Parking Lot Etiquette

It seems as if at least three times a week (sometimes more) I almost get hit in parking lot, whether I’m in my car or walking. And my car pretty much spends all it’s time in a parking lot, at home, at work, almost anywhere I go. And it also seems as if the parking spots are getting smaller and the number of people driving large vehicles is getting bigger.

So here are a few nuggets of wisdom regarding parking lot etiquette:

1. Look before you pull out of a parking spot. I mean REALLY look. Don’t just glance in your rear view mirror. Move your head both left and right to see if anyone is there (because that anyone could be me). This seems to be a big problem in grocery store parking lots. Many times it seems as people pull out of parking spot they just looking one way. I’ve been only inches away of being hit by someone’s bumper on numerous occasions so please, LOOK BOTH WAYS.
2. The lines painted on the pavement are there for a reason. You are supposed to park BETWEEN the lines. Not on the line, not over the line but between the lines (see #3 if your vehicle is too big to fit between the lines).

3. If you happened to drive a large mini-van or one of those huge extended cab pickup trucks and you can’t part between the lines, then find a spot far away from all the other cars and park way over there. It is annoying to those of us who don’t drive these gas-guzzling monsters to pull into a parking space only to find we can’t open the door far enough to get out because the vehicle you drive is larger than the parking space (or because you aren’t skilled enough to park between the lines – I know it takes a lot of skill).

4. Don’t stop in the middle of a parking lot and just… wait. If you are picking someone up, checking your cell phone, whatever, pull into an empty spot. This seems to happen at lot at my apartment complex and in front of grocery stores. I don’t care who you are waiting for, why do you think you are so special that you don’t have to park in a parking spot?

5. Slow down. If you are going more than 20 miles an hour in a parking lot you are going too fast. I don’t know why people do this. Are they really in that much of hurry? Do they want to show off their fast cars? Seriously, I almost got run down in my office parking lot the other day.

6. Pedestrians have the right of way in parking lots. This means you have to STOP for pedestrians who are walking in front of you. And they need to clear your path BEFORE you start to move forward. Stop being so impatient.

7. And the flip side of number six is don’t stand around in the middle of the parking lot to talk to someone or talk on your cell phone. Pay attention to your surroundings. Yes, you may have the right of way but if you are in the middle of the parking lot I will come as close as I can to running you down (seriously – get out of the way).

I beg of you, please follow these simple etiquette rules. There person you might avoid hitting is me.