With the opportunity to obtain campus parking passes long gone, many students who were unable to secure one in time are having to find alternative places to park near the Bowie campus.
Two of the most common areas students use to park without a permit include the sides of Wolftrap near Bethany Church and a neighborhood off West Slaughter Lane, with Norman Trail serving as the main street where students park. However, parking in these off-campus areas has also led to an increase in parking tickets for some students.
“I have heard from friends that parking tickers are mainly due to parking improperly,” junior Luciana Blacutt said, “so things like parking to far from the curbs, or places that are marked for no parking.”
Blacutt who recently had to park on Norman Trail due to her car being in the shop, and not having a parking pass in her substitute vehicle. Blacutt explained that the space for parking on Norman Trail was very limited, and many students don’t leave enough space for others to park.
“I think that all the parking options of campus have pros and cons,” Blacutt said. “But, having to walk 10 minutes to the building wasn’t the best, but also parking in the lots on campus take longer to get home.”
Blacutt explained after school let out, when she got to her car, she realized she had received a parking ticket that explained her vehicle was parked too far from the curb.
“I received a parking ticket because I was parked too far from the curb,” Blacutt said. “But, considering how some of the other cars parked on the street, it made me pretty frustrated with the situation because of the unfair regulations that I feel is around parking, not only in the neighborhoods, but all over campus.”
Many students and teachers have grown frustrated with parking and traffic around campus. Charles Stampley, a history teacher at Bowie who has taught students from freshmen to seniors for many years, often reminds his classes to drive safely before the weekend. He emphasizes that students need to be more aware and take responsibility when driving.
“At the end of the day, it’s a student’s responsibility to take care of their parking and how they drive around campus,” Stampley said. “I just hope that students can learn to drive safely and learn some responsibility not only on campus but everywhere.”
Some students struggle to find available parking when spaces are limited and most neighborhood streets fill up quickly, especially since parking passes are only offered twice a year. Tatiana Bosada explained that, when she got her license, she sometimes had to park in less conventional areas simply to get to school on time.
“I would park in different parking lots depending on where there was space, I started by parking on either neighborhood roads, then sometimes I would find space in the back of the Bethany lot,” Bosada said. “Honestly, there was always plenty of space in the lots that are close to campus, so it made me frustrated that parking passes were not available at more times during the year because many students have different circumstances and needs throughout the year.”
