Day in and day out, many businesses deal with ill-tempered, dissatisfied and unwavering customers, and in terms of towing companies in DeKalb, there is no difference.

Whether it is towing signs, the fees or the inconvenience of being towed, the outcry that ensues from angry customers sometimes causes more headaches than anything else for Bill Lovett, owner of Lovett’s Towing.

“It’s tough,” Lovett added. “It’s our business, it’s what we do, and sometimes our job isn’t the easiest.”

Brett Baish, who visited the campus from his hometown in Aurora, said he thought there was a lack of signs because he never saw one.

“I came up to visit a friend and nowhere did I see a sign that said I couldn’t park in his apartment parking lot,” Baish said.

Complaints from angry people about the positioning of signs throughout parking facilities across campus has been a problem for Lovett’s, as well as Bill Wishard, owner of A to Z Towing.

Wishard emphasized that the positioning and number of signs designated within parking lots is not a decision of the towing company, and therefore, the complaints shouldn’t be centered completely around them.

“The City of DeKalb OKs all signage that is originally requested by the property owner who applies for a permit to have these signs,” Wishard said. “We don’t take any responsibility for the signs.”

Wishard said the primary misconception is that just because their name is on the sign, he or any other tower isn’t at fault if a person feels the signs aren’t visible enough.

Lovett said a way to diminish these complaints is by helping property owners place more signs within their parking lots. In some instances, Lovett said he’d pay for half of the signs so that this problem wouldn’t continue.

An employee with DeKalb’s Code Enforcement Department said that a sign must be clearly visible from every spot a car would park.

Another complaint has been that towing companies watch and wait for someone to park illegally.

“I parked near Copy Service to visit a friend in the nearby apartments and 10 minutes later, I’m towed,” said Neil Kloster, sophomore marketing major. “If I can’t even go visit a friend without worrying about someone watching me park, it’s ridiculous.”

“We don’t spot check at all,” Lovett said in response.

Lovett said another problem that has been presented to him is about his men being accused of breaking-and-entering. Lovett added that it is legal for them to enter a car if they have to release the emergency break.

“As a rule, we only dolly cars unless we absolutely have to enter the car to release the emergency break,” Lovett said. “My guys aren’t allowed to do this on their own and must consult me before entering the car.”

Wishard said his policy is much the same.

“State law allows us to get into a vehicle but we always flatbed the car unless it’s necessary to enter the car,” Wishard said.

Lovett said although it is his job and his business to tow cars, in a perfect world, he wouldn’t have to create this inconvenience for both the driver of the car or his business.

“We try to avoid towing these kids and therefore don’t tow unless we are called,” Lovett said.

Sophomore OMIS major Christina Espinosa said despite the major inconvenience of her car being towed late at night, she encountered no problems dealing with the towing company.

“The lady I spoke to on the phone was nice, and when I got there, all the people there were really nice,” Espinosa said. “I really had no problems with them.”

Lovett said while he makes profit from towing cars, ideally, he wouldn’t have to send men out on a frequent basis.

“I don’t care if [the property owner doesn’t] care if someone parks illegally in their lots,” Lovett said.