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2008- 2009 PARKING AND TR A F F I C REGULATIONS Virginia Tech Parking Services 455 Tech Center Drive (0540) 130 Student Services Building Blacksburg, VA 24061 Phone: (540) 231-3200 Fax: (540) 231-3027 Hours: 8:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday www.parking.vt.edu University Police Department (540) 231-6411 Open 24 Hours 2008-2009 Parking and Traffic Regulations Table of Contents GENERAL INFORMATION .......................................................................................................................... 4 VEHICLE REGISTRATION .......................................................................................................................... 5 Who Must Register .................................................................................................................................... 5 How to Purchase ....................................................................................................................................... 5 Permit Prices ............................................................................................................................................. 5 Student Registration .................................................................................................................................. 6 Faculty/Staff Registration .......................................................................................................................... 6 How to Display ........................................................................................................................................... 7 New Vehicles ............................................................................................................................................. 7 Lost or Stolen Permits ............................................................................................................................... 7 Return Check Policy .................................................................................................................................. 7 PERMIT CLASSIFICATIONS ....................................................................................................................... 7 Resident (On Campus) .............................................................................................................................. 7 Commuter (Off Campus) ........................................................................................................................... 8 Graduate .................................................................................................................................................... 8 Faculty/Staff ............................................................................................................................................... 8 General Parking ......................................................................................................................................... 9 PERMIT TYPES ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Two-Year Permits ...................................................................................................................................... 9 One-Year Permits ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Semester Permits ...................................................................................................................................... 9 Daily Permits ............................................................................................................................................. 9 Hangtag Permits ...................................................................................................................................... 10 Bumper Permits ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Commuter Alternatives Program (CAP) Permits ..................................................................................... 10 Carpool Permits ....................................................................................................................................... 10 Visitor Permits ......................................................................................................................................... 11 Long Term Visitor Parking Permit ........................................................................................................... 12 Contractor/Vendor/Business Parking Permit ........................................................................................... 12 Temporary Parking Permit....................................................................................................................... 13 Turf Permits ............................................................................................................................................. 13 Retiree Permits ........................................................................................................................................ 14 Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) .............................................................. 14 Corporate Research Center (CRC) Permits ............................................................................................ 14 Teaching Assistant (TA) Permits ............................................................................................................. 14 HANDICAP AND TEMPORARY MEDICAL DISABILITY PARKING ........................................................ 14 Handicap Parking .................................................................................................................................... 15 Temporary Medical Disability Permits ..................................................................................................... 15 SPECIAL-NEEDS PARKING ..................................................................................................................... 15 Special Use Permits ................................................................................................................................ 16 Loading/Unloading ................................................................................................................................... 16 Disabled Vehicles .................................................................................................................................... 16 Special-Event/Special-Group Parking ..................................................................................................... 17 Residence Hall Move-In/Move-Out ......................................................................................................... 17 ENFORCEMENT ........................................................................................................................................ 17 Expired Meter .......................................................................................................................................... 18 2 Parking in an Unauthorized Area ............................................................................................................ 18 Parking in a No Parking Zone ................................................................................................................. 19 Parking in a Roadway.............................................................................................................................. 19 Other (Miscellaneous No Parking Situations).......................................................................................... 19 Motorcycles ............................................................................................................................................. 19 Emergency Snow Route Policy ............................................................................................................... 19 Overtime Parking ..................................................................................................................................... 20 Parking in a Handicap Zone .................................................................................................................... 20 Parking in a Fire Lane, Bus Lane, or Air Intake Area .............................................................................. 20 Unauthorized Use of Permit .................................................................................................................... 20 Bicycles.................................................................................................................................................... 21 FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL .............................................................................................................. 21 OAK LANE COMMUNITY AND GRADUATE HOUSING PARKING ........................................................ 21 GOLF COURSE, TENNIS PAVILION, RECFIELD, AND FIELD HOUSE PARKING ............................... 22 Inn at Virginia Tech ................................................................................................................................... 22 Retiree Permits .......................................................................................................................................... 23 MOTORIST ASSIST PROGRAM ............................................................................................................... 23 ESCORT SERVICE .................................................................................................................................... 23 FINES AND VIOLATIONS .......................................................................................................................... 23 List of Citation Fines ................................................................................................................................ 24 PAYMENT OF PARKING FINES ............................................................................................................... 24 TOWING AND BOOTING POLICY ............................................................................................................ 25 Vehicle Towing ........................................................................................................................................ 25 Vehicle Recovery ..................................................................................................................................... 26 Booting Policy .......................................................................................................................................... 26 Abandoned Vehicles ................................................................................................................................ 27 MOVING VIOLATIONS ............................................................................................................................... 27 APPEALING A CITATION.......................................................................................................................... 28 BICYCLE INFORMATION .......................................................................................................................... 29 Registration ............................................................................................................................................. 29 Parking Enforcement ............................................................................................................................... 29 Operation Enforcement ........................................................................................................................... 29 Operational Tips ...................................................................................................................................... 30 Theft Prevention ...................................................................................................................................... 30 Abandoned Bicycles ................................................................................................................................ 31 HOW TO AVOID PARKING CITATIONS AND TOWING CHARGES ....................................................... 31 TICKETED ANYWAY? ............................................................................................................................... 32 WAS YOUR VEHICLE TOWED? ............................................................................................................... 