# Civic Matters > Suburban & Other OK Communities > Norman >  OU- Parking and Parking Tickets?

## will77

Hi everyone,

I have a legal/what would you do question for you. I'm an OU student, who has never had a parking permit, so my license plate is not in the OU system. I've gotten 2 parking tickets in the past month at the Goddard health center (while I was there for a doctor's appointment) for parking at an expired meter, and one a few days ago by kauffman when I was going to get change to put in the parking meter! 

I'm contemplating simply not paying the tickets. Would OU ever go to the trouble of tracing back those fines to me? I know some universities sometimes  call the DMV and put a hold on your registration because of that, but I've never heard of anyone here getting caught for that. Has anyone else had any experience with the parking nazi's at OU?

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## istilldon'tgetit

i can say from experience, that OU will get their money one way or another. 
If the car is registered in the state of Oklahoma in your name, and you are enrolled at OU, they know it and can withhold grades, registration, transcripts and, yes, even graduation if they are not paid. that being said, they'll most likely just add it to your Bursars bill in January, anyway.

Boomer.

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## okyeah

> Hi everyone,
> 
> I have a legal/what would you do question for you. I'm an OU student, who has never had a parking permit, so my license plate is not in the OU system. I've gotten 2 parking tickets in the past month at the Goddard health center (while I was there for a doctor's appointment) for parking at an expired meter, and one a few days ago by kauffman when I was going to get change to put in the parking meter! 
> 
> I'm contemplating simply not paying the tickets. Would OU ever go to the trouble of tracing back those fines to me? I know some universities sometimes  call the DMV and put a hold on your registration because of that, but I've never heard of anyone here getting caught for that. Has anyone else had any experience with the parking nazi's at OU?



I graduated from OU last year...First off, you do need to pay for your parking tickets.  OU is notorious for having cars towed if fines aren't paid..I believe my cousin had three unpaid parking tickets.  And guess what?  They towed his car.  They seem to tow a large # of cars during finals week and dead week.  

If I were you, I'd pay for the two parking tickets at the expired meter...Those tickets are cheap (~$20 for parking at expired meter, so that would set you back ~$40) compared to illegally parking in faculty/staff parking spaces ($40 per ticket).  Also, if you don't pay your tickets in a timely manner (I think it's one month from the date issued), then $5 extra is added to each ticket.  

How recent was your ticket at Kaufman?  I believe if it was within 48 or 72 hours, you can appeal it.  You'd have to fill a form out and email parking & transit dept.  I think theres an additional small fee if your request is denied.  You also have to pay the original ticket if it is denied

They will def. get their money! If I were you, I'd be cautious about parking anywhere on campus.  The towing company charges a hefty fee.

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## kevinpate

> Hi everyone,
> 
> I have a legal/what would you do question for you. I'm an OU student, who has never had a parking permit, so my license plate is not in the OU system. I've gotten 2 parking tickets in the past month at the Goddard health center (while I was there for a doctor's appointment) for parking at an expired meter, and one a few days ago by kauffman when I was going to get change to put in the parking meter! 
> 
> I'm contemplating simply not paying the tickets. Would OU ever go to the trouble of tracing back those fines to me? I know some universities sometimes  call the DMV and put a hold on your registration because of that, but I've never heard of anyone here getting caught for that. Has anyone else had any experience with the parking nazi's at OU?


Your plate is connected to someone's name.  If yours, then it's simple to connect the unpaid fines to your school account.  If a relative's, how happy are they going to be to receive a notice in the mail if monies owed to the school.

A couple of things you can take to the bank.  

A.  Covering your tickets will cost you way less than tow and 
     storage fees if  your car is hauled off campus, and yes, it can happen

B.  Your unpaid tickets can get tagged to your bursar's account if the tag
     is in your name, or possibly even just your same last name and same  
    address.

C.  Parking gestapo ain't nuthin' compared to the bursar gestapo when there
     is a lockdown on your information due to unpaid items.

