Off-Campus/Commuter Tips

    • Helpful off-campus/commuter tips from the URI Student Senate:
      • Make sure to take count of all the damages the house has received before signing the lease.
      • A lease is a contract and you do not have to agree to everything in the lease.  You can always try to modify things with the agent.  If you don’t like the lease just walk away.
      • Make sure you choose the right roommates. Will they be able afford the monthly payments? Will they live there for the duration of the lease? If a roommate leaves and moves out of Rhode Island during the school year, you will have to pay their part of the rent.
      • Ask your realtor/landlord: What is the likelihood that I will receive my security deposit back? (Percentage of tenants that have received their security deposits in the past.)
      • If you have any problems with landlords or agents.  It’s a good idea to call your parents they can really help.
      • Remember to leave your heat on during the winter break! Your pipes will freeze! Frozen pipes = bad things happen.  Recommended temperature is 62 degrees.
      • Ways to be a good neighbor:
        • Introduce yourself to your neighbors and give them our phone number.  Make sure you establish good relations with your neighbor and let them contact you if they have any issues with you or your house, instead of them calling the police.
        • Volunteer! If you have the time! It’s a great way to get involved in the community.  Look at these links for more information:
      • Use the resources below and the student senate to help you with your landlord problems!
      • Student Senate offers free legal advice and has a free notary services.
        • Room 201 in the Memorial Union
        • Call 401-874-2261 to schedule a meeting time for legal advice.
        • Hours of operation:

Monday 8:30 am – 5 pm
Tuesday 8:30 am – 5 pm
Wednesday 8:30 am – 5 pm
Thursday 8:30 am – 4:30 pm
Friday 8:30 am – 2:30 pm

Jet take-off (at 25 meters)

150

 Eardrum rupture
Aircraft carrier deck

140

  
Military jet aircraft take-off from aircraft carrier with afterburner

130

  
Thunderclap, chain saw.

120

 Painful
Steel mill, live rock music.

110

  Average human pain threshold
Jet take-off, power lawn mower, motorcycle, farm tractor, jackhammer, garbage truck.

100

 Serious ear damage possible
Boeing 737 or DC-9 aircraft before landing

90

 Likely damage in 8 hour exposure
Garbage disposal, dishwasher, average factory, freight train.

80

 Possible damage in 8 hour exposure
Passenger car at 65 mph, radio or TV-audio, vacuum cleaner

70

 Upper 70s are annoyingly loud to some people.
Conversation in restaurant, office, background music, air conditioning

60

 Fairly quiet
Quiet suburb, conversation at home.

50

  
Library, bird calls

40

  
Quiet rural area

30

 Very Quiet
Whisper, rustling leaves

20

  
Breathing

10

 Barely audible
    • Information provided by Purdue University.
  • Possession of alcohol under 21 years old:
  • 1st Offense: Mandatory minimum fine – $200
  • 2nd Offense: Mandatory minimum fine – $350
  • 3rd Offense: Mandatory minimum fine – $500
    • According to the RI General Law, any person who has not reached his 21st birthday cannot operate a motor vehicle that contains alcoholic beverages.
  • Orange Stickers:
    • First intervention minimum mandatory $300 fine.
    • Second intervention minimum mandatory $400 fine and a minimum of 25 hours Community Service.
    • Third and subsequent intervention minimum mandatory $500 fine minimum of 50 hours Community Service.
  • David’s Pickard’s Party Advice:
    • Designate 3 or 4 sober risk managers (no alcohol, no drugs) whose duty is to keep things under control. They are responsible for monitoring noise levels inside and outside, cutting off guests who are clearly drunk, keeping uninvited guests out (most problems are caused by uninvited guests!) and making sure no guest attempts to drive under the influence.
    • Give neighbors a heads up about the party and your phone number. Tell them you have assigned designated risk managers and ask them to call you if there’s a problem. It’s better if they call you first, and not the police.
    • Have a guest list and stick to it. If there are more than a dozen, it may be impossible to control noise levels or the behavior of guests. Don’t advertise the party on social media. It’s asking for trouble.
    • Obey local parking regulations.  Many problems arise from simply having too many cars outside. Stay off lawns. Don’t block driveways.  It is illegal to park overnight on most roads in Narragansett.  So, make sure cars park either in the driveway or somewhere legal away from the road. Consider a designated driver as a “shuttle.”
    • Don’t collect money for alcohol (or the cups it’s in). It’s illegal.
    • Don’t provide alcohol to minors or allow them to drink on your rented property. Each is a felony.
    • Discourage drinking games. Alcohol’s not a toy. Drinking games are dangerous.
    • Don’t be afraid to call the police yourself if the party gets out of control — or an ambulance if someone is sick, injured or passed out. It’s the right thing to do.

