Editor, Daily Nexus,

The vehicle parking policy at UCSB is intended to encourage students to bike to classes instead of drive. This is a fantastic idea, considering that the majority of students live on campus or in Isla Vista.

However, given the large number of bikes that are parked on campus – especially during peak hours – and given the insufficiency of the current number of bike racks in accommodating the large numbers of bikes, it is unreasonable to issue bike-parking citations or to impound bikes that are parked improperly.

Consider even the fact that CSOs regard bikes to be properly parked as long as they are “in line” with the racks. It is not possible to park bikes “in line” with in some spots when the racks are full. For example, once the racks outside of Kerr Hall are full, further bikes parked “in line” with the racks will extend into the street. In other rack locations where in-line parking is possible, the space available is also limited.

Simply put, if the university wants students to bike instead of drive to classes, then it must either provide more racks so that we may park properly, or it must stop punishing students for reacting to conditions which the university itself has created and has so far failed to alleviate.

NEIL MURPHY

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