August 2015

Women-only parking spaces in Germany: sexism or safety?

by Deena S. Hawkins on August 27, 2015

Sometimes a story comes along that is guaranteed to please everyone and by please I mean offend and by offend I mean make you rant over breakfast about something you completely ignored a few moments before.

Introducing the German ‘frauenparkplatz’ – which roughly translates to ‘women-only parking space’. Germany introduced them in the 1990s to make women who feared sexual assault feel safer in underground car parks. Frauenparkplatz was well lit and located close to busy buildings and streets. Female-only parking spaces have since become a regular part of German motoring life and can also be found in Austria, China and South Korea, but of late they have caused some consternation. USA today recently reported that if you want a “bigger, nicer and closer to the terminal” seat at Frankfurt Airport, all you have to do is follow “the pink ribbon of paint on the floor marking out the seats wider than average parking lots and pink parking lot walls with floral graphics and signs that advertise “Ladies Parking.”

Frankfurt’s new frauenparkplatz sparked a rage. Who has the right to be the most injured? Men who think women-only spaces discriminate against them, or women who think that the fact that these pink women-only spaces are bigger and easier to use implies that women aren’t good at parking? German magazines Stern and Bild have questioned the need for such spaces, claiming that modern car parks are not dangerous. Geraldine Herbert, editor of Wheels for Women, told an English-language German newspaper Local“All of this just reinforces the stereotype that women are bad at parking.”

Faster than you could say “sexistischen schwein” we had media reports proclaiming the new nude figure artwork for the parkplatz way (parking reserved for men) in the town of Triberg in the Black Forest. Next to it are the words “Steile berge feuchte taler” – “steep mountains, wet valleys”. The city’s mayor told Bild that these parking spots are difficult to use and need to be reversed, hence the “men-only” designation. Many were outraged. The mayor, who said it was humor, didn’t care.

Are women-only parking spots unfair? Yes, but who cares? What’s wrong with giving them a little privilege? That’s if you call feeling safe in a privileged public space. Parking lots may be safer than in decades past, but they can still be intimidating.

Is a silly picture of a woman on her back with a rude pun next to it sexist? Yes, but who cares? If a few guys want to laugh reversing in this space, what’s the harm? I guess you could say it creates a toxic environment. Maybe contributes to anything that doesn’t feel safe. It might be better to paint over it. Plus, the sexy figure is an obvious publicity stunt. A silly attempt to make headlines (which worked well).

Instead of being outraged, we should consider expanding the concept of gender only. In Japan, female-only trains were introduced as a way for women to avoid unwanted fumbling. They are also offered in Russia, Brazil and Indonesia.

If we tried them in Canada, it might encourage more people to use public transport. I would also support trains and buses for people I don’t want to be with. It’s a long list.

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Parking spaces

The truth about compact parking lots

by Deena S. Hawkins on August 25, 2015

STATESBORO, GA (WTOC) – When you drive to Target, Walmart, or even a city parking lot, have you ever wondered how drivers think they can park in a compact parking spot?

The vehicle may not be suitable, but as OMCC’s Don Logana found out, these people may know something we didn’t know. These parking spaces may simply be obsolete.

It turns out that the auto industry, and even the parking industry, is pretty vague on what defines a compact car.

“A Prius is more of a compact car than a Chevrolet Avalanche,” said Kristi Bryant, GSU parking manager.

But, how do you define it?

One thing is for sure: knocks, dents and scratches are going to happen. This is one of the reasons why Georgia Southern University’s director of parking services, Kristi Bryant, says her office struggles with parking regulations. Cars are constantly changing and getting bigger and bigger, and a typical 90-degree compact car space is eight feet wide and 15 feet long. Some are as small as seven to seven and a half feet wide.

“Here at Georgia Southern, we are committed to making spaces at least 8.5 feet wide and new construction nine feet wide,” said Bryant.

Here’s what you probably don’t know. Bryant says parking codes, including compact parking, only apply to public parking. Private parking is not regulated, so older, obsolete spaces will likely remain so, unless there is new construction.

“Most now include compact parking spaces. Most include hybrid spaces as well as a strong push for electric vehicles,” said Bryant.

Georgia Southern spends a pretty penny creating bigger, compact parking spots, and parking spots in general, which is why private companies don’t do stripping or renovations.

“It’s extremely expensive. You’re probably looking at $ 1 million and $ 2 million to completely revamp everything,” Bryant said.

The City of Savannah says it is not aware of any changes in parking regulations and is not making any changes. Bryant says Georgia Southern is private and they are doing it for the welfare of their students and teachers when it comes to parking.

“The level of frustration and the level of security will be increased, and that is what it is,” she said. “Make everyone’s experience more comfortable.

And, if you’re wondering why, an obviously “non” compact car isn’t towed to a local store. This is probably because it is private property and it is up to the store to have the car towed. The City of Savannah will fine vehicles that are in a compact parking space.

Parking facilities

The City closes public access to washrooms in downtown parking lots | Local News

by Deena S. Hawkins on August 21, 2015

Uncategorized

Stanford car parks are changing their names

by Deena S. Hawkins on August 4, 2015

Stanford report, August 4, 2015

By the end of August, the names of on-campus parking garages will reflect their location – a nearby street, lot, building or center – to make them easier to find on maps and on the campus.

By Kathleen J. Sullivan

Stanford is adopting location names for nine parking structures — such as Roth Way Garage, Wilbur Field Garage, and Knight Management Center Garage — to make them easier to find on maps and on campus.

The new names will appear by the end of August on the searchable map of the Stanford campus and on the new edition of the downloadable Stanford University parking and traffic map.

The new names will replace the existing system of identifying parking structures with numbers.

The change will affect nine campus parking structures, including one under construction.

David Lenox, director of the university’s campus architecture and design office, said Stanford historically numbered garages in order – Parking Structure 1, 2, 3, etc. – according to the order in which they were designed and built.

“Unfortunately, for a visitor, it’s not obvious, for example, why parking structure 5 and parking structure 6 are on opposite sides of campus,” Lenox said, adding that the parking structure parking lot 3 was demolished as part of the construction of the new Stanford Hospital. project, and that there was never a garage called Parking Structure 8.

The current and new names of the garages are as follows.

Parking Structure 1, located at Roth Way and Campus Drive West next to the new McMurtry Building for the Department of Art and Art History, will become Roth Way Garage.

Parking Structure 2, located at the intersection of Via Ortega and Panama Street near the Science and Engineering Quad, will become the Via Ortega Garage.

Parking Structure 4, an underground garage located on Pasteur Drive in the Stanford Medicine complex, will become Pasteur Visitor Garage A.

Parking Structure 5, located at Oak Road and Stock Farm Road, will become Stock Farm Garage.

Parking Structure 6, an underground garage located on Campus Drive East near the Munger Graduate Residence, will become Wilbur Field Garage.

Parking Structure 7, an underground garage on Campus Drive East at the Graduate School of Business, will become Knight Management Center Garage.

Parking Structure 9, located near the Stanford Family Practice Clinic at the Hoover Pavilion on Quarry Road and Palo Road, will become the Hoover Pavilion Garage.

Parking Structure 10, an underground parking garage under construction on Santa Teresa Street on the west side of campus, will become Roble Field Garage.

The existing garage at Stanford’s Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital, located at 725 Welch Road, will become the main garage for Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital.