Thus far in the Fall Semester 2006, the TAMIU Parking Committee has heard and determined a plethora of appeals of citations for parking violations on campus. As the chairperson of that Committee, I was appalled at the high percentage of citations awarded for illegal parking in a fire zone. Upon a short investigation, I concluded that one particular fire zone-that one in which most of the violations had occurred-did, indeed, need better painted curb markings and, probably, two planted signs so that the particular fire zone would be more easily recognized by students.
At the present time, I am told, efforts are underway to re-paint the curbs of the particular fire zone with much improved indicators-that is, more easily recognizable visual warnings against parking in that zone.
During our September 2006 regular meeting, the TAMIU Parking Committee deliberated the issue of illegal parking in a fire zone. The TAMIU Parking Committee unanimously agreed to reject, as soon as the improved indicators are in place, any future appeals to citations received for parking in any fire zone. After all, the parking of one’s car constitutes a serious safety hazard for us all. On their way to a call for help, an ambulance or a fire engine or a police car could be blocked by a vehicle illegally parked in a fire zone. In such case, then, precious seconds or minutes can be lost along with the resultant lost of life and/or property. Therefore, parking in a fire zone constitutes one of the most heinous parking violations prohibited by the TAMIU Police Department regulations.
Student violators’ have cried “Not fair!” “We need more parking! The University needs to build more parking lots!” and “Well, it they parked there, I see no reason why I can’t!” Student violators have also telephoned me in my office and shouted their frustrations while refusing to state either their name or the nature of the parking citation. One even called, for some reason, from a local governmental office charged with enforcement. Another brought her five friends to my office: they stood with strong eyes while she hollered her complaint. Frankly, I have been surprised, more than once, at the inappropriate behavior displayed by some of the complaining violators as they begged for leniency. Thank goodness that those were in the very, very small minority of cited parkers!
I have been around for a long time. This is my forty-eight year of teaching. I have traveled to twenty-eight foreign nations and through all of the fifty states and the Federal District of the United States. I have also served on several war ships and several shore stations, including but not limited to The Pentagon and the Coordinating Group of the Seventh Fleet. Nonetheless, I have been surprised and amazed at some of the most-rude/least smart and most aggressive complainers. And, rather revealingly, not a single one of them has ever been able to give an affirmative answer to my query, “Do you know about the parking area on the “lower east” side of the campus?”
I decided to check on that particular parking lot on Monday, October 23, 2006. I visited the site in mid-morning at 9:30 A.M., in mid-afternoon at 2:30 P.M., and in mid-evening at 7:30 P.M., and I took photographs at each time. As the photographs show, that parking lot is practically not utilized at all in the morning, a bit more at mid-afternoon, and only minimally in the mid-evening. At each of the three times that I photograph, more than one-half of that parking lot was absolutely empty. So, I concluded, those violators’ assertions that “The University needs to build more parking lots!” “We need more parking!” “Not fair!” and so on ad absurdium are simply false or, in some cases, seriously practiced near-adult fantasy.
In summary, we have an undiscovered treasure on our campus. That undiscovered treasure is that parking lot on the lower-east side of the campus. And only 362 steps-depending on how long/short and springy/slouchy your step is-can take you quickly from that parking lot to the southeast corner of the memorial fountain. Unless the parker is in a wheelchair or has another equally-difficult situation, there is really no excuse for not using the designated parking that the University has provided.
Lem Londos Railsback
Chairperson, TAMIU Parking Committee
P.S.: I invite any and all of the complainers to visit the campus of one of the older universities across the state-for example, the University of Texas at Austin or the Texas A&M University-and tour the respective designated parking areas. Such a tour should reveal to them, once and for all, just how lucky we are to have all of the parking areas that we have. As my good friend, Dr. Jeff Brown points out, some of those lots in those campuses are so distant that some students carry a bicycle in their car. After they park their car, they take out their bikes to wheel around campus to their different classes.
In many of those other campuses – for example The University of Texas at Austin – your annual fee works more like a hunting licence. You now have the right to SEARCH/HUNT for a parking place/deer, but you are not guaranteed a legal parking space/fresh killed venison for each permit.