How do You choose a parking space?

My method is to pick one in the general vicinity of the store/business I intend to enter. Once in a while I get lucky and a spot is open on the first pass. Other times, not so much. I usually give myself 2 or 3 passes up and down the aisles, if the perfect one isn’t available, I take any old spot.

Do you have an assigned spot at your work space or just a favorite?

HA, the work parking lot. That one is always fun. Spaces were not assigned at my last job but, I had my favorite. It was the one under a tree that would shade my car while I was in the office. Yeah, there might be some bird poop now and then but at least my car was cool when it was time to drive home. It would really bug me if someone beat me to my spot. Didn’t they know that spot was MINE? The reclaiming of my spot after time off often took a few days and, arriving a few minutes early didn’t hurt.

Does the weather play a part in your choice for a spot?

Rain or stormy conditions dictate that I choose a spot as close to my destination as possible. Of course, that is everyone else’s intention as well. Thus, the race is on and tempers can get hot. I relax my 2 – 3 pass rule on these days. It might even appear that I am stalking someone as I follow them to their car only to see them shake their head NO, they are not leaving. Darn. Don’t you hate when that happens?

If you are in a hurry, what is your strategy?

Oh man, when I’m in a hurry, I’ll take any spot I can find. I don’t want to waste time. I’ve seen cars still searching for the perfect spot while I’ve already run into the store, made my purchase and am back in my car. By this time, they are following ME to my car for my spot. LOL, yes, sometimes I’d like to shake my head NO that I’m not leaving.

For those who choose a spot some distance away . . .
is it so that you get some exercise? Some days I feel like a walk, some days I don’t. Yes, it all depends on my mood at that point. Maybe you have a new car or new paint job and you do not want it dinged or dented. I’ve been there too. After that first little mark, the ‘protection’ mode is over. No matter how careful you are, there is always someone who is careless. A car door slammed into the side of your car, an errant shopping cart careening through the lot and of course, your car is the one that it zeros in on. As they say, the first one is the hardest.

The drive by . . .

On occasion, I’ve dropped my friend at the door and have proceeded to circle the lot as I have no intention of parking. This is great fun. You have the ‘creepers’. They slowly creep through the aisles waiting for the back up lights to notify them there will soon be an opening. If you try to go around them, watch out, they assume you are trying to take their spot and will attempt to block you. These drivers are not to be trifled with.

Another fun parking lot driver is the young hot rod who thinks they own the road.

They speed around and slip into a spot before you even know they are there. The car is still rocking as they jump out the door and run into the store. My car used to do that way back when but, that was because of a problem with the carburetor or some such thing. I just had to wait until it finished the rocking and rolling.

Be careful of the ‘Q-tip’ driver.

These are the older drivers who are so short, all you can see are the very tops of their white-haired heads. These intrepid drivers will throw the car into reverse, stomp on the gas with aplomb. Pity the pedestrian or automobile near by.

I like to watch the perfect spot seekers.

These drivers are usually very intent, serious and on a mission. It is best to get out of the way. Give them plenty of room to go around you. Road Rage may result and it certainly won’t be pretty.

Lastly, my good friend Joan uses the following technique to find her parking spaces. It hasn’t failed her yet:

“Hail Mary full of grace, help me find a parking space.”

So, if you’re stuck give it a try. It can’t hurt, remember, Joan swears by it.