parkingenforcement
"Usually if the citation's already been finished, we go ahead and give that to the person, and they'll have to come into Parking (Services) and deal with it there," said Miller. "If we haven't finished it, then it's really our discretion. If it hasn't been printed, we can go ahead and choose to let them go. If they come out and they're not so friendly and they come threatening and do this and that, sometimes you may be more inclined to finish it up. I don't have a lot of those."
Regardless of those who get off with the slightest warning and explanation of their violations, Miller feels that writing citations for people who don't listen to campus parking regulations is a necessity that, if ignored, could only cause problems.
"If we didn't write some of the tickets," said Miller, "then the parking would probably not be as available as it is right now. The violations kind of help with checks and balances, they get people to park where they're supposed to. It could be a lot worse."
Even as a student, Urban recognizes the vital role that Miller and his team play.
"It's sad, but true," he said. "You kind of need it. If they were to be lenient with it, you'd have so many people that would take advantage of that, and then it would come down worse on us anyway. You have to have these guys driving around in these trucks."
"Folks seem to think," said Bo Fraizer, assistant manager of Parking Services, "that we're just out to get them, that we're just after money. That's not the case at all. That is part of our revenue, but we don't have quotas, we don't do any of that sort of thing. If it's a citation, they're parking illegally, we write the citation, but we're not hiding in the bushes."
Miller and Fraizer have been working together for more than two years.
As one of the eight parking enforcement officers, Miller is recognized by his staff for his dedication and demeanor.
"He's very, very good at what he does," said Fraizer. "These guys probably don't make what they're worth with everything they have to do every day. He's just a very laid-back, easy-going guy. He really knows his job very well; he deals with people exceptionally well."
Throughout the day that I ride with him, this is evident.
With every person, Miller's composure is always welcoming and hospitable.
Fridays are slow for him and don't pack the same rush as the rest of the week.
On a good day, he racks in about 40 citations, but today, with only 24 and the clock striking 5 p.m., he returns to base and the beginning of his fishing-filled weekend with no qualms.
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BS. Outside hokie grill, I recieved a ticket to parking in a lined spot. The lines were so faded you couldnt even see them. To make it worse, the parking officer was standing RIGHT in front of me when I parked there, and said NOTHING. Came out 5min later, and had a ticket. If they really aren't out simply to make money, why not take 5seconds and tell me I can't park there...instead of waiting til I walk away and then give a ticket
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Hokie Grill and Owens have a 24/7 F/S rule. You can never park there unless you have an F/S pass or a handicap plate. Did you have either of those?
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There is a 10 minute food pick up spot there too
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Im convinced Tech hires former CIA agents for parking services. My car would be out of my sight maybe a couple minutes and BAM, that damn orange envelope would be on my winshield awaiting my return, sneaky bastards. As much as I despised them, they are good at what they do.
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I managed to park on campus for 4 years without ever receiving a ticket or getting towed. How? I only parked in Commuter spots with a Commuter tag, and never left my vehicle on campus when it snowed. This isn't brain surgery, and they aren't predatory like Valley Towing.
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I have to agree with the last post - parking services are irritating but at least they aren't Valley Towing who in my opinion should be charged with stealing cars half the time.
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Playa, why didn't YOU just simply ask the parking service attendant if it was ok to park where you did? It is just as much YOUR responsibility to park in the correct location as they are to enforce it. Aren't spots behind HokieGrill F/S or Service spots anyway?
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I totally agree with playa, and the jerk wrote me a ticket and my hood was still hot when i came out and got it. i was inside oak lane dropping something off for 3 minutes, and the parking lot was empty--not to mention that signage sucks out there.
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I disagree with the part about hiding in the bushes....I think they do that.....
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Here is a interview: "’why you don’t give all the students a map showing where is ok for parking?’ A gentleman at parking service, “ it is the student responsibility to find out online where is suppose parking." "When the policemen try to regular the speed on the road, they used to put speed limit by side and give forgiveness to some first offender, because their main purpose is to educate people for safety. It is hard to image, there is no speed limit on the road, and policemen ask people to go to their website to download the speed limit for each road." The gentleman at parking service, "Are you coming here to make trouble?"
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Aww, the mean-old Parking Services guy is just a nice little grandpa! How sweet!
That's the problem with the bureacracy...sure, each link is just a simple man/woman, doing their job. But who takes responsibility for systematic problems? Not anyone the students ever get to talk to.
I stopped in Owens lot to drop stuff at my dorm, was back in 5 minutes..BAM, 2 tickets!
I forgot to put my parking pass up when I parked in the Cage for the week. I did not know it wasn't up. I get an email late on tuesday that it is parked wrong or something, and when I go to check on it Wednesday morning, I have 2 tickets! They knew I was registered with a parking pass, in the correct spot, but that my pass was on my dashboard instead of the mirror, and they have the audacity to give me $70 in tickets! There is no reason for residents to go to their car on a daily basis, the only way I could know was via the email, but they don't even give me a reasonable amount of time to go fix it.
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I was parked in an empty area of McComas lot while I bought a pass from Student Services...BAM ticket!
I parked in the stadium lot at the beginning of the school year, clearly with the intention to buy a pass, and I parked in an empty area so I wasn't taking a spot from someon who already got their pass. I bought the pass on monday, but monday morning: BAM, ticket!
All of these situations have been explained to PS in an appeal, but I get the same response every time: "You were found to be in violoation of our policy."
I hate parking services with a passion.
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The entire system is completely unfair and they are out they to make money because they make commission. I recommend changing it to a set wage, I find it highly offense that Virginia Tech would give someone commission for parking tickets and then go ahead and give large $30 fines to students who pay $1000s of dollars to attend this school. We should fire half the guys at parking services and drop the fine to $15 I think that would even things out a hell of a lot more fairly.
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I understand the need to ticket people for violations. It does make people park where they are supposed to. I think they should leave warnings the first two weeks of school. My first week I got 3 tickets because I wasn't used to where I could park. I parked in the right lots because that much is easy to figure out but I was in the wrong spaces.
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