32 STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? ....................................................................................................................... 32 3 2008-2009 Parking and Traffic Regulations The mission of the Parking Services Office is to provide safe and convenient parking areas for members of the University community and guests. The University president has appointed an advisory committee so individuals in the university community can comment on parking and transportation problems and make suggestions for solutions. The Parking and Transportation Committee makes recommendations on general policies relating to traffic and parking matters on campus. Students, faculty members, and staff members are represented on this committee. GENERAL INFORMATION Traffic and parking regulations, as published by the University and in the Virginia Register, will be administered by the Parking Services Office and the University Police Department. In accordance with Section 23-9.2:3 of the Code of Virginia, the Virginia Tech Parking and Traffic Committee have approved the following regulations for parking vehicles on Virginia Tech property. These regulations shall remain in effect from August 2003 until amended. Regulations are needed to aid in safe and orderly conduct of University business, as well as to provide parking facilities within the limits of available space. These regulations are to be obeyed by students as a condition of attendance and by faculty/staff members as a condition of employment. Changes in these regulations and notices about parking regulations for special events are official when listed on the Parking Services web page at http://www.parking.vt.edu. If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions, please call the Parking Services Office at 231-3200 or visit us at 455 Tech Center Drive or 130 Student Services Building. You may also visit the Parking Services web page at http://www.parking.vt.edu. The University is not responsible for loss or damage to any vehicle, or the loss of contents while parked or operated on the Virginia Tech campus. 4 VEHICLE REGISTRATION The purchase of a permit does not guarantee a parking space, but merely allows for legal parking in specific areas of the campus. Permits are required from 7:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday (unless otherwise noted by a sign). This is in effect whenever the University is open, including when classes are not in session and during semester breaks. Permits are not required on weekends (Friday, 5:00 p.m. to Monday, 7:00 a.m.), except where otherwise signed. WHO MUST REGISTER: All vehicles, motorcycles, and motor scooters on campus requiring state license plates are required to be registered with Parking Services. Vehicles parked on property that receives service from Parking Services are required to display a parking permit (government vehicles excluded). For more information call Parking Services at 231-3200. An individual may register more than one vehicle since the hangtag style permit can be moved from one vehicle to another. Individuals having two vehicles parked on campus at the same time must have each vehicle registered and displaying a permit (see Daily Permit Section). A vehicle can be registered to only one person. Only one permit type per vehicle is allowed. Sharing permits (except as authorized with a carpool permit) and other unauthorized uses may result in a $110 fine. If a vehicle is shared by two persons needing different permit types, the Parking Services Office needs to be notified before the vehicle can be registered. HOW TO PURCHASE: A vehicle is registered once a parking permit is purchased and displayed. Vehicle registration is valid until the registrant is no longer affiliated with the university or until the permit expires. All parking permits are the property of the university and must be surrendered to Parking Services when university affiliation either changes or ceases. Permit Prices Permit Type Faculty/Staff Wage Student 1 Year Permit $150.00 $150.00 $114.00 Fall Semester Permit (mid August-December 31) $75.00 $75.00 $57.00 Spring Semester (January-May) $38.00 $38.00 $29.00 Summer Semester (May-Mid August) $38.00 $38.00 $29.00 Wage Quarterly N/A $38.00 N/A Carpool Permit-1 Year $100.00 $100.00 $75.00 Carpool Permit-Semester (Fall or Spring) $50.00 $50.00 $38.00 Motorcycle Permit-1 Year $75.00 $75.00 $57.00 5 Motorcycle Permit-Semester (Fall or Spring) $38.00 $38.00 $29.00 Daily Permit $2.00 $2.00 $2.00 BB&W Permit $0.00 $0.00 $0.00 Replacements $15.00 $15.00 $15.00 Permits can be paid for using cash, checks made payable to "Treasurer, Virginia Tech", Visa, Master Card, and Hokie Passport. Full-time faculty and staff may also pay for permits through Payroll Deduction. The amount deducted per each pay period will be $6.25 for F/S yearly permit and $3.12 for the yearly motorcycle permit. This option is available until September 26, 2008. Only Yearly F/S and Yearly motorcycle permits are available with payroll deduction. STUDENT REGISTRATION: You are recognized as a student until your name has been removed from the student roster. Complete a student registration form. Bring your vehicle registration from the Department of Motor Vehicles and Virginia Tech ID to the Parking Services Office to purchase a parking permit,or go online at the E-Z permit website.. If the vehicle is not owned by the student or an immediate family member, the student must bring in a letter from the owner granting permission to use the vehicle. If the vehicle is owned by another student, it cannot be registered. Vehicles are to be registered no later than the end of the first week of the semester. Students must be parked in designated student areas at all times. This applies whenever the university is open, including when classes are not in session and during semester breaks. FACULTY/STAFF REGISTRATION: Complete a faculty/staff registration form and return it to the Parking Services Office before parking on campus. Faculty and salaried staff employees are required to show a Faculty/Staff ID card when purchasing a permit in person. Wage employees are required to show a wage ID card. Both ID cards can be obtained from the Hokie Passport ID Office at 100 Student Services Building. Faculty and staff must have legal ownership of a vehicle in order to register it for a parking permit. Proof of vehicle registration is required for a F/S Carpool permit. Full-time salaried employees are eligible to purchase full-year faculty/staff permit using payroll deduction until September 26, 2008. Wage employees are not eligible for payroll deduction. Wage employees are eligible to purchase a F/S Wage quarterly permit. The Wage permits are $38.00 a quarter. Classified F/S employees are not eligible to purchase wage permits. 6 Faculty, staff, and students working on the Virginia Tech campus located in Northern Virginia (NOVA) or Alexandria Center are also required to register their vehicles by purchasing a Virginia Tech parking permit. Registration forms are available through the Northern Virginia Center (NVC) coordinator or the Alexandria Center coordinator. The full one year permits are $150 and the semester permits are $75. are required to purchase a F/S permit (year, semester, or daily). HOW TO DISPLAY: The registration procedure is not complete until the permit is properly displayed on the vehicle (e.g., on the rearview mirror facing the windshield). The permit must be displayed so that it is readable through the windshield by enforcement officers. Motorcycle permits are to be displayed on the front fork. NEW VEHICLES: Original permits (other than bumper style) can be transferred to a new vehicle by completing a registration form, and bringing it into one of the Parking Services offices. If the permit is the bumper style, the original permit must be returned to the Parking Services Office to receive a replacement permit for the new vehicle. LOST OR STOLEN PERMITS: There will be no refund or free replacement for lost or stolen permits. Replacement permits may be purchased for $15 after completing a lost/stolen permit report at the Parking Services Office. Purchasers are encouraged to lock their vehicles and safeguard their permits. If the original permit is found, then it must be returned to the Parking Services Office. Failure to do so could result in a $110 unauthorized use fine. RETURN CHECK POLICY: If a check for a parking permit is returned for insufficient funds, then the parking permit will be considered invalid. Parking citations will be written each time the permit is displayed in a vehicle on campus. In accordance with parking rules and regulations, when a balance of $200.00 or more accumulates, the vehicle will be towed. Parking Services will assess a return check fee of $25 on each returned check. PERMIT CLASSIFICATIONS All parking permits for the categories listed below are issued by the Parking Services Office, located at 455 Tech Center Drive or 130 Student Services Building. RESIDENT (on campus): This permit is available for those students who live in the dorms. Undergraduates living in Main Campbell or Hillcrest are only eligible for Resident permits. 7 This permit allows parking only on the right side of Duck Pond Road Resident Lot which is the fenced lot at the west end of Washington Street), and the resident section of the Stadium Lot (between Lane Stadium and Southgate Drive). Parking is not permitted in the Stadium Lot at certain times before home football games as noted in the Football and Basketball Parking Restrictions section of these regulations. COMMUTER (off campus): This permit is available for students living off campus and in the Oak Lane Community. This permit allows parking in the Commuter section of Perry Street Lot and Prices Fork Lot (between Perry Street and Prices Fork Road), the commuter side of the Duck Pond Road Lot (nearest the Vet-Med School at the west end of Washington Street), the Commuter section of Litton Reaves Lot (Wallace/Litton Reaves), the Track/Soccer Lot, the Duck Pond Lot beyond the golf course at the end of the Duck Pond, Smithfield Road Lot off of Smithfield Road, and Oak Lane lots. Commuter permit holders may also park in designated portions of the Coliseum Lot, except at specific times as noted in the Football and Basketball Parking Restrictions section of these regulations. GRADUATE: This permit is available for graduate students living off campus, in Main Campbell, Hillcrest, or Special Purpose Housing. This permit allows parking in all areas listed in the previous commuter section. In addition to this, graduate students who qualify for a Teaching Assistant permit (see your department for details) are allowed to park in the TA spaces designated by signs in the Prices Fork Lot, Perry Street Lot, and C-Lot. This permit also allows students to park on the Drillfield after 5:00 PM. STUDENTS PLEASE NOTE: If a student's status changes to faculty/staff before the expiration date on the permit, the student permit must be exchanged for a faculty/staff permit within five (5) working days. Students enrolled in summer classes or returning Fall semester with wage jobs at Virginia Tech over the summer are not eligible to purchase a faculty/staff permit. If a student's status changes from resident to commuter or vice versa, the parking permit must be exchanged for the appropriate permit within five (5) working days. Students displaying incorrect permits will receive a $110 unauthorized use fine. A few lots are restricted for faculty/staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. These include the Owens and Dietrick Dining Hall Lots. FACULTY/STAFF: This permit allows parking in any legal parking area on campus. This includes faculty/staff, commuter, graduate, and resident parking areas. Parking is not allowed in areas restricted by signs such as visitor spaces, service vehicle areas, carpool spaces, TA spaces, admissions areas, etc. New employees, please see the Temporary New Employee Parking permits section below. 