It is no secret that parking continues to be a prevalent problem for UH students. With around 21 student and economy parking lots combined along with a shuttle system, it would appear that the University has enough resources to keep parking under control.
After my first day on campus, I realized parking was going to be a daily hassle. Although it’s not a pleasant situation, it’s something many students have come to accept and deal with.
What most people can’t seem to handle is what I’ve come to call “parking harassment.” The term is a reference to all those people who insist on bothering students in various ways as they walk through the parking lot to their cars.
Harassment is defined by Dictionary.com as “to disturb persistently.” Students are harassed on a daily basis in the University’s parking lots. Everyone has a slightly different tactic, but everyone guilty of this tactic has the same purpose.
There are three different categories of parking harasser.
The first and most mild is the “silent stalker.” These are the people who lack the courage to actually roll down the window and directly address someone and don’t mind driving slowly and close to them as they walk to their car.
One way to deal with these people is to suddenly turn and walk through an aisle of cars to try and elude the harasser. This tactic is often successful because the harasser won’t be sure of where you’re parked and will probably figure out that following you will prove unproductive.
The second more moderate type is the “impatient stalker.” These are the people who will yell at you from up to 20 feet away to ask where your car is located and what it looks like. After you respond, they speed away to find it so they can sit and wait for you with their turn signals on so as to claim the parking spot as theirs until you get to your car.
An effective method for handling these people is to tell them you’re parked across the street regardless of whether you really are. This usually causes the stalker to move on to another victim because, although there are available parking spaces in the next lot, chances are they’re too lazy to walk a few extra; if they weren’t, they would already be in the other lot.
The third and final type is the most severe. These “student kidnappers” are the people who will not only roll down their window to ask where your car is located, but they are more than willing to also give you a ride to it.
Every time I run into this type of person, I remind myself of all the times my mom warned me to never get into a car with a stranger, especially because I’m female.
Regardless of whether anyone’s safety is really at risk here, it’s still annoying to have some stranger yell at you while you’re walking.
Most days, in order to avoid any of these three types of people, I typically walk through the graduate student lot of parking lot 16. When I walk through that lot, stalkers assume that I’m parked there and are less likely to follow or talk to me.
I wondered if this was an issue at other universities or if it was limited to UH, so I called my sister, Katie, a sophomore music major at the University of North Texas.
“The harassment over getting a space isn’t as bad as it is at UH,” she said. “A lot of people have realized that if you’re not at school before 10 a.m., you’re going to have to park in the boonies.”
UH students need to grasp this concept; while not everyone has class before 10 a.m. and therefore doesn’t want to get to school that early, students need to either quietly and politely peruse the parking lot for an open space or simply park a little farther away when they get to school. A little exercise never hurt anyone.
Katie did admit that “lots of people, even myself, will drive slowly behind someone walking to hopefully get their space; but I have never had anyone ask or have known of someone offering a ride to someone’s car.” Perhaps these issues of extreme rudeness are limited to UH.
Students need to realize that parking is enough of a hassle for everyone without having extra annoyance added to the situation.
I’ve considered wearing a sign that says, “Do no harass me for my parking spot.” If you ever see such a sign walking through the parking lot one day, you’ll know I don’t wish to be bothered.
Callie Thompson is a communication senior and may be reached at [email protected]
The belief that government that can solve our healthcare problems should all put fear in us, especially when the University can’t solve our parking problems. You would think that college students would put 2 and 2 together.
Nice article, but it could easily have been cut down by half. Too much verbiage.
So much complaining! Anyone and everyone who drives a car to UH knows that parking is a problem, but why would you spend your time demonizing those who are doing there best to cope with the situation.
I’m confused- you’re upset that “silent stalkers” won’t roll their windows down and address you, but you’re also angry that the “student kidnappers” do address you? What exactly do you want people to do?
In my opinion, neither of those practices are examples of “extreme rudeness.” They are just the only methods available to a lot of people competing for a few spots.
Indeed. Extreme rudeness would be a driver yelling at someone to “walk faster, slowpoke!”, or doing same while driving two feet behind the person.
Most of these “kidnappers” are pretty polite and useful. If I see a silent stalker, I’ll just ask them if they wanna give me a ride. Stop being a wuss and get in. Fortunately, your uptightness doesn’t really affect me, and if you were to reject my offer, I’d just find the next person. I try to only ask men, though, out of courtesy and the knowledge that there are people like you.
bougie shut-in doesn’t understand other student’s needs, film at 11. your precious “personal space” doesn’t extend to the entire parking lot, safety kid.
it is common knowledge that the non-garage lots are a horrible and bewildering deathtrap to all who look upon them so stop acting like anyone who asks you for help is SUPER ANNOYING OMG.
I wouldn’t say I am harassed when students stalk me for a parking spot. Rather, I welcome it. Getting a ride to my car isn’t too bad especially when the weather gets warmer. I agree with you that drivers who come after 10am should expect to park in the outskirts of school, but why bash the students who take their time to “stalk”?