Dear Editor,

There was once a time when I parked in what the ticket referred to as a “non-designated space”. For my terrible crime, I was fined twenty dollars. It didn’t matter that every space on campus was filled or that I’d was going to be late to class because of my 45 minutes search for a space. However, I took the fine like an adult and didn’t whine too much. One of the biggest reasons I didn’t complain was because every space that I couldn’t park in was occupied by an honest to goodness car. Over the past few days, I’ve noticed a new addition to my beloved Center Street Lot…a Homecoming float. Now I’m not saying that I dislike Homecoming or floats or any combination thereof, but when said float is currently occupying a trio of parking spaces (and has been for days) I feel I am forced to make my voice heard. Upon investigation, I found neither a parking tag nor a ticket. This tells me two things: 1.) This isn’t a registered vehicle. 2.) No one has to pay for this parking violation. Of course, once I think about it, at least three people per day have to pay for this infraction. That’s three spaces taken up by a float for an event that was over 5 days ago. Not only are people forced to park elsewhere…dare I say in “non designated spaces”…but the float is also disintegrating into a moist moldy mess which can only serve to beautify campus. I don’t know if there is some law that allows for the parking of floats in parking lots that people pay money to park in, but I do know that some of us out there would like an explanation as to why this abomination has been allowed to sit there for so long. Get the float out of the lot and let the “paying customers” have their spaces back.

Shaun Smith

Graduate Student

Bowling Green, KY

[email protected]

791-1993

Don’t publish my e-mail or phone number, but you said I needed it.