Editor,
I usually drive my car to campus to lift weights at Johnson center at around 5:30 p.m. or later, four days a week. I usually park in the "A" lot next to the Student Residence, and I rarely have trouble finding a space. In fact, there are usually several dozen empty spaces.
I don't have a parking sticker for my car, because I ride my bike to school the mornings that I have classes.
I have been parking in this lot since the beginning of this semester and I never really thought I was taking a spot from anyone because the lot is never full. However, last week I was given a warning citation on Tuesday at 5:47 p.m. and then a ticket on Thursday at 6:02 p.m.
I have not been a big fan of Parking Services since I was ticketed for parking in the "D" next to Alvarado Hall last Spring Break, when that particular lot had more than 100 empty spaces.
It seemed pretty irrational to enforce parking codes when the supply of spaces well exceeded the demand.
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Last spring, I just figured, oh well, I guess parking attendants don't get Spring Break off poor guys, I'll just pay this ticket, forget about it and not park there again during the break.
I learned my lesson and changed my behavior. It was no big deal because I didn't have to park there anyway, it was just nice and kept me from walking a long way at the time.
This new procedure of Parking Services giving tickets after 5 p.m. is a little bit more complicated though.
If this is going to happen to me and other students everyday, I really urge Parking Services to change its policy.
I never have a problem finding a space after five. If I were to try to find a space there in the morning I wouldn't be able to get one and if I did, I would be taking a space away from someone who paid for a sticker and needed the space. In that case, I would deserve a ticket.
However, after 5 p.m. the "A" lot and most other lots are empty, and I am not taking anyone's paid for spot when I park there. Granted Parking Services may have a policy in place to give vehicles without stickers tickets after five, but there is no good reason for it. The whole purpose of the university having a parking services is to distribute fairly a limited amount of parking spaces.
If there were many more spaces available than cars to fill them then there would be no reason for parking services to even exist. There are more spaces than cars to fill them after 5:30 p.m. when I park in the "A" lot, so, parking services does not need to issue citations.
Are they trying to keep the lot completely empty?
It would be cheaper to put up a barrier or some other physical restraint that would prevent anyone from entering the lot and would allow you parking guys to go home at five.
Don't you parking guys need to go home at around 5 p.m. anyway, because I know that you start giving tickets at 7 a.m. Parking Services already has its own building and a staff of around 20 or so, I would guess.
The University spent an obscene amount of money to fund a study on parking needs last year. People who buy parking stickers do not want to see thier prices go up so that parking codes can be enforced 24 hours a day. Parking Services serves students and employees of the University who pay for stickers by enforcing parking zones through the issuing of citations.
If supply and demand take care of this for free, then parking services is not needed at that time. Especially since it means we are paying their employees at times when they are not needed.
Besides, I don't like riding my bike home from the weight room in the dark, and nobody likes paying for a ticket or a sticker that there is no good reason to get.
"Because that's our policy" is a pretty stupid excuse when giving parking tickets. It doesn't make me think that Parking Services or the University is trying to meet the needs of its students who drive cars. Sounds like just another case of that crazy Parking Services making students waste their hard-earned money due to some crazy parking policy.
David J Blunier
Anderson Schools of Management student
