I understand that having dead space in a parking lot isnt good for business but the parking spaces here are getting smaller and smaller. Seems that they are designed for new beetles and honda civics. Im doing xmas shopping and my tires are parked on the white lines.i drove around and all the spots are the same size here.
shrinking parking spots
- Thread starter Chris142
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Its worse up here..some places have such narrow spots its definite that someone is opening their door onto yours..scratches dents etc..i have just given up trying to keep it nice..its sad really. I have to literally squeeze out of my car to get out since im extremely careful not to hit someone elses car..and i drive a corolla how sad is that?!?!?!
I know it sounds crazy, but we don't shop where the parking spaces put our car at risk for a ding. We are rather far from a COSTCO, but I joined because on a trip to see what it was like, I noticed the parking spaces were more generous than any I have seen lately. Signed up when I walked in, before we had a look round.
Witness the local food store. The spaces are unbelievably narrow. Surprising because many full size pickups, older domestic full size rear wheel drive sedans, and big vans are in use here. We save up our list and drive to the next town where there is a store with a reasonable parking lot. If I do have to get an item for the wimmens, I use two spaces. There is plenty of empty space in the lot and land around here is dirt cheap compared to almost anywhere else. Go figure.
To the extent merchants make the in store experience less enjoyable, they drive business to the internet.
Witness the local food store. The spaces are unbelievably narrow. Surprising because many full size pickups, older domestic full size rear wheel drive sedans, and big vans are in use here. We save up our list and drive to the next town where there is a store with a reasonable parking lot. If I do have to get an item for the wimmens, I use two spaces. There is plenty of empty space in the lot and land around here is dirt cheap compared to almost anywhere else. Go figure.
To the extent merchants make the in store experience less enjoyable, they drive business to the internet.
I thought that towns/cites set the minimum space required for parking spots and number of parking spaces for each type of busniess.
When the spots are that little I look until I find two side by side and park in the middle.
Take up the middle of 2 spots then , not your fault .
In my city a legal parking sport is 8 or 9 feet wide, I forget the exact width.
If you have a big truck, yeah they can get tight.
If you have a big truck, yeah they can get tight.
Some zoning laws require so many parking spots per square foot of floor space in the business.For example some venues require 130 or so parking spots for a Lowes/Home Depot type business.So,make them a little smaller and squeeze them in.Totally ignoring that some of the best selling vehicles are pickups/crossovers and larger cars...not Geo Metro/Chevy Spark sized cars.
I've noticed that they're shrinking around here too. Our local Walmart - for oil shopping of course, just expanded and repaved their lot. There are a lot more spaces but they are small. My truck is just under 18' and overhangs most of the spots by several feet.
Size requirements vary around here. One town nearby (not Walmart) requires 9x18 but if you have more than 10 in the lot you can make up to 25% of them 8x15. Of course there's usually one of those Smart things in the big spaces!
Basically I just park where I can and don't even try to get near a store. I also won't park so I have to back out of a spot if I can avoid it. I will back into one though.
Size requirements vary around here. One town nearby (not Walmart) requires 9x18 but if you have more than 10 in the lot you can make up to 25% of them 8x15. Of course there's usually one of those Smart things in the big spaces!
Basically I just park where I can and don't even try to get near a store. I also won't park so I have to back out of a spot if I can avoid it. I will back into one though.
We have some places around here with parking spots so small, my Focus barely fits!
I have noticed this too, and both my rides are either hard to park or hard to get out of since the Challenger is a 2 door (long doors) and the truck is an ext cab.
If I park my pickup in the parking lot of a business, and fear that there's an increased chance of it getting dinged, dented, or scratched.... then I'll just take my business elsewhere.
I've complained at businesses, and have done exactly that. The width of the parking spots in your lot make it difficult for me to park my truck out there. I'm sorry, but I'm taking my business elsewhere.
If businesses hear it enough, they'll do something about it.
I've complained at businesses, and have done exactly that. The width of the parking spots in your lot make it difficult for me to park my truck out there. I'm sorry, but I'm taking my business elsewhere.
If businesses hear it enough, they'll do something about it.
