The parking problem students complain about and the parking problem University administration members complain about are in fact two entirely different problems.

The one most people know about is the students’ complaint that there are not enough parking spaces on campus. However, despite popular opinion, the parking problem on campus can not be fixed by a parking garage or the rearrangement of assigned parking spaces.

There are actually plenty of parking spaces available at any time of the day. Just because there are no empty parking spaces available next to a building a student needs to go to, does not mean there are no available spaces on campus. It just means that students need to walk, or should we say “exercise.” This lack of close parking spaces is not an actually problem that needs to be fixed. Not everyone can park right next to class. However, there is still another parking concern on campus.

The problem, the actual problem, that University administration members are aware of and are constantly trying to make students realize, is primarily located on Bowie Road. This road is where students who do not have parking decals or are too lazy to park in legal parking spaces park their cars during the day.

We understand that some students can not afford decals, which we say to them that they should ride a bike, trade their car for a motorcycle or scooter (which don’t require parking decals on campus) or walk from somewhere off campus. We say this not to be insensitive, but because the unauthorized parking on Bowie Road is more than just against campus parking policy. It is a safety hazard.

Bowie Road is a winding road and the cars parked along it make it more difficult to see who or what is coming. Last week we reminded drivers how dangerous it is to speed around campus when pedestrians are trying to weave in, out and around parked cars and how difficult it is to see around obstructions. A speed limit increase, a winding road and no crosswalks make the situation even more dangerous, but that is what we have on Bowie Road when cars park there.

We ask that students who park along this road please park elsewhere not because it is breaking rules but because it is dangerous.

We understand the desire to park as close to our classes as possible, but if you can not make it to campus early enough to do a thorough search of what is nearby or available, then you may have to settle with an authorized parking space across campus from where you need to be. The walk may be far, and the heat may be excruciating, but a closer, unauthorized parking space is not worth the danger it presents.

And again, please remember that we are all pedestrians at some time or another.