My parking lot vents for the day.

[Nancy]

All of this happened on my way to work today...I was driving through a big lot that houses 3 different mini plazas and connects to the road I use to get to work. First complaint...people that just walk across the road to get to a store without looking...and they were not in a crosswalk....and proceeded to walk very slowly. Not due to handicap, that I don't mind...but because they were hanging all over each other and didn't care that I was waiting for them to cross. I usually step it up a notch when a car has been nice enough to wave me across.

2nd vent...people that will park their car and wait for another person to leave. Today...not super busy in our lot..but a car stopped to wait while someone unloaded their groceries...and they blocked both directions of traffic...if you want to wait because maybe you can't walk distances, thats fine...but pull over a bit so cars can get around. And of course I was stuck behind that car. Finally they park and I get to drive..only to have a couple with 2 small children walking down the middle of the driving lane, not over to the side, but smack dab down the middle! Cars coming from both directions and they didn't move over at all..until one of the other drivers started beeping at them. (I couldn't beep, I was in uniform and didn't want a complaint against me)

And my last vent is those cars that drive across the lot going over marked parking spaces instead of using the designated roadways. I have to park on the far side of the lot and almost got hit today by a person cutting across and driving way to fast. He had the nerve to yell at me to stay out of the way! I was walking where I should have been...he was driving over marked parking spaces.

ok vent over

 

[JESW]

I hear ya! I hate parking lots! I almost got side-swiped in K-Mart's parking lot the other day. I was going down the designated aisle when a young girl talking with her friend and NOT paying attention to her driving came driving right acroos several lanes of parking spaces. Not once did she even look up...even when she passed right in front of me. Good thing I was looking....

Jill

 

[MeanLaureen]

I was just talking to Matt about this the other day!

It seems like all manners people used to have in parking lots have flown out the window - plus pedestrians in parking lots almost seem to be daring people to hit them!

I remember when you used to be walking down a row to your car you stay to the side and if a car was backing out, you waited and didn't walk behind them. Now its right down the center and if a car is backing out, they will walk right behind it, even if it is 3/4s of the way out of the space by the time they reach it.

I also hate the row sitters that don't care that they are blocking traffic from here to the end of the parking lot because they won't take that space 5 spaces down - they want THAT space!

Also during busy times, the drivers that drive on your heels following you from the store so they can claim your space! I hate that! At Christmas time I am so mean. I purposely walk down another aisle if someone is tailing me and then cut across when I get to the row my car is in... I know, I'm mean

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by MeanLaureen
Also during busy times, the drivers that drive on your heels following you from the store so they can claim your space! I hate that! At Christmas time I am so mean. I purposely walk down another aisle if someone is tailing me and then cut across when I get to the row my car is in... I know, I'm mean

That's not mean.

My brother and I will go out to our car (with one or 2 cars following us of course), open the trunk, put in our bags, stand there and smoke a cigaratte, then walk back into the mall.

And there will always be a car still sitting there with a blinker on waiting for our spot. heheheh

I have to disagree with the pedestrians crossing a roadway - even if it's not a designated crosswalk...they DO have the right of way...regardless of how fast/slow they are walking, they still have the right of way. (although I do not like those people that push their grocery carts down the middle of a parking lot aisle...stick to one side at least!

 

[powellrj]

gotta add mine to the list. People that don't straighten out their car after they park it. They pull in crooked which makes the spaces on either side of them useless. The ones I saw yesterday weren't new or nice cars afraid they were going to get dinged (which still annoys me) These were big ole cars people were just too lazy to park the right way.

 

[Talking Hands]

My pet peeve is people who use the area hatched next to handicapped parking spot meant for a person with a lift van as a parking spot.

People who leave animals in their cars or heaven forbid a child while they just run in for a minute. It is hot and pets and children can die this way.

People who back out while you are behind them. I don't mean one that was already backing out and I walk behind them. No they wait to back out until I am behind them then start to move the car.

People that block you in while they run to the ATM. Geez find a parking spot!

 

[spb999]

A lot of annoying things listed here, but I have to disagree on the holiday parking .....as long as they are not running me over I don't mind them scoping out the situation....sometimes I catch someone looking for a space and wave them over or wave them off if I'm not leaving.....finding a place to park is one of the biggest pains of holiday shopping......don't understand why you would go out of your way to make sure they don't get your space if you are leaving.....

 

[Nancy]

I don't mind when people cross the road and it's not a crosswalk, I'm nice enough to stop and let them cross....but to walk slower then you were and being all over each other while I sit there and wait is a bit much.

And I also do the parking lot thing at Christmas...I love when I'm just putting bags into the car and returning to the mall and the car is waiting and waiting. I'm sure they are swearing at me though.

 

[Shutterbug]

Hey dont you all know in today's world its all about the "me, me, me, me" thing?

While sitting in car waiting in a parking lot I have witnessed several times where people have walked down the middle of the aisle blocking traffic seemingly not to care but when they pull out to go down the aisle themselves and if anyone is walking in front of them they blare on the horn for them to get out of the way.
Sort of like its okay for me to block you while I walk to my car but dont even think about blocking me.

