Like so many University of Memphis students, Wendy Wambo knowsthat every morning she will have to fight campus traffic all overagain. The only difference -- Wambo is not a student.
As resident manager for the Southern Woods apartment complex at3665 Southern, Wambo struggles to keep students from parking in herapartment's private lot. More often than not she isunsuccessful.
"I've got three (unauthorized) cars over here right now," Wambosaid Monday afternoon. "I have tenants paying $400 to $500 a month,and they deserve to have a parking space."
Not even a sign threatening to tow all violators can stop theonslaught. Students routinely ignore the sign and park in spacesdesignated for Wambo's tenants. In rare cases, they ignore Wambo aswell.
"A few times, I've caught the students and told them they can'tpark here, but they ignore me and walk away," she said. "I towthose cars immediately."
The Southern Woods parking dilemma coincides directly with theschool calendar, Wambo said. From August to May, she slaps noticeson any car that she does not recognize.
"It nice when everyone is on vacation," Wambo said. "Butoverall, it's pretty bad."
Other institutions around campus also have difficulty wardingoff illegal parkers.
The Baptist Student Center and the Christian Student Center areamong a number of religious organizations on Patterson that sellparking spaces to students.
But both organizations find it difficult to keep unwantedtraffic out of their lots. First-time offenders are warned. Asecond offense will get the vehicle towed.
U of M senior Ellen Larson, a 22-year-old photography major, whohas used the Baptist and Christian Student Center lots, knows firsthand that purchasing a permit does not guarantee a parkingspace.
"A lot of times I would get there (to the Baptist lot) and haveno place to park, so I would have to find somewhere else to go,"Larson said.
Other times, Larson would resort to more drastic measures.
"If I was running late and didn't have time to complain, I wouldjust block somebody in and leave the keys with someone inside."
While campus parking can be difficult for even the most savvyand experienced student, for those new to campus it is an absoluteadventure.
"I never anticipated having so much trouble parking," U of Mfreshman Ashley Cash said. I live only five minutes from campus,but (Monday) I left an hour and a half early so I could walk aroundcampus. By the time I parked, I was only 25 minutes early."
The parking problems stem from a lack of centralized parking oncampus, students say.
Most of the campus's 9,000 parking spaces are found around theedge of campus. The two largest general parking lots, wherestudents can safely park, are on The University's periphery --about a five-minute walk from the center of campus.
For this reason, students say they take chances in a restrictedU of M or private lot that might be closer to their classes.
Larson experienced that early in her U of M career.
"It was tempting to try and park somewhere closer (to myclasses)," she said. "You just get tired of walking from theCentral lot."
Students who choose convenience against their better judgment,however, should prepare for the worst. Private residences andstudent organizations alike are increasingly agitated at theunwelcome guests.
"I've been managing (at Southern Woods) for 10 years, and I havehad problems since the beginning," Wambo said. "And I've never seenthe same car again after I tow it."
