UA Parking Fiasco: Excuse the delay?

YOGI BERRA,. a pin-striped philosopher who gave us all something profound to think about, once observed of a certain restaurant: "It's so crowded that nobody goes there anymore." The University of Akron campus hasn't quite reached that point yet, but give it a little more time while you are marooned in a car heading for a non-existent parking place.

The horror stories of modern campus life continue to prompt questions about who planned this massive snarl in the first place. Letters to the editor, casual comments by faculty friends and reports of family-improvised shuttle service strongly suggest that there might be more time spent in traffic crushes than in the classrooms for some of the students and visitors. (To make matters worse even if you don't drive to campus you still must pay a $115 parking fee!)

Some faculty members are now being driven to their workplace by their spouses who return to pick them up at the end of day. Others are futilely trying to game the system by allowing up to an hour to find a spot. I had a couple of experiences that told me, thanks, but no thanks for any campus business. In one instance, we gave up trying to attend an evening program at Guzzetta Hall after a half-hour search that ran beyond the program's starting time. On another, we became hopelessly lost in a bumper-to-bumper gridlock and decided to give up and shoot for the county line, God and weather permitting. At this rate of inconveneince I can only wonder why all of the new construction on the campus did not include motels and eateries along the route to accommodate the long delays to the classroom.

A word to the UA Administration: I've heard all of the defense arguments so no need to repeat them. Besides, I've decided that my college days are over.

.