15: the number of hours it took to drive my car to Charlottesville from my home in Madison, Wis.
5: the number of times my car has been hit in the parking lot of my apartment on Wertland.
1: the number of times I was pulled over my first week in Charlottesville.
2: the number of parking tickets I received my first week of being in Charlottesville.
2: the number of police who escorted my roommate and me down Rte. 29 with our new beer pong table on the roof of my car.
1: the number of times I had to persuade a tow truck driver not to tow my friend's new car. ("If she gets here before I put the Dolly wheels on. ...")
Most of us know what a pain it was (or is) to be a first year (or any year, for that matter) at the University without a car. Despite Charlottesville's small size, it is not very pedestrian-friendly. Sure, there is a bus system and a trolley that shuttles back and forth to the Downtown Mall, but who wants to haul bags of groceries onto a bus from Harris Teeter, only to have to haul them from the bus stop, across the quad, and up three flights of stairs to your dorm room? It is not the easiest system. Though many first years get away with breaking it, there is a University policy that states that it is illegal for first years to own or operate a car anywhere in Albemarle County.
Why does this rule exist?
"The reason is probably two-fold," said Rebecca White, University Director of Parking and Transportation. "One, to establish a link to your community here at U.Va. Two, where are we going to put all these cars?"
Whether or not the rule has its intended effect, most first years are left to use the buses, walk or make friends with upperclassmen.
Being from Wisconsin -- too far away from U.Va. to risk this first-year rule -- I was one of these first years left to fend for myself. But this year I made the long haul, bringing my car out to Charlottesville for summer school in late June.
There are a lot of great things about having a car in Charlottesville. Despite all the talk of Charlottesville being the number one city to live in America, a person needs to get out from time to time. It is wonderful to be able to drive just a few minutes out of town to go hiking on Humpback Rock, or make the drive to Richmond to visit Shortpump or Stony Point Mall. Even better, there is the opportunity of weekend trips to D.C. or even to the beach. At the very least, running errands at Target or Wal-Mart becomes much more manageable.
However, having a car can also be a hassle. University Police Department Capt. Michael Coleman said he does not recommend having a car at school, period.
"It's an expense to" the students, Coleman said. "Parking is always a problem. The transportation system in Charlottesville is really good, and they have no need to drive."
His advice for those who do have cars:
"Take them home," he said with a laugh. "You need to watch the parking restrictions."
Charlottesville Police Sgt. Michael Farruggio said upperclassmen could bring cars to Charlottesville, but should be aware of the parking situation.
"Charlottesville is a very congested area, especially around the University, so we must enforce the parking situation," Farruggio said. "We will be ticketing and towing every car we can to keep it in check."
Fortunately for me, my apartment building provides us with reserved parking spots (though this has resulted in my car being hit on a regular basis, in the exact same spot). However, some receive no such reserved parking. This is the case for students living in sorority or fraternity houses, or those who live in complexes with limited parking space available. Parking passes are available at the Ivy garage for $33 a month, though this is not the most convenient place to house your car if you are coming from an apartment on JPA or behind the Corner.
Students should "park around the periphery and use the U.Va. bus system to get around Grounds," Coleman advised.
Farruggio said satellite parking was the best option.
"Do not bring your cars into other people's neighborhoods," Farruggio said. "It's not illegal necessarily, but the neighbors do find it offensive. It's just being a good neighbor. And that door swings both ways."
Parking anywhere on Grounds is pretty much out of the question, as almost every University lot requires a permit before 5 p.m. on weekdays (this is the case even during summer school -- a hard lesson learned).
White said illegal parking in permit-only areas is the biggest problem with cars on Grounds. Her advice?
"Don't park where you're not supposed to," White said. "Read the signs and find legal parking. You've got to buy a permit and you've got to plan in advance."
Parking is also available in the garage next to the University Bookstore, but at a rate of about $1.70 per hour on weekdays and 50 cents hourly on weekends. This amount might be extravagant in order to drive to class on a daily basis. Fortunately, there are very few student residences that are not within walking distance from classes.
Another disadvantage of having a car in Charlottesville is the traffic, and perhaps this is because students take their cars everywhere -- even places that are a very easy walk. Driving down Rte. 29 is a nightmare at pretty much any time of day, rush hour being the worst. Either way, students taking advantage of other modes of transportation may help this problem.
As far as driving and maneuvering a car in Charlottesville, Farruggio reminded drivers to be aware.
"Almost all of our accidents are caused by driver inattention," Farruggio said. "Younger drivers need to heed the advice of doing one thing at a time. Don't talk on your cell phone or text message while driving."
Any particular trouble spots a driver should look out for?
"We give a lot of tickets for students coming in on Old Lynchburg Road, so monitor Old Lynchburg Road carefully," he said. "Watch your speed."
If you do not have a car or do not want to risk losing the fabulous parking spot you found, there are other options, White said. She mentions the University Transit Service, and also the trolley that shuttles to and from the Downtown Mall. According to White, UTS services run all day, every 10 to 15 minutes. Bus and trolley schedules and other information can be found on the University Department of Parking and Transportation Web site.
White said biking is also a feasible option for getting to class and getting around Charlottesville. Bike racks are provided throughout Grounds, and bike lanes can be found on many of Charlottesville's streets.
"The city is also more friendly than most cities for bicycles," Coleman said.
Think you need a car solely to get home to Northern Virginia, Virginia Beach or Richmond? This is not the case. White said HomeRide is a shuttle service that runs every Friday, taking students back to these and other Virginia locations. Not so much of a help to out-of-staters, but it creates opportunities for visiting other places and people sans automobile.
"It's a lot easier to get around without a car than you think," White said.
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