Almost every morning I hear the same diatribe from commuters who would do anything for a good parking spot close to class. Complaints about the cutthroat parking are just a regular part of pre-class conversation. University of Miami parking seems to hold a reputation for starting off most people’s day with an unhealthy dose of frustration.
Parking lots at UM are a battlefield. While most of us have enough manners to not steal parking spots (cough: most of the time), we all have classes. And when there’s a test in 10 minutes, all’s fair in love and war for parking.
Day, time, luck, even the size of a car affects the chances of finding a spot. I always feel a twinge of sympathy for commuters when they walk in the classroom late, drenched in sweat. They have just run from the other end of campus, since there wasn’t any parking nearby, in time to miss the pop quiz the professor handed out at the beginning of class
THE PARKING PROBLEM: At the University of Miami, the parking situation leaves many students stressed and frustrated. With only a limited number of parking spaces available in convenient locations that are close to class, the parking lot becomes a battlefield with fierce competition for a prized spot.
Even when there are vacant spots, parking still proves to be problematic for anyone who isn’t driving a small car. When taking a walk by one of the many crammed parking lots around the campus it becomes glaringly apparent that parking spots are too tiny for comfort. Since there is barely enough room to get out of the seat when parked between two other vehicles, students fight for the spaces on the edge where there’s less chance of denting someone’s car.
With levels of dissatisfaction with parking rising every morning, there is plenty to say about making parking on campus less irritating. After hearing stories about students who have gotten into screaming fights over spots, I wonder if UM parking isn’t evolving from being simply competitive but becoming a major contributor to students’ stress levels.
Until the school gives an ear to our pleas and improves the parking lots, competing for parking will continue to be a part of a UM driver’s daily routine.
