In the know: Apron parking

Congestion is just one of many words used to define Westwood.

Most students don’t even bother bringing their cars to campus simply because of the fact that there is almost nowhere to leave them. Students often find themselves bombarded with signs dictating when they can park and for how long.

Because parking is so disorganized, many must resort to apron parking, a phenomenon in which students are forced to park their cars halfway on the street and halfway on the sidewalk. While extremely dangerous, the disorganization of Westwood parking leaves students with no choice but this saddening alternative.

Recently, parking enforcement has decided to make the situation extremely difficult by deciding to enforce the law against apron parking. This sudden enforcement will leave many students with nowhere to park their cars.

Maybe it is an attempt to make quick revenue off the parking tickets to uninformed Bruins or the impending lawsuits from the Americans with Disabilities Association.

Either way, the Los Angeles Department of Transportation should not dictate full enforcement of the law without giving students an alternative. It is extremely unfair to spring the enforcement of this law on students who have become accustomed to parking their cars in this way.

There needs to be more deliberation and effort in the current transition period. Parking enforcement has irresponsibly allowed students and residents to break the law, so it is up to them to give students reasonable alternatives.

There is too much confusion over the current definition of apron parking ““ some cars do not always block the sidewalk ““ and until this definition is clear and established, further enforcement of this policy should be halted.

– Compiled by Brittany Chu