Parking Hustle

                I don’t know if any of you have had any issue with the parking here at DACC. I have been a full-time student for a little over a year now, but before that I took a GED prep test and a short class on campus. In that time since 2013, not one citation. I have seen some fubar parking jobs on campus. You have your classic double parkers. Your nearsighted parkers, hanging halfway into the aisle. Then you have your barely out of high school female drivers, taking up valuable sidewalk. Luckily I only have to deal with parking for two days a week. I don’t spend enough time here to justify buying a parking pass. I am perfectly fine with using one of the free lots. Always without issue, despite some hairy parking situations, until this past week.

 This past week, I found a yellow envelope tucked under my wiper. A citation for parking in front of a gate that has a posted sign, “No parking in front of gate, leave 9-foot clearance in case of emergency.” I left enough room for a car to easily park in between me and the gate. By my rudimentary calculations, I left enough for another car that is about 6 foot across and you need about two feet to open your doors, I’m guessing I left about 10 foot between myself and said gate. I figured it was too subjective to fight it. I was in front of the gate. Everyone that parked in the center area of that lot had a ticket on their window. I was right there with them so was going to get a citation either way, the labeling then becomes trivial.

The following day, this time a little more cautious on where I park. I find a spot right along the fence, away from the gate altogether. It has one of the parking spot bumpers and everything. Due to the spacing of the other vehicles on the row, half of the bumper was taken, leaving my car uneven with the fence by half the width of the car. I think nothing of it and head to class. Walking out and turning the corner I notice the yellow envelope reflecting sunlight. Another citation, this time for failing to park in a designated parking spot.

This is in the free parking lot just south of DACC main campus adjacent to the health building. There’s no designated spots. It’s an unmarked dirt lot surrounded by a rock wall. The only areas not designated to park are in front of the gate openings. At least there is no sign or indication of where to or not to park. In that scenario, proper use of common courtesy should set the standard. Don’t double park or block access in or out. Don’t park too close to other vehicles or at an angle. Keep the spacing constant. Stay more than nine feet from the gate is also thrown in there.

What’s even more disconcerting is that when I went up to the parking department office, she didn’t really have any answers. I had questions about what was going on. Tons of students were given citations for parking around campus. The only thing she could say is that they don’t want anyone parking in a big portion of the free lot. This was due to construction that was going on. Instead of sending out warnings through email, tickets were handed out. Tickets will be continued to be handed out for anyone not parked along the rock wall or in certain areas of the lot.

I understand that while construction is going on, the free parking lot becomes a construction parking lot as well as student parking. While I did get one of the citations reduced to a warning because it’s my first offense within two years, well or ever, I still feel it’s pretty shitty of the school to reduce the amount of parking spots they are allowing students to park in. Not only are they reducing the capacity of the lots, they are not allowing parking in a big portion of their free lots. This adds to the confusion. Instead of sending out a mass email or posting signs in the parking lot, they are handing out citations and having the clerks in the parking department explain what’s happening. It’s probably all a ploy to boost sales of parking passes. Even with one, there is still a good shot that you’re going to drive around in circles looking for a decent spot, but eventually end up walking a half mile anyway.