<p>danny_125, I really don't want to argue with you. Remember, we are taking about what to do with a car for extended periods of time when it is not in use, not occasional parking for a few minutes. </p>
<p>Tell you what, as a freshman why don't you bring your car and try parking in any of the decks or lots you have mentioned for any extended period of time during normal business hours without a permit. Let us all know how that works out. </p>
<p>There are some off campus lots and those are what you have to look at as a freshman if you have a car. As I said, there is no rule that a freshman cannot have a car; you just cannot get a permit for parking on campus. To my knowledge, there are no off campus lots available for extended parking that are free. The cost will generally be $300-$400 per semester. Actually, however, some of those lots are more convenient than some of the lots for which students can get permits.</p>
<p>FWIW, Granville parking costs about $350 a semester and requires that you live in Granville. </p>
<p>If your friend is paying $400 per month, I suspect she is paying way too much. Unless things have changed dramatically, good parking should not run more than $300-400 per semester.</p>
<p>-TYR is right, the UNC police are "johnny on the spot" when it comes to giving parking tickets! Last fall, personal experience: only about 5 minutes, in a lot w/o a permit and returned to find a ticket! </p>
<ul>
<li>from my d's experience, there really is no need for a car when living on campus. If you ever need anything away from campus, they have a great bus service. D thinks now that she won't bring her car next year either, because her few sophomore friends who have cars at Carolina are assigned to lots that are way off campus. She says that it is such a pain, that the only time they use their cars is to come home for the weekend, 2-3 times a semester. $600-$800 per year is a lot to pay for that. At least for the first year or so, enjoy the college experience, leave your car at home.</li>
</ul>
<p>Getting back on topic though, what's the deal with the IS vs OOS thing? Heathergee said it's not a problem, but it's been mentioned various times on various threads. It certainly does exist. If one were involved in various extracurricular activities, would they have a hard time as an OOS?</p>
<p>It is quite the obvious manner to park in a parking lot for an extended amount of time rather than temporary.
Of course you have to pay for these parking lots, so why shouldn't one be discouraged as to not park there at all if there are available resources like the parking lots for incoming students who can't get permits?</p>
<p>tensions between the two groups seem to flare up every year when tuition increases are being discussed. you probably caught the tail end of this while glancing at CC posts. this year it was especially rancorous given that IS tuition was not raised at all, while OOS was raised by about $1250. all of the increases were passed on to OOS students in other words.</p>
<p>the divide between IS and OOS student is not something that really exists at the student level, but rather is something that is reinforced by state leaders. These leaders, such as those in the UNC system administration and NC General Assembly, limit as much as possible the amount OOS students at UNC-CH by using a quota system and they also want to make sure that the University makes the welfare of the state its primary consideration. all these efforts can creates the impression that you as an OOS student are not really wanted.</p>
<p>given that, the divide between IS and OOS students at does exist just by the nature of the school's social dynamics. many IS students will be coming here with their HS friends, and therefore will be less willing to branch out to people they don't know, since doing the later is obviously less comfortable. doubtlessly many IS students do branch regardless of the difficulty. some may be the only students from their high school to attend UNC, and therefore have little choice.</p>
<p>hmm not sure on how transfers are being screwed.
parking is a pain. NO freshman can get parking permits on campus period. Hardship permits are very difficult to get. You can get a paid spot off campus or downtown lots.....make sure they are for 24 hrs a day, not just daytime, even with a permit students get parking tix because usually the permit does not cover where you want to be ie. your dorm. Do not plan on bringing a car to campus until you have locked up a SECURE place to park your car. Make sure the person selling you the spot has the right to do so as the city controls parking in front of houses.</p>
<p>OS IS divide--definitely in Granville Towers....don't live there if from OS.
