By Stephen Cooney
Parking outside of the designated lines in the field lots on campus has become a common occurrence, but Public Safety is taking action to prevent students from continuing to do so: When drivers return to their cars, there have been an increasing amount of cars with parking tickets on their windshields between their wipers.
Students have become accustomed to parking outside of the yellow lines, creating spots at the end of a parking field directly beside the last car parked legally between the yellow lines, but Public Safety’s increased action is getting students’ attention.
From January through March 2007, public safety issued 759 parking tickets, according to records provided by the Department of Public Safety. During the same period this year, public safety has issued 1858 parking tickets.
“People have been parking in roadways and in aisles.” said John O’Malley, the assistant director of Public Safety. “There has been an increase in illegal parkers.”
Students have been surprised by the increase in tickets, but also the inconsistency of the ticketing.
“If you are going to give tickets be consistent about it.” said Mallory Hanback, a freshman. “Sometimes they give tickets and sometimes they do not.”
Students have also been confused by what is a violation and what is not a violation. “Any area not outlined for parking has been purposely left open to reduce traffic hazards and to permit passage of emergency vehicles,” according to the Public Safety guidelines for parking on campus. “Parking in these areas carries a $20 fine. You may park only in spaces outlined for parking, whether or not a sign is posted.”
This gives the department the ability to enforce parking violations in areas not designated with signs, and also not explicitly outlined on the Web site.
Hanback also discussed that she did not have a problem with public safety ticketing cars that are parked outside of the lines but still has an issue with the inconsistency.
“A lot of people park outside the spot and some days they let you park there and some days they do not,” Hanback said. “If you are going to give tickets, then give them every time.”