I think services like this are exactly what is wrong with this university. I am here to learn. Sure I love to get drunk, probably more than most, but I also deal with the consequinces and plan ahead. Cut these programs. I know college students are poor, but if you can afford to go drinking, you can pay for your cab. Stop raising tuition while cutting funding to education and funding these frivolous programs.

saferide is an important service and yes, it does have its problems.

but the hyperbole and strange sense of entitlement presented here isn't going to solve those problems. saferide shouldn't be anyone's SOLE means of getting home. like the other person said, think ahead and plan your night accordingly. and i agree that if you have the money to go drinking, you can pay the seven dollars for a cab.

it doesn't have to be EITHER safe ride OR "mace and a whistle" and to suggest that those are the only two ways to get home is misleading. there are other avenues available.

But drinking isn't the only reason that the SAFE services are available to students. Theres been plenty of robberies etc. in the paper recently, including one today. The services are available as a safety precaution that plenty of students use. I'm sure that plenty of students would prefer to have company while walking home late to at least allay the fear of something happening to them. As for the issue with SAFEride, shes absolutely right that there has to be limits - The University can't pay for EVERYONE to get a cab wherever they want to go without getting more funding somewhere. Lines have to be drawn somewhere. SAFEcab also isn't the only option at night - SAFEwalk covers a huge part of campus, and the busses are there too... there's many options available.

I think SAFEride is just another stupid program that feminists want the rest of us to pay for so that they can get free rides. They just don't want to have to pay for their transportation like the rest of us.
Get a life! And then get a car!

WOW!! Who prints this stuff?

First off you hit the nail on the head:

"I have never been in a situation where I was in dire need of a ride home, but there have been times I would have been more comfortable getting a ride."

The reason you can't get through when you call is that there are a lot of people who all want to be "comfortable" getting home.... and many of them probably happen to call shortly after 2am when all the bars let out. But isn't this a safety service? (huh...it's not just a clever name after all!) Problem is that you want comfort....but you don't want to pay for it....because if you were really concerned about your safety....you probably would pay for it.

"When I have actually gotten through and spoken with someone, I am either too far away, too close, too early or too late. There must be some special code word you have to say for them to come get you."

Maybe you should take a little time....put forth a tiny bit of effort....and find out the restrictions. The first time I called I didn't get a ride because of some rule....so I ASKED were I could find out what the rules are (i'm pretty sure there is a website) so I would KNOW. I haven't had a problem since then and I use safe cab all the time. The problem with you is that you want to just be able to call up and get a free cab whenever you want.....without having to know anything about how it works. Just like the first person said......take some responsibility and learn how it works before you complain about not being able to use it.

FYI.....if you or your friends are in danger of getting mugged.....call the police

whoever is writing these comments must be dudes who don't feel unsafe and have never had a friend get sexually assaulted on the way home. we are not feminists if we want an f-ing ride home. sometimes planning accordingly just doesn't work. if the university is going to spend money and provide this service then shouldn't someone get a ride once in a while? my advice to the a-holes who posted these comments is to get a girlfriend and then talk about if you feel these services are unnecessary. and to the loser who said, "who prints this?" i don't see you putting your name out there to be heard like joanna did, you are hiding under "ananymous" you little wuss. -i am not signing my name because i bet you are violent.

I happen to work for the SAFE services...and I will tell you a few things:

1) We are VERY busy with the new school year, and yes...getting through can be tricky. Why?? Because we have people calling to get their FREE ride that are legitimate, and we have people that call because it is convenient. So, my advice would be DON'T call when you are in a group of 3 or more, if you are going to the bars, or if it is 2 blocks but cold out. And if you DO get denied find out why, and don't argue with the dispatcher. They don't make the rules. We have too many people calling us back 3 or 4 times to try to pull the 'wool over our eyes' to get a free cab even when they don't qualify. This ties up the lines.

2. Guys use this program too, it isn't only women. So the feminist argument doesn't work.

3. This is a safety service made up of three cohesive components, ride, bus and walk. Please check out our website so you can see how they work, so when you call you know what is going on.

Finally, this is a very important service on campus. If it is used for the purpose it is meant to be used for (not because you don't want to walk home, it's cold or it's raining) the program should run smoothly.

The point is that people DO get rides if they pay attention to the restrictions of the service and use it correctly.

As far as the "Who Prints This" comment goes, you should realize that the things that this paper prints is a reflection of the people in charge. The person who wrote the article had no idea about any of rules about safe cab as was apparent by her story about always being too close, too far, and so on. She also admits that she has never NEEDED a cab for the intended use of the service, which is safety, and that her motivation was comfort. Then she goes on to whine about not being able to get a cab.

The point is that the writer obviously is in no position to write her opinion about something she knows nothing about and had no intention of using for it's intended purpose.

So I say "Who prints this" because if you choose to print whiny and ignorant articles, I'm going to question the editors ability to recognize shitty writing as well as their dedication to make a good paper.

All you can do is attack the fact that i'm not providing my name, because you can't attack the arguement. But you fail to provide your name.

You say "When I have actually gotten through and spoken with someone, I am either too far away, too close, too early or too late. There must be some special code word you have to say for them to come get you."

As far as the too far away goes, you may have been outside the zone to be eligible for a totally free ride, but you still could've used the service. You just would've had to paid for the portion outside the free zone. I once took SAFE Ride from downtown all the way to the far west side (where I was living at the time). Yeah, I had to pay for it, but I had a certain amount discounted for the time I was in the free zone.

So buck up and quit complaining. Or pool your money and take a real cab (they're not that expensive--certainly cheaper than drinks at some of the more expensive bars).