2008 Woodie Awards
The perils of finding a parking space
Dominic Guttierrez
Issue date: 9/19/07 Section: Opinion
I'm new to campus and a freshman. On the first day of class, I arrived late.
From my house, it takes approximately 10 minutes to get to school.
One day I left my house at 11:30 a.m. for a class at noon. I wasn't sure where the classroom was, so I left earlier than I normally would. I thought that I had assured myself of getting to school on time and easily finding a parking space.
Man, was I wrong.
I made a left turn onto campus and cars were all backed up. So I thought to myself, "It's not too bad, at least I left really early." By the time I made it to the parking lot closest to the main building, it was already noon. So there I was, all sweaty because my car doesn't have air conditioning, and I am already late for my first class. I am driving around the parking lot and could not, for the life of me, find a space.
Finally, on about my fourth cycle through the preferred section of the parking lot, a car was pulling out of a space.
As I look to the other side, I see another car approaching, quite rapidly. We ended up getting close to the parking space at the same time, but I swooped in. I wasn't being an ass, but seeing as he was entering the parking lot from the wrong side, I believe that I had the right to take it.
So finally it was about 12:20 p.m. when I pushed open the classroom door and entered the room.
I thought all of this was a little ridiculous. There isn't enough parking for all of the students, and the congestion on campus is crazy.
To get to that class on time, which ends up being way too early because that's when I have to leave to miss the traffic, I leave my house 44 minutes before class. It only takes me ten minutes to get here.
I think a major problem of this traffic jam is the speed bumps.
For cars like mind, I have to literally stop at the speed bump, and then precede, very slowly, my front and rear tires over. If I didn't do that, my chassis would scrape.
I don't believe that there is a need for those bumps. Students don't drive fast enough to warrant them. Plus, with the amount of students going to class, there wouldn't be any room to speed.
All I'm saying is I believe that with all of the speed bumps removed from campus; it would make for a more fluid flow of traffic, allowing students to actually reach their destination points without having to leave their house extra, extra early.
From my house, it takes approximately 10 minutes to get to school.
One day I left my house at 11:30 a.m. for a class at noon. I wasn't sure where the classroom was, so I left earlier than I normally would. I thought that I had assured myself of getting to school on time and easily finding a parking space.
Man, was I wrong.
I made a left turn onto campus and cars were all backed up. So I thought to myself, "It's not too bad, at least I left really early." By the time I made it to the parking lot closest to the main building, it was already noon. So there I was, all sweaty because my car doesn't have air conditioning, and I am already late for my first class. I am driving around the parking lot and could not, for the life of me, find a space.
Finally, on about my fourth cycle through the preferred section of the parking lot, a car was pulling out of a space.
As I look to the other side, I see another car approaching, quite rapidly. We ended up getting close to the parking space at the same time, but I swooped in. I wasn't being an ass, but seeing as he was entering the parking lot from the wrong side, I believe that I had the right to take it.
So finally it was about 12:20 p.m. when I pushed open the classroom door and entered the room.
I thought all of this was a little ridiculous. There isn't enough parking for all of the students, and the congestion on campus is crazy.
To get to that class on time, which ends up being way too early because that's when I have to leave to miss the traffic, I leave my house 44 minutes before class. It only takes me ten minutes to get here.
I think a major problem of this traffic jam is the speed bumps.
For cars like mind, I have to literally stop at the speed bump, and then precede, very slowly, my front and rear tires over. If I didn't do that, my chassis would scrape.
I don't believe that there is a need for those bumps. Students don't drive fast enough to warrant them. Plus, with the amount of students going to class, there wouldn't be any room to speed.
All I'm saying is I believe that with all of the speed bumps removed from campus; it would make for a more fluid flow of traffic, allowing students to actually reach their destination points without having to leave their house extra, extra early.
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