Park & Ride Etiquette

[rockyracoon]

I'll be picking me daughter up from uni in a few weeks, but the uni doesn't let people park on their property. Now, there's a Park and Ride not too far away, but I won't be needing the Ride bit, firstly, because the college is only about 200m up the road, and secondly, I'll want to stretch my legs after a 4 hour drive. Now, I'm happy to buy the ticket to ride from the machine, but is it frowned upon to do this, do you think? Daughter is going to speak to one of the porters to see if there's anyway I could park there as the only other parking is right out of the way.

[Vagus]

From memory, the ones I’ve used you have to buy the ticket to get out of the car park once you’ve ‘parked and ridden’.
I could be wrong though.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks Vagus. Did they know that you were on the ride? Did you get a ticket on the bus to put in the exit machine?

[bhg481]

P&R sites work in different ways. In some it's free to park and you buy a ticket on the bus. I some the bus ticket acts as a token to lift the barrier at the car park exit and in others the car park is a normal pay-a-fixed-fee and the bus is free. If you Google "P&R university town" you can find out which sort it is.

[Vagus]

Actually, my other half reckons you don’t need a ticket to get in or out of the car park, and can just wait in the car park without paying anything, and leave when you’re ready.
I don’t believe anyone checks if you’ve ridden.

[Vagus]

There you are, bhg has explained it.

[bhg481]

I've realised there is a fourth type (like Oxford) where you pay for both the car park and the bus ride, although both are fairly cheap.

[Hopkirk]

In my experience the parking ban at uni doesn't usually apply to parents collecting their youngsters. They are realistic that you can't pick them up without parking. (might be a bit different if it is Oxbridge)

[Vagus]

It was Oxford p&r which we waited in for one of our children to return from the airport, but it’s quite a while ago.

[rockyracoon]

Thanks all. I'm hoping the uni let me park, it'll only be for 2 hours tops. Just enough time to stretch my legs and get some breakfast.

[rockyracoon]

Ye Gods! I've just read my question. My daughter, not me daughter.

[Canary42]

Nobody seems to have answered your actual question "It it frowned upon?"

I would say definitely not.

[sherrardk]

I’d check with the uni, at UWE you can park to drop stuff off and pick stuff up but someone has to stay with the car at all times (but of a faff, but there you go).

[sherrardk]

Is it the end of the academic year where your daughter is?