Organizations and Markets

Best Part About Winning a Nobel Prize at Berkeley

17 October 2009 at 4:54 pm Peter G. Klein Leave a comment

| Peter Klein |

I might not believe it if I hadn’t seen these parking spaces — in very choice locations — with my own eyes. (Thanks to Peter H. for the link.)

The spaces are marked with special signs that read: “Reserved For NL/Special Permit Required At All Times.” That “NL,” of course, stands for Nobel laureate.

Physics professor George Smoot, who won the Nobel Prize in 2006, said there’s a catch to the permit: It’s free, but it’s not automatically renewed each year. Some of Berkeley’s Nobel laureates have let their permits lapse.

“It’s a temporary permit,” Smoot explained. “You’ve got to renew it every year — like your Nobel laureate’s going to go away, or something! And so, twice now I’ve gotten tickets because I didn’t, you know, remember to renew it on time.”

But Williamson says a little paperwork will not discourage him from getting the permit.

“I think it ought to be automated, but apply if I must, apply I will,” he said.

Entry filed under: - Klein -, Ephemera.