By the time the bell rings at 2:30 p.m., most students are relieved that school is over. However, for the students whose cars rest in an assigned spot in the north parking lot, that bell means that it’s go time. People scramble, some even run, through the halls and out the door with no remorse. They squeeze past anyone in their way with one objective: to avoid being held captive in the parking lot, because at 2:30, it becomes a madhouse.
For those fortunate enough to have never experienced the student parking lot, it consists of 389 cars grappling to secure a spot in one of two lanes that lead onto Warson Road. The few who get out quick are lucky, but in most cases, students will be stuck for 15 minutes, or even double that, if they aren’t strategic. For many students, their experiences in the student parking lot can be described as nothing less than traumatic. Each day, new victims of the lot are taken, their vehicles added to the long list of those that have been damaged. The numerous accidents, sounding of horns and frustration, that characterize the student lot make for chaos each afternoon, and, frankly, a new system is more than necessary at this point.
Some may blame the immaturity of student drivers for the madness, and yes, it’s true that sometimes we forget to check our rear view mirrors or accidentally cut people off when in a rush. However, the rush that causes people to drive recklessly could be avoided by reducing the amount of people leaving the parking lot at the same time. If seniors were dismissed from class just five minutes earlier, then this number would be cut in half. In these five minutes, senior drivers would have time to navigate the hallways without the massive mobs of younger students during dismissal time. Most of all, the seniors would be able to get out of the lot much more quickly without juniors contributing to traffic. Students would avoid getting into accidents without as many people driving into the same two lanes at once.
For juniors questioning whether or not this system will leave them stuck in the lot for even longer than normal with seniors at an advantage, remember that seniors will clear out quicker than it usually takes by avoiding factors that typically consume time. For one, the buses won’t hold up the majority of students if seniors are dismissed earlier. When it’s time for the buses to depart from school, the parking lot traffic is stopped for multiple minutes, trapping the students who failed to get out before the buses and contributing to the long wait. Additionally, at 2:25 p.m. there will be far less traffic on Warson Road without underclassmen who carpool with their parents, thus, making it easier to secure a spot on the main road.
So, with few seniors left by the time juniors make it out of school and to their cars, much of the parking lot would be empty, making it beneficial for both grades. Implementing this new system will significantly streamline the process of leaving school. It will be more efficient and less dreadful for students who have places to be or just want to get home.
