Most students at the University are at least 18 years of age. So, would it be wrong to assume that at the age of 18, one understands the concept of an 8-foot-by-18-foot parking spot clearly marked by yellow lines even if one has never driven any sort of vehicle before? And 18 is definitely not too young to know that it is okay to open a door and walk through it as long as it is not locked or does not read “please use other door.”

So let’s start with the genius students who for some reason don’t understand why there is more than one working door at the end of the main unispan that can be used to enter or exit the south side of campus. Is it really necessary to stand there and begin forming a line waiting for students to finish coming in so that those that want to exit can do so after everyone is safely inside? What about that other door that’s there? It works, all you need is an arm and a little pull. Voila! Another door is open and now students can come in and out at the same time.

Now we can move on to the great parking skills that can be found at the University. It’s great that all students, even first-years, can bring a car to campus. With that said, the traffic and parking regulations section of the University Web site clearly states, “Parking space often is at a premium. Everyone driving on campus is expected to comply with [the] regulations.” In addition, it says, “Students may park only in areas designated for student parking, and only between lines that outline the parking space.”

Plain and simple English, right? So then why do students continue to create their own parking spots in the middle of the road? And why do Public Safety vehicles just drive straight by cars that are clearly not in a real parking spot? Isn’t it part of the Public Safety officers’ jobs to make sure the parking regulations are enforced and to ticket vehicles that are not properly parked? Students who decide to make their own parking spots in the middle of the road create a hazard for pedestrians, who might not be able to see around the incorrectly parked cars to other cars that are heading straight for them, often much faster than the campus speed limit of 15 mph.