Originally Posted By: mrsilv04
If businesses hear it enough, they'll do something about it.
I wish you were right, but I'm afraid most people either don't care about their cars enough to worry about door dings etc, or they would feel foolish complaining. The other problem is that the level of management that could actually do something is never in the store and I doubt any low- or mid-level people would even bring the complaint to them. As long as the store's profits remain at the desired level, they simply don't care about you.
If businesses hear it enough, they'll do something about it.
I wish you were right, but I'm afraid most people either don't care about their cars enough to worry about door dings etc, or they would feel foolish complaining. The other problem is that the level of management that could actually do something is never in the store and I doubt any low- or mid-level people would even bring the complaint to them. As long as the store's profits remain at the desired level, they simply don't care about you.
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Its worse up here..some places have such narrow spots its definite that someone is opening their door onto yours..scratches dents etc..i have just given up trying to keep it nice..its sad really. I have to literally squeeze out of my car to get out since im extremely careful not to hit someone elses car..and i drive a corolla how sad is that?!?!?!
This is why I park in the back of the lot wherever I go. My family thinks Im nuts as I pass by all the super close spots but my car looks good at almost 8 years old.
Its worse up here..some places have such narrow spots its definite that someone is opening their door onto yours..scratches dents etc..i have just given up trying to keep it nice..its sad really. I have to literally squeeze out of my car to get out since im extremely careful not to hit someone elses car..and i drive a corolla how sad is that?!?!?!
This is why I park in the back of the lot wherever I go. My family thinks Im nuts as I pass by all the super close spots but my car looks good at almost 8 years old.
Originally Posted By: gregk24
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Its worse up here..some places have such narrow spots its definite that someone is opening their door onto yours..scratches dents etc..i have just given up trying to keep it nice..its sad really. I have to literally squeeze out of my car to get out since im extremely careful not to hit someone elses car..and i drive a corolla how sad is that?!?!?!
This is why I park in the back of the lot wherever I go. My family thinks Im nuts as I pass by all the super close spots but my car looks good at almost 8 years old.
I find that when I park far away (which I do) it plants a sort of "car seed" that others find it necessary to park near.
Originally Posted By: Rolla07
Its worse up here..some places have such narrow spots its definite that someone is opening their door onto yours..scratches dents etc..i have just given up trying to keep it nice..its sad really. I have to literally squeeze out of my car to get out since im extremely careful not to hit someone elses car..and i drive a corolla how sad is that?!?!?!
This is why I park in the back of the lot wherever I go. My family thinks Im nuts as I pass by all the super close spots but my car looks good at almost 8 years old.
I find that when I park far away (which I do) it plants a sort of "car seed" that others find it necessary to park near.
Every spot in this lot was taken. I had to keep cruising around until one opened up. Wasnt any empty spots anywhere
I either find a spot I feel won't get my doors dinged or I shop somewhere else. Although I am fortunate (?) to have a handicap tag, I rarely use the designated spots due to the fact most of them are right at the front door and the main walkway into the stores.....simply an invitation for shopping carts and stuff to get dragged against the sides.
Down here, there was (is???) an Australian standard that was supposed to have been followed setting up a carpark...
It's gone out the window obviously, as loading kids in and out is becoming more and more problematic (not for me, just observation).
My wheelchair bound sister used to be able to exit her car in a pinch in a standard spot...not anymore.
It's gone out the window obviously, as loading kids in and out is becoming more and more problematic (not for me, just observation).
My wheelchair bound sister used to be able to exit her car in a pinch in a standard spot...not anymore.
I have not noticed this, but then again, I drive an Escort.
The parking spots seem fine here in Jacksonville, FL, Thank God!
There are some places that have specific "Compact" marked parking spots, where you normally see tiny cars squeezed in (and the occasional SUV that rams between two smart cars and clearly had to get out through the trunk because there's no room to even open your door!).
Sucks for you guys that are struggling with tiny spaces.
There are some places that have specific "Compact" marked parking spots, where you normally see tiny cars squeezed in (and the occasional SUV that rams between two smart cars and clearly had to get out through the trunk because there's no room to even open your door!).
Sucks for you guys that are struggling with tiny spaces.
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