Parking lot etiquette and vent.

[leahgoogle]

I don't think you were wrong to wait for the spot with your blinker on. I do it if the situation arises. If someone else is waiting for a spot I will drive around them if I can or I will just wait for them to park. I try to be patient in parking lots where it can look like the wild west sometimes...lol.

 

[mikehn]

Sometimes Im just surprised that I've never read of someone being shot in a Costco parking lot. Not all are the same, but in some I've been to, its just a free for all. No rules, no etiquette, no nothing. Some of the things people put themselves through so they dont have to walk an additional five paces.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Sometimes Im just surprised that I've never read of someone being shot in a Costco parking lot. Not all are the same, but in some I've been to, its just a free for all. No rules, no etiquette, no nothing. Some of the things people put themselves through so they dont have to walk an additional five paces.

I think this could be said for a lot of places...not just Costco. You've also got the entitled jerks in the mix. I was at Lowe's the other day waiting in a spot for curbside pickup for my online order. While I waited, three of the curbside pickup spots were taken by entitled people who didn't want to walk, but probably also didn't want to risk the ticket by taking a handicapped spot.

 

[barkley]

2 of the best decisions to reduce parking lot frustrations I've seen implimented locally to us-

costco's most recent build has the gas station in the furthest corner of the lot it sits in away from the building. the other ones near us have the compounded issue of shoppers looking for a parking space dealing with long lines of folks waiting to get gas and those lines can toggle down parking lanes

Walmart/several independent grocery chains have entirely relocated their 'curbside' pickup of grocery orders to the nether regions of their parking lots. with Walmart they've relocated them to either the side/back corner of the store furthest from any customer entry or behind the store entirely (with no customer point of entry unless you walk all the way around the store). local chains have them in the last lane of parking spots.

 

[anniemae]

It can take an hour just to get into our Costco parking lot with zero empty spaces. I will only go weekdays.

Ours is a really long parking lot, like a rectangle shape with a deadly 4 way stop as you enter which can back up. Everyone tries to park close, but I go to the back where there are empty spots. It is a long walk, and there are folks who may not be able to walk that much, but it's worth it to me.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

were taken by entitled people who didn't want to walk, but probably also didn't want to risk the ticket by taking a handicapped spot.

I would give leeway that it's possible that a person may have been there for in-store pick up, even though they are still in the wrong if they had selected in-store pick up and parked in a curbside pick up spot instead of the pick up zone designated by the store it still is more reasonable to assume that's a possible reason and not leap to just they are entitled and didn't want a ticket for a handicap spot;

Let's be real people who park in handicap spots when they aren't in need of them as defined by the qualifications of the state (as this includes people who hold placards or license plates and yet don't meet the definitions of their state of when that is supposed to be used) are normally not deterred by potentially getting a ticket.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

costco's most recent build has the gas station in the furthest corner of the lot it sits in away from the building.

The one we primarily go to has this but it doesn't really help the actual parking lot issues; it was built 23 years ago. It doesn't relate to how busy the rest of the parking lot gets or how what happened in the OP creates problems.

For instance this is the set up of the one; the entrance to the Costco is circled.


All of this for for Costco parking


The circle part here is rarely used in terms of cars parked


This overflow part does get used mostly in the lower half of it and that's when you know it's gonna be an even more busy day at Costco if this part is filling up


The other Costco in our immediate area (built 22 years ago) is similar though they have more entrances and exits (the above pic there are two but one is primarily used for Costco the other for the gas station area) but still if you're waiting for a car to leave you're blocking others from getting down the lanes for them to find a spot. In some ways the below Costco can actually have more congestion because of how many entrances and exits because cars are coming from more directions.

 

[soccerdad72]

If I see someone who's close to finishing loading up their car, I'll turn my signal on and wait for the spot. If I feel like they're going to be a while, I'll usually just move on and look elsewhere. I'm not normally concerned about how far my parking spot is - although there are definitely days when there's not a lot of spaces available anywhere in our Costco parking lot. It's even worse in the winter - once we've had a snowfall or two, the piles of plowed snow tends to wipe out some of the available spaces in the lot.

