Parking lots

Another thread prompted this idea: tell us about your area's worst parking lots. Albuquerque's filled with them. I remember once parking at a Walgreen's where it was tight, but not too bad to pull into a slot, but when I tried to back out, I really needed a hinge in the middle of my truck. I had a helluva time and took a good 5 minutes just to extricate myself.

The same store had parking spaces bordering the entry and exit lanes. If you swooped into the parking lot when someone was backing out of a space, you had to wait.

I was fueling myself at Wendy's the other day and, after finishing, headed to my truck. Someone had parked an almost identical truck about 8 inches away from my driver's side.

I went back into Wendy's and loudly asked, "Who has a gold Ford Ranger? I can't get into my truck." After some hesitation, a woman admitted it was hers and moved it. Sheesh, some people.

Oh, that's easy: 99Ranch in El Cerrito. The lot is filled with tiny Chinese ladies driving very large cars (generally Mercedes) where they can barely see over the dash. Or maybe they can't. It's like playing Bumper Cars at the carnival. Frightening, but at the same time fascinating: the motion of all the cars seems to be random and unpredictable, so further study here might give some insights into Chaos Theory. I've contacted the researchers at nearby Berkeley.

There's a wonderful LA joke about Monterey Park, but I can't post it in public. And if you're not from LA, you won't understand it.

Parking lot? What's a parking lot? Is it anyway related to a traffic jam? Haven't seen any of those lately either.

The Palisades Mall in West Nyack, NY can be hell.

Any New Jersey parking lot is fair game.

In this state, if a driver can see you, by definition you can see them, and therefore they have the right of way.

I'm not sure it's the law, but it is certainly the culture.

A new shopping area on Hilltop Dr. (very congested steet) in Redding. Pizza parlor is open, not sure what else (I'm staying away) not even finished yet, and already paper is filled with stories about pizza parlor having to limit birthday parties to 1 1/2 hours, moms with kids having to cross busy street, dodge cars because of lack of parking. Across the street is a Mexican restaurant with an upscale kitchen shop next door. They literally had guards questioning folks as to where they were going to shop and heaven forbid if you took 1/2 of the other's parking space. It is called GREED! Parking spaces don't bring in money, retail does. Our little town of less than 100,000 in rural No. CA is getting too big city for most of us.
No attention is given to who is renting/leasing near who. The mentally is to just get the space filled. A huge new builing is going up next to a lovely restaurant near us. Nice quiet place, excellent service, great parking, very adult. I found out the new building is a skate board shop!

Oh, that's easy: 99Ranch in El Cerrito. The lot is filled with tiny Chinese ladies driving very large cars (generally Mercedes) where they can barely see over the dash. Or maybe they can't. It's like playing Bumper Cars at the carnival. Frightening, but at the same time fascinating: the motion of all the cars seems to be random and unpredictable, so further study here might give some insights into Chaos Theory. I've contacted the researchers at nearby Berkeley.

The 99 Ranch in Las Vegas is in a decent if overwrought asian shopping center. Small spots but large parking lot. No problems parking. I guess land prices are much better in Vegas. By the way if you ever get to Las Vegas, it's a great place to visit. One of the better oriental markets I've been to in the States. They even have fresh Durian in season.

Bad parking lot?

Try getting your car in and/or out of a Starbucks.



Yike!

Our local contribution to bad parking lots is Arden Fair Mall. Particularly around Christmas. It's a black hole of a lot - once your car gets in, it's extremely difficult to escape. Furthermore, there are too few spaces and the two multi-level garages are at the back of the place. It can take twenty minutes just to get to them and another half hour to discover there are no spaces in them. I rarely go there, but when I do I usually park a quarter of a mile away and walk in. No matter how bad the weather is.


Mike

Wendy's???

This is going to come back to haunt you, Larry!

Wendy's???

This is going to come back to haunt you, Larry!

Piffle. I live for danger.

Wendy's is far superior to McD's or BK. Their salads are great, their chili is great and their burgers ain't bad (I like the green chile cheeseburger). On top of that, they give free senior drinks (I always ask for a "geezer" drink), so my lunches there are usually about $2. Cheap and good fuel that's quick.

They even have fresh Durian in season.

If you're ever down around Fremont, the Lion market on Mission Boulevard (right between 680 and 880) also carries it. If you haven't been there, it's a terrific store. Parking lot is still far too small for the size and quantity of cars...

WENDY'S chicken breast sandwiches are tops with mayo and lettuce.

Any lot where my sedan is wedged between a Hummer and a Mountaineer, with an oversized van squeezed into a compact car space directly behind me!!!!!

Always seems the home improvement store parking lots are the worst. Never enough width or depth to the actual parking space (since most shoppers are not driving their Toyota Yaris sub-sub-compact). Add to that the occasional shopper who has stuff sticking out at an unusual angle of their SUV or pick-em-up, it just leaves little room for the rest of us (I am a mid-sized SUV owner). Oh - and if only people would do their best to fit their vehicle in the CENTER of the two white lines (I guess that is valid anywhere in the world) the world might be a nicer place to shop.

But, I also agree with the folks who hate to try to park at the mall(s) around the Holidays. Just ridiculous.

Mike

btw, which genius decided to make all traffic drive in front of the store (between the store and the parking lot), instead of coming in at the end of the parking lot furthest from the store? Seems like liability hell to me. Can't believe some lawyer out there hasn't gone after each and every (what did Larry call them.... Sprawl-Marts?) which feeds its traffic in this way.

MJC

btw, which genius decided to make all traffic drive in front of the store

Need to have a fire lane. It just also gets used as a driveway in most places.