The forgotten parking issue

Have you ever returned to your car after a long day of classes, only to find the car next to yours looks like it was parked by an inebriated college student?

After a car parked so close to Jack's car (green), he had to go through an obstacle to get to the driver's side. / Jack Chavdarian

Half of that person's car is in their lane. Another half is in yours, which gives you no choice but to climb into your vehicle through the passenger's side like some kind of animal.

Then you lose your dignity halfway into the drivers seat as you slip and fall on the emergency break, crotch first.

This happened to me twice in one week!

Now, I don't know if the person was an actual drunk, but there I was in the middle of the parking structure, a victim of a horrific crime known as bad parking.

We've all been victims of this at one time or another, and here at Cal State Long Beach, I've encountered some of the worst parkers in all of Los Angeles.

Alyssa Marshall, human development major, has had the same thing happen to her countless times.

"People definitely go in [the lanes] crooked and cross over two," Marshall said. "I try not to get in that situation."

So when the situation does present itself, what can I, as a victim, do if I find out that the person next to my car is parked so badly that I can't get in?

CSULB Parking Officer C. Newton said campus police can only take action if the vehicle is parked outside of its lane.

"We can come out and look at the car," he said. "Unless a tire is poking out of the parking space, no ticket can be given."

He also added one of his experiences with helping out a victim.

"I jumped in someone's back seat to help them get into the driver's seat," Newton said. "If you really need to report a bad parker, you could call the dispatch."

I didn't pay $123 for my fall semester parking pass to climb into my car through the passenger's side. That's almost two shifts at my retail job, or one hour of therapy later in my life.

I think we can all make a difference if we stop playing the victim role, and starting playing the educator. As soon as you see the tire of the car in the next lane crossing over into yours, make a phone call to the parking police. It's time to enforce some lessons!

Five days after Jack's first parking situation, another vehicle came in close encounter with his car. Jack also had to cautiously back out of his space to make sure the side-view mirrors weren't hitting. / Jack Chavdarian