Okay, I live a few blocks away. I don't often get up on time, so I can't walk to class. My only option is to drive over and find somewhere to park (usually in Selby). Same with when I do my laundry. It's hard, when you accumulate several hampers full of dirty clothes, to park on Spring Street in the rain and drag laundry to Smith. It's almost worse in the rain, or freezing cold, to park by the door, drop laundry off, go park and then come back. Sigh. It's no fun not having a permit sometimes.
Why don't I have a permit? Good question. I guess because when I have to pay around $400 a month for rent, utilities, food, gas and other items, a $100 permit seems like a stupid idea (especially since I'm graduating in December). I go to class every day and have meetings pretty often, but that's about it for my academic-side ventures. I certainly don't park in Selby or HamWill for hours at a time...and if I ever dare to park in Smith, Hayes or Welch you bet it will be for like half an hour.
Since moving off-campus, I have gotten my fair share of parking tickets. My car stayed through lunch at Selby? Ticket. Parked in Smith lot in a blizzard because I was late to PRIDE? Ticket. Parked in Edwards to interview a coach for an article? Ticket. Set my Toyota by the fraternities last year (on a Saturday!!) for a philanthropy event? Ticket again!
You bet your lug nuts that I contested all of these suckers. Not only do I have a chance to get out of the ticket, but I have more time to save twenty bucks! But not once have I won my contest. I'm on to you, Mike Esler.
I hear a lot of complaints about the parking situation on campus, and especially about tickets. I know someone who parked right in front of Hayes for two minutes while she ran upstairs to get tampons and got a $45 ticket. Yikes. People park there all the time...sorry about your luck, lady. The construction by Stuy has affected some Peaceful and Justicey peoples' ability to park by their house. Hayes and Smith lots are always full of folks--and those Smith spaces are too small even for my Corolla. Even if I shelled out a Benjamin for that parking pass, would I even get a good spot?
Parking can be rough here on campus but those of us without parking passes are lucky we have all the side streets to park on--Rowland, Washington, Winter, Oak Hill, Spring...and Catherine Street when it gets back to normal. And there aren't even any meters, just Delaware residents who may get mad at you when you park too close to their driveway. Bigger campuses don't have that luxury. I have visited OSU for events--and you either pay to park in a garage, feed the meter all your quarters, or risk getting a ticket. OU is the same way. All the side streets have meters, and if you park in a lot when you aren't supposed to, you get slammed. Or, let's see...you get your damn car towed on Halloween weekend!! Not that I have ever had that experience...or anything...
True, parking tickets are a pain. And it's hard to be happy about your parking pass when there is nowhere to put your vehicle. But there are close streets to park, and no worrying about meters or major time limits. Yeah, we may have to walk a little further or get up a little earlier...but it beats having to spend Taco Bell and beer money on a ticket.
It's a vicious cycle, too, I suppose. I get mad at Delaware parents who park in front of or actually in my driveway every day when picking up their kids from Woodward Elementary. But then I think. There probably aren't parking spots over there for them to stop and get their kids. Some of them are mean when I ask them to move but it usually isn't a problem...usually.
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