Turned away with parking pass?

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

So for the Wisc game I pulled up to lot 37 where I have a pass and was told that the lot was full... there I am with my pass that I always have that says lot 37 and they said it was full.


Has anyone had that happen before?

 

[HoustonTXGopher]

No, what time did you pull into the lot? I couldn't believe have packed that lot was and of course your spot must have been taken up by a few tents.

 

[hungan1]

Always come early on big games.

 

[PMWinSTP]

Maybe ftf should set up a poll to so we can get to the bottom of this...

 

[dlw4gophers]

Way too many spots filled by tents. I hate to say it, but the U needs to get back to one tickets one spot policy. Also keep those tents out of the driving lanes. I could see a few spots I wanted to park in but could not get to them.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

So now we are turning away fans who have paid for a spot?
This is like the Seinfeld rental car bit. "I know what the reservation is for." "I dont think you do. If you did, I'd have a car."

 

[Tlsbhansen]

I think they need to clarify tailgating lots vs. "I like to come at the last minute to a game and park close." As a tailgater in Lot 37, it is confusing and annoying when cars show up late and try to drive through and find a parking spot. I get it, but again if the U had people define what they are looking for in a parking spot it would help everyone.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I think they need to clarify tailgating lots vs. "I like to come at the last minute to a game and park close." As a tailgater in Lot 37, it is confusing and annoying when cars show up late and try to drive through and find a parking spot. I get it, but again if the U had people define what they are looking for in a parking spot it would help everyone.

The tailgaters have some responsibility in this too.

You can't pay for one spot, then park with 3 spaces between each tailgate ... and get upset when someone needs to use the spots in between the tailgates they paid for ... and the tailgaters didn't pay for.

 

[Section2]

I think they need to clarify tailgating lots vs. "I like to come at the last minute to a game and park close." As a tailgater in Lot 37, it is confusing and annoying when cars show up late and try to drive through and find a parking spot. I get it, but again if the U had people define what they are looking for in a parking spot it would help everyone.

I park in lot 37. Sometimes I come early and tailgate, and sometimes I can't. It's up to the crew to know how many cars have passes and how many spots there are, and they are the ones who usher people in to spots.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

That sucks. Not sure how anyone with a pass gets turned away. Move the fricking tents/drunks and make way...how is this even an issue? U personnel? Anyone?

 

[UpAndUnder43]

That sucks. Not sure how anyone with a pass gets turned away. Move the fricking tents/drunks and make way...how is this even an issue? U personnel? Anyone?

I don't think asking the U personnel for feedback on here is the best way to get responses.

Its an issue because the lot was full because a lot of people were at the game. The workers are probably not super interested in counting cars, making people move, etc. Lots of reasons, even if they should have got OP a spot.

I was in 37 for a while. Had a ton of fun. It was insanely busy.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I don't think asking the U personnel for feedback on here is the best way to get responses.

Its an issue because the lot was full because a lot of people were at the game. The workers are probably not super interested in counting cars, making people move, etc. Lots of reasons, even if they should have got OP a spot.

I was in 37 for a while. Had a ton of fun. It was insanely busy.

Overall they've actually done a better job in 37 this year managing it. They seemed to push tailgaters out to the outskirts a bit / reserved spots closer to the entrance for folks not arriving 3 hours early That worked really well ... when they did it.

That sort of made my experience on Saturday especially strange.

 

[UpAndUnder43]

Overall they've actually done a better job in 37 this year managing it. They seemed to push tailgaters out to the outskirts a bit / reserved spots closer to the entrance for folks not arriving 3 hours early That worked really well ... when they did it.

That sort of made my experience on Saturday especially strange.

I completely get it. I have been turned away from the parking ramps with a pass before because "on campus employees are still here" which to me means they need to not let them all park there on game days.

You seem to be handling it well. I would mention it to your season ticket rep/whoever you talk to at the U so they are aware.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

I completely get it. I have been turned away from the parking ramps with a pass before because "on campus employees are still here" which to me means they need to not let them all park there on game days.

You seem to be handling it well. I would mention it to your season ticket rep/whoever you talk to at the U so they are aware.

Yeah I sent them some feedback on the feedback email I always get, probabbly will do something around renewal time too.

 

[bleedsmaroonandgold]

Yeah I sent them some feedback on the feedback email I always get, probabbly will do something around renewal time too.

Hopefully, at a minimum, they refund you one seventh of whatever you paid for that spot since you weren't able to use it for one of the games.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Unless they explicitly state the pass is space-available only, ie first come first serve you hold a pretty strong hand for some reimbursement. Particularly if some spots weren’t occupied by vehicles.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Curious about what time you arrived, whether there were others turned away and whether they directed you elsewhere and honored your pass in another lot. This should never happen as I don't think that they sell as many passes as there are spaces. I am in the Ski-U-Mah Lot and I have seen the lot employees escort late arrivers to open spaces and, if necessary, require people who have set up their tailgate in extra spaces to move. That's what should have happened for you.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Curious about what time you arrived, whether there were others turned away and whether they directed you elsewhere and honored your pass in another lot. This should never happen as I don't think that they sell as many passes as there are spaces. I am in the Ski-U-Mah Lot and I have seen the lot employees escort late arrivers to open spaces and, if necessary, require people who have set up their tailgate in extra spaces to move. That's what should have happened for you.

More than an hour before gametime, but I don't recall when.

I did get directed to another lot... where there was nobody directing traffic so there were a mix of miffed and helpful tailgaters at the next lot whom I guess maybe were upset at the sudden influx of cars / refugees from that other lot all of a sudden. So that ate another 30 to minutes of my time...

