[N4LP]

I think they often put compact spaces because many cities require a certain number of parking spaces per sq. foot of building and this allows them to hit that parking spot number in less space. Regardless, I get a kick out of people who would probably sell their first born just to be a couple hundred feet closer to the door. If I have the option (a lot of times in city parking lots you don't) I just head to whatever part of the lot is wide open and then walk - hasn't killed me yet.

[Gregg702]

Originally Posted by N4LP

I think they often put compact spaces because many cities require a certain number of parking spaces per sq. foot of building and this allows them to hit that parking spot number in less space. Regardless, I get a kick out of people who would probably sell their first born just to be a couple hundred feet closer to the door. If I have the option (a lot of times in city parking lots you don't) I just head to whatever part of the lot is wide open and then walk - hasn't killed me yet.

I do that, and when I come out, there is usually someone parked right next to me, a little closer to my car than I would like. The rest of the spaces around us are empty, of course.

[droidfire]

Originally Posted by AudiGregg

I do that, and when I come out, there is usually someone parked right next to me, a little closer to my car than I would like. The rest of the spaces around us are empty, of course.

It's funny how the wind always blows my door open when that happens, must be how it gets funneled through that tight space between the cars.

When there are plenty of spaces around, and out in no mans land in the lot, it's definitely a good idea to leave an empty space between the vehicles.

That wind gets up to speed over all that empty space, then gets some force behind it when channeled through a tight space, like between two cars.

I usually (read:always) end up having to open both my front and back doors on that side, too. Must just be dumb luck.

[ShallNotBeInfringed]

I'm lucky to find a place to park anywhere!

[DanaT]

My parking is different. I look for a spot that has an island/wall/physical barrier on one side. This means I can park close to that and it won't open the door into my car. Also, it won't back out while talking on a phone and side swipe my whole car and drive off. Parking this close also normally means if someone parks next to me they have a lot o extra room.

Next I like to have the other side empty and far enough away from an entrance that 99.8% of the other people are too lazy to walk that far. Occasionally Greg parks next to me, but I think he strategically picks his spot because he sees that I park in manner to avoid people giving my car door dings / other parking damage so he figures I am pretty safe to park next too.

If I cannot find an empty space that meets the above requirements, I find the most expensive car to park next too. I assume they don't want their car damaged and I therefore have less risk of having mine damaged.

So which GTers own those cars pictured in the thread?

Between these


Posted using Outdoor Hub Campfire

[9jeeps]

Sometimes I step on the red lines in the WalMart stores. Once my wife (accidently) ran her cart through a 25 item lane with the permission of the cashier, too.

Dang it was fun!!!

[mixflip]

Squeeze some super glue in the locks.

[AK_Stick]

Originally Posted by N4LP

I think they often put compact spaces because many cities require a certain number of parking spaces per sq. foot of building and this allows them to hit that parking spot number in less space. Regardless, I get a kick out of people who would probably sell their first born just to be a couple hundred feet closer to the door. If I have the option (a lot of times in city parking lots you don't) I just head to whatever part of the lot is wide open and then walk - hasn't killed me yet.

Thats fine in Seattle WA.


Come to Anchorage AK, in February with a -22 free air temp, and 30 mph wind speed, and I bet you'll park right up front with everyone else.

Even when you're bundled up its no fun.

[AK_Stick]

Originally Posted by WarCry

I'm not sure about the PX, but any other store, it's private property. They can set whatever parking restriction they like, and if your vehicle gets towed, that on you for disregarding the rights of that property owner.


Back many, many years ago, I worked for a small local business. We had probably a dozen parking spots (and had 5 employees), so every space was needed. There were signs that said parking was only for our shop, and that violators may be towed. We were right next door to the recruiters' offices.

I don't recall having anyone towed (the signs said "may") when they would park in our lot and go into the recruiters. Instead, what we did was take a 1/3rd sized sheet of paper with a message "politely" reminding them that they were parking in a private business lot. Then we would put that note on their windshield, facing inward, and secured with heavy-duty packing tape. It was NOT on the paint, just on the glass.


Private businesses have the right to post up any kind of limited parking they want. But I guess some folks just feel they're more important than silly "rules" and rights of property owners and they'll just do whatever the hell they want anyway.

I understand that, and in AK, the only place that does it, is the BX/PX/Commissary. In that parking lot, they can't tow me at all, so I'll park anywhere I please, except the handicapped, and designated parking for GO/SGM/COL spots and the expectant mother parking spots.

I'm certainly not parking an extra 200+ feet down the line, because I'm driving my pickup, and not my TDI econobox.

[Hummerbike]

I've seen this guy double parked somewhere every time I have gone into the garage. One of these days I'm gonna set his car on fire.

A little pepper spray on the door handle might be fun.

[HerrGlock]

I used to have fun with those. My '71 Duster still had the sticker price under the rear seat and it is honest to goodness listed as a "compact" so those spaces are legitimately used by my car.

If you think parking close to a 40 year old car is going to deter the driver from opening those llloooonnnngggg doors just because the paint might get dinged, think again. I'll make reasonable attempts to avoid it but if it hits and the car settles after the door is good and in contact, oh well. It IS a compact, get over it.

[N4LP]

Originally Posted by AK_Stick

Thats fine in Seattle WA.

Come to Anchorage AK, in February with a -22 free air temp, and 30 mph wind speed, and I bet you'll park right up front with everyone else.

Even when you're bundled up its no fun.

I'm sure that's true and I want no part of it. There are times when there's a legit reason to want/need to be close but I bet even in the summer you have your fare share of otherwise able Alaskans jockeying for spots near the door when the entire back half of the parking lot is wide open. People get weird about it.

