PARKING DIS-SERVICES?
Photo credit: Stephen Ferguson, UMass student
An attendant for the UMass Amherst Parking Services was caught on camera illegally parking his University-issued van as he wrote parking tickets on Oct. 3, 2005
Parking attendant caught in violation
By Dan O'Brien and Matt Belliveau, Collegian Staff, and Georgia Kelley, Collegian Correspondent
November 2, 2005
An outraged student from Van Meter Hall in the Central Residential Area e-mailed the above photos to the Daily Collegian. The photo clearly shows an employee of University of Massachusetts Parking Services returning to a University van that he illegally parked in both a handicap spot and a tow zone.
Stephen Ferguson, a UMass student and resident of Central, says he took the pictures at approximately 4:30 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 3.
"This is a blatant disregard for not only the rules that Parking Services has set down, but also the laws of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, and I want the public to know," Ferguson said.
As one can plainly see, the operator illegally parked a University van in both a non-parking spot and a handicapped vehicle parking space. He then, left his van to write a few tickets and checked out his surroundings before getting back into his vehicle.
Parking Services refused comment for this story after nearly a month of repeated phone calls and e-mails by the Daily Collegian.
However, their mission statement on their Web site is something to the contrary of the actions spotted by Ferguson.
"Our goal is to provide safe, orderly, and fair parking for employees, students, and visitors to our campus. We strive to make parking on campus as convenient as possible, while promoting safe movement of vehicles, providing for pedestrian safety, and assuring free and continuous access to buildings and walkways for pedestrians and emergency vehicles."
Mary Spicer, sophomore at UMass, had her car towed after parking in the Purple Lot behind the Van Meter building.
"I had my car towed away and was forced to pay $110," said Spicer. "And this came after I had just been given a $25 ticket two weeks ago."
Spicer admits that she did park illegally, but that her actions were out of concern of her own safety.
"I know I'm supposed to park in the Yellow lot,"(which is nearly a half a mile away) said Spicer. "But if I'm out at night, I don't feel safe walking all the way back."
The UMass Parking Services Web site explains that the fine for parking in a handicap space is $100 and parking in a "no parking zone" is a $40 fine.
According to the 2003 Parking Services Regulations, "Spaces designated for handicap parking are to be used ONLY by vehicles displaying handicap license plates, a state issued handicap placard, or a handicap parking permit issued by UMass Parking Services. Spaces designated as handicap parking are reserved at all times."
The Parking Services Regulations also say that the purpose of UMass Parking Services is "intended to promote orderly and safe movement of all vehicles, provide for pedestrian safety, and assure free and continuing access to buildings and walkways."
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Copyright Daniel O�Brien and the Massachusetts Daily Collegian. This article may not be redistributed without written permission under United States law.