Virginia Tech parking enforcement officers have been called a lot of things over the years, and it's no secret that many students regard them with a certain dread the minute they spot those flashing yellow lights heading for their vehicles.
"For lack of a better term: Nazis," said Kyle Urban, a sophomore industrial design major, about their reputation. "With those little white Chevys they drive around with their blinking lights. They're just strict, and Virginia Tech has this no tolerance policy."
Urban is one of the many who have felt the wrath of Parking Services when he mistakenly parked his car in a Surge faculty space last year.
"Lo and behold," Urban said, "five minutes after I parked there, I go outside and there's a ticket on my window. Honestly, they're on the ball. They're right there, there's no chance of you getting away with anything."
But, believe it or not, Virginia Tech Parking Enforcement Officer Todd Miller isn't so bad. In fact, he's a pretty nice guy with a good sense of humor.
"We have two kids," he joked cheerfully with me about his home life last Friday while doing his rounds in a white flatbed Silverado. "(And) a 7-year-old lab and a 5-month-old mutt puppy."
Miller, a retired police officer of seven years, has been working as a parking enforcement officer for the last four.
The Christiansburg native and weekend fly fisherman reports every weekday to the Parking Services building at 8 a.m., ready to begin inspection of one of five zones that he could be assigned to cover on campus.
Wearing a blue jacket with a single white stripe streaking across it, a corresponding hat that's emblazoned with "VT Parking Enforcement," beige slacks and sunglasses, Miller meticulously scours the lots that he has been assigned to for any parking violations.
Some of what he is looking for is obvious, such as parking in a restricted spot without a pass.
Other violations take a more careful inspection such as figuring out whether a pass is registered to the vehicle that is using it.
While cruising, his handheld radio chatters, and occasionally he receives a call to help assist in things such as jumpstarting someone's car or helping someone who has locked his keys inside a vehicle.
By the time I catch up to him it is 1:30 p.m., and the beginning of his second round of inspections.
On this particularly windy Friday, he has been assigned to rove the campus rather than cover a zone. His path is a snaking circle that begins with inspection of the Cage and travels all around until he finds himself staring at meters in the Squires parking lot, having made several stops in between.
Mostly, his procedure is the same. With every suspect vehicle, he gets out of his truck and with the help of his yellow T2 Recon, a handheld wireless electronic device, he looks up the vehicle's tags and description among other identifying facts.
Should he need to write a citation, it prints out of a small portable machine attached to the side of his left hip.
The citation itself is printed out on a surface that presents much difficulty for any angry recipient trying to make a point by ripping it up. It is virtually impossible to tear apart.
Occasionally, however, there are those lucky few who manage to escape the penalties of the $25 to $110 fines. Their luck has everything to do with timing.
"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.