provo booting: parking enforcement or moral police?
after reading an opinion editorial on the daily universe and writing a subsequent letter to the editor (which i felt was much better than 2/3 the stupidity they print), i came across an idea that i wanted to toss around.
most justifications of the oppressive booting policies embraced by provo apartments attempt to defend the booters by stating that 'they are doing us a favor.' are they really doing any of us a favor? i say no. for the most part, booting is not a matter of parking enforcement, but is rather another method utilized by byu-approved apartments to enfore the honor code. in other words, provo booters are not parking enforcers, they are moral police.
my experience with booters come primarily from two apartment complexes: crestwood and raintree (where i unfortunately still live).the parking at crestwood is wonderful. because of the great parking space to resident ratio, there were always parking spaces available not too far away my apartment. raintree is the total opposite. while there are enough parking spaces for all of the residents (and some), most of these are on the complete opposite side of the complex, several minutes away from my apartment. this extra parking lot is long, dark, and prone to theft. (my brother had his rear window smashed and his stereo stolen in this lot).
while the parking situations are drastically different, they both back up my opinion that booters are not used to enforce parking, but are used to enforce the honor code. at crestwood, there is no need for parking enforcement; especially in the summer. nobody cares about a non-crestwood guest using up a parking space, we'll just park in the space next to them. at raintree, parking is terrible by 8pm and gets no different as the night goes on. unless, you are lucky and come upon somebody leaving their spot, you are pretty much screwed and have to park out in the boonies. yet, 'parking enforcement' does not begin until 12am - when most of the tenants have already parked and no extra spaces are needed!
as we see, at crestwood, parking enforecement is not needed, but booting occurs. at raintree, parking enforcement may be needed, but not when it occurs. what do they both have in common? for both apartment complexes (as is the case with many complexes in provo), parking enforcement begins at the same time the honor code states that guests of the opposite sex must be out of aparmtments. it seems pretty clear why these complexes have booting policies.
though i disagree with many of the pharisaic aspects of the honor code, i made the mistake of moving into another byu-approved complex and promised to obey it. i can't then complain about having to live the honor code. however, should i be financially punished for a system implemented to police the honor code? i say no.
I agree that the whole parking enforcement thing in Provo is damn racket. Although, I think the whole moral police thing is only the reason that it hasn't been addressed, not the core reason. After being booted a few times here and there (twice in my own complex) I've come to the conclusion that as far as the towing comapnies, it's just greed. They're basically taking advantage of college students. I even saw KPE towing someone out of my complex on THANKSGIVING DAY at 1 in the afternoon. That's lame. Obviously, no one is any more capable of breaking the honor code at 1pm on Turkey Day than at 1:31am Friday night. Anyway, you have good points.
ReplyDeleteHey, did you see the front page article on booting in today's Daily Universe?
ReplyDeleteTo be BYU approved a complex must have parking enforcement at 12 AM. (This is just another reason for you not to like BYU.)
ReplyDeleteMy car ws towed out of an almost empty parking lot around 8pm on a Sunday evening. If this isn't the most blantant example of the University towing company taking advantage and making a buck where ever they can I don't know what is. Its a good thing I have a wife to keep me level headed or they would have bricks through their windows and spray paint on the walls.
ReplyDeleteBasically if you are a college student you should be able to to read and if there is a sign at the entrance pay attention to it because in Provo and Orem college towns you are most likely to be booted or towed due to the property management it is private property they can do what they want when they want and the only reason they enforce on weekends and holidays is because the students and housing by near businesses ruin it due to vandalism etc or misuse all it takes is for one idiot to ruin a property for the rest of the students at a complex by doing something stupid such as parking there big jacked up truck on the grass or landscape because they were to cool to find a regular parking spot while visiting even the LDS churches near the universitys will tow because some people have ruined it for everyone else there is a need and all you need to do is be smart read and be aware of your surroundings that is why there is a sign with a 24 hour number that you can call any time if you are confused or have questions use your brain people I'm amazed at the stupidity of people that are repeat offenders don't you learn the first time if you don't know ask!!!
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