation.
One thing wrong with the towing system is that it gives R & K a strong
financial incentive to tow aggressively and without the slightest consideration
of any rule of reason. That I was a University person in a lot totally unused
on a Saturday afternoon was of no interest to R & K. They might very
well have towed me even if I had gotten a permit, as going all the way around
the building into the front door, waiting for the paper work, and perhaps
stopping for a moment at the lavatory could have taken 15 minutes, more
than enough time for the vultures to strike.
The system also suffers from the severity of the penalty. There is no
intermediate warning, and no moderate penalty like a $15-30 fine, only the
towing, $90+, and time expenditure cost, applied without any use of discretion.
It is true that there is a sign warning of the towing threat, but it is
easy to miss, or forget, and people may also assume, erroneously, that a
rule of reason will apply in a university community.
The University should treat even encroaching outsiders, let alone its
own students, faculty and staff, with more restraint and sense.
--Edward S. Herman, Professor Emeritus of Finance
Response from Campus Police
Although being towed is not a pleasant experience, the consequences of
the University not enforcing parking policies for people who pay to park
in designated spots is equally distressing to those paying customers. Therefore,
it is imperative that the University ensure these spots are reserved for
authorized vehicle parking. R&K towing company is the designated vendor
to ensure parking compliance on the University's property.
--Maureen S. Rush, Chief of Police, University Police
Department
Speaking Out welcomes reader contributions. Short, timely
letters on University issues can be accepted by Thursday at noon for the
following Tuesday's issue, subject to right-of-reply guidelines. Advance
notice of intention to submit is appreciated.--Ed.
Almanac, Vol. 46, No. 2, September 7, 1999
FRONT
PAGE | CONTENTS
| JOB-OPS
| CRIMESTATS
| NEW Alcohol
and Drug Policy | FY
2000 Recognized Holidays | TALK
ABOUT TEACHING | BETWEEN
ISSUES | SEPTEMBER at PENN
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