 

  • What to do if the police show up:
    • One rule, go talk to them and be polite.

 

Drinking in Public:

  1. $100 Fine
  2. $100‐$200 Fine, and/or 30 Hours of Community Service (CS)

 

Misstatement of Age:

  1. $100 ‐ $500 Fine, and/or 30 Hours CS, and 30 day Loss of License
  2. $500‐$700 Fine, and/or 40 Hours CS, and 3 months Loss of License

 

Consuming Alcohol by Minor:

  1. $100‐$750 Fine, 30 hours CS and 60 Day Loss of Driver’s License
  2. $300‐$750 Fine, 30 Hours CS, 60 day loss of Driver’s License and/or Substance Abuse Counseling

 

Possession of Alcohol by Minor:

  1. $100‐$750 Fine, 30 hours CS and 60 Day Loss of Drivers License
  2. $300‐$750 Fine, 30 Hours CS, 60 day loss of Drivers License and/or Substance Abuse Counseling

 

Transportation of Alcohol by a Minor:

  1. Up to $250 Fine + loss of Drivers License up to 30 days
  2. Up to $500 Fine + loss of license up to 90 days

 

Do not transport alcohol with a minor in your vehicle! Even if the driver is 21 or older.

 

Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

  1. License suspended for 1‐6 months and/or fine of $100 to $300; 10 to 60 hours of community service; a course on driving while intoxicated and/or alcohol or drug treatment and/or up to 1 year in jail.
  2. Subsequent offenses have increasing penalties.

 

Driving While Impaired (DWI – 18 to 21)/(Blood Alcohol Content at least .02% but less then .10%):

  1. 1st Offense: License suspended for 1‐3 months, a fine of $250, 30 hours of community service, attendance at a course “Driving While Intoxicated” (District Court Judge’s discretion); take part in an alcohol‐drug treatment program (District Court Judge’s discretion). Subsequent offenses have increasing penalties.

 

Penalties for refusal to submit to a chemical test:

  1. OVER 21 – Same as those for DUI/DWI
  2. UNDER 21 – Same as over 21 with a six‐month license suspension

 

Purchasing/Procuring Alcohol for Minor:

  1. $350‐$1000 Fine and/or Up to 6 months in Jail

 

Permit To Possess Kegs Required:

  1. Up to $500 Fine and/or up to 30 days in jail

 

Disturbing the Peace/Loud Parties:

  1. Up to $500 Fine (Per Renter)
  2. Up to $500 Fine and/or 20 Hours CS
  3. 3.Up to $500 Fine and/or 30 Hours CS

 

Disorderly Conduct:

  1. Up to 6 Months in Jail, and or Up to $500 Fine Failure to Disperse. Up to $500 Fine
  2. Up to $500 Fine and/or 20 Hours CS Noise Ordinance – Ch.22 Sec.22
  • A person who recklessly, knowingly, or intentionally
    • Engages in fighting or in tumultuous conduct
    • Makes unreasonable noise and continues to do so after being asked to stop; or
    • Disrupts a lawful assembly of persons
  • Source: Wikipedia.org