University of Arkansas Fayetteville - Razorback Yearbook (Fayetteville, AR)

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A shortage of convenient spaces adds up to ' lots ' of parking ROBLEMS With more than 11,000 parking permits issued FOR 6,500 SPACES, STUDENTS DODGE IN AND OUT OF OVERFLOWING LOTS INSTEAD OF TAKING THE BUS What do a dime, a nickel and a penny add up to? Yes, 16 cents is the logical answer. But for a parking officer, the answer was as high as $25, and was the maximum amount drivers were fined for illegally parking on campus. The 16 cents was merely the cost of issuing a single ticket. So, where did all the money go? The money generated from parking tickets paid for the Parking Office ' s salaries, vehicle maintenance and fuel. The funds also paid for the new parking lots constructed periodically. The two, new parking lots constructed last summer cost approximately $400,000, an av¬ erage of $1,600 per parking space. Even with two new lots, there were still more cars than parking spaces. Although 11,000 parking permits were issued each year, only 6,500 cars could park on campus at a time. But according to Gary Smith, assistant director of parking, there are an average of 500 parking spaces along Razorback Road empty everyday. I ' ve seen people driving around for 30 minutes looking for a parking space (near their class) instead of parking somewhere else The scenario: You ' re late for class, you whip into a meter space, jump out and go to put change in the meter. But to your dismay, you find only pennies in your pocket or the bottom of your purse. Thinking surely I won ' t get a ticket, you slyly look around and see no ticket givers. Then off to class you go. However, chances are that your vehicle like this truck will receive a ticket. (Jay Rowland photo) and taking a bus, said Smith. The money generated from tickets also provided a transit system which was often appreciated on cold or rainy days. Although considered a vital service by some, others, often on-campus students, didn ' t bother taking the bus. It ' s kind of useles s for me to use the bus sytem since I live in Gibson. I haven ' t used the bus once this year, said Jamie Messenger, a freshman. The buses ran from 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. on four different routes. Full-time drivers started at 6:30 a.m. and were relieved at 3 p.m. The part-time relief drivers, generally part-time students, took the wheel until 5:30 p.m. According to John Ed Graddy, transit office operation supervisor, bus drivers must undergo a written test, a driving test and at least three days of on-the-job training. As for disciplinary matters, drivers had the authority to quiet students and ask them to leave if they ' re uncooperative. Only two disciplinary measures have occurred since 1979. So, the moral of this story was: Students wanting to save money and hassles parked in the empty, but distant lots and rode the free buses. Other students parked in more con¬ venient, and often illegal parking spaces, and helped finance the bus system through parking tickets. Was there any logic to the campus parking situation? No, but then a dime, a nickel and a penny don ' t equal $25 either — except at the Parking Office. O Tina Canfield and Kim Dineen PARKING 15 Life

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Writing out another ticket, Marcus Ashlock, a member of the ticket writing force, issues a $3 meter violation charge. Parking and Transit reported an average of 40 tickets are given daily for parking meter violations. (Jay Rowland photo) I like to park close to my class and when the time expires on the me¬ ter, I al¬ ways get a ticket. But like getting most tickets I just cuss, crumple it up, and throw it away. Anonymous Parking Violator Parking barriers were installed in the fall to keep people from driving on the sidewalks. Mailing services employee James Blount was issued a key which allowed him to gain entrance to the campus interior. (Robert Robinson photo) Playing the parking game, these vehicles wait as Holly Nations walks through a Dickson Street parking lot to her car. Cars were seen daily competing for that perfect spot that would put the victor within walking distance of class. (Paige Buffington photo) PARKING The Storyteller

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WX The senior side¬ walks not only display the rich heritage of the Univer¬ sity educa¬ tional sys¬ tem and the campus setting, but signify all the people who have shared in the Arkan¬ sas experi¬ ence. Kerry Kirkland alumnus 16 SIDEWALK TALK The Story Teller