I'm understanding of the tailgaters who don't like folks driving through their tailgate .. but I'm pretty sure most paid for one spot, not 2 or 3 so also a bit unsympathetic to the folks who get irked.

 

[AtTheLibrary]

Easy fix. Number the spaces & number the passes. Pretty simple. Tailgated a few times at Clemson and it seems the lots right by the stadium are all numbered and assigned.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

Easy fix. Number the spaces & number the passes. Pretty simple. Tailgated a few times at Clemson and it seems the lots right by the stadium are all numbered and assigned.

Also would be nice to assign the numbers based on "Are you bringing a big tailgate / tent and etc?".

Stick as many of those folks together as possible to avoid the weaving through the crowds thing.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

Easy fix. Number the spaces & number the passes. Pretty simple. Tailgated a few times at Clemson and it seems the lots right by the stadium are all numbered and assigned.

That is better in some respects, but it creates problems when somebody with a spot in the back shows up after a number of the others are set up. It seems downright dangerous when you get a car weaving around people, chairs, coolers, tents, etc. to try to get to a spot.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

That is better in some respects, but it creates problems when somebody with a spot in the back shows up after a number of the others are set up. It seems downright dangerous when you get a car weaving around people, chairs, coolers, tents, etc. to try to get to a spot.

Agreed.

I'd almost like to see a back to front type ordered parking.

Granted a lot of tailgates are in their favorite spot and I'd hate to dork with that...

But some of those tailgate's favorite spot are right near the entrance / exit. Like guies come on.

 

[ski-u-mah]

Easy fix. Number the spaces & number the passes. Pretty simple. Tailgated a few times at Clemson and it seems the lots right by the stadium are all numbered and assigned.

As a lot 37 veteran and big tailgater, that would be a nightmare and can't imagine how it would work. All of the serious (nuts) tailgaters are in line when the lot opens. Pretty orderly, but it is first come first serve. For the most part no fighting over spots because everyone has their own spots they like/want. If you show up late, all bets are off. I think it's pretty smooth, but as said earlier it's a tailgate lot first and foremost. Would be a dumb lot to just park in right before the game if you ask me, spendy too. I would hate for a few late parker only people to mess up a great fun tailgate lot.

 

[markiemark09]

I often arrive early to lot 37 and most times there is someone from the parking crew that verifies the number of spaces = number of passes. They're also pretty strict about tents not going over the lines that designate each space. Anything that's easily moved is fair game to put outside of the spot (coolers, tables etc.). It really sucks that you didn't get a spot and I think it was most likely due to spots left between cars. That isn't enforced that well and I noticed at least a couple of those.

 

[Pompous Elitist]

Slab, you were WAY nicer than I would have been about it. The over-privileged folk here (they are everywhere) that like to “spread out” need to understand it’s a tailgate party, not a camp out. It’s literally in the name. The U probably needs to crack down on the multi-space and roadway abusers or at least set some rules so there isn’t any misunderstanding.

 

[2nd Degree Gopher]

There are rules limiting your tailgating to your parking space, plus the area out to the dashed line. For most of the run since the return to campus, at least in my lot, there have been enough no shows and late arrivals that people grabbing an extra space here and there didn't create too much of a problem and I expect that some people came to view that as a right rather than a privilege. Some groups regularly take more spaces than have vehicles (although I suppose that some of them could have parking passes for those spots that they use for tents rather than cars). If a full stadium and full parking lots becomes the new normal, they will have to get better at enforcing the rules.

 

[disco]

Slab, you were WAY nicer than I would have been about it. The over-privileged folk here (they are everywhere) that like to “spread out” need to understand it’s a tailgate party, not a camp out. It’s literally in the name. The U probably needs to crack down on the multi-space and roadway abusers or at least set some rules so there isn’t any misunderstanding.

Thank you Buzz Killington.

 

[A_Slab_of_Bacon]

There are rules limiting your tailgating to your parking space, plus the area out to the dashed line. For most of the run since the return to campus, at least in my lot, there have been enough no shows and late arrivals that people grabbing an extra space here and there didn't create too much of a problem and I expect that some people came to view that as a right rather than a privilege. Some groups regularly take more spaces than have vehicles (although I suppose that some of them could have parking passes for those spots that they use for tents rather than cars). If a full stadium and full parking lots becomes the new normal, they will have to get better at enforcing the rules.

Yeah I've been at a number of lots and some years there was plenty of space just because of as you say no shows or etc.

The folks at the parking facilities seem a bit shy about laying down the law sometimes.

Some do at times, others less so. Some of the students working there seem especially timid... for a big game parking enforcement needs more than a kid looking for some study time (send them to the st. paul campus).

 

[Word]

Yeah I've been at a number of lots and some years there was plenty of space just because of as you say no shows or etc.

The folks at the parking facilities seem a bit shy about laying down the law sometimes.

Some do at times, others less so. Some of the students working there seem especially timid... for a big game parking enforcement needs more than a kid looking for some study time (send them to the st. paul campus).

I parked in lot 37 when I went to the Penn State game (I was gifted tickets and a pass). We showed up about 1.5 hours early and barely got a spot. It never even occurred to me there would have been a possibility of not getting a spot. Seems like U of M Parking needs to change its best. In all seriousness, I can see how the typical tailgaters wouldn't think anything of it if it's never been enforced. It's up to the workers there to enforce things and for the U to come up with a good set of guidelines.

 

[MplsGopher]

That is fraudulent. I hope you demand and get a refund.