Towing taking to new heights

 
Towing and ticketing has increased significantly in the last three days on Southern University’s campus.
Field Supervisor for Traffic and Parking Spencer Carter discussed why he thought this was happening.
“Students don’t want to park and walk,” said Carter.
Carter discussed on average the numbers of cars towed a day on SU’s campus.
“On average, there is approximately 14 cars towed a week,” Carter said.
The field supervisor gave an average, but was not able to give the approximate number of cars that were towed this week.
According to Carter, cars that were towed were parked illegally or had unpaid tickets.
“Most people who cars were towed had three or more tickets or was parked illegally,” Carter said.               
Kevin Johnson Deputy Administrator for the Southern University said that they have enforced towing all year.
 “The rules for traffic and parking are in the ‘Traffic and Parking’ handbook and all they are doing is enforced the rules,” Johnson said.
The Deputy Administrator said that he has received complaints about cars parking in handicap spots.
“We’ve seen a market increase in people parking in handicap spaces. We’ve had a lot of complaints,” Johnson said.
Johnson said there was a parking violation that a driver committed to explain why their car was towed.
“For example, if a car is not registered, the car will be ticketed and towed. Any car that is towed had some type of parking violation,” Johnson said.
He said that cars are not towed without tickets. He referred to the ‘Traffic and Parking’ handbook and said that tickets must precede towing.
Ronald Stevens Chief of the SUPD gave another reason why cars might have been towed.
“One reason is the fire line violations. If a fire truck need to get to a dorm, they will be unable to if someone is parked illegally,” Stevens said.
Lt. Floyd Williams Supervisor of the Detectives and Commander of the Criminal Division discussed how the SUPD attempts to teach students corrective behavior.
“We’re not just ticketing and towing. We are only ticketing cars as well. Some students’ cars are not being towed because they are not a chronic violator. So, they just are being reminded to park in the right place. That’s what we’re doing. Its called corrective behavior, Williams said.
According to Williams, students receive three warnings before their cars are towed.
Students voiced their opinions and views on the towing.
Joshua Mulder a freshman criminal justice major from Baton Rouge said that his car was register.
“I feel like they didn’t do their job because when you register your vehicle, you have to register your plate. If they had ran my plate, they would have found that I was registered and a commuter student, “ Mulder said.
Mulder said that the Traffic department should not just rely on tags, but also check plates.
“I think they should run plates because some students might forget to put their tags up,” Mulder said.
Kia Graham electrical engineering junior from Jackson Miss. discussed her experience with the towing.
“ I was on the road by the check point where I’ve been parked for the past two months,  and all of a sudden, they decides to tow us,” Graham said.
Graham said she didn’t understand why this happened.
Joshua Smith a senior business management from Baton Rouge said that it was his first time bringing his car on-campus.
“It was my first time bringing my car on-campus. I got towed and I didn’t get a ticket,” Smith said.
Smith said that at the time the department did not give him any paperwork.
“They didn’t give me any paperwork,” Smith said.
Smith suggested that students should receive ample parking.
“If they want people to park certain places, they should provide the parking,” Smith said.
Terrica Williams a graduating senior business management major from Baton Rouge said she left her car for about 20 minutes.
 “I came on-campus to do something for literally 20 minutes I left my car parked, and when I came back outside, my car was towed,” Williams said.
Williams said she was told there was a problem with the ticket system.
“I was told due to a glitch, in the system the ticket was just put back into the system this week,” Williams said.
Due to the fact that it was a year old ticket over $400 ticket, Williams said that she was unable to dispute the ticket and felt as though that was any fair. Williams said that she has been a SU student for three years now.
“I’ve been attending Southern University since 2010. My car has never been towed before,” Williams said
Williams state that she received two different answers regarding how a car can be towed.
“One person says if you have three tickets, they will tow your car and the other person said, it was at the person’s discretion,” Williams said.
After this experience, Williams said she did not feel that SU was a team.
“Administrators are trying to retain students. Then they hire people in other departments that help make students leave,” Williams said.
Williams said that the towing did not give students hope and have students afraid about the location of their vehicles.
“I can’t even go to class without fearing that my car will be towed,” said.
Williams recommends that the Traffic and Parking department should set up a time frame for tickets.
“At any job or law, there is a time frame to do something. If a student has a ticket that goes unnoticed. After six months, it should be excused,” Williams said.
After this experience, Williams said that if she weren’t a graduating senior she would transfer schools.