In general at first people tend to cling to most familiar things, people from h.s. then branch out. OSS try to live with OSS or at least have some around you.</p>
<p>One on-campus permit available to freshmen is a motorcyle permit. As atlmom says...no on-campus auto permits for freshmen.</p>
<p>My d has a Vespa and in our state, 49cc engines and larger must have a license plate and the operator must have a motorcycle drivers' license. On the UNC campus, anything with a license plate MUST have a permit sticker, including scooters. We mistakenly assumed, after hauling that thing from Houston through the Smoky Mountains to CH, that our d would be able to park her scooter in a bike rack without a permit. At CTOPs we discovered the license plate rule. Fortunately, this is one permit freshmen could get without trouble. </p>
<p>I would check with Campus Safety to make sure this is still true BEFORE bringing a scooter or motorcycle though. This may be something that changes every fall, depending on construction and lot availability. </p>
<p>Btw...the scooter is perfect for downtown CH/Carrboro and the UNC campus. The streets are so narrow and congested with pedestrians (who have the right of way), that driving a car is a huge pain. And it gets about 80 mpg. Not a bad thing these days...lol!</p>
<p>Also...re: tuition increases. Many of my daughter's instate friends joined in the protests against tuition hikes on oos students. She actually felt very supported by the instaters on that issue.</p>
<p>i will be either walking or bringing a vespa/small motorcycle.
Aren't the 50cc and above required to get a license whereas the 49cc and lower are permissible w/o?
i'm glad this can be possible....and is cost efficient!</p>
<p>danny - depends on your state. In Texas, greater than 49cc requires license plate (I phrased it wrong in my previous post). I think in NC the rule is greater than 50cc. My d's Vespa is a 50cc version...technically I think she could have removed the plate and parked without a permit. But, we felt having the plate on and the scooter registered with Campus Safety was an additional measure against theft. Also, our insurance required the plate.</p>
<p>But, with or without a plate should not matter...freshmen can get motorcycle permits. Just call ahead of time and verify...and find out exactly what paperwork you will need to bring to the permit office. </p>
<p>I think scooters are really starting to catch on at UNC. My d tells me each semester there seems to be more students with scooters showing up. I even think there is a Vespa gang facebook group...lol!</p>
<p>You may can get a motorcycle learners license that will cover your stay at UNC. Something else to put on that resume!!! If you get an electric version you can store inside. If you have gas version....only outside. Bikes are quite handy and can get you anywhere you wnt to go...Carrboro does not have huge hill to climb or descend. Between the free buses and a bike and your FEET, you will be fine. You can get to the airport for $2 on TTA, the southpoint mall for the same. other people will have cars and at the beginning of the semester they will send busloads out to the target late night shopping trips.</p>
<p>I'll admit it, motorcycles are probably a wee bit more manly than scooters...lol! Vespas are kind of euro-cute, but I did notice a few guys on scooters in CH. Of course...this is thick-headed American bias. Every place else in this world, scooters are for both genders, young and old, etc..... (For some reason Eddie Izzard saying "Ciao baby!" in his "Dressed to Kill" routine ALWAYS pops into my head when I think of scooters...)</p>
<p>On campus, motorcycles will not be nearly as easy to park as scooters (think bike racks next to doors), but they will definitely be easier to deal with than a car. Also, my d took motorcycle driver's ed in the summer before college and rec'd a full-fledged motorcycle dl. (She is so proud of that thing.) Courses are usually a few weeks long.</p>
<p>If you end up on South Campus, the Craige parking deck has motorcycle spaces on each level...hardly ever used. Great covered parking, especially for Christmas and other long breaks. My d is not on South this year, but had no problems just locking her scooter to a bike rack by her dorm. She did cover it. No dorm will allow you to pull a vehicle with a gas engine indoors.....one definite advantage of pedal power over gas power is being able to put your bike in your room while on break. But there is a storage place in Carrboro that will let you store a gas engine indoors over the summer. The owners are motorcycle enthusiasts. PM for more details if needed.</p>
<p>thanks!
I was thinking of getting a scooter, or continue the family's motorcycle riding.
i guess its pretty safe to pay some insurance on the moto.</p>