Outside the lines not OK in Fresno State parking

By Katrina Garcia
The Collegian

While college students are taught to think outside the box, those who park on campus may not want to take that lesson with them to the parking lot— because vehicles with one wheel outside of a stall line could potentially leave students driving away with parking tickets.

According to university private parking ordinances, the rule states that “vehicles parked on campus must be completely contained in the stalls in the areas marked for parking.” Many students are unaware of the rule and do not think twice when they park on or over the lines.

“I didn’t know that before, but I know that now,” Tarra Avants said, a junior civil engineering major. Avants said she received a ticket because her back right wheel was outside of the stall lines. The fine was $25— the same amount a student who parked in a lot without a permit would have to pay.

“I don’t understand the ticket for parking on the line,” Avants said. “The stalls are small anyway.”

Avants said a list of rules should be handed out to students who purchase parking permits. As for students who buy daily permits, she said rules could be printed on the back of the permit.

Minerva Herrera, a senior english major, agrees with the idea that students should be notified of the rules as soon as they get a semester parking pass.

“I would skim over the rules,” Herrera said. “You’d want to know the rules when you buy your parking permit.”

Daniel Speechly, also a senior english major, said students should not be fined for such violations.

“I don’t think they should be fined the first time,” Speechly said, adding that students who repeatedly violate the rule of parking outside of the stall lines should be fined, but not as much as someone who breaks a more serious rule such as parking without a permit.

Speechly said the rules could even be posted on the machines where students buy daily parking permits.

Other rules include that diagonally parked vehicles must be parked facing into stalls and diagonally and perpendicularly parked vehicles must have one front wheel within 18 inches of the curb. Another rule states that both inside wheels of parallel-parked vehicles must be within 18 inches of the curb.

The Office of Parking and Transportation could not be reached for comment.

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