Parking Mayhem (Editorial)
Parking woes plague the high school as there are more drivers than available spaces.
Searching out a parking spot is the worst part of the day for many students. When the lots fill up quickly, it’s not wonder that many students find alternative spots, such as the grass or on side streets.
The Carlisle High School parking lot has long been host to a myriad of emotions: frustration, anger, anxiety, annoyance, and general irritation. These feelings are bound to surface when hundreds of new, teenage drivers in a time crunch are put together in a small lot, but there are ways to lessen them.
According to school records, there are approximately 300 spaces for Carlisle students to park in and about 343 parking passes have been sold. Some students have purchased multiple parking passes since their family might have multiple cars, which could account for some of the surplus passes.
On top of these staggering numbers, many students also choose to park without passes. When counted on a recent school day, Periscope staff members found 90 cars without a parking decal.
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Over and over again, the school administration threatens to fine and tow those cars without parking passes. But the times that this has actually happened are few and far between as the majority of students who choose to park without a pass are reported to only be given a warning slip.
Students who come to school late often struggle to find parking spaces. Drivers have to get creative and really put their parking skills to the test for the few spaces available. When spots get tight, students find new options. This could range from parking by Grace Baptist (the small private school across the street from CHS) or parking in the grass by the greenhouse or even (in the winter months) parking on top of snow piles.
CHS administration recognizes the lack of parking availability and has opened up part of the Swartz clocktower parking lot to students who are unable to park in the main lot of the school. Most student drivers, however, are upperclassmen who have classes in McGowan and have to report to the McGowan Main Office if they are late. This requires the dreaded seven-minute hike from Swartz to McGowan which adds to the anger and frustration which began with not being able to find a parking spot.
To combat this growing problem, the 2018-2019 school year students should come with changes to the outdated parking policies by instituting individually assigned parking spaces. If the school parking lot had numbered spaces, then students could buy a parking pass that correlates to a specific spot.
There is an endless list of the advantages to assigned parking spaces. Drivers would have a much harder time parking without a parking pass and each student would know exactly where to park and would not have to worry that their spot might be stolen. Students could also paint and design their spots which would make the CHS campus even more colorful and unique.
Many other schools across the United States allow their students to paint their parking spaces. Schools such as Lebanon High School in Lebanon, Indiana, Southwestern High School in Carrol, Kentucky, and West Orange High School in Garden, Florida allow their students to customize their parking spots.
Drivers that would like to customize their spot could come in on a designated day before the start of school to paint or otherwise color their places. All other drivers would purchase their space during the school year in the same fashion they do now, at the McGowan office.
The administration would also benefit greatly as because they would be able to know where each student’s car would be. Safety concerns could be handled more quickly. Security would also be able to keep a better track of students coming and going from campus.
As the number of student drivers at CHS continues to increase, the chances of an accident occurring in the parking lot rise too. If the administration is unwilling to follow through on their promises of action against those who park illegally, then permanent changes to the parking lot will need to be made. It is unfair to ask students to pay for a parking pass if other students can park without one every day without suffering any consequences.
Right now, in the midst of increased security and a movement towards stronger school spirit, assigning parking spaces could really make a large impact at CHS.
Disclaimer: Articles designated as “Editorial” represent the views and opinions of the author, not the 2017-2018 Periscope staff, CHS Administration, or the CHS student body.
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Becca Winton is currently a senior at Carlisle Area High School and this is her third year on Periscope. Along with Periscope, Becca is a member of the...
Ashley Ivanoff is a senior at Carlisle High School and senior editor of the Perspective’s section. She has been to eight different schools in the past...
John Key • Apr 9, 2018 at 10:38 am
There is definitely a problem, but considering there are 343 passes sold plus 90 drivers without passes, it means there are over 100 drivers more than parking spots. So if they sell out of spots, where are the other people going to park? The simple answer is we have more drivers than parking spots and we need a larger parking lot. Once we do have enough, your idea of renting a spot is surely the best system.
Aidan Checkett • Mar 20, 2018 at 8:37 pm
I agree, but one concern I have is in regard to students who get their license after the beginning of the school year. I got mine a couple of weeks into senior year, and I would be really irritated if I wouldn’t have been able to park. But on the other hand I wouldn’t have felt right buying a spot if I wasn’t sure when I’d be able to use it. So I do think that purchasing a spot is a good idea, but there need to be openings for those wishing to purchase in the middle of the year, especially those with seniority. Furthermore, buying a spot should be subsidized for those deemed to be financially struggling (like those on reduced/free school lunch).
William Cantwell • Mar 20, 2018 at 4:47 pm
This is a great take on a serious issue within(or outside of ) CHS. Every day I pull into the lot at 7:30, and the spot that I had for many months now is taken, leaving me to find a different one. I don’t want to sacrifise sleep to wake up earlier, I want to arrive at the same time every day and have the same spot available to me, especially considering I paid for a parking pass and other have not. I think the school administration should either take charge and tow/fine cars without passes, or provide specific spots for those who have purchased passes.
Collin Willard • Mar 20, 2018 at 2:19 pm
I think it’s very strange that the administration has sold more parking passes then there are parking spaces. Right there is the root of the problem. It frustrates me that there is no consequence for not having one. If the administration is not going to enforce having a parking pass with real consequences, then I want my money back!
With regards to numbered spots, it’s a completely logical solution that almost every other surrounding school has implemented.
Allison Closs • Mar 20, 2018 at 12:00 pm
This is such a huge problem and you’re right, the school does need to address these issues. I have a Penn State class at 7:15 on Tuesday; all other days of the week, I don’t have a 1st period class and just come in before 2nd period. And when I get to school, there are never any spots in Fowler or McGowan. I don’t have any choice but to park in the Swartz clocktower parking lot, which is a problem since I need to sign in at the McGowan office and my 2nd period class is in Swartz. I like the idea of having our own designated parking spots, but that’s still not addressing the main problem: there simply aren’t enough spots.
Gary Blacksmith • Mar 20, 2018 at 11:51 am
It’s getting ridiculous! We need numbered spots ASAP and there needs to be real consequences for not having a pass
Jeff Estes • Mar 20, 2018 at 11:38 am
Good take. Well spoken. I think every supporting detail is not only reasonable but feasible. Some questions however:
1: how will administration prevent students from parking in someone else’s spot deliberately? Because if one student does it then it is a domino effect and suddenly it’s chaos and frustration again. It will be hard to expect high schoolers to actually follow a set order, unfortunately
2: What could we paint with that isnt permanent but also withstands weather? Any ideas as to what the other schools use?