Tickets Aren't All They're Worth
by Lisa Zhan and Anne Grantski
I hear my name called over the announcements and walk excitedly towards the office. On the counter is a bouquet of flowers, which I immediately gravitate towards. Instead I get a blue slip of paper with my name on it. I got a parking ticket, my $10 is due in 2 weeks. Not only did I not get flowers, but I have to pay the school $10 dollars all because my car was being fixed and I forgot to sign in my parent's car.
The question on my mind, and I'm sure on the minds of some others, is why should I pay for this ticket? Don't I pay enough for tuition already? Besides, I paid $15 for a parking tag at the beginning of the year. Add $5 to the cost of the ticket and I could buy another tag for my mom's car. They called me to the office; they obviously know I go to school here. I can understand if I parked in the handicapped parking spot or if I parked in the teacher's lot, but I didn't. I parked where I usually would park and I got a ticket. Why are the consequences for driving another car so steep? I have ten thousand things on my mind at seven in the morning other than signing in a car.
Where does all this money go? To the van man and parking lot maintenance, apparently. I appreciate it when the van man gives me rides up from sophomore lot, but do I really want to pay him a $10 tip? Why aren't these things in the school budget? The school also says that the money is for lot maintenance; but then why am I parking in the driving isle when it snows? Okay, I know I'm complaining a lot, but come on, $10? That seems like too much.
All of you freshmen and sophomores out there that are getting ready to drive next year, consider buying two parking tags; one for your car, and one for the family car. Paying 2/3 of the original tag to park in the same place is not really worth it.