I just figure every extra step I have to take is 1 less step worth of exercise I have to do later. I even generally walk to stores and restaurants rather than drive. It's 1-6 miles roundtrip, and up to 400 feet of elevation gain depending on the destination. Get a chore done and get some exercise done in one go. I used to not like living on top of a hill until I changed the way I thought about it. Some people pay good money to trudge on a stair stepper in the gym, I just get that as part of my weekly shopping.

[N4LP]

Originally Posted by HerrGlock

I used to have fun with those. My '71 Duster still had the sticker price under the rear seat and it is honest to goodness listed as a "compact" so those spaces are legitimately used by my car.

If you think parking close to a 40 year old car is going to deter the driver from opening those llloooonnnngggg doors just because the paint might get dinged, think again. I'll make reasonable attempts to avoid it but if it hits and the car settles after the door is good and in contact, oh well. It IS a compact, get over it.

I will purposely not park next to 70s "coupes" just for that reason. My buddy had a 77 Thunderbird when we were growing up. Doors were about 5 feet long and must of weighed a couple hundred pounds. It was a land barge.

[Bren]

Originally Posted by douggmc

I take special joy in parking in specially "designated" spots (not handicapped) like that.

Particularly like the ones marked "employee of the month" at Best Buy. Excuse me? Who is the customer? The employees can park out in BFE spaces and walk.

Another favorite parking spot of mine is at my local shopping mall where there are like 10 spots right up front marked "family parking" with stupid little signs of a minivan with stick figures of a mom getting her children out.

I've seen some places, like our local Walmart, with "pregnant customer parking". A while back, my wife and I realized that (a) they can't say for sure she's not pregnant, (b) pregnant women need exercise and (c) we have little sympathy for the breeders.

[DrMaxit]

[Flying-Dutchman]

Originally Posted by devildog2067

I've seen this guy double parked somewhere every time I have gone into the garage. One of these days I'm gonna set his car on fire.

It looks like a rental so the driver does not care.

[JohnBT]

"Must just be dumb luck."

More like just plain dumb.

I agree with the post that the compact parking spots are used to increase the number of spaces to meet zoning regs or simply to maximize the number of spaces that will fit - more customers, more money. Mandated handicapped spaces take up a lot of expensive real estate, and compact spaces gain some of it back.

Or maybe they just do it for laughs to see who has an attitude problem.

[filthy infidel]

What gets me is the prima-donna queens who park in the fire lane at the grocery store, usually right across the crosswalk. I will go out of my way and pick up a nice big stack of apartment finders or what not and then place them all under the wipers. I trained a ******nozzle with a gold 'burban, two loads of magazines and how he parks where he should.

[pipedreams]

Originally Posted by Flying-Dutchman

It looks like a rental so the driver does not care.

Not sure about that but it certainly appears to be a GM bail out car.

[RimfireMan]

Originally Posted by N4LP

I think they often put compact spaces because many cities require a certain number of parking spaces per sq. foot of building and this allows them to hit that parking spot number in less space. Regardless, I get a kick out of people who would probably sell their first born just to be a couple hundred feet closer to the door. If I have the option (a lot of times in city parking lots you don't) I just head to whatever part of the lot is wide open and then walk - hasn't killed me yet.

I suspect some of the posters here could use a little extra exercise rather than shoehorn their big trucks into tiny parking spaces.

[devildog2067]

Originally Posted by 223Carbine

Well howdy from Texas.

Howdy.

This is my first post here

Using your first post to declare that you're a rude a-hole is a bold move.

but I do want to say that I think those compact car spaces are BS. Why would anyone redesignate spaces as compact.

A number of potential reasons have been floated in this thread. More to the point, though, this is a private parking garage. The private property owner can do what they like. It doesn't matter what the reason is.

A good many people drive larger cars or trucks. Are they not good citizens/customers too?

Does being excluded from compact car parking spaces really hurt your feelings that much?

I view them as another BS attempt by the political left to get us all to drive small cars. It is an attempt to manipulate people.

"It is an attempt to manipulate people" in the same way as telling your guests that they can't take a dump on the floor in your living room. It's private property. The owner makes the rules.

I say BS to the whole thing and just take 2 of the puny spaces.

Noted, I'll make sure to take a dump in your living room sometime.

[devildog2067]

Originally Posted by Flying-Dutchman

It looks like a rental so the driver does not care.

It's not. Note that I said I've seen that car in the garage every time I park. Also, the black sticker is the sticker of a local Chevy dealer. Not every Malibu is a rental car.

[devildog2067]

Originally Posted by jame

I have been known to pull up real tight to the drivers side, so our mirrors just miss by "this" much, and park it. And leave it.

I don't want to get my car dinged up.

[OctoberRust]

Originally Posted by DrMaxit

Really? I could see someone parking that way with a nice car, but a friggin honda?! A HONDA?!
It's so funny watching civic owners think they have a Ferrari.... Ricers.

[racer11]

Originally Posted by devildog2067

I drive to work on average maybe ~2x per week. Sometimes I take the train, sometimes I work from home, sometimes I don't go into the office because I'm on the road at a client.

When I do drive to work, I always park at the same parking garage, so I've been seeing the same cars for a couple of years now. The garage is 10 stories and is never ever full, but the spaces near the elevator on the low floors do fill up fairly quickly.

Half of those spaces are "compact car" spaces. Every day, they're full (2 cars per 3 spaces on average, since they don't fit) of Honda Pilots, Jeep Grand Cherokees, minivans, full-size sedans like Tauruses--everything but cars that actually fit between the lines. These are pretty small spaces, even a large-ish domestic sedan like a Chevy Malibu doesn't really fit.

I've seen this guy double parked somewhere every time I have gone into the garage. One of these days I'm gonna set his car on fire.

The car to the left is doing no better,,,it is crowded over forcing the car is question to take up the other spot.