Eva Ludwig
“[Once when] I was parked in the student parking lot … I came back from practice to a bunch of scratches on the back [of my car],” said senior Janak Bhuta. “The taillight was chipped, a side panel had popped out, and the tires were scratched. It was a couple thousand dollars in damage and [I couldn’t] tell the insurance, because I’m really young, [and it would] get raised by twice the amount. So [my family and I couldn’t] do anything about the damages unless we were willing to pay out-of-pocket.”
This issue is one among many in the student parking lot, with students reporting experiences such as hit-and-runs, non-permitted cars taking up spots, major delays due to parent pick-up and drop-offs and more.
One particularly prevalent issue is students without passes occupying spots meant for permit holders, forcing them to park illegally on residential streets. This not only subjects them to tickets from the San Mateo Police Department, but also potential tardies, as it increases the time it takes to get to class.
Although Service Commission is tasked with checking for these passes, members can often dodge this chore by simply marking that they didn’t see anything, allowing unpermitted cars to go unnoticed.
Moreover, these issues aren’t limited to the Aragon community — Baywood parents have exacerbated the scramble for parking by using the parking lot as a drop-off location, both blocking spots for students and creating traffic on their way out.
Students are confronted with more issues at the end of the day, taking anywhere from 10–20 minutes simply to leave the lot, due to the pick-up circle directly blocking entire rows of cars. With the miniscule parking lot brimming with impatience and resentment, some students may experience more road rage while not on the road itself.
But even when drivers exit the lot, the problem persists. In order to get onto the main road, they must merge with a line of traffic coming from Baywood onto Woodland Drive, which backs up traffic from both avenues.
The Aragon Outlook believes the solution is to instate crossing guards both before and after school, have designated spots for students with parking passes and reopen drop-off and pick-up routes along the baseball field and theater.
Upon entering the student parking lot, crossing guards would ensure that only vehicles with passes may park and regulate the flow of traffic — students would be directed to the lot, and parents would be guided to the path along the panhandle leading to the theater. Opening up these alternate paths would streamline traffic, reducing delays for students trying to park in the morning and after school.
Additionally, assigning numbered parking spaces would hold students accountable, enabling students and administration to identify those occupying others’ spots.
Tackling the issues in the student parking lot requires both structural changes and a stronger commitment to enforcement. We believe that by prioritizing these changes, Aragon can make the parking lot safer, reduce delays and provide a better experience for everyone involved.
