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Parking Wars is more than the name of the captivating show on A&E.
It also refers to the madness that has become of the parking situation at UCF.
I know those who drive to school are forced to leave extra early for class in order to allow time for searching for that one open parking spot on the top floor, located in the back corner of the garage. Or perhaps for allowing more time to search for someone who is walking to their car to claim his or her spot as your own.
Even then, it can take up to half an hour's time, maybe even longer, just to center one's car in between those two comforting white lines.
CollegeProwler.com — a site that grades several aspects of universities around the country — rates UCF parking as a B-. This grade is determined based on student ratings of campus parking according to distance from class, distance from dorms, ease of finding a spot, parking enforcement and permit cost.
Florida State University was also given a B-, and the University of Florida, the University of
Miami and and the University of South Florida were all given a C+.
It really doesn't matter what time of day you drive to campus, parking has been extremely limited the first week of classes, and there is no way around it.
The only advice I can give on the situation is to always leave for class early no matter how lucky you are feeling that day, be cautious while maneuvering through the maze of parking garages/areas and have a good eye for spotting that empty parking space.
To those walking to their vehicles to leave who see someone searching for a spot, how about making that person's day by giving them a friendly wave toward your car?
Trust me, they'll go from aggravated and stressed out over trying to find a parking space to calm and relieved in an instant.
I see and hear about so many people getting angry at each other over this burdensome parking situation. Yelling at someone else because they took "your" parking spot or even so much as looked in the direction of the parking spot you had your eye on first. I understand that it can be frustrating when other drivers act like you don't exist; been there, experienced that.
However, it's not something to waste getting upset over and not a case in which people should be exchanging foul language with one another.
Hopefully within the next couple of weeks, the number of spaces available will start to grow and take a load of unnecessary stress off of our students.
Until then, I think we should work together in trying to make this situation easier on everyone. Be courteous, not aggressive when driving around the crowded campus lots.
For all you know, that person who you were thinking about giving an ear-full for snatching "your" spot could be the one sitting behind you in your next class.
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5 comments
If you were as perfect as you seem to think you are, you'd would be more than a Captain.
Nobody wants to hear your opinion. They obviously enjoy hers if it made into the paper. Parking IS a bitch, and speaking of bitches I pray we don't have to hear anything else from you and your ignorant comments.