The Commuter Column: Parking Stickers and Their Purpose

Kathleen Joyce

The idea for this topic came when I was walking through the parking lot and checking to see how many people actually had the C.W. Post parking stickers on their cars. I was surprised to see that most students had one, although in between there were those that didn’t. I’m not throwing you under the bus on this one, because I too am guilty of not having a parking sticker either. I did at one point have one, but I recently purchased a new car and I didn’t want a sticker on my bumper just yet. Well, it’s been a year and I still don’t want the green sticker on my bumper.  So far, I have not received a ticket or a warning, so I’m curious  as to what the point is of these stickers?

According to the C.W. Post handbook, it states, “all vehicles parking on campus must be registered with the Department of Public Safety. Campus members’ vehicles can be registered at the Department of Public Safety office free of charge anytime.” It also states, “All motor vehicles without a properly affixed parking permit will be summoned.” Lastly, the handbook states that Public Safety will summon or tow cars for various reasons. Vehicles without parking permits are stated to be a violation.  The purpose of the permits, the handbook states, is that in case of an emergency with your car, Public Safety can contact you. I contacted the office of Public Safety who told me the rules were in the handbook and didn’t comment any further.

Clearing up any confusion that I once had (?), I promptly signed up for a parking permit. It didn’t take much time and it was free of charge. Just remember your plate numbers, because I had to go back and remind myself what they were.  The funny thing that I remember is getting my parking permit on my first day of class in freshman year, but I NEVER even considered getting a permit for my new car. Maybe it’s the fact that the car isn’t paid off yet, or I was just too lazy to actually go and get one. Well, now I have the sticker, but it’s still not on my bumper, no, it’s taped in my window on the left side of the driver’s seat, just like the handbook instructs.