The signs in parking lots across The University of Memphis campus that read, “Tow-away zone” should read “Maybe we’ll tow your car next time.”
The first citation issued to drivers illegally parked in handicap zones includes a $100 ticket and the intent to tow.
The intent to tow warns violators that their car might be towed if they are caught parking illegally in a handicap zone again.
“We have the authority to tow,” said Bruce Harber, director of public safety. “But you have to use discretion and be judicious.”
Alexis Luttrell, senior journalism major, said the discretion of parking services is leaving her with no place to park.
She said she has witnessed students, campus employees and construction workers all park illegally.
“It is against the law to park in a handicap zone without a permit,” said Luttrell, who is legally disabled. “If something isn’t done, the University will get a complaint based on the Americans with Disabilities Act.”
According to Vernon Spence, supervisor of parking operations, the state requires that twopercent of parking spaces be labeled handicap. The U of M has 9,100 parking spaces and 204 are handicap: two percent.
“There might be enough spaces but they aren’t really providing them if they don’t tow the cars parked illegally,” Luttrell said.
Luttrell and her mother, a U of M employee, both have permits to park in handicap spaces. Finding a space is a daily struggle for them, Luttrell said.
In July, Luttrell was diagnosed with interstitial cystitis, a condition that causes severe bladder pain. At the suggestion of her physician she obtained a permit to park in handicap spaces.
“If I’m having a really bad day with my illness, and I can’t find a space, I end up just not going to class.
“I went through the process of applying to the state, then I went to The U of M and got a permit by showing my state placard,” Luttrell said. “I went through all that trouble and then people who are just in a rush go and park in the spaces.”
She said she feels that violators should have their cars towed the first time.
Harber said The U of M is actually stricter than the city is on parking violations.
“They try not to tow student’s vehicles, if they don’t have to,” he said. “But they will tow if a vehicle is causing a safety hazard.”
He said that getting a tow truck is always a problem.
“We can’t tow every vehicle that was improperly parked,” he said.
Luttrell said her complaints to parking services have not been beneficial.
“They say, ‘We aren’t going to tow any cars,’” she said. “I’m just trying to park ixdn a designated handicap spot.”
Last week, Luttrell said she was blocked in an all handicap lot by a construction truck. She found the driver and he told her she did not look handicap so she should not complain.
A few weeks ago, Luttrell started taking pictures of people parked illegally.
She said she called and complained to the physical plant after photographing one of its trucks parked in a handicap zone.
Drew Schmitz, Communications Specialist at physical plant, said they received a complaint about the truck and the driver was told to move immediately.
“It is strictly forbidden to park in handicap spaces and if it happens we rectify the situation as expediently as possible,” he said.
Spence said that parking services receives complaints often and they send employees out to ticket violators as soon as possible.
“I applied for graduate school and law school here,” Luttrell said. “This parking problem could hurt enrollment from a diverse population.”
