ALL IS FAIR WHEN PARKING AT CENTRAL CAMPUS

By Cheryl A. Post
Contributing Writer

Parking at Central Campus has become not only a chore since the ongoing construction of the new parking garage, but to some it is a worry and hassle.

It is very common to see anywhere from forty to fifty cars and trucks roaming the campus on any given morning trying to find a space to park so that they can get to class on time. You must arrive by at least 8 - 9 a.m. Monday through Thursday in order to find a space that you and Campus Safety are comfortable with. What I mean by this is getting a space that ensures that no parking ticket will be issued.

On the other hand you can drive around the campus beginning at Florida Atlantic University going on through the construction zone facing College Avenue, the south side, and continue on around to what I would say is the “hottest spot” that one has the potential of receiving a ticket, building 19 where Admissions, Financial Aid, Campus Safety, the Bookstore, the Cafeteria and Student Life (with the student lounge) are housed. Hundreds of vehicles are parked on the lawn, in fire lanes, and in NO PARKING zones.

However, not all of these students receive tickets, so it makes me wonder, what exactly is the procedure for issuing a ticket and why are there so many empty faculty spots? On more than one occasion I have driven around counting the empty spots so desperately needed by the faculty and these numbers ranged anywhere from 22 to 47, and this was only when I myself was desperate for a spot.

In February I received a ticket for parking on the lawn (in the “hot spot”), in front of building 19 and for not having a parking decal showing. I must explain that I had been in this spot since 8:15 a.m. (not the only student parked on the lawn at that time) and did not receive the ticket until after I was out of my Math class that ended at 7:45 p.m. Time on the ticket was 1900 hours, are we in the military? I also had a legal parking decal hanging on my rearview mirror that may have been shaded a bit by the tint at the top of my window, but nevertheless, was displayed.

I feel that campus security or the campus patrolman was so preoccupied by the fact that I was on the lawn (safe and secure), that they failed to see the decal. There arises another question, “What parts of the campus are you allowed to park on while this construction is underway?” Why should only certain areas of the campus be penalized while others park where ever they please?

I could certainly understand my getting a ticket had I arrived on campus after say, lunch or dinner and did not take the opportunity to park in the bumpy cow pasture in the southeast corner near Davie Road, but I was there with all the early birds. Let me add that had campus safety checked my plates they would have found that my Kia Sportage, registered with the college, was not in fact gray, but blue; must have been the poor lighting.

I did return to campus safety and inquire about my ticket explaining the situation fully and they kindly cancelled the ticket, but said that this one, being the second (the first one I got was for backing into a parking space before I knew that was against the rules) would be the last one that they would be able to wipe from my now clean slate. I left the building feeling free, but still question the parking policies and if there really are any during the madness and mayhem of the wonderful new parking garage that, as rumor has it, will still not solve all of the parking issues and difficulties.

On a final note, why not throw in a few more thousand dollars to level the cow pasture and have it paved. I’m sure that there wouldn’t be any flooding because all the water settles just before you get there and off of College Avenue.