8 Faculty/staff permits are issued to salaried (full or part-time) and wage employeesworking for Virginia Tech. Graduate teaching assistants, graduate research assistants, and part-time salaried or wage employees who are students (taking six or more hours during Fall or Spring semesters) are not authorized to purchase a faculty/staff permit. Third party businesses contracting with the University must purchase a F/S permit if eligible. If faculty/staff status changes to student status before the expiration date on the permit, the faculty/staff permit must be exchanged for a student permit within five (5) working days. Failure to do so will result in a $110 unauthorized use fine. Employees with 30 years of service become eligible for a free faculty/staff permit in their anniversary month. There will be a $5.00 charge for replacement permits if lost or stolen. Contact the Personnel Services Office at 231-9331 for details. GENERAL PARKING: If you display a faculty/staff, commuter, graduate, or resident permit, you may park in areas designated for general parking. These areas include the Visitor Information Center, Health and Safety, and Tennis Pavilion. No boats or trailers will be allowed to purchase a permit or park on campus. PERMIT TYPES One-Year Permits These permits go on sale in July and are valid from then until the expiration date on the permit. Semester Permits Fall semester permits go on sale in July and are valid from then until December 31 of the current year. Spring and Summer semester permits are also available at this period. Quarterly Permits Wage quarterly permits go on sale in July and are valid from then until the expiration date on the permit. These permits are only eligible for wage employees. Classified F/S and students are not eligible to purchase these permits. Daily Permits These permits are available for $2 per day for those who drive only occasionally or who bring a second vehicle. Daily permits may be purchased in advance and validated on the date of use. 9 A daily permit allows parking in the area indicated on the permit for any one day selected by the purchaser. If you are a student taking 6 or more hours, then you must scratch off "R" if you are a Resident, "C" if you are a Commuter or "G" if you are a Graduate. If you are Faculty or Staff, then scratch off "F/S." You must park in a parking lot that corresponds to your affiliation. You must also scratch off only for the day the permit is used. Scratch off the correct month, scratch off the correct day, and scratch off the correct year. Each of these fields must be scratched clearly. Failure to scratch off the correct affiliation or the correct field will result in a $110.00 parking ticket. Hangtag Permits These permits are available for the majority of vehicles on campus and can be purchased for a full year, a semester, or a wage quarter. Bumper Permits These permits are available for motorcycles . These permits can be purchased for a full year, or a semester. These permits are sold to F/S and students who drive a motorcycle to campus. Bus Bike and Walk (BB&W) Permits BB&W is free and is available to all Virginia Tech students, faculty, and staff who use alternative transportation methods as their primary means of commuting to campus (i.e. riding the BT, Smart Way, bicycling, and/or walking). Faculty and staff members must have an on-campus office address to register for BB&W. Registration for BB&W is completed on the Commuter Alternatives Program form. BB&W participants receive 15 free daily permits/semester and access to Emergency Ride Home Services. This service provides BB&W participants with a ride to their vehicle, or local residence, in case of an emergency. This service is available Monday—Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. BB&W participants are not eligible to purchase any other permits, except for additional daily permits at a cost of $2 per daily. BB&W permits will be available for the 1st and 2nd summer sessions. There will be 5 daily permits per summer session. The above rules and regulations apply to the summer BB&W program. There will be a $5.00 replacement charge for permits that are lost or stolen. Carpool Permits Student Carpool Permits are available for two or more commuter/graduate students who choose to ride together and share one permit. Carpoolers are required to register together and each person in the carpool must complete a Commuter Alternatives Program registration form with the student carpool box checked, show a student ID and provide proof of separate vehicle ownership. Carpool permits may take up to 2 business days to process. Students must have the majority of their classes held at an on-campus building. On-campus buildings have parking facilities that require a VT parking permit. Students with carpool permits cannot park on the Drillfield from 5-8 p.m., Monday through Friday. Graduate Students will also receive a special use 10 permit to allow them to park on the Drillfield between 5-8 p.m. Monday through Friday. Carpool permits are not eligible for Motorcycles. If approved for a Student Carpool Permit, participants will receive the following: • One Student Carpool Permit -- $75/year, $38/semester • Identified Student Carpool spaces in the front student commuter parking areas of the Perry Street Lot, the Coliseum Lot, and the Litton Reaves Lot. The Carpool Permit may be used to park in a regular commuter parking space if it is more convenient or if all student carpool spaces are taken. • Five free daily permits/semester. These permits must be picked up, one at a time, as needed at the Parking Services Office or 130 Student Services Building. • Emergency Ride Home Service is available through Parking Services. This service provides carpoolers with a ride to their vehicle, or local residence in case of an emergency and is available Monday—Friday, from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Carpool participants are not eligible to purchase other parking permits, except extra daily permits. Student Carpool Permits are not valid for parking in F/S carpool spaces. Faculty/Staff Carpool Permits are available for two or more faculty/staff employees who choose to ride together and share one permit. Carpools must register together and each person in the carpool must complete a parking registration form with the carpool box checked, present a Faculty/Staff ID and provide proof of separate vehicle ownership. Each carpool participant must have an on-campus, or CRC, office address. If approved for a Faculty/Staff Carpool Permit, participants will receive the following: • One Faculty/Staff Carpool Permit -- $100/year, $50/semester • Identified F/S carpool spaces in the front of the following faculty/staff parking areas: Derring, Perry, Shultz, Architecture Annex, Engel, Coliseum and Southgate Center. (Subject to change depending upon preferences of participants). The F/S Carpool permit may also be used to park in the regular F/S spaces or the student carpool spaces if it is more convenient or if all F/S carpool spaces are taken. • Five free daily permits/participant/semester. • Emergency Ride Home Service is available through Parking Services. This service provides carpoolers with a ride to their vehicle, or local residence in case of an emergency and is available Monday-Friday; from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm. Carpool participants are not eligible to buy other parking permits, except extra daily permits. Visitor Permits Visitors (non-students or non-faculty/staff) may park in any faculty, staff, visitor, or student parking space if they have a valid visitor parking permit and if the space is not restricted by signs. Some restricted areas include handicap spaces, carpool spaces, loading zones, service vehicle zones, timed areas, sidewalks, grass, admission areas, teaching assistant spaces, and the Owens and Dietrick Dining Hall Lots. Visitors are recommended to use the Faculty/Staff section of Perry Street Lot, Litton Reaves Lot, Coliseum Lot, Derring Lot, Washington Street, and the Litton-Reaves Extension Lot. 11 Visitor parking permits are available at the Visitor Information Center on Southgate Drive (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) or at the University Police Department in the Maintenance Complex off Southgate Drive all other times. Visitor permits must be signed and dated by an authorized parking services or police official and displayed 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, unless otherwise noted by a sign. If a department has a visitor coming, they may contact the Parking Services Office in advance for a visitor parking permit. Students should direct their visitors to pick up a visitor permit themselves at the Visitor Information Center during regular office hours or the Police Department at all other times. Visitor permits are not needed on weekends (Friday, 5:00 p.m. to Monday, 7:00 a.m.), unless otherwise noted by a sign. Metered parking spaces are also available for short- term visitors on campus. Visitors with parking permits may not park free at parking meters. Long Term Visitor Parking Permit This permit is available for long-term visitors and special event visitors who visit the campus frequently. Those needing this type of permit can apply by filling out a request form available at the Parking Services Office. Students and faculty/staff are not eligible for courtesy permits. These permits are only valid when used by visitors (non-student or non-faculty/staff). If the holder of the permit becomes a Virginia Tech employee or student, then the permit must be returned to Parking Services at the time of the status change. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. Contractor/Vendor/Business Parking Permit All contractor, vendor, and business vehicles must display a university parking permit. This permit will allow the parking access to F/S and Service spaces. Contractor/Vender/Business permits are priced the same as F/S permits and are available from Parking Services. Vendors Delivery Vehicles: Vendor vehicles displaying a valid permit may use loading docks and service vehicle parking spaces as the primary places for deliveries while performing their service. Vendor vehicles that need temporary access to land-locked buildings can drive on designated sidewalks and park in designated VBC pull-off areas. While designated sidewalks may be used to access land-locked buildings, no parking is permitted on any roadway, sidewalk or turf. See map for details. • Note: VBC Pull-off parking spaces in land-locked areas use a grid system that allows grass to grow. All pull-off spaces are marked with a "Service Vehicle" sign. All access routes on sidewalks are designated with "VBC Access Route" signs. Business Vehicles: Business vehicles displaying a valid permit are allowed to park in service vehicle and faculty/staff spaces. Parking is prohibited at loading docks, capital project sites, turf, and in pull-off areas. Business vehicles can not drive on any 12 sidewalks. Construction Contractors Vehicles: Contractor vehicles displaying a valid permit may use loading docks and service vehicle parking spaces as the primary places for parking while working on their project. Contractor vehicles that need temporary access to land-locked buildings can drive on designated sidewalks and park in designated pull- off areas. While designated sidewalks may be used to access land-locked buildings, no parking is permitted on any sidewalk. With an additional Turf Permit, contractors are allowed to park on turf areas while working on their project. No permit is needed within a fenced construction site. • Parking Services reserves the right to restrict Contractor vehicles parking at crowded long-term construction sites. In the event of this restriction, Parking Services will designate a perimeter lot for employee parking. Transportation to and from work site will be contractor's responsibility. No equipment/trailers are allowed in any parking lot on campus. Temporary Parking Permit This permit is available for faculty, staff, or students who need special parking arrangements. This permit includes the permit types of New Employee, Departmental Loading, and Temporary Medical Disability. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. 1. Temporary New Employee Permit: All first-time new employees of the University can receive a temporary parking permit. The new employee temporary permit will be valid for no more than 30 calendar days, beginning with the first day of paid employment. The new employee must bring an employment validation form from the hiring department to the Parking Services Office and fill out a request form. It is recommended that this process be completed the first day of employment. Full-time Virginia Tech students who are employed by the university are not eligible for a new employee permit. Students enrolled in summer classes or returning Fall semester with wage jobs at Virginia Tech over the summer are not eligible for new employee permit. 