Driving woes

With the people-infested streets and sidewalks, gas prices soaring and, how could I forget, the less-than-limited availability of parking spots, I can easily understand why everyone gets frustrated with driving around campus.\nTickets: We've all had them, and we've all complained about them. \nBut, honestly, the parking penalties have spun completely out of control. A $40 campus ticket is ridiculous, especially when you compare it to the price of a city ticket ($15). \nThe ever-lurking meter men, as I call them, are always around waiting to print up a ticket for some unfortunate, stressed-out student. Though I've never been one to lash out at these meter men, I sure have begged them not to issue that $40 fine. At least they seem understanding to the cause.\nOther schools have more reasonable regulations. Purdue University violations are $20 for parking in an otherwise posted area. Its parking operations even offers an explanation of where ticket money goes on their university's Web site. \nWhere does the money from IU parking tickets go? Don't tell me it goes to enforcing parking, because we all know there is already too much income pouring into that fund. \nThe IU parking operations' Web site states, "A main part of our mission is to facilitate access to campus by employees, students and visitors." Oh really? Then why do I always have trouble driving around to get to classes? Why should I have to park at the stadium and take a bus to campus for an adviser meeting that will only take 20 to 30 minutes? Forget about parking at the Union. I refuse to pay $1.65 per half-hour. The price seems even more ridiculous when you compare it to parking in downtown Indianapolis for $1 an hour. \nSome suggest I should buy a permit, but they're expensive, too. If you opt for the notorious E permit, which costs $84 for the full year, you'll struggle to find a spot because the University almost always gives out more permits than the number of available spots at the stadium.\nThus, I move to the library. One would think with all those spots, there would be ample room for students, yet it seems like they cater to faculty and staff. Don't get me wrong, they need to park, too. But when you're an off-campus student, it's almost impossible to get motivated to go to the library when it'll inevitably take an hour to park. I declare it a deterrent from studying. \nThen again, we could all resolve to ride bikes to class (and pay a bizarre fee to register the bike) or take the bus and wait in long lines.\nI realize this same argument is brought up routinely every semester, yet IU doesn't listen or try do anything that could make driving around campus a little more bearable. \nHow about this suggestion: Freshmen and sophomores can't have cars. Works for me.