University of Regina now using 'barnacles' to collect money for unpaid parking tickets

It’s called a Barnacle, and it attaches to your windshield with giant suction cups. The University of Regina is using the device to penalize drivers with $200 or more in outstanding parking tickets. The students we spoke to says the university is going too far. Obviously, if you’re not paying tickets, there should be consequences, but I don’t know if blocking someone’s vehicle or not being able to drive away from your school, like some people rely on that for their livelihood. So yeah. I disagree with them. Like, whatever. If you don’t have the money on the spot, what happens to your car? It just, it shouldn’t be legal in my opinion. I don’t think the university needs any more money from students. Like it’s expensive enough to go here. So to walk out to that, I would be very unfair. Yeah, I would be really upset. Yeah, I would. I don’t like that. Once motorists discover their vehicle has been barnacled, they will be able to scan the QR code or go to the site. The motorist will then enter the information, pay their fee and receive a release code. Once entered, the Barnacle device will detach. The University of Virginia did not respond by deadline, but its website says the Barnacle is less invasive and easier for drivers to deal with than the traditional towing. They don’t have to track down their vehicles to an impound lot, They just have to pay the fee at any time of the day to get the Barnacle released. Then they have to drop it off at a drop box located on campus. The university also says it gives drivers who have outstanding tickets prior warning. I find it to be really exploitive. This psychology student often refuses to pay for parking. Amanda Leader, studies at the First Nations, University of Canada and EU of R She has racked up thousands of dollars in tickets. I had to pay off a substantial amount of tickets. It was nearly $3000 in tickets because I find it to be unfair that us as Indigenous students get ticketed here at the F and Univ. The first stations University of Canada on reserve urban reserve land. She’s still paying off her credit card, and with the rising cost of living and tuition increases. She says the university is using barnacles to prey on struggling students. Louise Beagle, CBC News, Regina.