UI parking system exists for a reason
Unfortunately, many people have experienced first-hand feelings of dread walking towards your car and glimpsing a yellow parking ticket on the window courtesy of University of Idaho Parking and Transportation services.
UI data indicates the department gave 698 warnings and 338 parking citations between Aug. 8 and Sept. 3. The data also showed that about 1 percent of drivers generate 10 percent of citations given out on campus.
This means most people who receive tickets have received multiple citations and are perpetual parking rule breakers.
Receiving a ticket is never fun, but the parking system is there for a reason. There’s simply not enough room for everyone to park on campus, let alone park however they want.
Instead of wasting hundreds of dollars on parking tickets and carrying a grudge for the PTS employees who dole out the infringement notices, consider purchasing a proper permit and parking in the designated areas. Better yet, find a different mode of transportation.
One option is utilizing the bus system. The bus system reaches most parts of Moscow, which is not that big anyway. Furthermore, the bus system is free to utilize.
For those who live on campus and park in residence hall lots or Greek parking, how often do you use your car? Is it really necessary to have it with you on campus or could you use ride share options like Zipcar, Zimride and even your Facebook friends list when you need to get somewhere off campus?
Finally, for those who receive tickets, there is an appeals process that — if taken seriously — can work to the driver’s advantage.
This isn’t to say the PTS system is perfect.
PTS should expand outreach programs to inform new students and other on-campus drivers about how the system works and where they can and cannot park. This would greatly reduce parking struggles, and some of the hard feelings many express after receiving a ticket. An enhanced first time offender warning system would help reduce the rage of parking offenders, who simply may not have known.
Obviously, it’s not a perfect system, and obviously there’s a shortage of parking for students on campus. But additional parking won’t magically appear overnight, so for now, it’s up to students, faculty and staff to work with the system, rather than against it.
— KK