University of Michigan - Michiganensian Yearbook (Ann Arbor, MI)

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envelopes peppere windshields across campus year-round. Students returned to their cars after class, held in suspense, wondering if they would have one of these un- wanted presents tucked under- neath a windshield wiper. photo by Caroline Taylor hat do you get when you cross a small town with 40,000 college kids whose parents can not only afford to pay the University ' s tuition but can also send their son or daughter to school with a car? The result was a frenzied free-for-all when it came to parking on and around campus. Every day, hundreds of students fought their way through the traffic in search of a parking space near their classes. Often, the closest space was still a hike from where they needed to be. I drove around for at least 10 minutes looking for a space, only to find one that was still a 1 0-minute walk from Angell Hall, senior Spanish major Andrea Hackert complained. Other students justified driving to class by telling them- selves that parking within 15 minutes of campus was still closer than walking all the way from my sorority house, noted junior history major Sarah Streicker. It often took students who lived off campus longer to drive to campus, find a parking space, and walk to class than it took them to simply walk the entire distance. Many students were frustrated with the lack of parking spaces near campus, especially when they needed to run a quick . errand or grab a bite to eat. Usually I just left my car in a loading zone with the hazard lights on, said Andrew Grove, a junior economics major. Unfortunately, double-parking or parking in a loading zone for more than a few minutes usually resulted in a ticket from the ever-watchful Ann Arbor police. Uniformed meter-readers were seen everywhere around campus, waiting for meters to expire so they could punch out a ticket as soon as the time read 0:00. LSA sophomore Missy Myer said, I had put 1 5 minutes on my meter and when I got back to my car 20 minutes later, I had a ticket already! The winter months brought more traffic nightmares as students tired of braving the elements while walking to campus. It was more difficult to get around campus in a car because of snow plows; and hassles were magnified because a number of parking spaces along the streets were reserved for dumping excess snow during the winter months and were therefore unusable. Despite the challenges of getting around campus on wheels, students still enjoyed having their own transportation. It was nice to be able to get off campus or away for the weekend without relying on someone else, said Grove. Many students quickly learned how to avoid unnecessary parking tickets and accepted the gridlock of campus driving as part of the Michigan experience. by Krysia Eustice Michigan Life

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Parking locations for bi- cycles on campus were often filled to capacity as well. Although students did not have to worry about parking violations while they were gone, bikes were subject to an occasional stolen seat or a bent tire rim when left unattended. photo by Caroline Taylor Opting for a more inex- pensive mode of trans- portation around campus, these students get some exer- cise by walking to class as opposed to driving. Although it required more physical exertion, with Ann Arbor ' s vigilant meter-readers, it was the cheapest mode of transpor- tation. photo by Caroline Taylor ? , ' A Li . Another sport utility ve- hicle is involuntarily pa- raded down the crowded streets of Ann Arbor; another victim of a parking scheme gone awry. In addition to paying a parking ticket, the owner of this vehicle also faced towing fees. photo by Caroline Taylor 16 Parking ] IB ' ANNARBOB W 665-8888

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..... A student thumbs through The Michigan Daily newspaper on her way to class. During the warm months, the Diag was a popular place to read and study. photo by Sharonda Aycrs Students flood the Diag on their way to and from class. Located in the middle of central campus, it was one of the most highly traveled areas of the University. photo by Sharonda Aycrs Htt Passing through the center of campus, students stop to converse with members of BAMN, Many of the Univerity ' s clubs and organiza- tions used the Diag to promote themselves and the things their activities photo by Sharonda Ayers -