Volume CXXXI, Number 24 May 3, 2002 f

Parking violations decrease
FE VIVAS
STAFF WRITER

Parking statistics released by security last month reveal that parking violations on Bowdoin's campus are down by 5.5 percent compared to last year's numbers. The total number of tickets and warnings issued by security during the period beginning September 1, 2001 and ending April 8, 2002 is 1,983; down from the 2,099 violations tallied the previous academic year.

The total expense paid by parking violators for their offenses also declined this year. Last year, parking violators, most of whom are students, paid $24,290 in tickets and towing expenses. This year violators spend $20,150, down 17 percent from last year. The $25 ticket fee remained consistent across the two years, as did the increased fine for parking in handicapped spaces and towing a vehicle.

Three tow trucks tow vehicles from the Coffin Street parking lot last year. This year, parking violations on the Bowdoin campus are down by 5.5 percent from last year. (Nicholas J. LoVecchio, Bowdoin Orient)

Security's parking enforcement officer Dick Yanok does not know the exact reason for the decrease in violations. He has noticed, however, that, "Students are paying closer attention to offenses in accounts and are calling up this office for warnings and individual tickets." He is aware of an overall improvement in students' parking behavior this year compared to past years.

Reports indicate that problem areas on campus witnessing high incidences of violations remain fairly constant from last year. The greatest number of violations for both years is reported in descending order as South Campus Drive, the Admissions lot, and North Campus Drive. This year one third of all violations occurred in these three lots of the 55 total lots on campus. This year, Ladd House parking came in fourth in most total violations, up from number five last year. Though Ladd garnered a greater percentage of violations this year, its actual number of violations was down by 7 from last year when it was still referred to as Chi Delta House or 14 College Street.

Rounding out the top eight locations with the most violations this year are Brunswick Apartments, Druckenmiller, Chamberlain south side, and the Coffin Street lots.

Yanok points to director of security Bruce Boucher's dedication to not overbook any lots when giving out permits as the reason behind the decrease in the number of violations in these problem locations. Yanok explains that, "In past years the Coffin Street lot was overbooked by 20% under the assumption that not all of the registered vehicles would be parked in the lot at the same time." Yanok claims that Boucher's change in policy has played a large role in the decrease of overall violations.

Despite an overall greater compliance by students as far as on campus parking goes, Yanok still asserts that a group of "hardcore parking violators" still remains. Nevertheless, Yanok added that this group has greatly diminished in size. Last year, there were 59 students by late April who had at least three outstanding tickets. These scofflaws, as they are referred to by security, owed a total of $5,900 to the College.

Yanok applauds this trend of greater compliance and hopes that it will continue. He also reminds students to not park beneath the famed Bowdoin pines especially as spring is upon us and the ground thaws. "Parking beneath the pines compacts the soil, which starves roots of water and oxygen and kills the trees," Yanok explains. This year eight dead and dying trees have been extracted along College Street as a result of parked cars starving the trees of nourishment.