C.  You're not the first to wonder can I toss a ticket since I never told
     them my tag.  You also won't be the last to pay such a ticket.

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## Midtowner

There's usually an appeals process for these tickets.  You might see if you can find a copy of the rules to see if you fall within any of the exceptions, and if your time is worth it, you can go plead your case.  

Otherwise, pay the tickets.  There's a good chance they'll make it back to the bursar, in which case you can be prevented from enrolling for next semester, prevented from getting a copy of your transcript, etc.

Definitely not worth $40 or whatever.

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## bombermwc

Why is it that people always try and get out of university tickets? These guys are legal entities and they will get what's owed to them. If you did something that got you a ticket....then you need to pay it. It's not different than parking downtown and letting the meter run out. You can piss and moan all you want that it just expired 5 minutes ago....but you still broke the law by 5 minutes, therefore you pay.

And before you get all weird about that statement...I had the very same arguement with my wife when she got a ticket for that. I contend, if you park at a meter, it's your job to keep up with it. 

OU has visitor parking. You just have to go to the parking office and get a visitors permit.

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## bbhill

Pay the first two and appeal the third. From friends I've talked to about tickets, I know that OU will get their money either way. They are pretty intense on meter maids as well. I once saw a meter maid in the middle of the night handing out tickets. . .

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## ultimatesooner

had an old roommate try the non pay route

OU ended up finding his car and had it towed when he was on campus during a time when you didn't need a permit

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## adaniel

I too graduated from OU last May....

I don't know how true this is, but OUPD in the past has given their outstanding ticket violations to the Norman PD, who then in turn can put out a warrant for you statewide if need be.

You can always try and appeal the tickets, but everyone here is right. OU will get whats owed to them one way or another. Hell, I had my transcript held for a balance of $9 on my busar. 

Personally, just pay the money. You will never know what future endeavor you may decide to undertake that is thwarted by $50 or $60 in parking tickets you got in college. And just watch where you park next time.

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## John

If you were honestly at Goddard for a Dr.'s appt, you would be able to get a note from the doc/nurse to present to OU Parking, I would assume...

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## aintaokie

When you get a ticket, take care of it NOW.  Don't let them add up, with 3 or more you will be impounded.  The ticket machines have a daily hit list that is downloaded into them.  The average impound used to be about $230 including tow fee, etc.  When parking at Goddard, the lot is for health center clients.  A lot monitor spots unauthorized cars & they get a ticket (don't park and go to the library, or to drop a paper off).  Parking Nazi's are constantly moving through the lots on average every 20 to 35 minutes.  They will get you if you chance parking in the wrong area or without a permit.

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## aintaokie

OU will get their money by putting the tickets on your bursar account, turning the charges over to the state tax commission, & turning you over to a collection agency (I don't know if they still do this or not) and still needn to come in to the parking office to take care of the tickets because your car can still be impounded.  Pay, appeal, or charge them to your bursar account.  Just don't let 'em add up.   The parking business works the same way at almost every university or college.
Yeah, I used to be a Parking Nazi @ O WHO.......

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## ouguy23

When I was a student, I tried the whole not paying OU ticket thing b/c the car was not registered with OU and was in my dad's name. Well, they sent my parents a letter saying that they had outstanding tickets with OU and my parents called me immediately to pay them off, lol. Point being OU will get there money one way or another.

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## CCOKC

Does anybody have any suggestions for parking while visiting my daughter at OU.  She lives in Couch Tower and now I just pick her up and drop her off at her dorm since close visitor parking seems non-existant.  Am I missing something?

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## kevinpate

> Does anybody have any suggestions for parking while visiting my daughter at OU.  She lives in Couch Tower and now I just pick her up and drop her off at her dorm since close visitor parking seems non-existant.  Am I missing something?


You could register the car through her for a parking permit, but that's merely a license to hunt the appropriate sections of the asphalt jungle.  As winter is now upon us, odds of nabbing a close in spot are remote (though possibly no more remote than in good weather I suppose.)

