In Between the Lines - Park Illegaly, Get a Ticket

Kevin L. Mayer, co-news editor

With evidence of student carpools and a new parking lot available, complaints about parking are still being echoed across the campus.

In addition to parking complaints, comments about parking ticket violations have become issues among the students as well.

All parking on campus is first come, first serve. Unlike at other colleges, no hidden fees are included with SPC parking. The registration fee is included in the semester’s tuition. The Student Services Office, located in the Student Services Building, provides parking permits during the semester. Campus parking is regulated between the hours of 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. During this time, each vehicle must have a valid parking permit displayed.

In the SPC Parking & Traffic Regulations brochure, a parking space is defined as, “…a parking area between two white lines.” The white lines denote a stopping point for all vehicles. Along with the campus parking regulations, the college enforces the city and state traffic laws. This includes no parking along the streets, except in designated areas, and no parking in handicapped spaces without authorization. A more common violation is backing in.

Campus Police Chief John Wuerflein explained that the problem with students backing into parking spaces involves student safety. A few parking lots on campus include one-way driving.

“If a vehicle is backed into an angled parking space, you would be going the wrong way,” explained Chief Wuerflein. “It is normal to pull into a space and then back out, not the reverse.”

If a vehicle had backed into a space and then tried to pull out to leave, an approaching driver may not see it, according to Wuerflein. If a vehicle was properly parked, then when leaving, an approaching driver would notice the back-up lights of the vacating vehicle. By backing into some spaces, vehicles block sidewalks. Sidewalks are meant for pedestrians, and any obstruction is a violation.

Campus violations can result in a ticket or the towing of a vehicle. Parking in fire lanes, restricted areas, and handicapped spaces are well-known towable offenses. Some streets have yellow painted curbs, such as Magnolia Avenue. A ticket for illegal street parking will result in a fine of $110. Parking in restricted areas on campus can result in a $62 fine.

The most expensive ticket given on campus is $306 for illegally parking in a handicapped space. Any vehicle obstructing pedestrian or road traffic is another violation that may result in the vehicle being towed. Parking in a crosswalk, loading zone, or visitor parking also is not permitted.

Fines for parking ticket violations are paid through the Student Services Office. A normal campus violation will result in a fine of $5. If a ticket is not paid within seven days, the fine will increase to $8.

Once a student receives the maximum amount of parking violations, which is five, they are required to appear before the Dean of Students. If additional violations occur the police will place a wheel lock on the vehicle. Once this occurs, a fine of $25 must be paid for the vehicle’s release, and parking privileges may be revoked.

South Plains College at Levelland has 31 lots and four streets available to legally park. Together, the designated areas contain 2,799 parking spaces, including 84 handicap spaces.

Enrollment for the fall semester is slightly above 9,000 students, but the Student Services Office has only issued around 2,000 permits for student vehicles. With about 2,000 student permits and more than 100 faculty permits, the campus parking lots do not fill up. Spaces do remain vacant in certain lots, although they are not in the front row.

So far this semester, more than 724 tickets have been issued for various parking violations, but no vehicle has been towed due to parking violations. The number of tickets issued to date is on average with previous years. Statistics for the Fall 2004 semester only show 11 more tickets than given so far this semester.

The SPC staff goes out of their way to be helpful to the students, keeping costs down and providing assistance as needed.

“Each permit is given with a parking information brochure attached,” explained David Conner, dean of students. “We want students to be informed. All rules and regulations are provided in the parking brochure.”

The campus police enforce only three regulations when dealing with vehicles on campus. First, obey the rules of the road. Second, display a valid parking permit. Finally, each vehicle must be parked within a designated parking space. If the parking regulations are followed, students will avoid receiving tickets.

Have questions regarding parking or tickets? You may contact the Dean of Students office at (806) 894-9611 ext. 2379.