tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38545607.post5771686503252424754..comments2024-03-09T10:26:48.789+00:00Comments on economics, psychology, policy: College Parking - A Short RantEmma Watsonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11466193733741012673noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38545607.post-2115566318312208032010-09-07T16:08:29.136+00:002010-09-07T16:08:29.136+00:00Inviting people to meetings in Belfield is embarra...Inviting people to meetings in Belfield is embarrassing as there is every chance they cannot get a space. So Ben, what did the ESRI do? Allocate the places to the professors?? <br />One perennial issue in these debates is staff vs. students and whether staff should get priority. As far as I know the university is firmly against giving staff priority. I suppose the argument is that we are all members of the university.<br />The counter-argument is that if one of my students is late for class because he can't get a place that's tough on him. If I am late as I can't get a place that's tough on everyone. So most academics have to come in too early to ensure this doesn't happen.<br />But really all of this can't be a fundamental problem to solve.Kevin Dennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17891633553910348880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38545607.post-88005710489172348442010-09-07T13:42:48.306+00:002010-09-07T13:42:48.306+00:00I agree with the need to think about this, and wit...I agree with the need to think about this, and with Kevin's point about academics or academic institutions solving their own problems first, and leading by example. In general, campus would benefit greatly from pragmatic communication and co-operation across disciplines on these issues that affect the daily lives of campus users. Does UCD have a commuting meeting group? It has several meeting groups/steering committees for areas like IT (which gets a relatively bizarre amount of attention across campus)<br /><br />On this specifics of parking solution: I reckon a relatively expensive annual staff and student permit (~€100) with a nominal daily charge(€1-€2) would ease the ongoing parking issue. For ease, the daily charge could be applied to your 'permit' and paid monthly (possibly barrier-less charge, like the M50 toll, the technology is there!). This option would also do-away with the current practice of barricading campus to prevent non-campus pass through traffic at peek periods.Peter Carneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15551314243423821313noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38545607.post-60417144167948940372010-09-07T07:29:29.277+00:002010-09-07T07:29:29.277+00:00Losses to the university are even more direct. Sev...Losses to the university are even more direct. Several instances are recalled where colleagues from Blackrock campus have had to abandon attempts to attend university meetings, academic presentations and, in one case, a lecture after having circled the campus for upwards of 35-40 minutes for a space. Limited short-term pay/display parking options have not worked in this regard.<br /><br />I also recall discussing this with a senior ESRI colleague. In view of their move to new premises with less parking provision, he mooted the idea of a tender process among staff to distribute places. What did they do in the end?Ben Tonranoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38545607.post-77502627394045045472010-09-07T01:57:24.214+00:002010-09-07T01:57:24.214+00:00The Fundamental Problem of Parking has been solved...The <i>Fundamental Problem of Parking</i> has been solved many times in many places including universities, even Irish ones. It doesn't take a rocket scientist or even a brain surgeon to work it out. This is nothing to do with economists thinking differently from ordinary folks, people pay for parking all the time. The point to remember is that "free parking" is not free for the reasons you describe: you pay in time and uncertainty instead. I pay by leaving home very early to be sure of a place.<br />So what we have is a situation that is inefficient, not obviously equitable and environmentally unfriendly. <br />There is something deeply unsettling about seeing this prevail in a university that wants to help lead the charge on innovation/"smart economy" etc. I mean, if an institution with some of the nation's leading planners, engineers, economists etc etc can't solve a simple problem like this, it doesn't auger well does it?Kevin Dennyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17891633553910348880noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-38545607.post-78026656104863226192010-09-06T22:37:22.488+00:002010-09-06T22:37:22.488+00:00The joy of cycling to UCD was that these problems ...The joy of cycling to UCD was that these problems were merely things which you whizzed by, rather than engaging with.<br /><br />A nominal hourly rate would be a good idea. I used to favour that along with an allowance for people who lived outside of the range of public transport, but considering that so many people abused that system by using a second home as their primary address (when it came to allocating accommodation), I don't think that it'd work.<br /><br />Small charge for parking (with no special allowance for staff), with free 10 minute parking areas and plenty more simple bike racks by the arts block would go a long way.Pidgehttp://www.michaelpidgeon.comnoreply@blogger.com