George Mason University can be described two ways; a fine institution for higher learning or a driver’s worst nightmare. Like most college campuses, GMU has an overwhelming amount of people who flock to utilize its many resources. Also like most college campuses, parking is expensive and a hot commodity. If you’ve ever driven on campus between 10:00am and 5:00pm, then you know how difficult it is to find a spot. Since spots are so hard to come by, commuters have had to find creative (and slightly creepy) ways of nabbing one of these coveted spots. I have been a part of the madness that is the elevator line, where drivers wait next to the elevators and stairs in the Rappahannock parking deck for people to come up. Once someone is spotted, the driver proceeds to follow them to their car.
These complaints aside, there is something more important at stake here; the safety of the pedestrians and drivers in the parking lots. Drivers have been known to speed through the parking lots and decks when they see a spot during parking rush hour. I know I’ve almost been run over on more than one occasion while walking to or from my car. An easy solution to this problem would be speed bumps in the parking lots and decks. Speed bumps in the parking decks and lots would help slow down drivers enough to see any and all pedestrians.
Another concern are car accidents in the parking decks. A good friend of mine actually got in a fender bender while leaving the Rappahannock parking deck because it’s hard to see oncoming cars around it’s tight corners. Speed bumps strategically placed around the parking decks would be helpful in preventing these sorts of accidents.
Although it may seem that speed bumps would only slow down traffic even more on campus, there are already several speed bumps around Patriot Circle. These speed bumps already prove to be an effective way for drivers to slow down for pedestrians. Other than the sidewalks, the parking lots and decks see the most foot traffic on campus. Adding a handful of speed bumps will help keep our students safe, whether they’re on foot or in a car.