2. Temporary Departmental Loading Permit: See the Loading/Unloading paragraph under the Special-Needs Parking section. 3. Temporary Medical Disability Permit: See the Handicap and Temporary Medical Disability Parking section. Turf Permits These permits are issued by Parking Services to all vehicles requiring temporary parking on the grass except for construction equipment, loaders, graders, etc. Parking Services' management shall decide who can obtain a Turf Permit. This permit does not allow parking on sidewalks and plazas. As a courtesy please do not park under 13 trees. Refer to University Policy 5000, Section 2.9.12, point 6 on the internet for more details. There will be a $50 charge per permit for all non state vehicles. Retiree Permits These permits are issued by Parking Services for retirees of Virginia Tech. A Retiree permit registration form must be completed and Retiree permits can be obtained at the Parking Services Office. If requested, permits can also be mailed. If a retiree returns to work at Virginia Tech and is receiving a paycheck, then they must return their Retiree permit and purchase a Faculty/Staff permit. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. Edward Via Virginia College of Osteopathic Medicine (VCOM) Faculty and Staff with a joint appointment between VT and VCOM will need to purchase a Faculty/Staff parking permit when parking on campus. Faculty and Staff who are only employed by VCOM may get a Corporate Research Center (CRC) Permit. All students of VCOM must purchase a Graduate permit when parking on Virginia Tech campus. Corporate Research Center (CRC) Permits These permits are issued by Parking Services for CRC employees of private companies. A completed CRC permit registration form is required and permits can be obtained at the Parking Services Office. CRC employees must have legal ownership of a vehicle in order to register it for a parking permit. A CRC Permit may be used to park in any faculty, staff, or student space on campus, unless signed otherwise. If a CRC employee needs to park in a Service Vehicle space, then they must purchase a VBC permit through Parking Services that allows parking in service vehicle areas. Any employee that is currently being paid by Virginia Tech is not eligible for a CRC permit. Students are not eligible for a CRC permit. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. Teaching Assistant (TA) Permits Students with GTA appointments are eligible for GTA parking privileges on days when their responsibilities require consistently being present during regular scheduled class meeting times or labs, or class related office hours of at least 3 hours in duration on any given day. TA permits may be used for a full day on these days, for up to three days a week. A Graduate permit must be purchased and displayed along with a TA permit. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. HANDICAP AND TEMPORARY MEDICAL DISABILITY PARKING Please Note If an individual requires special assistance, Parking Services should be notified at 231- 3200 for special arrangements. 14 Handicap Parking These spaces on campus are exclusively for those persons displaying state-authorized DMV handicap license plates or permits. These permits are available to any individual who has a disability lasting six weeks or longer in duration. The Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles office nearest Virginia Tech is located at 385 Arbor Drive in Christiansburg. Only a state DMV handicap permit or license plate allows parking in handicap spaces and free parking at metered spaces. Faculty, staff, or students displaying a DMV handicap permit or license plate is also required to display a Virginia Tech parking permit when parking on the campus. Unauthorized vehicles parked in handicap spaces will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense. See section on Towing for details on recovering a car. Handicapped individuals may also use the Blacksburg Transit Para-Transit system, which has lift-equipped vehicles for on and off campus transportation needs. Call 961- 1803 for more information. Temporary Medical Disability Permits A Virginia Tech temporary medical disability permit (TMD) is available for students having mobility impairments lasting six weeks or less. If the disability qualifies for a handicap permit, it should be obtained from the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles (See Handicap section). Virginia State law prohibits the use of TMD permits at handicap spaces at any time. The TMD permit allows students to park in faculty/staff areas, and is valid only with a Virginia Tech commuter, graduate, or resident parking permit. Persons with a TMD permit may park in metered spaces as long as the meter is paid. A temporary medical disability permit can be obtained at the Parking Services Office by completing a request form and presenting a request slip from Student Health Services or a doctor's statement. This documentation must include how long the disability requires special parking. TMD permits can only be issued for a 6 week period. If a special needs permit is needed for longer than 6 weeks you will need to contact the Department of Motor Vehicles to acquire about a handicap permit. Unauthorized use of a TMD permit carries a $110 fine to the person displaying such a permit. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. SPECIAL-NEEDS PARKING Permission may be obtained from the Parking Services Office (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) or the University Police Department at all other times for temporary or short-term parking for emergencies and for loading and unloading only. Parking under this arrangement includes all legal spaces. This does not include parking in fire lanes, bus lanes, roadways, air intake zones, handicap zones, or metered spaces. Permission must be obtained before parking and only the Parking 15 Services Office and the University Police Department are authorized to grant permission to the individual(s). Anyone with a parking problem should contact the Parking Services Office to seek a possible solution before parking illegally. Emergency flashers or signs on a windshield indicating the vehicle is disabled or loading/unloading are not acceptable notification. Special Use Permits Special Use permits may be issued to senior administrators (i.e. Associate Vice Presidents/ Associate Deans, Vice Presidents/Deans, and higher) upon request. To be eligible for any special use permit a customer must already possess a valid VT parking permit. This permit will allow extended parking in services vehicle spaces throughout campus. This procedure is to assist selected individuals with enhanced parking options based upon a unique circumstance. Discretion should be used when deciding when to employ the special use permit and the user should not construed this permit as authorizing parking in a service vehicle space all of the time in lieu of a space in a F/S lot . It should only be used when the "unique circumstances" call for it. The request can be made by e-mail to Director of Transportation & Campus Services along with an explanation of why this enhanced parking privilege is needed and for how long. Special Use permits may also be requested for positions lower than Associate Vice President. Such request will be granted by exception only and must come from a Vice President or Dean. The request should clearly state the compelling reasons that would justify the need for such a permit and for how long. Special Use permits will be issued for an academic year and must be requested annually as needed. Loading/Unloading Long-term parking is prohibited at loading docks, and other areas commonly used for loading. Thirty minutes is the maximum time allowed for loading and unloading. A current Virginia Tech parking permit and prior authorization is required to use this service. Authorization, recorded on the Parking Services green log sheet, can be obtained by calling Parking Services 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, or the University Police Department at any time during the day or night. (We do not green log in Owens or Dietrick Lots at all and we can not green log in Engel Lot after 4:30 p.m.) Please have your license plate and permit number available when you call. After the vehicle has been loaded or unloaded, it should be moved to a legal parking space. Vehicles in violation of this policy will be ticketed and/or towed at the owners' expense. The policy is enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students, faculty, and staff who need to load/unload on a regular basis may have their department request a Temporary Departmental Loading Permit. A Virginia Tech parking permit must be displayed along with this permit. Request forms can be obtained from Parking Services and should be filled out by the departmental liaison, supervisor, or course advisor. Resident permit holders may park in most faculty/staff areas near residence halls after 2:30 p.m. on Fridays for loading and unloading. You are allowed to park for a 16 maximum of 30 minutes without calling into Parking Services. However, Owens lot, Dietrick Dining Hall lot are reserved exclusively for faculty and staff 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Disabled Vehicles The Parking Services Office and the University Police Department should be notified immediately if an automobile is disabled. Emergency flashers or signs on the windshield indicating the vehicle is disabled are not sufficient. Any disabled vehicle in a roadway, blocking traffic, creating a hazard, or illegally parked in a handicap space will be towed immediately at the owner's expense. If the disabled vehicle is parked in a legal parking space, it is to be removed within 24 hours. The Parking Enforcement Officers are available to assist motorists in repairs such as jump starting vehicles and tire inflation. They also can assist motorists who have been locked out of their vehicles. This service (MAP: Motorist Assist Program) is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 9:00 p.m. by calling 231-3200. These services can only be provided in areas where a University parking permit is required. The parking lots are not designed or intended for automobile repairs. If repairs become necessary, permission must be secured from the Parking Services Office or the University Police Department. Permission will be granted only for minor repairs, and never for more than 24 hours. Special-Event/Special-Group Parking Four weeks prior to the event, coordinators for large special events that anticipate 50 or more participants need to please contact Parking Services at 231-3200 for parking coordination. Parking Services will: • Identify the most appropriate parking location for event participants. In most cases this will be in perimeter lots. • Advise how to schedule convenient shuttles to bring participants from the designated event lot to the event location. • Coordinate event parking permits. • Coordinate placement of appropriate lot signs. • Assist in assignment and training of lot attendant, if needed. Parking Services hopes that the use of Special Event Parking will lead to a reduction in the rate of conflict between the needs of parking customers on campus. Residence Hall Move-In/Move-Out Special parking arrangements are in effect for these periods. 