Immobilized

Orange, the most dreaded color among parking motorists, is popping up everywhere in and around campus in the form of bright orange vehicle boots and similarly colored window placed parking tickets.

Some students park on campus, while others stick to parking on neighboring streets. The consensus between both types of parkers, however, is the same – there are too many parking rules and too few parking spaces, both of which lead to the all-too-common vehicle boot or parking citation.

Some students find it unbearable to dish out an extra $400 per year for a parking decal after paying $28,194 per year in tuition and fees. Instead, they opt for street parking and, in some cases, illegal parking in permit-only designated garages.

The Freret Street and West Road garages are not always a safe-bet. Students who are willing or able to dish out the extra money for a decal often find themselves forced to park on St. Charles Avenue or nearby streets anyway due to parking space limitations at certain times of the day.
When asked to talk about any possible parking tickets, Casey Meier, chemistry junior, said, “Which one? I got two of them.” Meier said her two parking tickets were modest compared to her boyfriend’s nearly $800 past-due, fine-ridden parking ticket bills.

“I bought a permit last year, before my car was booted because they (University Police) couldn’t see my permit under my tinted windows. They took the boot off but this year I just park on the street … It’s more convenient even though I have to go move my car every two hours … I’m late to class sometimes trying to find a spot, but I was late too when I had to find a spot in the garage,” Meier said.

Rules when parking on streets:

Understanding parking rules and paying attention to spacing can save you a lot of time and money when parking on public streets.

Most streets are clearly labeled with parking signs. Three common signs are: “No Parking at Any Time,” “2 Hour Parking: Residential Area” and “Towing/Loading Zone.” Although you may have gotten away with violations in the past without being caught, most likely if you continue to park illegally you will be issued a ticket ranging from $20 for less offensive parking tickets to $500 for more significant violations such as parking in handicap spots.

Just because others are parked in a no parking zone doesn’t make it permissible. In fact, it is not uncommon to see a line of five or more cars with bright orange parking tickets tucked under the driver’s windshield wiper.

What to do if you get a ticket:

Throwing tickets away won’t make them go away. In fact, you’ll be sent a copy in the mail shortly after receiving the initial ticket.

Pay fines on time in order to avoid late-payment penalties and car boots or towing. A $20 fine turns into a $40 fine after 30 days and $80 after 60 days. If your car is booted you will have to pay the past-due amount and the costs involved to remove the boot. Although a couple of parking tickets usually won’t get your car booted, several unpaid tickets or accumulated fines will if a meter maid runs your licence plate.

If you don’t have money to pay your ticket at the time it’s due, call the number provided on the back of the ticket to set up a payment arrangement. This will buy you extra time without the late payment penalties.

Rules when parking on CAMPUS:

The number one rule for parking on campus is to have a current parking permit. Although it may be tempting to park in the visitors only parking horseshoe in front of Marquette Hall, the consequences may not be worth it. Since all classes are at least 50 minutes long, the 45 minute limit is grounds for a vehicle boot.

Students without permits or visitors needing to park for longer than 45 minutes who wish to park on campus can obtain a one day $5 visitor’s parking pass, 24 hours a day via University Police located in the first floor of Biever Hall. Parking meters are also available outside of the Freret parking garage.

Mondays from 6 a.m. until Fridays at 6 p.m. residents must park in the Freret Street garage. Residents should only park in places other than the Freret Street garage on weekends, holidays or days the university is closed.

What to do if you get booted:

If your car gets booted on campus, go to the University Police/Parking Services office to either offer an excuse or arrange a payment in order to get the boot removed. Parking Services will charge people without a permit a $95 fine for parking in restricted areas, though the fine is chargeable to a student bill. The fine can be reduced to $40 if a parking permit is purchased the same day.

Permit holders who violate parking rules will be charged a $25 immobilization fee plus any fines that apply.

Rita West can be reached at [email protected].