pay for parking?

Donald-Duck

Grimes wrote: »

. If UCD does not have the facilities to house exams it cannot be expected that you must pay extra to do what would be free in UCD (park a car) seeing as your parking fees should be covered by your college fees and you are paying for the facilties by chosing UCD. If UCD is inadequate as a university and illsupplied to host exams to its students one cannot be expected to pay for private facilities a few miles away. Afterall we pay 4500 to UCD to study there, not to the RDS.
!

Well technically they do, you can park in UCD and get the Free shuttlebus.

Riamfada

Donald-Duck wrote: »

Well technically they do, you can park in UCD and get the Free shuttlebus.

That is like a carbon footprint I cant even count!!:P

Breezer

Grimes, while I agree with most of your points about poor students who can't afford cars wasting money on drink etc., I can't agree that driving isn't a privilege - it is. I feel very privileged on freezing cold days when I can drive instead of walk or cycle (which I also do regularly).

With regards a fee for the shuttle bus: if there was one, people (other than Ross O'Carroll-Kelly who appears to now be posting on Boards) would be complaining that the Union isn't doing its job, and they'd be right. I was delighted to see the Union provide a bus, even if I won't be using it (I'll be on the Dart myself).

UCD is under no obligation to provide students with free parking on campus (although I'm quite happy it does) or at the exams. The RDS is well serviced by public transport. BUT to Ross: the shuttle bus is necessary, because people may well have to travel between Belfield and the RDS for different exams on the one day. It's NOT a 10 minute walk, nor does the 46a stop anywhere near the RDS as you seem to think. People on public (or in this case SU) transport should not have to subsidise your car, because travelling in your car is not an option for most people. This is the way the world works: the public don't subsidise your car in general, but your taxes subsidise public transport. Which is as it should be (once again, I'm speaking as a motorist, cyclist, pedestrian and public transport user here). Deal with it.

AngelofFire

Grimes made a very good point, having a car doesnt make you rich.

Actually with the dramatic slump in petrol prices it is probably cheaper to put fuel in the car for a trip to UCD and back than it is to travel by two buses there and two buses back every day.

Breezer

AngelofFire wrote: »

Grimes made a very good point, having a car doesnt make you rich.

Actually with the dramatic slump in petrol prices it is probably cheaper to put fuel in the car for a trip to UCD and back than it is to travel by two buses there and two buses back every day.

Oh I agree, that's why I have one. But that doesn't mean that in a time of cutbacks, the university should be subsidising parking for students, especially when it is not even funding a bus that can transport many more people than a car.

Riamfada

Im confused about is this. In previous years there was little to no effort to count how many cars were entering and leaving the RDS in a given day. Does that mean that there was no charge to UCD for parking facilities in the RDS?

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Grimes wrote: »

Im confused about is this. In previous years there was little to no effort to count how many cars were entering and leaving the RDS in a given day. Does that mean that there was no charge to UCD for parking facilities in the RDS?

They would have paid a lump sum to cover it, one assumes.

Seifer

Grimes wrote:

Im confused about is this. In previous years there was little to no effort to count how many cars were entering and leaving the RDS in a given day. Does that mean that there was no charge to UCD for parking facilities in the RDS?

Maybe you went to a different RDS?
You drove in the gate, showed your student card and they gave you the same coloured tickets they're giving out now.
I love the fact the car parks are as full as ever, the fees clearly didn't deter too many.

mac123

Grimes wrote: »

Thats a bit of a silly generalisation. To be honest, with the cost of running a car, students with cars are more likely to have less money than those who dont. For example I do not drink because my usual student drinking fund is now my mature petrol and insurance fund. Just because a student has a car does not mean they have more disposable income than anyone else they just chose to spend it better.

I see students drink a weeks supply of petrol money in a night since I have been in college and I see the same students complain about not having enough money, the price of bus fair, protest and complain about college fees, the fact that UCD is trying to financially cripple students ect ect. If UCD does not have the facilities to house exams it cannot be expected that you must pay extra to do what would be free in UCD (park a car) seeing as your parking fees should be covered by your college fees and you are paying for the facilties by chosing UCD. If UCD is inadequate as a university and illsupplied to host exams to its students one cannot be expected to pay for private facilities a few miles away. Afterall we pay 4500 to UCD to study there, not to the RDS.

However I think 5 Euro is a reasonable ammount to pay so I dont entertain the fact that its not financially viable. I think there should be a fee for the shuttle bus if there is a fee for parking. Especially as the University is going through sever cutbacks. In my opinion, Peanalise Everyone Equally

Driving is not a privilage, its a result of hard work and different priorities and life choices to you. Driving is only a privilage to those who dont, just like Wintering in Aspen !

everything you say here is true!

Thomas_S_Hunterson

Grimes wrote: »

Thats a bit of a silly generalisation. To be honest, with the cost of running a car, students with cars are more likely to have less money than those who dont. For example I do not drink because my usual student drinking fund is now my mature petrol and insurance fund. Just because a student has a car does not mean they have more disposable income than anyone else they just chose to spend it better.

I'd question the wisdom of sacrificing a social life for a car.

Breezer

Sean_K wrote: »

I'd question the wisdom of sacrificing a social life for a car.

I'd question the wisdom of equating a social life with drinking

graduate

I love the fact the car parks are as full as ever, the fees clearly didn't deter too many.

I am sure that the UCD authorities have noted this.

passive

Sean_K wrote: »

I'd question the wisdom of sacrificing a social life for a car.

Breezer wrote: »

I'd question the wisdom of equating a social life with drinking

ooooh, Seak_K been SERVED! :P