30 minutes is the maximum time allowed for move-in/move-out. Unless otherwise directed, there will be no parking on the grass or on sidewalks. Call the Parking Services Office for more information. Faculty/Staff areas affected by Move-In and Move-Out are Washington Street, Kent Street, Owens Dining Hall Lot, Dietrick Dining Hall Lot, Shultz Dining Hall Lot, Engel Lot, Coliseum Lot, Tennis Court Lot, and the south side of the Drillfield (War Memorial 17 Gym area). Faculty/Staff are asked to find alternative parking in Litton Reaves Lot (Wallace/Litton Reaves), Stanger Lot, Prices Fork Lot/Perry Street Lot (behind Whittemore and Derring), and the Duck Pond lot beyond the golf course at the end of the Duck Pond. Faculty/Staff should watch for additional information on signs posted in parking lots and/or in campus publications. ENFORCEMENT Only designated Parking Services and University Police Department employees shall have the authority to enforce the parking rules and regulations herein established. The university reserves the right to prohibit or restrict parking on university property for special circumstances. Any individual who accumulates ten (10) or more unpaid citations in an academic year is considered to be abusing parking privileges and may lose parking privileges on campus for the remainder of that period. Parking Services reserves the right to confiscate the parking permit attached to such a vehicle, and there will be no refund to the owner of that permit. In addition, the vehicle may be towed from campus at the owner's expense. If a vehicle is parked illegally in the same space over 24 hours or on consecutive days, it may receive additional citations. Vehicles parked illegally and then moved to another illegal space may also receive additional citations. Expired Meter Virginia Tech has parking meters available to meet short-term parking needs of visitors, faculty, staff, and students. Most meters take nickels, dimes, and quarters. Parking permits (including visitor permits) never allow free parking at meters. Meters are enforced from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. The only exceptions are the meters located in the Bookstore Lot. These meters are enforced from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week. Vehicles parking at meters for an excessive amount of time can be ticketed more than once. Please notify the Parking Services Office before moving a vehicle from a defective meter so that the meter may be checked immediately. Parking in an Unauthorized Area Resident, commuter, and graduate student permit parking is prohibited on campus streets and in faculty/staff parking areas (except where signs designate otherwise) from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Parking at other times may also be prohibited as announced and/or posted in all parking areas. Overnight parking (2:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m.) on campus is prohibited except for 18 university business. Residents displaying a resident parking permit are allowed to park in resident parking lots overnight. For non-resident to park overnight, they need to make prior arrangements with Parking Services (8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday) or the University Police Department all other times. Faculty, staff, and students cannot use campus parking as residence and/or non-university business parking. The policy for loading and unloading vehicles is outlined in the Special Needs section. Long-term parking in service vehicle spaces is also prohibited. Only vehicles displaying a Faculty/Staff permit are allowed to park in the Owens and Dietrick Dining Hall Lots. These lots are reserved for faculty/staff 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The Drillfield is reserved for only faculty/staff from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. From 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, the Drillfield is reserved for only faculty/staff and graduate students. Parking in designated service vehicle spaces (between white-painted control lines) is allowed after hours (5:00 p.m. to 7:00 a.m.) and on weekends unless otherwise noted by a sign. All service drives are considered to be fire lanes with no parking zones 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. These areas include but are not limited to the Field House, Cochrane, Ambler Johnston, Cowgill, Miles, Pritchard, Litton Reaves, and Saunders. Regular service spaces are available for use after normal business hours (between 5:00 p.m. and 7:00 a.m., Mon.-Fri.) and on weekends, unless signed otherwise. Please Note If you forget your permit on any given day, please stop by the Parking Services Office to verify your registration and obtain a one-day permit before parking on campus. These permits are $2 per day. Persons registered with Parking Services who are cited for inadvertently failing to display a permit, may request that their citation be voided. To make this request you must contact Parking Services within 10 calendar days of citation issuance. This request may be made a maximum of one time within an academic year. Vehicles not registered with Parking Services prior to parking on campus will receive an "Unauthorized Area" citation. Parking in a No Parking Zone Parking is only permitted in authorized, clearly identified parking spaces. Parking is not allowed in or on lawns, grass, loading zones, pedestrian crosswalks, handicap spaces, handicap access ramps, yellow lines or curbs, service drives, service vehicle spaces, and unmarked areas without specific authorization. Parking on any sidewalk is prohibited at all times. Bagged or covered signs indicate special purpose or no parking. Note that handicap access ramps are the stripped spaces next to handicap spaces and are considered part of the handicap zone. Refer to University Policy 5000, Section 2.9.12, points 1-6, on the internet for more details. 19 Parking in a Roadway Parking is only permitted between white-painted control lines. Do not park in areas outside the white-painted control lines since these are considered to be roadways. Roadways designate safety zones established by traffic engineers to facilitate free and safe movement of emergency vehicles and other traffic moving into and out of the area. This applies to all areas whether they are painted yellow or not. Other (Miscellaneous No Parking Situations) Vehicles are not permitted to occupy multiple spaces (double parking), park facing in the wrong direction, etc. This violation may also include any of the no parking zones mentioned in the above section. Motorcycles Motorcycles are allowed to park in designated motorcycle areas denoted by signs. If parked in a regular vehicle space, the motorcycle must display the permit type required in that lot. Other types of vehicles are not allowed in areas that are designated for motorcycles. Emergency Snow Route Policy When there is any accumulation of snow, all streets and parking lots will have to be cleared of parked vehicles so the snow can be removed. Parking on emergency snow routes and most other areas of campus will be prohibited until the snow has been removed. Any vehicle parked so that it obstructs or interferes with the process of snow removal may be ticketed and towed at the vehicle owner's expense. Please adhere to media broadcasts as well as posted signs. By midnight on the day that the snow emergency was declared, all resident students must have their cars parked in the resident lots (Duck Pond Road Resident Lot and Stadium Resident Lot). Resident cars that are parked outside of these areas are subject to ticketing and towing. Residents must remain parked in the resident lots until the snow emergency has been lifted. The snow routes include: all parking areas on the west side of the Drillfield, Washington Street, Kent Street, and Spring Road. During times of inclement weather, please call (540) 231-3200 for specific information on available campus parking. When Virginia Tech is closed, only emergency personnel should park on campus. Overtime Parking Timed parking areas (e.g., in front of Burruss, drop-off spaces by the library, ATM spaces at the Bookstore, etc.) are strictly enforced to provide limited, short-term parking, for the purpose of brief business in certain areas for all university users. Vehicles parked in excess of time restrictions indicated on courtesy permits will also be in violation of overtime parking. Parking in a Handicap Zone Handicap parking spaces on campus are exclusively for those persons displaying valid 20 state-authorized DMV handicap license plates or permits. Unauthorized vehicles parked in a handicap space will be ticketed and towed at the owner's expense. It is also a violation to park in handicap access ramps, which are the striped spaces next to handicap spaces. Parking in a Fire Lane, Bus Lane, or Air Intake Area Vehicles parked in fire lanes (designated by signs), bus lanes (designated by BT signs), or air intake areas (designated by air intake signs) will be ticketed and/or towed at the owner's expense. Unauthorized Use of Permit The misuse, resale, fabrication, alteration, or unauthorized transfer of a Virginia Tech parking permit is illegal. Permits are required to be purchased from Parking Services. Permits are to be used only by the original purchaser and only on the vehicle(s) registered with Parking Services. Vehicles displaying lost, stolen, or fraudulent Virginia Tech parking permits will be ticketed, immobilized, and/or towed immediately. Campus police will be notified. "Unauthorized Use of Permit" violations will be assessed against the person who purchased the permit or the person to whom the vehicle is registered with the DMV. An "Unauthorized Use of Permit" citation carries a $110 fine and may carry a judicial referral and/or criminal charge. Parking Services reserves the right to restrict the sale of permits for previous misuse of a permit. Bicycles See section on "Bicycle Information". Please Note All parking violations are the responsibility of the person who purchased the permit or the person to whom a vehicle is registered with the DMV. Violations that are issued to a member of the immediate family of a faculty/staff member or student are assumed to have been committed by the faculty/staff member or student. FOOTBALL AND BASKETBALL PARKING Parking in specific lots on campus is prohibited during the football and basketball seasons. Please refer to www.parking.vt.edu for current information regarding football parking and basketball parking. Failure to observe these regulations can result in towing. Parking in the restricted parking lots is prohibited during any other special event when prior notice is given by the posting of signs the morning of the event. Failure to comply with these restrictions will result in the vehicle being ticketed and/or towed at the owner's expense. Special parking arrangements can be made by calling Parking Services 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and the University Police Department after hours. 21 There will be a per game charge to park in designated public lots located on the Virginia Tech campus. Virginia Tech faculty/staff and students who have purchased a Virginia Tech Parking permit are exempt from this charge. For more information call 1-800 VA TECH 4 or visit the athletic web site at: HokieSports.com OAK LANE COMMUNITY AND GRADUATE HOUSING PARKING Undergraduate residents of the Oak Lane Community (Special Purpose Housing) qualify for a commuter permit and graduate students qualify for a graduate permit. Residents of the Oak Lane Community (OLC) are only allowed to park overnight in the Oak Lane Community Lot. When parking from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., residents of Oak Lane Community must display a Virginia Tech parking permit issued by Parking Services. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. Visitors to the Oak Lane Community should park in the Overflow Lot adjacent to the Duck Pond on Oak Lane. Visitors need to make prior arrangements for transportation from the Overflow Lot to the Oak Lane Community. Residents of the Oak Lane Community and the Blacksburg Transit are convenient sources for such transportation. The Faculty/Staff spaces at Oak Lane are enforced 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Students displaying an Oak Lane decal and a Virginia Tech Commuter parking permit together will be allowed to parking in the following F/S spaces, Monday—Sunday, at the following times: • Owens Lot, 4:30 p.m.—9:30 p.m. • Dietrick Lot, 4:30 p.m.—12:30 a.m. This permit does not allow parking in areas restricted by signs, handicap spaces, loading zones, service vehicle zones, timed areas, sidewalks, grass, admission areas, and the right side of the Squires lot. This permit also does not allow free parking in metered spaces. Oak Lane permits are available through Parking Services and they are only available to Oak Lane residents. GOLF COURSE, TENNIS PAVILION, REC FIELD, AND FIELD HOUSE PARKING Individuals may park in the specially designated parking areas at the Golf Course only while registered at the clubhouse and playing golf. A Virginia Tech parking permit is not required to park in this area. Before playing tennis, players must register at the Tennis Pavilion. A Virginia Tech parking permit is required to park in the area adjacent to the pavilion. Parking behind the Field House is only permitted for handicap patrons and service vehicles 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Handicap and service vehicle permits are required to park there. 