Tips To Keep Your Car Cool

While some of us cannot avoid driving to work (since a bike ride is just impossible), here are a few tips to help keep your car cool during the hot, humid days of summer (thanks to greencars.org).

• Park in the shade in summer to keep your car cool and minimize evaporation of fuel.
• If you have a garage, use it as much as possible to keep your car warm in winter and cool in summer.
• If you have to park outdoors, windshield shades can cut down on summer heat and help keep the frost off in the winter.

Also, I would suggest leaving your windows rolled down a smidge to let the warmer air, that would normally be trapped in your vehicle, be able to vent out so you do not receive the hot air slap in the face when you return to your vehicle at the end of the day.

Parking Decals

Have you ever wondered how many vehicles are registered on campus? Well, you have come to right place. Below is a chart for the last few years from 2003-2006.

REGISTERED VEHICLES

PERMIT TYPE	2003	2004	2005	2006
STAFF/FACULTY	2016	2007	1401	1345
STUDENTS - RESIDENT	616	637	661	595
STUDENTS - DAY	79	86	71	94
EQUESTRIAN CENTER	11	18	10	2

Note that faculty/staff Decals are renewed every four years; during renewal years the numbers rise dramatically.

The parking office *NEVER* gives out more decals then spaces. We want to make sure there is a space for everyone, even if its not right outside your door. This is why we like to register your vehicle on campus (and so many other reasons too), to make sure the ratio of spaces & vehicles are working out they way they should.

They Kept Records That Far Back?

Since you waited so patiently for last Thursdays answer asking what year was the first Parking Rules & Regulations where recorded, here is the answer.

It was 1936!

The Archives & Special Collections department has records dating from 1936-1996 for Parking & Public Safety that include the rules & regulations, snow removal guidelines and student vehicle information.

Wow! I bet you never knew that vehicles were brought on campus in the 30's! Its hard to imagine it, but it must have occurred.

Do you know the answer?

Lets test your MHC parking knowlege-

Can you guess when the first documentation of parking rules & regulations were recorded on campus?

a. 1979

b. 1936

c. 1924

d. 1981

If you think you know the answer, leave a comment! Check back Monday for the answer!

History of a Parking Ticket

In 1926 American merchants listed downtown traffic congestion as their most serious difficulty. Unenforced curbside parking and lack of off-street parking facilities were listed as the primary problems. Customers went where they could park.

During the great depression city revenues dwindled. With parking meters, however, a new source of municipal revenue was found. Not only did the nickels paid in by parkers accumulate, but so did the fines imposed for over parking. By 1944, American cities were generating some $10 million annually from parking meters alone. Soon after came meter maids, who were paid less than police officers, to increase city revenues.^{[citation needed]} Complex parking rules, restrictions and regulations are now an integral part of modern life and landscape.

Typically a ticket is placed on a vehicle when the owner or driver is not present. There is no place for a signature, and in California the registered owner cannot be charged with a misdemeanor or other criminal offense for ignoring a ticket. A letter will usually be sent prior to any punitive action. Most jurisdictions, however, will have sanctions such as refusal to allow renewal of license plates if the owner of the vehicle has unpaid parking tickets. In some jurisdictions, such as New York City, a vehicle may be towed if it has overdue parking fines exceeding a specified balance. In many jurisdictions, such as Boston, vehicles with numerous outstanding parking citations are subject to booting.

MA RMV Changes

The MA RMV is adding new services to its website.

People who want to know their auto registration status (including whether they have any outstanding parking tickets that would block renewal) can now check online.

So can people who want to know the status of a title or a lien. The same for teens who want to know if the Registry has receive their driver's education certificate.

This is to help people get out of line and get online.