Parking lot etiquette

Class begins in five minutes. You’re speeding through the parking lot trying to find a space that’s less than three miles away from your respective door. You notice a spot in the front behind a big truck and step on the acceleration…just before noticing the small car already parked there. Slurs of obscenities escape your mouth as you reverse and begin your search again.

With the recently increasing enrollment at North Lake, parking has become a sore subject to all students who drive themselves to class. Lately, a decent parking space is not only scarce, but seemingly impossible. To alleviate some of the stress, I’ve compiled a list of things we can all do to be mindful of other drivers.

First, exit in a timely manner. Sure, it’s nice to have time to text your friends, find a decent radio station, and check your hair in the mirror all before starting your car, but you could be holding up traffic. “It’s annoying when someone is about to leave, but takes forever to back out—especially when someone else is waiting for their parking space,” said Leslie Solis, a North Lake freshman. If a line begins to form, move quickly.

Secondly, look both ways before backing out. This is verified by Sergeant John Vardiman, a North Lake police officer, who says it’s one of the main parking lot issues. “Other than not having appropriate parking decals, students tend to park in the staff spaces and back out without looking.”

The third tip is to remain cordial. Sure, it’s tempting to steal a parking space that someone else is waiting for, but it’s certainly not polite. This also includes resisting the urge to scream at someone for driving inconsiderately.

When another vehicle commits a parking faux pas, don’t allow it to stress you out. Instead, breathe deeply and think happy thoughts. Although it may seem like a productive way to utilize your middle finger in times of distress, obscene hand gestures get you nowhere.

Fourth, be mindful of those crossing the parking lot. Remember that pedestrians have the right of way and being late for a class is no excuse for vehicular manslaughter.

Lastly, keep in mind that although the roads leading up to the school have a speed limit of 20 miles per hour, the parking lot speed limit at North Lake is only 10 m.p.h. Driving above this limit could result in a traffic ticket; and driving too far below could result in highly annoyed drivers behind you. Maintain a speed that is efficient, legal and courteous.

My suggestion to help solve parking lot problems is to leave at least 15 minutes earlier than usual to allow more time to find an open space.

By incorporating these simple tips into your driving, campus parking will no longer be just an excuse to cut class.