22 Additional parking for participants at the Tennis Pavilion, Rec. Field, and Field House is available in the Stadium Lot located below Lane Stadium. A Virginia Tech parking permit is required to park in this lot. Inn at Virginia Tech Overnight guests of the Inn will be allowed to park in the Parking Spaces in front of the Building. Accommodations for buses are also provided. Guests that are only at the Inn for the day will need to obtain a visitor pass from the front desk at the Inn at Virginia Tech. Virginia Tech Faculty/Staff and students must park in their respective area(s) and display a current University parking permit. Any guest of the Inn who would wish to park on the Virginia Tech Campus will need to obtain an Inn at VT visitor parking permit at the front desk. This permit allows parking in Faculty/Staff and Student spaces while on campus and is only valid when used by an IVT guest not affiliated with the University. Retiree Permits These permits are now issued by Parking Services for retirees of Virginia Tech. A Retiree permit registration form must be completed and Retiree permits can be obtained at the Parking Services Office. If requested, permits can also be mailed. If a retiree returns to work at Virginia Tech and is receiving a paycheck, then they must return their Retiree permit and purchase a Faculty/Staff permit. There will be a $5 replacement charge on permits that are lost or stolen. MOTORIST ASSIST PROGRAM The Parking Enforcement Officers are available to assist motorists in repairs such as jump starting vehicles and tire inflation. They also can assist motorists who have been locked out of their vehicles. This service (MAP: Motorist Assist Program) is available Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. by calling 231-3200, and 5:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. by calling the Virginia Tech Police department at 231-6411. These services can only be provided in areas where a University parking permit is required. ESCORT SERVICE 23 The University Police Department provides a dusk-to-dawn escort service. Please call 231-SAFE (231-7233) for details. FINES AND VIOLATIONS All citations need to be paid or appealed within 10 calendar days. Failure to pay the citation and formally appeal negates any right to further address the citation. Paying a ticket is not an admission of guilt. If after review the ticket is overturned, a refund will be mailed to the appellant. List of Citation Fines Citation Description Citation Fine Warning $ 0 Bicycle $ 20 Expired Meter $ 25 Parking in an Unauthorized Area $ 30 Parking on a Yellow Line or Curb $ 30 Parking in a No Parking Zone $ 30 Parking in a Roadway $ 30 Other or Service Vehicle Only $ 30 Overtime Parking $ 30 Fire, Bus, or Air Intake Lane $ 60 Parking in a Handicap Zone $ 110 Unauthorized Use of Permit $ 110 Parking fines not received at Parking Services within 10 calendar days from the date of citation issuance shall result in an additional $10 late fee. Payments sent through the US Mail must be postmarked within seven calendar days of citation issuance. Payments sent through campus mail must be received by the 10th day of citation issuance. Lost, stolen, or misplaced citations do not excuse the late fee. All student accounts with citations 10 days past due will be blocked regardless of the amount. Accounts must be paid in full for the block to be removed. In addition to blocking accounts, grade transcripts may be withheld until the account is paid in full. Faculty and staff fines may be handled as a payroll deduction, as an offset against the Commonwealth of Virginia Vendor Debt Setoff Program, and/or assessed against any other money due to you from the university. Nonpayment of fines may result in blocked class registration and/or withheld grade transcripts. Outstanding fines may also be given to a collection agency. Accounts sent to collections will be assessed an additional collection cost. 24 When a vehicle is found to be in violation, fines are assessed to: 1. The person, company, corporation, or firm in whose name the vehicle is registered with at the Virginia Department of Motor Vehicles or the corresponding agency of another state or nation. 2. The person who purchased the University permit displayed on the vehicle. 3. The son, daughter, spouse, or ward of the registered owner enrolled in or employed at Virginia Tech. 4. Anytime a permit is confiscated a replacement permit will have to be purchased. PAYMENT OF PARKING FINES Parking fines may be paid by: 1. Paying in person at Parking Services, either at 455 Tech Center Drive or 130 Student Services Building. 2. Mail the citation and payment through U.S. Mail. The payment envelope must be postmarked no later than seven days from the date of citation issuance to avoid a late fee. Mail to: Parking Services 455 Tech Center Drive (0540) Virginia Tech Blacksburg, VA 24061 3. Deposit the citation and payment in the lock box outside the Parking Services office located at 455 Tech Center Drive. Payment must be received, at Parking Services, by the 10th day of citation issuance to avoid a late fee. Payments dropped off in the lock box will be taken to Parking Services on the next business day. 4. Mail citation and payment through campus mail to Parking Services, campus mail code 0540. Payment must be received by the 10th day of citation issuance to avoid a late fee. Checks should be made payable to: Treasurer, Virginia Tech. PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH THROUGH THE MAIL OR DEPOSIT CASH IN LOCK BOX. TOWING AND BOOTING POLICY 25 Vehicle Towing Vehicles may be ticketed and/or towed at the owner's expense whenever a vehicle is illegally parked or under the following circumstances: 1. When a vehicle is displaying a lost, stolen, or fraudulent Virginia Tech parking permit. 2. When a vehicle is illegally parked in a handicap area, handicap access, or fire lane (such towing is required by state law). 3. When a vehicle is illegally parked, restricting traffic, or creating a traffic hazard (i.e., roadways, curbs, bus lanes, etc). 4. When $200 or more unpaid citations and late fees have accumulated in Accounts Receivable. 5. When vehicles are parked on designated emergency snow routes and parking lots. For more details see the Emergency Snow Route section under Enforcement. 6. When vehicles are parked in violation of an athletic event restriction. 7. If the owner, when notified by the Parking Services Office or the University Police Department to move a vehicle, does not accomplish this move within the specified time. 8. When a vehicle is parked illegally at a loading dock, air intake area, or bus lane. 9. When a vehicle is parked in any manner deemed unsafe by Parking Enforcement officers and when in violation of signs or verbal orders given by Parking Enforcement or Police officers. 10. When a vehicle is considered by Parking Enforcement or Police officers to be abandoned. (i.e., Not displaying a state license plate or state inspection sticker). It has also been considered abandoned when the vehicle has been parked on campus for more than 48 hours with no contact from the owner to Parking Services or the Police Department). In any of the above mentioned cases, the vehicle will be ticketed and towed at the responsible person's expense. In cases involving outstanding fines or fees owed to Parking Services, the vehicle will be held by the towing service until such fees are paid. According to state law, if the tow truck is called and the vehicle owner arrives on the scene to move the vehicle, the tow order may be canceled, under the degression of the tow truck driver. If the truck has already left the towing company premises, the person responsible for the vehicle may still be required to pay towing costs before being permitted to move the vehicle. A citation for 26 illegal parking will also be issued. The Parking Services Office and University Police Department are not responsible for damage resulting from towing or immobilization of vehicles. Vehicle Recovery If a vehicle is towed or immobilized, the owner or person responsible must report to the Parking Services Office or the University Police Department to make arrangements to recover the vehicle. Any fines, towing costs, and/or booting costs must be paid before the towing company will release the vehicle. Proof of payment must be produced before the vehicle can be released or the boot removed. Booting Policy In an effort to discourage habitual offenders of the parking regulations at Virginia Tech, Parking Services will place a wheel boot on vehicles associated with accounts that have received 5 or more tickets in any semester. Vehicle ticket totals will start at zero at the beginning of each new semester. The procedure for booting will be as follows: • The fourth citation will contain a warning notice that in the event of the issuance of a 5th citation, the vehicle will be booted. • Upon issuance of a 5th ticket, and with each ticket thereafter, a boot will be placed on the vehicle. Tickets accompanying a wheel boot will contain a booting information sheet explaining how to get the boot removed. • A boot removal instruction sheet will be placed on the vehicle's windshield and a notification sticker on the driver's side window glass stating: YOUR VEHICLE HAS BEEN IMMOBILIZED. DO NOT TRY TO MOVE YOUR VEHICLE WITH THE BOOT IN PLACE. INSTRUCTIONS ON HOW TO HAVE THE BOOT REMOVED CAN BE FOUND WITH YOUR TICKET. The procedure for boot removal will be as follows: • The customer will need to pay a boot removal fee of $35. This fee can be paid at Parking Services. • Upon payment of the boot removal fee, the customer will need to notify Parking Services who will dispatch an officer to the vehicle location. After verification of the payment of the boot removal fee, the boot will be removed. If arrangements have not been made by the registered driver of the vehicle to remove the boot within 48 hours of placing the boot on the vehicle, the vehicle is subject to towing. Parking Services may have the vehicle towed and impounded and the registered driver will be responsible for all fees incurred (including boot removal fee). Abandoned Vehicles Abandoned vehicles as defined in Section 46.2-1200 will be disposed of in accordance with Virginia state law section 46.2-1201. Any vehicle that does not 27 have current license plates and/or has not moved in 48 hours will be presumed to be abandoned. See number 11 under the Towing Policy section and sections 46.2-1201 and 46.2-1200 of the Virginia State code. MOVING VIOLATIONS The University Police Department is charged with the enforcement of all state laws, including the Motor Vehicle Code of Virginia. Traffic citations for moving violations are issued by the University Police Department and are referred to local courts for a decision. Campus speed limits are radar enforced. The speed limit on campus is 25 MPH unless otherwise posted. The speed limit around the Drillfield is 15 MPH. Every person shall obey the instructions of any traffic control device, sign, or notice, unless otherwise directed by a traffic control officer. All university police officers have the authority to enforce the laws of the Commonwealth and the university pertaining to the operation of motor vehicles on campus property. APPEALING A CITATION The appeals hearing officer for the university will review all written appeals involving non-moving traffic violations. Citations received for parking in fire lanes, in roadways, handicap areas, handicap access areas, bus lanes, air intake areas, or metered spaces will not be viewed favorably in the appeals process except in valid emergency situations as determined by the appeals hearing officer. If a person wishes to appeal a parking or bicycle citation, the procedure below should be followed: 1. All appeals must be filed within 10 calendar days of citation issuance. All rights to appeal a citation are waived after this 10-day period. Failure to formally appeal or pay a citation negates any right to further address the violation. 2. Tickets must be paid in full before being placed in appeals. If after review the ticket is overturned, a refund will be mailed to the appellant. If a check for an appeal is returned for insufficient funds, the appeal will be considered null and void. 3. The appeal must be made in writing on an official appeals form available in the Parking Services Office (located at either 455 Tech Center Drive or 130 Student 28 Services Building). This is necessary to ensure the Parking Services Office has all the necessary information to process the appeal and satisfy audit procedures. Please make sure the address and phone numbers you list are complete, accurate, and legible. The Parking Services Office cannot be responsible if you fail to receive your appeal notice under these circumstances. Remember to notify the Parking Services Office of any address changes. 