In the three years I have had my license, I have never gotten a ticket. No police officer has pulled me over or issued me a fine — until a few weeks ago. Well, an officer never pulled me over, but a ticket that came with a fine was placed on my windshield after parking in the Don Taft University Center parking lot.
This story isn’t about my frustration with driving around in hopes of finding a miraculously vacant parking space. It’s about my decision to not want to park on the West side of the 4th floor of the Alvin Sherman Library parking garage.
One Tuesday, I chose to park on a curb because I didn’t have time to find a space and make it to my meeting in time (nor did I really feel like trying to find a space at noon on a Tuesday). I chose to do something that many other students do, but this time I received a citation.
My “receipt” from the City of Davie told me I was a hazard. The City of Davie ticketing officer said I was parked hazardously, which means my car was a danger to other drivers — really? City of Davie, who was I danger to? The driver who doesn’t know how to turn their wheel in a parking lot? Or the driver who can’t see in front of them?
I parked on a curb. I didn’t park in the middle of the parking lot. I didn’t park in the street. I didn’t park on the grass. I parked on a curb. There was enough room for a car to pass. My car wasn’t a hazard to anyone and neither are the others cars that park on curbs on campus.
Even if I was a hazard, why didn’t I receive a warning first? I have a clean driving record. I obey the law. Yet at NSU, the first time I do something “illegal,” I have to pay for it — literally. Does NSU, Public Safety and the City of Davie not believe in warnings? Do they think students won’t get the hint from a warning? Or do they just want our money?
If I had been issued a warning and told I would be cited and facing a fine the next time I parked on a curb, you can be sure my car would never be near a curb again. Cheap is my middle name. I don’t enjoy paying for things. And I really did not enjoy paying that parking ticket.
Now, you may be wondering how much the ticket was and I’ll be honest, it was only $40. But it was $40 that could’ve gone towards my Student Activities fee (which goes to what, exactly?), meals on campus, or a cute purse — if I’m being completely honest. To put it simply, it was $40 too much. I realize it wasn’t a steep fine, but it begs the question of why do they charge that much for parking on a curb in a college parking lot? I just parked on a curb!
A fine of $20, or even $30, would’ve given me the “slap on the hand” that I deserved without making me want to yell at a few people in uniform. Fining people $40 on a first time offense is just ridiculous.
NSU needs to start handing out warnings. Sometimes people just don’t have time to drive around in circles trying to find a parking space. Fine people when they park on a curb more than once, but at least give them the decency of learning that it is against the law at NSU to park on a curb.
And City of Davie, I’d like my $40 back.