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## blangtang

you could park by Mr Bills in that shopping center, but don't leave your car overnight, they'll tow it.

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## Superhyper

@ CCOKC
If you're a parent parking on campus they a) won't be able to find out who you are. While it's true they can look it up through the tax records, it costs them money to do this so they won't unless you're a repeat offender and b) are extremely hesitant to go after parents. They know parents (who are the source of most of the university's cash) are not good people to have mad at them. If you feel like being a good person though, there are usually metered spots available in the parking lots between Couch and Walker on the walker side.

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## flippity

> Hi everyone,
> 
> I have a legal/what would you do question for you. I'm an OU student, who has never had a parking permit, so my license plate is not in the OU system. I've gotten 2 parking tickets in the past month at the Goddard health center (while I was there for a doctor's appointment) for parking at an expired meter, and one a few days ago by kauffman when I was going to get change to put in the parking meter! 
> 
> I'm contemplating simply not paying the tickets. Would OU ever go to the trouble of tracing back those fines to me? I know some universities sometimes  call the DMV and put a hold on your registration because of that, but I've never heard of anyone here getting caught for that. Has anyone else had any experience with the parking nazi's at OU?



they will track you down thru state records and hold your grades until you pay them.

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## mugofbeer

Like it or not, police departments, communities and states have you by the neck.  I once got "Barney Fife'd" in McMinnville, Oregon for running a red light.  I neither ran the red light or was given a reasonable opportunity to defend myself - only to have the officer tell me I could review the video of the incident the next Monday.  Needless to say, he wasn't too pleased when I accused him of picking rental cars out to give tickets to.  

Anyway, in my stubbornness, I did not pay the ticket.  10 years later, when trying to get my Colorado Driver's license, I was unable to do so because of that ****ing ticket and the reciprocation agreement CO has with OR.  Neither the judge or the police officer lived in McMinnville anymore but they wouldn't let me off my ticket.  While trying to iron out the situation, I was stopped for speeding in the Denver airport.  They nearly hauled me off to jail for driving with an "invalid (Texas) license" because I had lived in CO for 6 months and didn't have a CO license.  Luckily, they let me go with a warning about the license.  I ended up having to not only pay the fine, but pay the penalty too.  

In the securities industry, I also know you cannot become licensed to do business in some states if you have outstanding tickets.  Moral?  Pay the ticket and be done with it.

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## aintaokie

Sometimes they can trace the vehicle back by running the tag through DMV.  They have a computer that links them to the Oklahoma State DMV.  License plate returns are cross referenced to student name & address from Bursar and addmission office records.  The citation, if not paid, can be added to the student's bursar account and the parent vehicle with 3 or more past due tickets will be impounded too.  Parents can get a visitor permit by going to the Vistor Center on the North (Parrington) Oval or to Robertson Hall 2nd floor.  OU Parking  405-325-3311.

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## CCOKC

Thanks for the suggestions guys.  I probably won't be going down there again until next year since next week is finals week and daughter will be home for winter break but I will try you suggestions.  She suggested I park by the tennis courts but that is such a long way from Couch.

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## Guy Noir

FWIW - the soccer field is a bit closer.

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## kevinpate

> FWIW - the soccer field is a bit closer.


is it?  
S side of of Imhoff for the soccer vs. E end of Timberdell for tennis?
Or is there another soccer field than the ones W of Lloyd Noble

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## Guy Noir

I was being a little facetious  :Smile: 

The soccer field is just north of the new tennis complex.

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## kevinpate

> I was being a little facetious 
> 
> The soccer field is just north of the new tennis complex.


Gotcha, learned something too.

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## Puppet

When I was there... Mid to late '90's...  Parking tickets did not matter as long as you had not registered the car with OU...  It was simply an OU parking ticket...  Had numerous tickets from priority parking...  to the tune of 30-40 and nothing ever came of it...  but that was pushing 15 years ago...WOW

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