Leaving cars in parking lots

[sam_gordon]

Are you comfortable leaving your car in a parking lot and going elsewhere? I don't know why, it makes me nervous. I've only done it a handful of times. One time, I met a coworker at a Target parking lot, she got in my car, we drove two hours to a job site, worked 10 hours, then drove two hours back.

Another time, a teacher met us in a Meijer parking lot for a multi-day field trip for our daughter (they were taking a bus) and she left her car there.

I guess you can talk to the company and see if it's OK, it just seems weird to me.

Both times, the left car was away from the entrances, so not like it was taking up a really necessary spot.

 

[kymom99]

I’ve taken charter bus trips where I left my car for a couple days. In those cases, I believe the bus company clears it with the owner of the parking lot. I wouldn’t think twice about leaving a car for less than 24 hours. I doubt anyone would even notice.

 

[kdonnel]

I wouldn't have a problem leaving my car in places like that. The parking lots are never full, you are not keeping the business or customers from anything.

 

[_19disnA]

If leaving it overnight could be an issue if the lot is in a sketchy neighborhood with things like vandalism/theft and once stores close it would be obvious you aren't still shopping there. Probably preferable to leave your car in someone's driveway who you are traveling with or in some sort of secured parking lot. If a parking lot that serves many stores and/or not overnight don't think that would be an issue.

 

[bcla]

I've never really left my car in a private parking lot/garage for anything like that. Certainly a parking garage or lot attached to a train or transit station. There are designated park and ride lots for that sort of thing.

One I was working in Silicon Valley and was taking a flight at San Jose Airport where I could take public transportation to get there. I left my car in the company parking lot for a few days. I mentioned it to someone at the front desk, just in case someone might have thought that it was an abandoned car. But the response I got was that I wouldn't get in trouble for it, but one concern would be if my car was vandalized.

 

[AuntieMe3]

I wouldn't leave it overnight but I don't have a problem leaving my car in a large parking lot.

 

[Kathryn Merteuil]

I have done it a number of times too... never for more than a few hours though. I always feel weird about it, but never had any problems.

 

[mrodgers]

We leave our cars in parking lots and leave on bicycles for a week+. Not much choice, I'm not going to bicycle 200 miles to the start of the bicycle trip.

 

[Mysterian]

Depends on the area and the parking lot. Some lots have security cams, but even if your car doesn't get vandalized or broken into, you never know if you'll get towed. The extreme case being the predatory towing that went on at a Detroit McDonalds, where customers were towed for no legitimate reason.

And then there's the nose in/nose out matter, which may not result in any damage to the car's body, but runs the risk of another multi-page thread.

Parking inside the store would be a better option, but an unavailable one. "C'est la vie," I say to myself, and then I shrug and get over it.

 

[GreatLakes]

Sure. I've met friends at central locations for road trips and left one car in a parking lot for various lengths of time including multiple days. We find big lots like grocery stores or Home Depot as opposed to small business lots and do so in areas that don't have a high rate of property crime but never really thought much more about it.

 

[SandyinMonterey]

We left our car in a parking lot (hotel) in San Francisco when we traveled. My husband hid somethings like his radar detector in the car. It was stolen, along with some other stuff. I know he hid it very well, so the thief really had to be looking around good and have time to do this.

 

[DisneyHardin]

I can't think of a time that I've left mine over night, but I've left it lots of times at places like Target or Wal-Mart and then carpooled with someone to an event or something.

 

[TDR32]

https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2022/9/12/23348752/grill-fire-dolphins-patriots-cars-nfl

 

[scrapquitler]

in parking garage or commuter lot, yes.
In a store parking lot or a mall parking lot, no.

 

[meggiebeth]

I wouldn’t leave a car overnight unless the parking was secure, but I’d absolutely leave the car during the day as long as the neighbourhood isn’t sketchy! People do this all the time locally - they will park in the supermarket’s car park for free and then head into the town centre to shop. As long as they’ve spent some money in the supermarket, they’re good!