Comments on: ‘Parking lots are also surprisingly civic…’

By: John

John — Sun, 19 Sep 2010 01:05:58 +0000

Where I live, about 10% of drivers consider parking lots (especially ones with lots of little kids) autocross zones. They drive around 40mph whilst talking on cell phones.

By: Stefan Hayden

Stefan Hayden — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:52:38 +0000

I have a friend who recently hit and killed some one in a garage. They are definitely places where both cars and people need to be careful as there are a lot of blind spots where you can be surprised by another car or person.

By: Jack

Jack — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:44:09 +0000

BobP, ouch! Luckily your wife was there to save you. Crowded lots make everyone slow down but they remain nightmares when walking with young children. Add driveways too… frequently my young sons tell me how they had to swerve while cycling on neighborhood streets to miss a car backing out of a driveway.

By: John Romeo Alpha

John Romeo Alpha — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 20:02:28 +0000

I have a theory which is 100% counter-intuitive but which I’ve tested and had good results with several times. The more crowded and tense a parking lot is, for example after a concert or sporting event, the more effective excessively polite behavior is at supporting the fastest possible exit. I think it’s effective because it means acting exactly the opposite of almost everyone else, in a situation where I don’t want to be like everyone else. Everyone else is mad, impolite, and stuck, so I act happy, polite, and not-stuck, and get out fast. Even if it’s just a point of view or attitude, I exit happy and relaxed.

By: Rich Wilson

Rich Wilson — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 17:34:06 +0000

I have yet to see a parking lot that shows any evidence of pedestrians in mind. In rare cases where there are pedestrian only right of ways, they don’t feed all parking spots.

By: Bob P.

Bob P. — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 04:29:45 +0000

I was innocently getting a day pack from our back seat in a parking lot in February, and the driver of a SUV next to us backed out, pinning my legs in the door. My wife saw this, and ran yelling at the driver. He was completely unaware that he was bending our door around my legs. I am recovering slowly, but am now hyper sensitive to cars in parking lots.

By: 2whls3spds

2whls3spds — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 13:03:48 +0000

And just where is this fictional parking lot?

Aaron

By: Josh R

Josh R — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:19:51 +0000

I hate it when I see an article like this, which has obviously slipped through a crack in the time-space continuum from a different reality. I want to live in that pastoral world where people actually pay attention to their parking, look before backing out of a space, and don’t go 20 MPH in the mall parking lots.

By: Stina

Stina — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 23:10:31 +0000

i want to know how long it takes to read this book….im 16 and it is my required reading for summer.

By: fred_dot_u

fred_dot_u — Fri, 20 Aug 2010 20:13:16 +0000

Roberta, that’s an excellent point of view. As one who has “chased down” a dangerous/stupid/inconsiderate driver (foolishly so), I’ve found when the anonymity goes away, the whole game changes.