How do you get to school? For those who have their license, driving to school is a great option. However, there’s a little more that goes into being a student driver at PB than you may think.
Paint Branch senior Lelis Nataren says sometimes it is a hassle in the morning finding a spot to park and is occasionally bombarded with the egos of other drivers who almost cause collisions in a race for a parking space. To have a parking spot here at PB, student-drivers have to go down to the business office and see Ms. Keating to fill out obligatory forms to register your vehicle. Additionally, drivers must upload a photo of their driver’s license and pay a fee of either thirty-nine dollars for a semester pass or seventy-eight for the year. Lelis says it’s a justified price of 78 dollars for the whole school year, as is the 39 for a semester.
As for how student drivers operate on campus, PB Security Team member Mr. Montgomery says some student drivers come speeding down the parking lot, which can be dangerous. He notes that students who drive recklessly receive a warning from the security staff informing them that they must slow down or they will be reprimanded and barred from driving on the school grounds. While the speeding drivers are hard to miss, Mr. Montgomery expresses that most abide by the regulated speed limits approved for the parking lot.
In terms of how security monitors student parking, Mr. Montgomery says student parking spots are monitored by security on a daily basis. Each day security looks in the student lot for parking tags, which need to be placed in the window of the student’s car. Security is permitted to ticket any unregistered vehicle with a warning. If a student refuses to follow the regulations, it could lead to their vehicle being towed.
Additionally, Mr Montgomery notes that PB is looking to incorporate student assigned parking areas, perhaps next year, which means having a section in the lot specifically for students. He feels that this could be a great way to keep track of students and their vehicles.
Being a student driver here at PB is a privilege. Considering all the factors that go into driving and parking at school, one has to decide if it is worth it. Vincent Boquin, a PB student who drives to school, feels that it is. Vincent says that being able to drive allows him to be on his own time and not feel rushed. He also notes that it allows him not to worry about being late because he’s operating on someone else’s time.
