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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Nov. 21, 1983)
NO PARKING VIOLATORS WILL BE TOWED AWAY . Towing $ M ■ Task force to look at hauling troubles as furor mounts over impounding, rates By Dave Sokolowski Of the Emerald Returning to the tar after a day of shopping and er rands to find a parking ticket on the windshield is a frustrating experience. But that situation doesn't compare with returning to the parking space and finding it empty. “Someone stole my car/' is the first panic-stricken thought that comes to mind. The second may be "authoriz ed parking only." The blood pressure rises. Fury builds up at the thought of being towed. Situations like this one have angered enough people that the Eugene Police Department claims it has received a recent deluge of complaints. As a result, the Eugene City Council formed a task force to look into complaints and review city ordinances regar ding impounding. The task force is comprised of represen tatives of the public, businesses currently using towing ser vices and a Eugene towing firm. Citizen complaints center mainly on high rates, cir cumstances surrounding the towing and verbal abuse, says Vick Mann, a lieutenant with the Eugene Police Department. Despite the large volume of complaints, most people who park in an impounding zone know they're in violation, says Leon Swager, owner and operator of Emerald Towing. Emerald impounds for about 80-90 percent of the city's private lots, Swager says. He says he was a nice guy until taking over Emerald Towing in October 1982, but he's toughened up after hav ing to deal with irate people. "One of my employees was slapped in the face after their car was paid for and released,” Swager says. "I've been pushed around in the office and the police have had to come and break it up." Towers also have problems accepting checks and credit cards, Swager says. In fact, payment was stopped on the first check he accepted after coming to Emerald. "They refused to pay it. I was forced to take them to small claims court and they had to pay me the $71.50 im pounding fee on top of court costs,” he says. He defends high impounding rates, saying they are hik ed up by the cost of operating the business and his three $30,000 trucks. Emerald is the only towing company in the city that charges a flat rate for impounding, he says. Other companies charge separately for hook-up and storage. Impounding signs are causing much of the trouble. In 1981, the city passed an ordinance outlining sign regula tions. Signs must be between three and 10 square feet and state specifically who can park in lot space, according to the ordinance. Waiver exams changed Students who want to waive part of the University's writing re quirements should be aware 01 some recent changes in the Writing 121 and 122 exemption ex aminations, English department officials say. The exams, scheduled for Nov 28 and 29, will no longer require an objective portion. In twc hours, students must read ; passage and respond in an essay Students who pass will earn an ex emption — but no credit — for the course. The exam cost has beer reduced to $3. To learn exam schedules and te sign up for each exam, student1 should contact the Testing Office -tfcsfoM |CHAMPAGNE $ ^LIQUIDATION4 Ladies! Join us Thursday nights at 6talhfi0s as we attempt to liquidate our entire stock of Champagne—FREEI: 9 pm - midnight ^ * 440 Coburg Rd • 343-1221 .} 238 Student Health and Counsel ing Center at 686-3227. Further in formation is available from the English department, 118 PLC. In other news, department head )ohn Gage says Writing 123 will not be offered for the remainder of this year. * Students who are interested in i an elective composition class that teaches writing in a similar way should enroll in Writing 216, Gage says. ■ "Students who want to learn i about techniques of using the library in relation to their research > should consider LIB 127 or LIB 199, , taught by the library staff," he , says. 10c OFF any slice plus a free soda Offer good Monday through Friday 11:30-Midnight Mon.-Fri. 3:30-Midnight — Weekends 1211 Alder on Campus 686-9598 Sy's Pizza I_I_....... Fountain Court Cafe 1 Luncheon Specials Served Daily 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. All Specials $1.95 MONDAY Baked Ham Noodle with Cheese Sweet & Sour Meatballs Buttered Rice TUESDAY Biscuit Topped Beef Stew Reuben Sandwich Potato Salad WEDNESDAY Herbed Chicken with Dressing Hunter Style Steak Quiche Lorraine Spinach Quiche Happy Thanksgiving Mexican Food Bar Burrito Supreme/Fried Burrito Taco & Enchiladas Spanish Rice & Refried Beans Salad Bar By the ounce 15C Chef’s Choice Soup Bar Two special soups and Chili served daily
