Wed Apr 13 19:25:11 EST 2005
Lafayette College Parking Authority
Today's project was to setup a PC at Lafayette College in Easton PA to access a
remote database via Terminal Services. I was figuring I'd be setting it up on
a PC but ended up in a room full of Mac systems running OS X which caused me to
learn one useful thing. Microsoft actually has a version of the Remote Desktop Connection for Macintosh which was super
easy to install and worked perfectly (which is odd for a Microsoft product on
any platform). Not surprisingly I was doing the exact same configuration on a
PC later and it took 2 hours to get working what took 30 minutes on the Mac. 
Anyway, while I was there I was instructed by the person I was meeting about this on where to go and where to park my car. It is a college campus after all and I always find them confusing to get around in. The parking lot I entered didn't have any signs warning against parking that I noticed. And besides, I'd think the administrative person I was meeting would know where I can and can't park.
So, I get out to my car and find a parking ticket from "The Office of Public Safety" telling me that I owe the college $245 for parking where I was told to park. $245 for a freakin' parking ticket?! I would have been better off finding a metered parking area and letting the time run out. But I guess this poor, under-payed, college has to make up the money somehow from the ultra low tuition they charge.
While I was standing there messing myself over the ticket cost I decided to read the back which is entitled "Visitors", which says:
So, rather than warning you and directing you to something like a visitor's parking lot they just ticket everything the see and figure they'll work it out later. Why not have a time limit? As in, you can park here for two hours like they did at the University of Scranton where my wife went to school? They had signs all over the place letting you know where you can and can't park and for how long.
I wonder how many signs Lafayette could have bought with the salary of the fellow that patrols the parking lots all day tagging vehicles that are there on legitimate business?
Anyway, while I was there I was instructed by the person I was meeting about this on where to go and where to park my car. It is a college campus after all and I always find them confusing to get around in. The parking lot I entered didn't have any signs warning against parking that I noticed. And besides, I'd think the administrative person I was meeting would know where I can and can't park.
So, I get out to my car and find a parking ticket from "The Office of Public Safety" telling me that I owe the college $245 for parking where I was told to park. $245 for a freakin' parking ticket?! I would have been better off finding a metered parking area and letting the time run out. But I guess this poor, under-payed, college has to make up the money somehow from the ultra low tuition they charge.
While I was standing there messing myself over the ticket cost I decided to read the back which is entitled "Visitors", which says:
Lafayette's faculty, staff and students must register their vehicles, display registration stickers and park in assigned areas. The Public Safety staff cannon distinguish between a visitor's vehicle and an unregistered vehicle without a sticker.
If you are a visitor to Lafayette, please return your ticket in person or by mail to the Office of Public Safety, Marguis Hall, Lafayette College, Easton, PA 18042-1768 within seven (7) day in order that the ticket stub be cleared. An explanation of the nature of your visit should be noted below. (If there is no response in seven (7) day, a check on the vehicle registration may be made.)
So, rather than warning you and directing you to something like a visitor's parking lot they just ticket everything the see and figure they'll work it out later. Why not have a time limit? As in, you can park here for two hours like they did at the University of Scranton where my wife went to school? They had signs all over the place letting you know where you can and can't park and for how long.
I wonder how many signs Lafayette could have bought with the salary of the fellow that patrols the parking lots all day tagging vehicles that are there on legitimate business?