And have to agree with others about people driving through the parking lot against the aisle direction especially when they do it near the end of a row where cars are parked. You cant even see them. I came down a row once then out of nowhere this car comes flying by. At least 35 mph! Of course they being the wonderful teenagers of today they blared their horn and cussed at me!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

Ooh can I vent too?

I work in a mall that has some of its parking lots that double as general parking for the sports complex on the other side of the street. Why they didn't build a GP lot over there is beyond me. They had room for permit parking and valet, but not for GP?

Anyway...on the days when there are ballgames or hockey games people usually park over at the mall. It's free and not really that far of a walk (like a block and a half or so)to get to the entrance of the ballpark or hockey arena. I really wish the mall had built sidewalks and crosswalks because they KNEW this was coming. People walk in the middle of the road (the access road that connects all the mall parking lots and connects the mall to several major roads). I've had teens dart out from the end of a row of parked cars onto the access road in front of me and almost get slammed into by my car. Thank god I have good breaks.

A message to the moron teenage boys who drag race through the parking lot: STOP DOING THAT! You're going to run over somebody some day in that giant SUV your mommy and daddy let you drive.

I also really,really,really hate the mall mgmt at Christmas time for not setting up an 'employee' only section in each of the large parking lots. If I have to open, it's usually not too bad but if I have to work a midshift (around noon) or close, I have to leave over an hour early to arrive at work so that I have plenty of time to search for a parking spot. Last Christmas, when I was pregnant with DS, I really wished I had one of those handicap stickers on my car. Almost every day I ended up hiking UPHILL from the bottom of the lot to the mall because that was the only place I could find a spot. Not fun,let me tell you.

And lastly....WHY ON EARTH do people come to the mall 4-5 HRS before it opens on the day after Thanksgiving? Don't you people have SOMETHING else to do besides shop? When I arrived on the Day After last year (driven by a friend because DH didn't want me driving that day for some reason), the upper lot near where I work was nearly full. And when I went inside..security was having to herd people into somewhat orderly lines because there were tons of people sitting, standing, leaning, and laying down on the ground. All waiting for the mall to open up..which wouldn't be for 3-4 hrs. What is the deal? Are the sales REALLY that good? Can you really not stand to wait for a few days until the hubbub dies down and it's possibly the middle of the week when it's less busy and there will be less of a hassle? Do you really need that latest thingamajiggygadgetwhatchacallit THAT badly?

TOV

 

[Beth76]

I can't stand the people who park in the fire lane directly in front of the dry cleaners instead of parking in an actual parking space 20 feet away.

I also hate the people who zoom right behind me when I'm trying to back out of my parking space. Can't they just be nice and let me get out?

 

[barbeml]

I love the people who cannot read an arrow.

 

[stinkerbelle]

Originally posted by barbeml
I love the people who cannot read an arrow.

who then yell at YOU like you were going the wrong way?

that happened in my parking garage at work...you always drive in and go to the right. Well, I was going up to the second level, heading to the right when I see this chick come barrelling straight at me. I slam on the breaks, she flips me off (using her free hand that wasn't holding the cell phone) and drives around me and my stunned expression.

I'm sorry - if you had hit me, how would you talk your way out of it? That arrow doesn't apply to YOU? You just didn't feel like driving all the way around the level to go down the correct way?

 

[HollyJoy]

My parking lot vent is that it annoys me to no end when people leave their cart in the parkinglot... come on, could you please take it back to the store or put it in the cart return? Ugh. I've heard the excuse that "I have kids, and I won't leave my kids in the car while I return a cart!" Well, I agree with that, but isn't it safer to put your groceries in the car FIRST? Park next to a cart return, or ask the store for assistance to your car. I know our grocery stores offer it. I'm tired of free roaming carts in the parking lots. Ugh..

 

[piratesmate]

I'm with spb999 - I usually let people know when I'm leaving (or not) around the holidays. Parking is a bear!

In addition to all those listed above, I hate it when someone parks in a fire zone, loading zone or worse yet the handicapped spots so they can run in to the back. (Our grocery stores have banks in them now.)

It was pouring at a rate of 2"/hour & DH had dropped me off & was trying to pick me up. Not only could he not pull up, I couldn't get between the cars to get off the curb!

 

[TheOtherVillainess]

I'm tired of free roaming carts in the parking lots

Have to agree with you there. DH is trying to sell his car and I think part of the reason he's having trouble selling it is the dings and scratches from people not putting their carts away. He works in a retail shopping center and people just DO NOT put their carts away. On the tailgate there is a huge crack/dent where some free range wild cart was taken by the wind and sailed right into it.

TOV

 

[ptcruisermom]

Today had some idot at BK pull in crooked and was taking up two spots-Bk was extremely busy all spots were taken. he hadran inside to get his food instead of using drive thru. So I left and went around McD lot and started back into BK's lot, well this same kind gentleman had his van right in the middle of the in, out drive way, hanging mostly over in to the in side, so couldn't get in. He finally got out(i was hollerinng at him from inside of my car but my windows were up, but I'm sure from the expression on my face he knnew i was not pleased) well he flipped me off, i though well you so and so you were the one that has half a brain. told my kids he must have gotten his drivers license at k-mart. Just reallyaggrevated me.