Going around you in the parking lot (assuming it could be done safely) was not rude, IMO. Honking at you probably was, however.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I would give leeway that it's possible that a person may have been there for in-store pick up, even though they are still in the wrong if they had selected in-store pick up and parked in a curbside pick up spot instead of the pick up zone designated by the store it still is more reasonable to assume that's a possible reason and not leap to just they are entitled and didn't want a ticket for a handicap spot;

We wound up waiting for around 25 minutes in that spot, so I had a decent amount of time to observe. Some were definitely there to pick up online orders. They were in and back out in about 10 minutes. I would have gone this route, but I had a large and heavy item. Obviously, I can't confirm for certain, but there were two people that parked around me within a minute or two of me parking. They still hadn't come back out by the time we were finally ready to go. One had a small child, so I get that it's hard when you've got a little one. Still, I would have been mad if I showed up for my pick up and the spots were all taken by people inside the store.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

The one we primarily go to has this but it doesn't really help the actual parking lot issues; it was built 23 years ago. It doesn't relate to how busy the rest of the parking lot gets or how what happened in the OP creates problems.

For instance this is the set up of the one; the entrance to the Costco is circled.
View attachment 917443

All of this for for Costco parking


The circle part here is rarely used in terms of cars parked
View attachment 917445

This overflow part does get used mostly in the lower half of it and that's when you know it's gonna be an even more busy day at Costco if this part is filling up
View attachment 917447

The other Costco in our immediate area (built 22 years ago) is similar though they have more entrances and exits (the above pic there are two but one is primarily used for Costco the other for the gas station area) but still if you're waiting for a car to leave you're blocking others from getting down the lanes for them to find a spot. In some ways the below Costco can actually have more congestion because of how many entrances and exits because cars are coming from more directions.
View attachment 917454

You just gave me a little bit of validation! I took a screenshot of our Costco's lot but then left it there thinking I was being over the top. I had even circled where we avoid and where we try to park.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

You just gave me a little bit of validation! I took a screenshot of our Costco's lot but then left it there thinking I was being over the top. I had even circled where we avoid and where we try to park.

View attachment 917467

I'll join you then in the over the top part! Once you go to a Costco location enough times you figure out where you do not want to park and usually which lanes to avoid even driving down. Every time that overflow lot is filling up I heard the audible groan from my husband because it means he'll have to dodge even more people inside, he really does not want to go on the weekends but that's when we have time most of the time.

Our aerial photos are definitely showing where most of the cars are parking

 

[RedHead0186]

Sometimes Im just surprised that I've never read of someone being shot in a Costco parking lot. Not all are the same, but in some I've been to, its just a free for all. No rules, no etiquette, no nothing. Some of the things people put themselves through so they dont have to walk an additional five paces.

Not Costco, but your comment reminded me of a recent experience we had. We went to the Disney character warehouse (the one on Vineland) on a Sunday, so it was busyyyyyyy. Drove around several times looking for a spot.

Upon leaving, my friend (who was driving a large rental car) was trying to back out, but someone was waiting for the spot and was too close in the 'direction' she needed to back up. This was complicated by the fact that another car, coming from the other way, was trying to angle into the spot before we had even fully pulled out of the spot. It's a miracle we didn't get hit with how aggressive that second driver was trying to get into the spot (presumably to 'nab' it from the person who had been waiting with their blinker on). Because of the game of parking space chicken they were playing, neither car could really pull into the spot.

As we drove out of the parking lot, I could see people from both cars out of their cars and angrily gesticulating at each other. We were a bit nervous that someone might draw a weapon, based on what we could see. It was pretty intense.

 

[RedHead0186]

I'm surprised at all the people who consider honking to be rude. A car horn is one of the primary ways we, as drivers, can communicate with other drivers. No, not everyone uses them that way, but jumping to the conclusion that the honking driver was being rude is interesting. As someone else mentioned, the honking driver might not have been able to see the OP was waiting for a parking spot, so honked the horn to communicate "please move.'" Then when the OP didn't move, the honking driver drove past. Or, the honking driver may have been using the horn to communicate they were going to pass the OP.

