By Joe Rector
I’m a big fan of YouTube. Changing things that I enjoy watching is easy, and most videos are short, a fact that suits my shortened attention span. One of the best “channels” is “Everything Auto.” The company featured is in Gatlinburg; it tows vehicles in the area and accomplishes difficult tasks as if they were child’s play.
Jeff and his wife are the owners of the business. Their son now works with them as well. My wife bought me a t-shirt for Christmas at their lot, and she said the place wasn’t that big. Still, those wreckers are on the road at all hours of the day and night.
Most of us in this area have traveled to Gatlinburg, and we know that the traffic from Pigeon Forge to the town moves slowly and sometimes doesn’t move at all. When car shows are held, both places look more like parking lots. Folks don’t want to pay to park, so they find nooks and crannies to put their vehicles. That’s not a good idea.
Business owners call Everything Auto to tow illegally parked vehicles from their lots. Condo developments call for the same reason. Especially frustrating are the tow requests that come late in the night. On some occasions, Jeff and Kristin answer calls throughout the night as irate car owners demand their cars immediately. The couple sometimes oblige folks and meet them at the lot. However, when an owner is rude or overly demanding, Jeff will politely tell the individual that he will meet them during business hours between 8 and 5.
I shouldn’t be, but I often am stunned at the actions of people. Visitors to that area act as if they can’t read. Signs are posted at most locations where vehicles are towed. Yet, drivers ignore them and park. How’s that possible? I’m a rule follower. If a place doesn’t allow parking, I find another spot. My wife has asked me to pull into the fire lane so she can go into the store, but I won’t do it. I find a parking place or drive around the lot until she comes out. Friends make fun of me for following rules. If for no other reason, I do it to avoid paying fines and fees.
I blame much of this illegal parking on entitlement. It’s that same attitude that people display in too many situations. They simply do as they please and deny that any rule applies to them.
What’s worse is the anger when cars are hauled away. Yes, the cost of retrieving a car is steep, as it should be. The signs that were posted served as warnings. The fee for bailing a car out is more like a knock on the thick skulls of a violator. Sometimes, a kick in the seat of the pants is needed to get the attention of a person who does as he pleases.
Most rules are established to protect people or places. Sure, a few of those rules are absurd, but most establish order. Those who fail to park in the right places in Gatlinburg and the national park deserve whatever fines are given. The way to avoid those negative things is to park in the right place or pay to park in a public lot. It’s the simple things that stump some people. Others just never learn.
