Recently, more and more talk has been generated over the parking situation at Iowa State University. With Web sites like www.collegeprowler.com evaluating all things around Iowa State including among many other things, parking, some people may see action as a necessity.

The big question is, what should the action be?

There are many choices including adding large parking ramps, cutting down on the number of parking tickets issued and many other suggestions are out there.

But will these actions really make the situation better? What about thinking in a new direction?

The City of Ames and Iowa State have done a wonderful job with providing us a reasonable means for transportation without using a personal vehicle. The CyRide system works extremely well and travels within blocks of nearly anywhere in town. Bike paths along major roads like Mortensen and University Boulevards along with Stange Road can take us reasonably close to nearly any residence in town.

Why are we as a public looking to the university to supply us with a “fix” to this problem? Why do we choose to not use the means provided to us? Some students complain and say, “Well I have to wait for the bus.”

Others say, “My schedule is too busy for the bus and if I miss it, I miss class.”

To these arguments, we must say, “Stop being lazy and thinking the world revolves around you!”

For the rest of your life, you will deal with deadlines. This one should be dealt with in the same fashion, by sucking it up, being mature and getting things done on time.

Bicycles are a wonderful means of transportation. Most college students are very able-bodied young people and bicycles are a wonderful way to use the abilities of the body and keep it in shape at the same time. For those that are not so able-bodied, bicycles are also a wonderful low impact, high energy exercise.

 Why don’t we stop asking ourselves, “What can someone else do for me?’ but instead think, “What can I do to alleviate this problem?”

Anthony Merfeld is a senior in mechanical engineering.