4. The issue of an appeal is whether or not the cited rule was violated. It is no excuse to "not mean" to violate a rule, to "see others" violate it, to "not realize" it was violated, or to have "violated it in the past without penalty." 5. All appeals should be finalized by the last day of classes. 6. If you disagree with the decision made on your appeal, you may request that your appeal be reviewed by the Appeals Hearing Committee. The second appeal must be requested within 10 days of the postmark date on the first appeal. For your second appeal, you may appear in person before the Appeals Hearing Committee or you may have a written statement (usually the first appeal) read by the committee during the appeals hearing meeting. The decision of the committee is final. BICYCLE INFORMATION All designated employees of the Parking Services Office and the University Police Department have the authority to enforce these rules and regulations. Registration All bicycles and mopeds are to be registered with the VT Police department prior to parking on campus. Registration is yearly unless the bicycle is already registered with a permit that expires 8-31-09. Cyclists parking a non-registered bicycle on campus will be subject to a $20 fine and impoundment or immobilization of the bicycle or moped. All unregistered bicycles may be impounded or immobilized at the end of each academic year without prior notice. Impounded or immobilized bicycles may be retrieved after the owner presents proof of ownership to the Parking Services Office. Parking Enforcement Bicycles may be parked only at bicycle parking racks, except when permission has been granted to keep a bicycle inside a campus building. Bicycles may be kept in a residence hall room with the agreement of the roommate. Bicycles may not be kept in any other area of a residence hall. A department head must grant permission to keep a bike in a faculty office. Mopeds may be parked only at bicycle parking racks. No person is allowed to park a bicycle or moped as follows: 29 1. On a sidewalk, at a tree or post, on a lawn, next to a building, in a roadway, at a utility pole, light post, banister, parking meter, or other available structure. Always use a bicycle rack. 2. So that it blocks or obstructs any entrance, exit, ramp, or breezeway. 3. In any campus building (except as permitted in dormitory rooms and faculty offices). 4. In a parking area designated for motor vehicles. 5. In other than an upright position. Bicycles or mopeds found parked and/or locked in areas other than those allowed may be impounded or immobilized by the Parking Services Office or the University Police Department. Parking Services or the University Police Department will not be held responsible for the replacement of bicycle locks damaged during this process. The person responsible for the bike will receive a bicycle parking citation. Motorcycles may not be parked in bicycle racks. Motorcycles are to be parked in designated motorcycle areas or in a legal space of a lot designated for your permit type. Operation Enforcement Bicycles are a useful means of transportation when used properly. By taking a few precautions bicycling can be a safe and enjoyable experience without fear of theft. Every person operating a bicycle on university property is to comply with all applicable Virginia state statutes regarding bicycle operation, these regulations, and all traffic control devices. Persons riding bicycles on campus are to practice courteous and defensive cycling. Cyclists will travel at safe speeds while considering pedestrians and their surroundings. At all times, cyclists are to be in proper control of their bicycles. Operational Tips • Persons may not operate a bicycle on any campus sidewalk, lawn, or designated pedestrian plaza, such as the Library Plaza, Cowgill Plaza, etc., unless otherwise signed as a shared pathway. • It is illegal to ride in the wrong direction on a one-way street or against the regular flow of vehicular traffic, including the Drillfield. • Persons operating a bicycle will yield to pedestrians in situations of conflicting bicycle/pedestrian traffic. • Ride single file, with traffic, and to the right of the roadway. • Use bike paths when available. • Use proper turn signals. • Keep bicycle in proper mechanical condition. • Watch for people exiting parked vehicles. • Be vigilant of the unexpected from motorists. (The number-one statement of vehicle operators involved in accidents with cyclists is, "I didn't see him/her!") 30 • Virginia law requires a rear reflector and a headlight when riding at night. • At crosswalks, always walk your bicycle since you are considered a pedestrian. • If involved in an accident, report it to the University Police Department immediately. Moving violations will result in a traffic citation being issued by the University Police Department. Repeated violations may result in suspension or revocation of bicycle operation privileges on campus. Theft Prevention Bicycles are an easy target for theft. Some helpful hints are as follows: • Use bike racks, and secure bikes with bar-type locks. • Secure frame and front wheel. • Chain-type locks and bikes chained to chain-linked fences can be quickly and easily cut. • Check the bicycle frequently so it doesn't appear abandoned. • Park in high-visibility areas. • Personalize your bicycle to make it easy to recognize. • Engrave your bicycle in several locations. • Register your bicycle. If it is stolen and then located, you can be easily found and ownership readily determined. • Write down the make, model, and serial number of your equipment. Keep this information in a safe place with the receipt of purchase. • Have your bicycle insured. If your bicycle is stolen on campus, report the theft to the University Police Department. Abandoned Bicycles Unregistered bicycles that are left on the university grounds more than five days following graduation will be considered abandoned. These bikes will be impounded and disposed of in accordance with University policy regarding such property. Contact Parking Services if your bike is impounded. See the University Policy 5000, Section 2.9.12, point 5 on the internet for more details. HOW TO AVOID PARKING CITATIONS AND TOWING CHARGES 1. Properly display a Virginia Tech parking permit from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. Remember that the parking rules and regulations are in effect whenever the university is open, including when classes are not in session and during semester breaks. 2. Park in a clearly identified parking space appropriate for your permit. 31 3. Do not loan your permit to others. Shared permits may result in a $110 "Unauthorized Use of Permit" citation assessed against the permit owner. 4. Have visiting family and friends obtain a visitor parking permit before parking on campus. 5. Observe special parking restrictions such as: a. Parking lots at Owens Dining Hall and Dietrick Dining Hall lots are reserved for faculty and staff members, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week The Bookstore Lot parking meters are enforced from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., 7 days a week. The drillfield is reserved for only faculty/staff and graduate students from 5:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m., Monday through Friday. b. Parking is prohibited at loading docks except for the purpose of loading. c. Parking is prohibited in the Coliseum Lot and along Spring Road after 5:00 p.m. on the Friday before a Saturday home football game or three (3) hours before a men's or women's home basketball game, until the game has started. d. Parking is prohibited in the parking lot below Lane Stadium from 11:00 p.m. the night before any home football game, until the game has started. e. Other special restrictions, as posted. 6. Be familiar with the Parking Rules and Regulations. When you have a parking question or need special parking arrangements, please call Parking Services before parking. TICKETED ANYWAY? Avoid a $10 late fee per citation by making sure payment is made to Parking Services within 10 calendar days of citation issuance. If payment is sent through U.S. Mail, the payment envelope must be post-marked within seven days of citation issuance. Payments sent through campus mail must be received by the 10th day of citation issuance. Do not send cash through the mail or deposit cash in the payment box at Parking Services. Checks should be made payable to "Treasurer, Virginia Tech". WAS YOUR VEHICLE TOWED? Contact Parking Services at 231-3200 to arrange for vehicle recovery during regular hours. After hours, contact the University Police at 231-6411. 32 STILL HAVE QUESTIONS? Contact Parking Services at 231-3200 or stop by our office at 455 Tech Center Drive or 130 Student Services Building, Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. Virginia Tech Parking Services 455 Tech Center Drive (0540) 130 Student Services Building Blacksburg, Virginia 24061 Please visit our web site at www.parking.vt.edu 07/1/08 2008 – 2009 Academic Year Volume 17 Virginia Tech does not discriminate against employees, students, or applicants on the basis of race, sex, handicap, age, veteran status, national origin, religion, political affiliation, or sexual orientation. Anyone having questions concerning discrimination should contact the Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Office. 33
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Synthetic alarm sound
a woman moaning with erie horror done with audiocity
electronic burning buzzing warbling pulsing
a creepy moan that is a blending of three pitches combined in audiocity with echo thrown in. For a fright ...
Absurd electronic feedback
A strange sound made from playing back a raw image file of noise with Gaussian blur.
drone bass saw thing
using a old sanyo casette recorder, casio ct-395, and yamaha pss-780, i made this song in 1991
This kind of noise generates linearly interpolated random values at a certain frequency. In this example the frequency is 3200Hz.The ...
Made in Csound.
Sound created by applying GVerb and Delay in Audacity. Might be useful for spacey noises or a ufo passing by. ...
Harsh noise soundscape
Distorted guitar loop.
KONICHIWA! Free SE from Japan http://taira-komori.jpn.org/freesounden.html

subset: commoncrawl


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Motorcycle lights, in addition to offering new elements of safety, define a bike's character. They work with that custom paint job, chrome and other accessories to enhance the machine's overall appeal. Although many larger bikes come equipped with a variety of lighting options, adding more or different styles adds a personalized finishing touch.
Automatic syncing in iTunes 11 conveniently mirrors all or part of your music library to your iPod Touch. However, this option restricts syncing with only a single computer. If you attempt to automatically sync with another computer, any files not present in the other library are removed from your iPod Touch. To enable copying of music from multiple computers without fear of losing existing songs, you need to set up manually syncing.
A home wireless network is not difficult to set up with the right planning. Most homes only need to add a wireless router to the incoming Internet connection, although some households with older computers may need to upgrade them with wireless adapters to join the network. If you don't already have a home Internet connection, consider sharing the connection from a 3G or 4G cellular network to connect your home.


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When I be gone I'll be worshipped like Nicky Barnes
from Fat Joe – Part Deux Lyrics on Genius
Leroy Nicholas "Nicky" Barnes is a former drug lord and crime boss, who led the notorious African-American criminal organization known as The Council, which controlled the heroin trade in Harlem, New York. After his arrest, The Council stopped paying his legal fees and another member began sleeping with his mistress which lead to him turning government informant. He entered the witness protection program and wrote his memoir, Mr. Untouchable.
