Not in Tow Here
Just wondering which city official's car was towed in order for something to be done with these towing companies. These companies have been taking advantage of Knoxville citizens for years.
I myself had parked my car for sale in front of Books-a-Million last year with a For Sale sign in the window along Kingston Pike along with some other cars for sale. The next night around midnight I received a call from Cedar Bluff Towing which is only a few miles from Books-a-Million, saying that they had towed my car and it would be $150 dollars to pick up.
I was outraged so I went into Books-a-Million the next day to speak with their manager. I told her if you were going to tow my car that was fine, but I had a sign in the window of the car with my phone number. If you would have just called me and asked me to move it I would have understood, no problem. She then informed me that Books-a-Million did not have Cedar Bluff tow the cars. Cedar Bluff just decided they would take 10 cars that day out of the lot.
When I asked Cedar Bluff Towing about the incident they told me that if I questioned the $150 it would be more. Of course, I have also watched them take advantage of the university parking situation for years. They can clean out a lot in minutes. If you have ever watched them on campus, they are moving like thieves in the night.
I have a business in Knoxville and a wrecker driver from Cedar Bluff tried to put his business cards on one of my counters. I wrote them a letter and sent his business cards back, expressing to them that I do not want my business associated with Cedar Bluff Towing Co. in any way, and I explained why and how I was treated at their place of business.
I feel as though towing companies should have some type of inspections and regulations to follow, just as check advance companies, and other businesses do. Towing companies have been overcharging and abusing their profession for years.
Debbie Headrick
Knoxville
Skate On!
I would like to say thanks for helping once again bring to light an ongoing problem here in Knoxville. As a teacher and skateboarder, I have seen Knoxville's skateboarding youth neglected for too long. I have skated and helped in the creation and upkeep of most of the "underground skateparks" mentioned in your paper.
I have gone to City Council meetings, and demonstrated in front of city hall. So far these efforts have been futile. The city has outlawed skateboarding in many areas of the city, but has failed to provide a place where this sport can be practiced. This has had the effect of turning many of our youth into criminals for participating in a healthy recreational activity.
I have traveled to the skateparks in Louisville, Ky., and Asheville, N.C. Both of these cities have provided fine examples of what can be done for their youth. The qualifying heats for the ESPN's X-Games have been held in Louisville, and drew over 50,000 people to the event. Extreme parks can provide both a recreation facility for Knoxville's youth and a travel destination and event center.
Extreme sports are a several billion-dollar industry and it's growing. If executed correctly, a skatepark can provide Knoxville with both a solution to a problem and an asset to the city's economy.
As the popularity of skateboarding and other extreme sports grows, the need for a place to accommodate the participants is also growing. Although these sports maybe ignored, they are not going away. The last 20 years have proved this.
Jay Cabler
Knoxville
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