Parking in car parks is something which causes quite a bit of aggro for a lot of motorists at Britain, at least on the odd occasion.
When it comes to parking tips, you probably don’t need it to be explained why taking up more than one parking bay or using a disabled parking spot without a permit is wrong. But there are several other habits which some drivers seemingly fall into while at car parks which are best avoided for the convenience of yourself and others.
Here’s our guide to five things to remember to avoid while parking your car in a car park.
DON’T leave your car at one of the edges of a marked bay
Car park bays can come in various sizes, but the best thing to do always is position your car as centrally positioned in the bay as possible. If you’re within the marked lines but leave your car far over the left or right hand side of the parking spot, then this can create problems for yourself and other drivers parking and is inconsiderate to the latter.
If another car is parked near the side yours is close to, then they could have trouble getting out of their car or exiting if they’re ready to leave before you. You yourself could face similar difficulties if you leave your car parked like this and find someone has parked next to it when you come back.
Furthermore, it’s best to avoid having the front or rear of the car right up to the front and rear edges of the marked bay, as this could obstruct someone nearby from accessing their car’s boot.
DON’T improvise your own parking space if the car park is full
Sometimes you might go to a car park and find that it’s so busy that there just doesn’t seem to be a space available at the time.
As much as this sucks, the right thing to do is leave the car park and find somewhere else where you can legally park. Finding that every bay in a car park is filled doesn’t make it okay to just park in any random gap within the area.
If you’ve ever gone to a really busy car park you may well have seen someone selfish enough to do this. It’s illegal, inconsiderate and potentially very disruptive and dangerous.
DON’T hurry or obstruct another driver who is parking in front of you
Sometimes when you’re looking for a parking spot or on your way out of the car park you may come across someone in your path whose busy parking themselves.
While you’ll want to get your own spot or leave as soon as possible, the best way to minimise time loss is just sit patiently and wait for the driver in front to finish their parking. The driver in front may not be as quick at parking as you but trying to put pressure on the driver to speed up what they’re doing or trying to squeeze past them during the manoeuvre is uncalled for.
Not only is it unkind, such behaviour could potentially lead to an avoidable accident if the driver is feeling pressurised or doesn’t realise your trying to force your way through.
DON’T take a parking spot someone else was clearly waiting to get
If you’re looking to park in what’s clearly a packed car park, then you’ll understandably be keen to pounce on any free spaces that present themselves. This sometimes means drivers will wait near a car that is clearly just about to leave the bay they were in.
If a parking bay becomes available and you’re in the clear position to reach it first, then it makes sense to go for it. But if a space suddenly becomes available near you then it’s worth checking if any other cars were already there waiting by the same bay.
Even if parking options are looking short, it’s a simple courtesy to let someone who was clearly waiting for a particular bay to open up first to take it. Pouncing on a parking spot ahead of someone in such a sly manner makes you look rude at best or can cause a collision if the other driver hasn’t noticed you.
DON’T try and use a parking space if your vehicle is too big for it
If you’re driving a particularly large vehicle like an eight-seat MPV, minibus or pick-up truck, then there’s the possibility you’ll come to a car park only to find you don’t really fit in the bays there.
As annoying as this is, the preferable course of action is to find a car park that can better accommodate your vehicle, especially if it is jam-packed. It’s not so much of an issue if the car park is barely filled, but you shouldn’t get into the mind set of thinking obstructing other parking spaces is ok just because your vehicle happens to be rather large.
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