Kathryn Clark, Nittany Vega
All we want is to feel safe on campus! Ok, ok, we get it. It’s an echo in a chamber of complaints. Everyone has something to say about campus safety. It’s our turn to complain.
Don’t worry, we’re not here to complain about a lack of parking. We know -- it’s “just a lack of convenient parking.”
First, let us introduce ourselves. I’m Kathryn, news editor of the Tropolitan. And I’m Nittany, a junior nursing major from Orlando, Florida with a lot to say about campus safety. We’re roommates.
My first complaint is one we both share. We live in Trojan Village, and when cars park on the street, we can’t see around them to know if there’s oncoming traffic when we’re leaving the parking lot. It’s very dangerous. Yeah, I’ve almost gotten in a wreck right there several times because I couldn’t see.
In my three years of living in Trojan Village, I’ve seen at least three wrecks right there, even one involving three cars. And the parking lot only has one exit, so a crash means everyone’s vehicle is stuck in the lot until it is all cleared.
To me, the solution seems simple.
Clements has a convex traffic mirror at their exit. Why can’t all the dorm parking lot exits on that road have one? Not only that, but do you know how many cars are parked in the yellow no-parking areas so that we can’t see oncoming traffic? And they never get ticketed. It’s ridiculous!
Every time I go to exit the lot, it feels like I’m guessing whether or not there will be a car coming. I have to be halfway in the road to even check. It’s a wonder that more accidents haven’t happened.
Speaking of cars on the road, that road is so narrow, and the biggest trucks always choose to park there. Go park in overflow, for real. I have to swerve around their tailgates and egregious trailer hitches sticking out every time I drive by. It’s truly a hairy situation, especially on a two-way road with oncoming traffic. My car isn’t even that big, and I’m sure enough clenching every time I have to do it.
Large vehicles in the angled parking spots are a real issue. I drive a smaller car and can’t park there because I can’t see around the truck beds next to me to back out. Facts, my back up beeper goes nuts for those cars I can’t see speeding past.
Look, if you can’t properly park your overcompensation machine, you should trade it in for something a little easier. Prius maybe?
Not to mention the speeds I see at all hours of the day. It’s honestly crazy. If I can hear you driving from inside my room, then I think it’s time to slow down. It’s University Avenue, not the Indy 500.
And the more you drive down John M. Long, the more issues you will come across, especially at night. Almost every night, pedestrians are crossing the street to get to Newman Center in the dark. You can’t see them until you’re already at the crosswalk. Yes, there are lights, but they’re dim and not illuminating the crosswalks. There needs to be brighter, more direct lighting!
The number of times I’ve almost been run over by a speeding driver who doesn’t stop at crosswalks is crazy. Not even just at night either. We’re making direct eye contact, and they do not care— what if I didn’t care? They’d be paying my tuition, that’s for sure.
A traffic mirror and a light post are not a lot to ask for. These are simple additions that would make everyday life for hundreds of students simpler, and so much safer.
I’m not done. Let’s talk about people who DON’T know how to use a roundabout. It is so incredibly simple, and it never fails that somebody messes it up.
Some of them don’t even grasp the concept of a four-way stop, so I guess I can’t be shocked.
Parking and driving only get worse on game days. I can’t even bring myself to go anywhere on a gameday because of how bad it is. I don’t know what gets into people — well I do, but — I don’t know what makes people just lose their brain cells after a football game. It’s a stop sign, not a parking spot. GO!
Slow drivers are almost as bad as speeding ones. I am three minutes away from where I need to be, and you’re going fifteen miles per hour for what? Now somehow, I’m 10 minutes late when I was originally 20 minutes early.
AND ANOTHER THING. Why do the physical plant people get to drive on the quad? So, when they do whatever, it’s fine, but heaven forbid I park on the football field.
I’m an adult, I need to calm down. Yeah, you kinda went on a tangent there. Sorry.
Anyway, you get it. We have a lot to complain about. We’ll be done for now.
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