The ABAC parking situation is a battleground, where students fight for the few “good” parking spots that surround the dorms. There’s no lack of parking at ABAC, there’s a lack of spots students find desirable.
Over the holiday break, ABAC has decided to make the situation worse by installing new speedbumps that reach heights similar to Mt. Everest. The student body at ABAC has been very vocal about their disdain for the new roadway fixture.
ABAC Senior Willy Ansley commented, “These speed bumps have dented my car and lowered its value, it’s absolutely absurd.” The speed bumps rival some of the worst curbs I’ve ever hit.
There is research behind the use of speed bumps and the havoc they cause, according to Sun Auto Service, “They damage your shocks — cars absorb road imperfections with the use of shock absorbers, also known as shocks. This is why you don’t feel every bump, dip, or rock your car travels over… When you travel too fast over a speed bump, your shocks are unable to absorb the energy that rapidly, which can cause damage like bending out of shape or leaking hydraulic fluid. If this happens often enough, the shocks can begin to break down and will be unable to protect your car.”
The new speed bumps are a problem, because no matter what speed you’re going, your shocks are going to be punished. I’ve come to a complete stop at these speed bumps, trying not to damage my car going over them, and I still get jumped a few inches into the air.
This isn’t even the worst of it. Students with cars that are low, even following all the rules of the road, could end up having their undercarriage scraped on these ludicrously high speedbumps.
But why would ABAC implement such extreme speed bumps? Well, the few who didn’t abide by the posted speed are theoretically to blame. If you live on campus, you surely have seen people doing 10-15 miles above the speed limit, and these new speed bumps are ABAC’s response to that.
The question is, should we as a student body have to suffer for the actions of a few? Students who obey the laws of traffic on-campus are being negatively affected by this change. Stricter enforcement of the rules on an individual basis should be enacted to stop drivers from going over the posted speed limit — not an indiscriminate solution that punishes all students. This, along with ABAC’s consistent silence on student complaints about parking has led us to students who feel as though they are not being listened to in any regard. We spend thousands a year to live on campus, our opinions should be listened to.
For further information about the speedbumps, or to file a formal complaint, you can contact the Dean of Students, Bernice Hughes, at bhughes@abac.edu.