Or, maybe they were being a jerk. But everyone saying that horn honking is rude seems to be forgetting that they also can be used as a communication tool. I can't count how many times I've used my horn to tell another driver they're doing something wrong/dangerous (veering into my lane, about to cut me off, etc.). Most of the time, they continue to do the offending behavior, so they either 1) hear my horn and just don't give a darn or 2) don't realize I'm honking my horn at them to warn them. If I hear a horn honking I will immediately check myself to be sure I'm not doing something dangerous, etc.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

I'll join you then in the over the top part! Once you go to a Costco location enough times you figure out where you do not want to park and usually which lanes to avoid even driving down. Every time that overflow lot is filling up I heard the audible groan from my husband because it means he'll have to dodge even more people inside, he really does not want to go on the weekends but that's when we have time most of the time.

Our aerial photos are definitely showing where most of the cars are parking

My husband is actually the primary Costco shopper in our house. He has the day off and he's there right now! I'm not a huge fan. It's not that they don't have great things. It's more that they have too many great things. Still, with him being the regular shopper, he has his standard route and flow pattern, preferred lane approach, etc. When I go along, I'm that newbie each and every time that disrupts the routine.

Very true! It also points to which entries and exits will be less congested.

 

[nancipants]

This thread reminds me of the parking garage stalking at UCF to get a parking spot anytime during the late morning/early afternoon hours. Parking was BAD back then (probably still is, considering how much bigger it's gotten), so If you happened to spot someone leaving a stairwell, you would pull up to them, ask if they were leaving, and then ask to follow them to their spot. Etiquette was the "escort" got first dibs on their spot. One time I was walking back to my car to drop stuff off/get something, and I made so many people mad because they'd come up behind me and I'd say "sorry, I'm not leaving."

 

[NotUrsula]

Slightly OT, but I really don't care for Costco's plan of having the entrance and exit to the building in the same spot. I think it really adds to the congestion and spot-jockeying.

I also shop at a very popular local Sam's Club that has the exit about 75 feet to the left of the entrance. I find that traffic at that store isn't nearly as bad because there isn't one single spot that everyone wants to be closest to. (When it comes to warehouse clubs and big hardware stores, if the entrance and exit are separated, I'll park nearer the exit, when I'm more likely to be dealing with a large load.)

 

[Robber Baron]

I will never wait for a spot there's currently a car in.

When I go to Costco I have a section I usually park in. I don't really mind walking.

The one thing that does bug me is when there's cars stopped all over the place waiting for other cars to leave. Geez, there's another spot 50 feet away, just park.

 

[DisneylandFreak2013]

not rude, the honker was in the wrong

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

Depends on the situation. Around here our lots are almost never full to the point that you cannot find an open spot so I get pretty annoyed with people who clog up the lane waiting for a closer spot instead of parking and walking 50 feet. I have been at the mall during the holidays when all the spots were full though so I wouldn't be upset in that case.

About a month ago I was stopping at Wal-Mart after work for 1 thing and someone blocked the lane (they were far enough over that I couldn't get around) waiting for someone to pull out of a spot when there was an open one 3 cars down. Stuff like that deserves the horn and potentially some profanities as it's just stupid.

 

[Starport Seven-Five]

This is one of my irrational annoyances. I don't wait for an occupied spot unless the car in the space has their reverse lights on and is actually attempting to move. Whether or not I am bugged when other people do it is more or less directly tied to my spiritual fitness at the moment.

This reminded me of an irrational annoyance I have: GM back up lights

Someone at GM thought it was a good idea to illuminate the back up lights at times when people are not actually reversing. They come on when people are getting out of the car, unlocking it, etc. It's super confusing in parking lots because you think the car might move until you realize the driver isn't even in the car yet.

I now completely ignore back up lights from GM vehicles. I figure their delay in backing out of a spot is their penalty for buying a dumb car.