After walking out of Schiffert Health Center with my goodie bag of medicine in hand and wondering how on earth I got sick this early in the year, I came to find an orange gift from Parking Services on my windshield.
With flu season upon us, Schiffert will become the new hub. But with its increasing popularity, parking grows to become a bigger issue. Currently, the only parking lot near Schiffert is the Coliseum lot, which is shared among students and faculty members and is always full.
Parking is a problem everywhere on campus. But what about that day where your nose is running, you’re coughing up a lung, and the idea of changing out of your sweats makes your head hurt worse? For those who live off-campus, you’re not going to want to hike from the Cage to the health clinic. And that is only a problem if you own a parking pass. For those of us who don’t, we have to put our trust in the availability of the metered parking.
We all have our trials and tribulations with Parking Services. And I have no problem paying that $30 ticket for parking in the wrong lot to avoid being late for a quiz. However, students should not be fined for parking in a spot to go to a doctor’s appointment if all five of the meter spots are taken. Sorry, Parking Services, but five meter spaces for a gym, a health clinic, Career Services, Student Services and West End are not enough.
Riding the BT is not a very appealing option either. As tight as you’re packed in there, you share your germs with about 60 other Hokies. Furthermore, I personally would not want people to see me in that shape. Chances of being spotted by friends are very high while making that long journey from the bus stop at Burruss to Schiffert, as if walking that half-mile while being sick isn’t enough.
A good alternative to this problem would be to go during a time when you are able to park on campus, the keyword being “would.” Schiffert Health Clinic closes at 5 p.m., which is, inconveniently, the same time you are able to park on campus without a parking pass. Fortunately, Schiffert is open 9 a.m. to noon on Saturdays. So tell your immune system to stay strong until the weekend.
This is not a rant or tirade on Parking Services, nor on Schiffert. It is a mere suggestion. There should be designated spots available for students who are sick and have doctor’s appointments. It is a pain to find a parking spot in the Coliseum lot, in addition to the pain you are already in for being sick. There is really no way to avoid this issue unless something is done.
Parking should not be a reason that deters students from seeing a doctor. For the sake of our peers’ immune systems, please go to Schiffert when you need to. To the administration, please rectify the problem by adding parking spaces designated for sick students with doctor’s appointments.
A version of this article appeared in the Oct 22 issue of the Collegiate Times.
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Totally agree! I was planning on writing a letter myself to the CT about this issue eventually. Many times I've tried to park using the meters on Washington st. or the lot next to schiffert. 9 out of 10 times they are all full. I counted about 5 meters in the schiffert lot and about 5 on washington st.
Considering that thousands of students commute through there each day.....seriously WTF ...10 meters and that's it? Most other places have at least a few dozen. The more there are, the more likely you are to find at least one empty since they only have a 2 hour limit.
Actually if there was a way I could pay online to parking services to "log" my license plate for a specified time, I would do that.
Blacksburg/Vtech have the worst parking problems that I have every seen in any town/city/infrastructure. Meters bring in more money, I don't see why they aren't considering that.
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AGREED!!!!
I had to pay a parking ticket at student services and couldn't even park to do that. Luckily, you can pay online. but still.
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I park at Schiffert countless times, and I've always managed to grab a meter. Maybe it's just my luck.
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I'll be honest anonymous, perhaps it is just your luck but if anyone goes in that lot and circles around and around until a meter opens up I suppose that could work but most people don't have that kind of time and patience.
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Ride the bus for goodness sake! You say you don't want to be seen in that condition? That you don't want to walk the half mile to the clinic? How spoiled are you? You are not entitled to be catered to because you have been coddled your whole life. Virginia Tech has the BEST bus system in the country. I am tired of people complaining. It is FREE (if you don't count the fee/tuition that pays for it). You can ride it however many times you want and it has TONS of routes. If you are so vain you don't want to use this GIFT then that is on you. If you can't figure out that the bus goes by the clinic as well as Burruss, that is also on you. The only semi-logical reason you gave for not riding the bus was your concern for others catching what you have. To that I say, it is part of life you are going to be around sick people, and more often than not it doesn't damage your life.
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Piss off with your bus idea, your bound to their schedule and route. Those off us that actually use the bus on a daily basis know what of horrible system it is. You try waiting at a bus stop during freezing rain and tell me it's better than driving. You've obviously never been stranded when the BT decides to change their schedule/route at a whim for the day.
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Yes, I must know nothing about waiting for a bus or cold for that matter. I am not suggesting that a Bus is BETTER than a car, but it is more than sufficient. You sound so very spoiled for saying you are bound by THEIR routes and schedule. Many people only have that bus to get around and do not have the luxury of a car. If you are so concerned about not taking the bus, then have a friend drive you and drop you off and then pick you up?
And to the person that decided to point out you pay a fee for the bus so it isn't a free GIFT, read my response again and notice I mentioned that as well. But your point of how much you would have to ride to make up for it has some weight.
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For 2010-2011, there is a $52 fee worked into each semester's bill. Thus, access to Blacksburg Transit is not a gift, but rather a service for which each student has already paid. It would take a lot of $0.50 trips on the BT to recoup those costs in order to see the full benefit of the fee.
That being said, BT is an acceptable, if not appealing option. As mentioned, there is a stop right in front of McComas/Shiffert, which negates the walking distance complaint. Scheduling may be annoying and inconvenient, especially if BT is experiencing delays; so that is a valid concern, but not a dealbreaker. Sharing one's germs is also a valid concern, in terms of public safety, but does not outweigh one's own health needs if sick.
However, the author's primary concern is increasing temporary parking availability in that area. With so many service buildings, including Shiffert, Student Services, Career Center, Counseling Center, McComas Gym, and West End Market, in such close proximity I completely agree an increase is needed.
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No way does Virginia Tech have the best bus system in the country!
Ours is better than most places, but by no means the best. It is completely unacceptable that I have to wait 45 minutes and watch 7 busses pass me every Monday and Wednesday morning because the BT can't put enough busses on what they have admitted to me in email is their "busiest morning route".
If I am sick, I do not want to ride the bus. Likewise, if you are sick, i don't want to sit next to you on the bus.
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No way does Virginia Tech have the best bus system in the country!
Ours is better than most places, but by no means the best. It is completely unacceptable that I have to wait 45 minutes and watch 7 busses pass me every Monday and Wednesday morning because the BT can't put enough busses on what they have admitted to me in email is their "busiest morning route".
If I am sick, I do not want to ride the bus. Likewise, if you are sick, i don't want to sit next to you on the bus.
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