Car bash crashes a day early

It seemed like a good idea. Just a bunch of frenzied Quaker fans smashing the dickens out of a 1974 Ford Maverick decked out in Princeton colors the day before Homecoming. The Junior Class Board bought the old car, painted it Princeton orange and black (with an eloquent "Penn Sucks" scrawled across the back) and parked it outside Steinberg-Dietrich Hall. The idea was to drum up spirit by having students take turns assaulting the car with a sledgehammer as part of today's Skimmer Day festivities. Unfortunately for Junior Class President Jason Diaz and other Skimmer Day organizers, University Police were a little less thrilled with the idea. Despite organizers' best efforts, the car was towed yesterday for being a potential danger to University students. "We thought we did everything right," said Skimmer Day Co-Chairperson Jerome Schneider, a College junior. "We got official permission from Physical Plant, from the University. People loved the idea." But University Police said smashing the car could cause students injury and proper procedure had not been followed. Diaz, a Wharton junior, said getting the car was a bureaucratic and organizational nightmare. "This was the first time ever someone tried doing something like this, so we weren't sure what the proper channels were," he said. "We thought we had everything covered." Schneider, Diaz and Co-Chairperson Kiyam Poulson bought the car from a used car salesman in North Philadelphia for $275. After painting the car in the parking lot of Sigma Chi fraternity and obtaining what they thought was sufficient permission from administrators, they attempted to drive it down Locust Walk Wednesday to Steinberg Dietrich, where it was to remain until Friday. That's when their troubles began. Students, thinking they were Princeton fans, began berating them. "One guy threatened to come back with a baseball bat to bash our heads in," Schneider recalled. More importantly, police started coming out of the woodwork, lights flashing and sirens blaring. "When we got to the crest of the Locust Walk bridge, all these policemen came from every direction," said Diaz. "Two hours, three tickets and four police cars later we were finally able to explain our side of the story." The first band of policemen was convinced no evil would come from the car, agreeing to escort it down the Walk. The problem arose the next day, when more police were consulted and decided the car was simply too dangerous. According to police, there is a way to safety-proof the car, Diaz said, but by then it was too late. "There was some miscommunication between us and police officials," he said. The car was impounded for illegal parking and lack of registration. As a result, Diaz must now appear in court. Wharton junior Tim Blake said he is upset by what happened. "I think the events that transpired clearly exhibit the complete lack of communication within the [University] bureaucracy," he said. Wharton junior Sam Rivera is equally disturbed. "I feel greatly distressed that my day's work painting the car was done in vain considering I could have been studying for the two exams I failed the next day," he said. Despite everything, Diaz said he still has high hopes for Skimmer Day. "Sledgehammering the Tigermobile appealed to everyone, regardless of race or religion, but there'll be other opportunities to have fun," Diaz said. "They took the car away, but the spirit remains."

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