Tim Seal is a father, a husband and a small business owner. He is also the most hated man in Baton Rouge to many University students. Every time a student comes out of a bar or friend’s apartment to find his car gone and towed, Seal makes a new enemy.
Seal is the owner of Riverside Towing, the local company that tows from most of the businesses and apartment complexes in the University area.
And Seal says that despite accusations of price gouging, negligence of property and violent employees, he’s just a regular guy trying to do his job.
Seal said his company is responsible for keeping parking spots free for residents and customers of several local apartment complexes and businesses. These businesses enter into a contract with Riverside in which the latter agrees to “patrol” the lots and remove vehicles parked illegally.
“We tow one lot pretty heavily for a few weekends, and it starts to clean up,” Seal said.
Once a Riverside driver touches a vehicle, the customer is charged a minimum of $80. If the vehicle is taken to the storage yard, several other fees are added, such as a $45 fee for opening the gate outside of business hours, a $25 administration fee and a fuel charge of about $4 depending on the price of gas.
A sign on the gate at Riverside’s yard states the Louisiana Public Service Commission sets and regulates all fees.
“If you’ve got beef, it’s not with us. It’s with the LPSC or with the business that your car got towed from,” said Blake, a Riverside employee who refused his last name.
Bill Withers, director of transportation for the LPSC, said these non-negotiable amounts are set by the LPSC and the state police.
“Everything Riverside charges is legal,” Withers said, “But they have been cited previously for exceeding state prescribed fees.”
Withers also said that Riverside’s prices may seem inflated due to the fact that they operate primarily at night and therefore always charge the after-hours fee.
Seal said another reason their rates seem so high is because students draw comparison from experiences of being towed on campus. He thinks it is unfair that local competitor Guy’s Towing can charge a lower rate because of their unique contract with the University.
“Everyone should have to charge the same thing. It’s only fair,” Seal said.
Withers said tows taking place within the University are exempt from state fees.
Roxanne Street, Guy’s Towing employee, said she could not discuss the pricing agreement with the University. All vehicles towed on campus go to an impound yard owned by the University unless special circumstances, such as a wreck, apply. Students then settle the bill with the University, which is generally about $60.
“If we tow off campus, we charge the same state regulated fees,” Street said.
Seal said students sometimes complain that Riverside damages vehicles during transport. To minimize disputes, Riverside drivers carry camcorders at all times and videotape all vehicles before towing to show any prior damage. If Riverside does damage a vehicle, Seal said he always tries to take care of those customers with legitimate claims.
“My brother got towed by Riverside towing and his entire exhaust and bumper got ripped off the car,” said Vohn Mosing, finance sophomore. “But they cut him a check, and I think they gave him more than he needed.”
Some students said they think the expense and damages are only part of the problem with Riverside Towing.
Lauren Boullion, psychology sophomore, said she was parked at The Venue for 15 minutes when her car was towed.
“They were so rude,” Boullion said. “We know that we parked illegally, and we already have to give them $180. They don’t have to be sarcastic and rude about it.”
Blake said Bullion’s response is common.
“People come in mad all the time,” he said. “Some of them are drunk and they want to argue or fight.”
Seal said he tries to hire only drivers he feels can handle the abuse and that he pays his drivers well to stay calm.
“I found that when someone is yelling ‘F you’ and cursing at you, if you just keep saying ‘yes sir’ and ‘no sir,’ the crowd will turn on them eventually,” he said.
Seal said customers reacted violently in the past, which causes problems for his drivers and for the customers.
Riverside has only recently renewed its contract with Azalea Point apartments after nearly a year-long dispute due to an incident with residents.
Seal said his driver parked a flatbed truck in the parking lot of the Circle K on Brightside drive. The two smaller tow trucks were bringing cars back to the flatbed to load them for transport back to the storage yard.
“They had been throwing eggs at my flatbed all night. They were up on that balcony throwing eggs and yelling ‘F you,’ and they were getting drunk,” Seal said.
He said when the individuals realized their car was being towed, “they went nuts.”
“One of them was waving a bat around. A few of them ran down here, and they were standing in front of the truck. While I was getting out of the truck someone hit me in the back of the head,” Seal said.
Some of the residents were hurt in the scuffle and later complained to the Azalea Point management, resulting in the termination of the contract. No charges related to violence are currently on file against Riverside drivers.
Azalea Point refused to comment.
Seal said he regrets the incident. He said he instructs all of his drivers to never respond to violent customers unless they have to defend themselves.
“The last thing I want to do is fight with people; it’s bad for business,” he said.
—–Contact Jimmy Garrett at [email protected]
Riverside Blues
March 22, 2007