To help improve the quality of the lyrics, visit Fat Joe – Part Deux Lyrics and leave a suggestion at the bottom of the page


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Texas Politics
All Texas politics all the time from the San Antonio Express-News and Houston Chronicle
Advisory panel recommends consolidating 'fragmented' Texas mega-agency
AUSTIN — The enormous state agency that runs Texas' Medicaid program, foster-care system and many other services is "fragmented," insufficiently reliant on data and suffering from poor management in its internal regulation division, according to a scathing, once-a-decade report released Friday. The state Sunset Advisory Commission staff report recommended that the five departments that make […] [Read More]
Rasmussen poll shows Abbott leading Davis by double digits
AUSTIN — Republican gubernatorial candidate Greg Abbott leads Democratic opponent Wendy Davis by 11 percentage points among likely voters with a month until Election Day, according to a newly released Rasmussen Reports poll. The gap was enough to spur the conservative-leaning firm to shift the race from "Leans Republican" to "Safe Republican" on its scorecard of this […] [Read More]
Democratic comptroller candidate calls for halting F1 funding
The Democratic candidate for Comptroller, Mike Collier, said Thursday that if elected, he would not continue cutting yearly $25 million checks to subsidize the annual the Formula One race in Austin. [Read More]
Abbott Web ad dings Davis over 'dollar amount' dodge
Republican Greg Abbott's campaign for governor released a Web ad Friday morning criticizing Democratic opponent Wendy Davis for dodging questions about the price tag on her education plan. Titled "Wendy Davis: The Price Isn't Right," the 30-second spot shows three exchanges at the last gubernatorial debate in which Davis, a state senator from Fort Worth, […] [Read More]
Perry taking trip to Iowa to help raise GOP cash
AUSTIN — Gov. Rick Perry is heading to Iowa to help raise money for local Republicans on Friday, his seventh trip to the early-voting state since late last year. Perry, who is considering another run for president, is scheduled to headline a fundraiser in the evening for Republican parties from four counties in the northwest […] [Read More]
Davis: Abbott's role in TEF scandal is latest in Texas' tradition of corruption
HOUSTON – Wendy Davis continued to capitalize on the recent Texas Enterprise Fund scandal on Thursday as she painted her opponent, Greg Abbott, as perpetuating the "creeping culture of corruption" that she said the scandal epitomized. In a speech that waxed philosophical and historical at The University of Houston, Davis blasted Abbott as the latest […] [Read More]
Texas AG race tightens up, report says
AUSTIN – The race for Texas attorney general has tightened slightly, according to a Governing report by Tampa Bay Times PolitiFact Deputy Editor Louis Jacobson. "Since we last looked at this November's state attorneys general contests, the battlefield has gotten a bit more competitive," Jacobson wrote Thursday. "In the course of this analysis, we've changed the rating in […] [Read More]
Houston says he would release TEF applications if elected AG
AUSTIN – Sam Houston, the Democratic nominee for attorney general, said Wednesday he would release applications submitted by Texas Enterprise Fund grant recipients if elected. "The dollars awarded by TEF and the other economic development incentive programs are tax dollars — they belong to the people of Texas," Houston said in a news release. "The […] [Read More]


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People Who Won't Give Up Their Own Handguns Testify In Favor Of Gun Control
Without sounding too insensitive, Democrats brought out Gabby Giffords to make an emotional plea during the Senate hearings Wednesday
(CNN) Her voice was halting, but not weak.
Two years after being shot in the head by a gunman at a political event, former U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords appeared at the first congressional hearing since last month's Connecticut school massacre to urge Congress to act now on gun violence.
"Too many children are dying. Too many children. We must do something," Giffords said in a rare public appearance Wednesday, reading a statement that acknowledged her injuries made it difficult to speak.
"It will be hard, but the time is now," she told the packed hearing held by the Senate Judiciary Committee.
Both her and her husband Mark Kelly own handguns. If they really believe guns are a problem, they should turn them in to the police to be melted down. And we should all be concerned when people start talking about "Doing Something", because it usually means a loss of freedom through Government regulation, especially done because of emotion.
If we really want to Do Something, it should revolve around going after criminals and punishing them harshly. But, instead, The Government and people like Giffords and Kelly want to infringe on the Constitutionally guaranteed rights of law abiding citizens, punishing them before they've committed a crime
National Rifle Association Executive Vice President Wayne LaPierre blamed the government for failing to enforce existing gun laws and said new restrictions, including background checks, won't stop criminals from using weapons in violent crime.
"Law-abiding gun owners will not accept blame for the acts of violent or deranged criminals, nor do we believe that government should dictate what we can lawfully own and use to protect our families," he said.
Why would the government start now? They already broke the law in trafficking guns across the border to Mexico, and people in the Obama administration have the blood of 2 US Federal agents and over 200 Mexicans on their hands. Strange how Democrats and their compliant media, along with Giffords and Kelly, weren't particularly concerned about that gun violence, eh?
Interestingly, another woman, Gayle Trotter, testified before the Senate, saying what Democrats are attempting to do would make women less safe, as she told Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) who was badgering her
"You are not a young mother who has a young child with her," she said. "And I am passionate about this position because you cannot understand, you are not a woman stuck in her house, having to defend her children, not able to leave her child, not able to seek safety, on the phone with 911, and she cannot get the police there fast enough to protect her child, and she is not used to being in a fire fight."
Interestingly, many liberals, who tell us they are there to protect the rights of women, immediately started denigrating her for daring to get out of the kitchen and advocate. Here's TBogg, who calls her a "Crazy Mama"
Here is entirely reasonable mother of six, Gayle Trotter explaining the daily grind of taking care of her kids, washing and cleaning, making dinner, and blowing away hordes of ruffians and scalawags intent upon breaching the sanctity of her home is order to steal her Ethan Allen sideboard and matching china closet.
Hmm, that's not too sexist, wouldn't you say?
Crossed at Pirate's Cove. Follow me on Twitter @WilliamTeach.
Also see...
Making a man believe that his child doesn't exist for decades is an unusually cruel thing to do. But for Tony Trapani, a secret letter he found after his wife...Read More
William Teach
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-By Warner Todd Huston A whack nut Occupy Wall Street sympathizer in South Carolina was a bit miffed when Governor
Slavery Flap Shows Emory University Professors are Morons
Earlier this month the President of Emory University wrote a piece for the school magazine about the efficacy of compromise.


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In reality, Bahrain has an extremely complex political and societal fabric that needs to be understood. The vast spectrum of opinions consequently led to the formation of 21 political societies, all whose voices need to be considered to ensure change by consensus.
Let's face it, Kimi Raikkonen shows no sign of heading for the nadir of his popularity and grip on F1 fans the world over. They guy can simply do no wrong no matter how terse, curt, snippy or vulgar he gets.
Fernando Alonso and Ferrari made up for a poor performance in Malaysia by storming to victory three weeks later in China. The race made up for a boring and ruined race caused by Sebastian Vettel and his ignorance, but it was by no means the best so far.
Christian Horner refuted implications that there could be a conspiracy at Red Bull as Mark Webber suffered a disastrous weekend in China. The Australian was the center of controversy after the Malaysian Grand Prix where his teammate, Sebastian Vettel, disobeyed team orders and took the win from Webber's pre-race plans.
Rush, directed by Ron Howard who has described himself as a huge motorsport fan, details the events that transpired during the 1976 German Grand Prix which nearly ended reigning world champion Niki Lauda's life. The film was often talked about, but the first official trailer recently got released.
It seems like a script each year, the Bahrain Grand Prix gets close and the social media fires up with anti and pro sentiments spamming timelines and pages with pictures of oppression (from who knows where) and placid city streets from days unknown.
There are no two ways about it - racing tracks are cool. Even when there are no cars on them, just looking at the chicanes and the straights brings home the smell of burning rubber and the excitement that goes with it.
The little details that go on during a race, like the use of team orders, mostly go unnoticed by the fans as there is no way of interpreting tactics, like telling a driver to push or go easy, without knowing the context of what the team's actual race plan is.
Sebastian Vettel took it upon himself to win the Malaysian Grand Prix regardless of what the team or Mark Webber had planned. With 10 laps to go in Sunday's Malaysian Grand Prix, Vettel ignored team orders to take the lead of the race away from teammate Mark Webber.
If you've been watching Formula One for some time now, you'll know that when Mark Webber isn't happy about something... he says it. The Australian F1 driver did not mince words at this weekend's practice session for the Malaysian Grand Prix when his Red Bull RB9 chassis experienced high tire degradation.
The conventional theory is that you can discern very little from winter testing and that notion carries over to the first practice session of the firs...
This weekend the 2013 season starts in Melbourne, Australia and we get to see whether any great strides have been made during the off season. I'm only going to make one prediction in this preview and that is who will win the title: Sebastian Vettel and Red Bull Racing. I am NEVER correct at making predictions so... go Vettel!
As a life coach and lawyer I have had to counsel many people on both the emotional, legal and financial fall-outs from relationships gone sour. What I have noticed often ends up being the most painful for my clients is when they feel that irrespective of their partner's behaviour, ultimately the heartbreak and ensuing chaos is down to their own lack of foresight.
Advanced degradation is nothing new for Pirelli as the sport of Formula One mandated that they, as a sole supplier, provide a tire that rapidly degrades to add excitement to the racing. It is antithetical to the very nature of a tire company and Pirelli should be applauded for their efforts.
Lewis Hamilton's move to Mercedes may have taken some fans by surprise but the British champion has been realistic every step of the way--from announcing his move to the expectations he has for the 2013 season.
Expectations are always difficult things. Whether it is in your job, at home or on the track. Teams often feel positive about their chances and the results they'd like to see from their hard work and to those ends, they tend to offer positive thoughts regarding their expected results.