LETTER: Don’t park in my driveway

Editor,

I find it a strange phenomenon that the Parking Terrace has become the source of debate in Parking Services attempting to raise more money when there is quite another untapped source readily available for acquiring that revenue.

I refer to the Aggie Village parking lots. Each of these lots is clearly marked to indicate that a parking permit is required 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Two days before the game against Louisiana-Monroe, I was happy to see one of the parking officers ticketing a vehicle parked without a permit. I asked him if he would be back for the game, and he assured me they would be enforcing the lots on Saturday. Unfortunately, just like last year, people managed to find ways around the barricades and remained parked in the Aggie Village parking lots for the entire game, without a bright green ticket in sight.

I feel it is unfair that I am required to pay to park in front of my apartment each year, but as soon as football season starts, my permit means nothing. How many of these people would park in the driveway of a neighboring house to attend the game just because the owner happened to go grocery shopping shortly before the game began. The Aggie Village parking lot is my driveway, and I shouldn’t have to plan my schedule around the football game to avoid hiking to my own home after completing Saturday errands. If people want to park that close to the stadium, let them pay for it. I know that some people wouldn’t mind being ticketed to be able to attend a football game, but there would be enough that would park some place else to make room for the residents who have paid for the parking privilege.

Melanie Abshire