BYU parking: 7 strikes and you’re out

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BYU students decide daily if parking in an unauthorized lot is worth a potential ticket.

Students who must get to class or work often bite the bullet, park in an unauthorized place and pay the citation. What many don’t know, though, is that along with the willingness to violate parking regulations comes the possibility of losing parking privileges altogether.

BYU parking police issue tickets to illegally parked cars on campus. (Photo by Elliott Miller)
BYU parking police issue tickets to illegally parked cars on campus. (Photo by Elliott Miller)

BYU Police’s Current Parking Regulations states: “Anyone receiving 7 or more citations in any 12-month period of time, whether paid or unpaid, will have his/her driving and parking privileges on BYU campus revoked.”

Many students are unaware of the seven-ticket threshold for losing parking privileges and don’t read the information on the back of tickets. If students incur this ban and continue to park on campus, they could receive a $300 fine or have their car impounded.

Parking violators can request a review committee hearing if they receive a letter notifying them their parking privileges are being revoked. During this review committee, students answer questions and have the opportunity to explain why they feel their revocation should be repealed.

Taylor Larson, a 23-year-old senior, often parked in faculty lots to make it to class on time and received multiple tickets for doing so. During the past winter semester, Larson received a letter explaining that his parking privileges had been revoked based on the regulation he was completely unaware of.

“Had I known that was the case, my priorities would’ve changed and I would’ve parked farther away and been late for class,” he said.

Larson found that most BYU students are as unaware of the possibility of losing parking privileges as he was.

“While going through this process and talking to my friends about it, I didn’t meet a single person who knew about the rule,” Larson said.

Students unaware of the seven-ticket regulation may decide that parking close to campus is worth risking a citation. This willingness to violate parking rules may increase in response to the construction that makes the large lot east of the Wilkinson Student Center unavailable.

University Police Lt. Arnold Lemmon mentioned that come fall semester, the impact of construction will be noticeable, but still manageable.

“We will still have adequate parking; it’s just not going to be as close,” Lemmon said. “The problem is everyone wants to be able

The BYU parking police patrol campus parking lots. (Photo by Elliott Miller)
The BYU parking police patrol campus parking lots. (Photo by Elliott Miller)

to park within 10 feet of their destination.”

Lemmon mentioned that while most people are generally compliant with parking regulations, University Police still expects a bit of a challenge when students return in the fall.

Students are also worried about not having access to as much parking and the effects it will have on congestion around campus.

“Well, where am I supposed to park?” asked Tyler Philipp, a 23-year-old junior.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Larson, who is worried about what will happen come fall semester.

“When they’re taking away parking without compensating for it, obviously students are going to be upset. It’s disappointing,” Philipp said.

While there may be less parking during construction, Lemmon pointed out that BYU still has great parking comparatively speaking.

“When you compare us with other universities, we have excellent parking,” Lemmon said. “And then when you add in how much you pay for your parking privileges … zero.”

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