March marks my one-month anniversary with Zipcar. It seems like it was only yesterday I was constantly gazing upon the fuel-efficient beauties and daydreaming about the many trips we’d take together.

Finally one day, I got up the nerve to file the online paperwork in my dorm room to become a member of the eco-friendly Zipcar community.

Once I paid my $25 discounted membership fee, clicked the submit button and later received my card for Zipcar in the mail, I instantly felt an internal happiness and a sense of the ‘I can do it myself’ attitude that I had longed for since I sold my Honda three months prior.

In the beginning I got used to deciding where I wanted to go and then would call Zipcar, who would instantly book the rental. I still could not believe it but I was paying on average $8 an hour to have the freedom to go grocery shopping, go to doctor’s appointments and literally anywhere I wanted to.

I even started using the car for the occasional, ‘Oh, I’m late for work,’ and have a friend drop me off at work in the Zipcar. Yes, things seemed great for a while.

Then I noticed that Zipcar members were not utilizing the services properly, causing frustration to drivers, such as myself, who would like to continue to utilize the Zipcar rental service.

The most recent incident occurred last week when I was taking my friend to an appointment. We arrived to a Zipcar with a gas tank that could just make it down Harder Road to the nearest gas station for a full tank fill up with the Zipcar gas card.

Having already been irritated that I was now the one left with the task of filling up the tank, my frustration only built up more with the loud head banger music that blared through the speakers as I turned the attached Zipcar key in the ignition. Did I mention it was 7:30 in the morning?

When looking through Zipcar’s policy section of their membership booklet, it says it is more of a courtesy to other drivers to turn down the music before exiting the vehicle.

After arriving at the gas station and managing to figure out the functions of the Zipcar gas card, my friend ended up missing his appointment time. Although there was some minor traffic congestion, the lack of common courtesy from the other Zipcar member contributed to it as well.

I have also faced problems with the Zipcar when other members return the car late. In the past, I’ve been able to just extend my rental hours to make up for the time lost. But recently there seems to be an increase in demand for the services, which denies me the ability to extend my rental hours to compensate for the driver before me bringing the car back late.

For example, after the end of a long serving night at Olive Garden on the eve of St. Patrick’s Day, a few co-workers and I decided to go out and celebrate. I rented a Zipcar for one hour, but due to another driver’s late arrival, and lack of knowledge as to the process of exiting a Zipcar (slide your own card across the sensor located on the car windshield in order to lock the car and end your rental), I was not able to complete my hour rental and was forced to forfeit my final half hour. Although the late member received a $50 fee, and I received a reimbursement for my final thirty minutes, this did not make up for the time lost.

As a server who had just finished a six-hour shift, I wanted to go out with my co-workers and relax for the holiday. I was highly upset.

There should be a harsher penalty, such as suspension, for members who constantly return the car late, to ensure that those members who use the service properly are not being punished for the mistakes of others.

Although there are major issues around Zipcar, I do want to address the fact that they are a good cause and service to students.

What unfortunately makes the service bittersweet is a lack of responsibility and respect on the part of students who use the service.