The glorious time stamp that all North Atlanta students anxiously watch the clock for all day: 3:45. When that bell rings at a quarter ‘til four, students are finally released from their school day shackles, free to do as they please. However, as of recently, a new bump in the road has disrupted the smooth dismissal of the driving Dubs: the chaos of the parking deck.

Now it’s no secret that NAHS has a large driving population. With over 300 (impatient) students whipping through four levels of parking spots, it’s not surprising that a pandemonium has started. Yet this disorder is like no other. From never-ending long lines to tapped bumpers, the parking deck mayhem continues to stifle the departure of the Dubs.

A likely contributing cause to the chaos is the mass number of rookies newly immersed in the driving world. The poor skills of these driving newbies make us all wonder how they even passed their test. As for the seasoned drivers, dealing with the amateurs can be aggravating. “The parking deck is so annoying,” said junior Olivia Roth. “It takes the cake as the worst part of my day, even more than the mountain of homework I have to do when I finally get home.”

For the veteran seniors, this situation is exceptionally frustrating, especially considering many park in the rooftop spots. What might be more frustrating, however, is trying to get the new drivers to understand the deck routine. Many have expressed their feelings through means of the school-wide Warrzone GroupMe. “We’ve tried to tell people what to do to make the line go faster, but they just won’t listen,” said senior Ava Granot. “I don’t understand what’s so hard about it.”

The biggest challenge in this scramble to leave is beating the long lines of traffic. Some students wait in line for what seems like hours, just to be met with more traffic at the Northside traffic light. This backup only leads to honking horns and angry students. “It’s a total mess,” said junior Lindsay Vicens. “I full-on sprint down from the eleventh floor, and still can never seem to get out of the parking deck fast enough.”

Thankfully, some students have realized some smart solutions to escape quicker. Hacks such as backing into a parking spot and parking on lower levels have helped many in their hasty departures. Hopefully, we can steer away from this car craze soon, keeping the traffic in check and the Dubs on their way out of the deck.