Archives
 By  Staff Reports Published 
10:58 pm Sunday, June 1, 2008

No licenses still a problem

By Staff
Local law enforcement agencies, along with agencies statewide, have been participating in the Click it or Ticket campaign.
Officers have been working overtime devoted to working traffic.
The only real difference between working traffic and working a regular shift is the officer working traffic doesn't answer calls into the station unless all the other officers are tied up at that time.
I got a chance to spend a little time with an officer working traffic overtime this week and learned a few things about getting caught with violations.
I spent about two hours with this officer and he made nine contacts during this time. While there were a few seat belt violations, the majority of the tickets written were for suspended or no driver's license.
I'll be honest when they passed the ordinance mandating that all vehicles operated by an unlicensed driver I thought 'how many cars could they possibly tow before people get wise to it?'
I guess the answer to that question is simple: A lot. I watched officers tow one car after another. The officer I was with towed around six cars, and other officers had several more cars towed as well.
In all about 10 cars were towed in the time I spent with them. I was shocked to find that many people were driving around with no driver's licenses.
I don't really understand why these people do not take the time to complete the necessary paperwork to get a driver's license, but there are people who apparently feel that getting a driver's license is too much work. So they drive around with no license, and have their cars towed every other day. I just don't understand it.
I did feel sorry for the families and children who had to get out of their cars because of the new ordinance, but laws must be enforced for everyone not just a select few.
When the ordinance was passed, Police Chief Chris Hargett said that the law is designed to deter people from driving around with no license. Since the law has passed, dozens and dozens of vehicles have been towed at the owner's expense.
I hope that everyone who reads this will realize that for the money that is being spent on paying vehicles out of hock due to them being towed, they could probably get a driver's license.

Also on Franklin County Times
Wife, 65, admits she shot, killed husband
Main, News, Russellville, ...
Kevin Taylor For the FCT 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – A 65-year-old woman is facing a murder charge after she admitted to shooting her husband Sunday evening inside their residence on Dunca...
3 firefighters receive Lifesaver Awards
Main, News, Russellville, ...
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE — More than two months after city firefighters responded to a cardiac arrest call that left Steven Bledsoe without a pulse for 27 minutes...
FBLA students earn honors at state
News, Phil Campbell, Records
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Members of the Phil Campbell High School Future Business Leaders of America chapter earned honors during the Alabama FBLA State Leader...
Obituaries
Obituaries
May 13, 2026
Ruth E. Spooner May 7, 2026   Ruth E. Spooner, 90, of Beloit, Wis., passed away on Thursday morning, May 7, at Cedar Crest, in Janesville, Wis. She wa...
The protection system you’ve never heard of
Columnists, Opinion
May 13, 2026
When you visit a doctor, you might notice the framed medical license on the wall. For most patients, that document is simply reassurance that their ph...
Retired educators hear state updates
Columnists, News, Opinion, ...
HERE AND NOW
May 13, 2026
Retired educators met at the Russellville First Methodist Church Ministry Center for the last meeting for the Franklin County Retired Educators Associ...
Students get life lessons with hatching classes
News, Phil Campbell
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
PHIL CAMPBELL — Students at Phil Campbell Elementary School and Phil Campbell High School recently got some handson lessons about animal life cycles a...
STEAM expo highlights student projects
News, Russellville
María Camp maria.camp@franklincountytimes.com 
May 13, 2026
RUSSELLVILLE – Middle school students in sixth, seventh and eighth grade presented the findings of their STEAM Expo projects last week. From testing w...

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *