The Little 500 is a rite of passage for IU students and the greater Bloomington, Indiana area. But it can be a costly weekend if you don’t take a few steps to protect yourself, your friends, and your rental house or apartment.
*** When in doubt, Help your Friends! ***
Of course you’d help, right? But when somethings amiss, will you freak out, or handle it? Even if you’re not sober?
Be vigilant. Call. Help. Stay! There is even a lifeline law in Indiana that protects you if you are underage and have been drinking but need to report an incident.
On with the list….
These 7 things can make for a fun and safe Little 500 weekend.
1. Please don’t abuse parking privileges.
Make sure that you do not block other vehicles or park in those areas that are designated as FIRE LANES or NO PARKING. Guests are not allowed to park their cars in our lots overnight or in fire lanes, on the grass etc. Please try to pick up your guests when possible, especially this week. You and your neighbors will want to be able to find a parking place. Please be considerate.
2. Be courteous to police.
Remember that every police officer will be on duty and patrolling this weekend. Police will hold you responsible for you and your guests. Respect can be the different between a warning, a ticket, or staying over in public facilities! Police won’t consider drunk, stupid, or drunk and stupid to be a ‘get out of jail free’ card. 🙂
3. Safeguard your home.
Please remember that you are responsible for any damages to the premises inside or out. This also means the common areas. Be smart. Keep things secure and under control before anything bad happens.
4. Please keep noise down.
This isn’t us. Its the law. Bloomington has a noise ordinance. Keeping windows and doors closed can help. Not playing music really loud–bass is really bad and travels a long way!–or having loud parties that disrupt neighbors will too. You and your neighbors have the right to the quiet enjoyment of your homes.
5. Pick up after yourselves.
Make sure all TRASH, including cigarette butts, is put into the trash bins. Residents will face clean up FEES from the city or maintenance crews, which will be a lot more than doing it yourselves. The city WILL be checking homes after the weekend, and they can fine you! Save $$. Keep it clean!
6. Be careful with barbecue grills
Kept 10 feet away from the building or any flammable structure. Failure to do so is a breach of the state fire code.
7. Use common sense.
In the end, having a safe and fun weekend is about making smart choices and socializing responsibly. Take care of yourselves, your guests, and your home, and enjoy the Little 5 weekend. For your safety, please keep your doors locked.
Remember you are responsible for your guests as well. If someone does something bad, gets hurt, gets arrested, breaks something, makes a mess, pukes on your bed, yuck, well, you, the folks whose home it is, are responsible too!
If you are having problems with a neighbor, we suggest calmly approaching them first. If that seems unsafe or unproductive, you can involve the police in the matter, especially if the problem involves safety, security, or the law. Afterwards, please let us know about the issue(s) you experienced so we can address them. We cannot control the legal behavior of adults, nor are we in a position to enforce the law, but we can communicate concerns and establish expectations so that everyone can experience the peaceful enjoyment of their homes or apartments.
Have fun and be safe!! — Elkins Apartments
