The parking situation at Cavalier Apartments is absolutely ridiculous. They have a system that is designed to fail and can end up costing you and your friends a lot of money.
Here's my story:
Over the weekend I had some friends over to my apartment for drinks before we went to see a movie. All of the street parking on Aurora was full because there was a CU football game. My friends parked in the lot, where there were several dozen open parking spaces because they couldn't find a spot elsewhere. A few minutes after they arrived, I asked where they parked and they told me in the lot. We went out to move the cars, and literally 20 minutes after parking their cars, all three of the vehicles were booted! It cost almost $200 to have the boots removed, which I paid because I felt terrible for my friends. To make matters worse, the security officer Otis, was a total sleeze. He was looking at our boobs the whole time!
In the past, I have gone to the office to ask for a visitor permit, which they told me I could obtain when I signed my lease. Every time I've asked, they said no because there was a CU football game or other campus event. These are the times when Aurora and all of the other streets fill up, so where are my guests supposed to park'' There are no designated visitor spots, even though the lot between the east and west buildings is usually half empty. If you ask me, the management and Colorado Security Services are in cahoots. I see a dozen vehicles booted on the average weekend night, so this must be very profitable for both parties...

User Responses
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/18/2008
This is SO true! I've had it happen twice in the year and a half I've lived here. Once, my parents came to visit and didn't know about the parking rule. The other time was a friend who couldn't find a spot on the street. Both of their cars got booted and they had to pay $65 to get it off. The street spots fill up quickly, so some visitor parking would be nice. I've also had problems getting visitor permits from Phyllis.
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/18/2008
You both are completely out of your mind. I see a car booted at Cavalier maybe once every three weeks if not once a month. Parking at Cavalier is by decal permit ONLY. I know the management went over this aspect of the community with me when signing my lease. Additionally, I can understand why they would not issue a visitor pass to cars during CU Football games, they would probably prefer not to have the resource taken advantage of... and trust me, it would be. Own up to the simple fact that your friends were parked in violation and own up to the fact that you should have notified your friends of this. If you were declined a visitors pass, what did you think was going to happen when you continued to break the parking rules? That nothing was going to happen? Grow-up, act like an adult and take responsibility for your actions.
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/19/2008
First and foremost, anyone who has lived in Boulder knows the chaos every time there is a CU football game. CU parking lots are up to the ears... same with the streets... even worse with private parking lots that don't enforce the rules: Tenants/owners lose their right to park their cars to people they never met or invited. I for one LOVED parking lots that not only had rules but ENFORCED them. Cavalier apartments parking lots have CLEAR, VISIBLE and PROPERLY PLACED signs that tell the visitors NOT to park there. The lot has the perfect size for the number of homes (not much more), and IN ANY NORMAL DAY WITH NORMAL TRAFFIC, visitors won't have a problem to park in the street. It's almost DUMB to go out those days, trying to find a free spot. It's REALLY DUMB, and I find it pretty irritating, because of the FLAGRANCE, to park in a private lot against the rules. Without the rules and the proper ENFORCEMENT, Cavalier's lot would be 100% occupied, and maybe even damaged, during the CU football madness. So you and your friends wanted to be together that precise night? Why did they chose the big private parking lot CLOSEST TO THE CU? Why didn't they gather at someone else's home? Statistically speaking, they were just trying to get easy free parking to go to the game. Even if they just wanted to hang out, most boulderites would explain it "statistically". Take responsibility, use common sense, and remember to use your bike or better walk during the football season.
From: Anonymous	Date: 11/20/2008
Wow, you people are really passionate about parking! I live at Cavalier and can see both sides of the argument. Yes, it is a private lot and signs are posted. As a resident, I don't want someone else parking in my lot, especially late at night when I'd have to walk alone in the dark. Plus, getting booted is a lot better than being towed! However this is not an occasional problem, I usually see a few cars booted on weekends as well. Just go out this Friday or Saturday around 10 or 11 and you'll see it for yourself. However, it sounds like the parking enforcement agency is a little predatory. I mean, if people's cars are getting booted within minutes of them parking, the guy must be waiting in the shadows for them. Maybe a good compromise would be to offer a limited number of visitor spots in the least occupied lot between the buildings. If there were a time limit or ban on overnight parking, at least there would be an option for guests when the street parking is full. Plus, if I feel unsafe walking a long distance to my car at night, how do you think visitors would feel STATISTICALLY speaking (turd burglar!! - you must be the typical over-educated Boulderite who, STATISTICALLY, can only think in terms with which you are familiar. Stop being a pretentious -------- and have some respect for people who don't live in an ivory tower.) It sounds like there must be some middle ground where management can revise the policy. I suggest visitor spots or some sort of warning system, especially on non-football days or when the lot is mostly empty anyway.

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