Thoughts from the Curb

Dec 18, 2008 - The Rant: COMPACT Parking Spots Are Stupid

This picture was taken at the Beverly Connection mall parking garage in West Hollywood. Note how I have parked the GLK350 in this compact parking space. True, I probably could have parked a bit better, but there was really no point because I could see by all the other parked cars that the guy who would eventually park next to me would be equally crooked. This Legacy proved me right.

See, this entire huge row of parking spots are labeled COMPACT. Not two or three spots in between a set of pillars. No, an entire huge row and there's multiple entire huge rows of COMPACT parking spots all over the Beverly Connection. And all over Los Angeles for that matter.

This stupidity must end. For one, nobody pays attention to the COMPACT sign. If there's an open space and Becky is driving her Suburban, then damn it, that Suburban will fit. It doesn't matter if the guy next to her has to enter through his tailgate. Second, even if people did heed the COMPACT sign, where the hell are they supposed to park when 70 percent of the parking garage is labeled COMPACT? Did they really expect there to be a huge line of Minis and Fits in row B? Third, there aren't that many compact cars to go in COMPACT spots. Cars have gotten bigger and people (up until recently) are buying bigger cars. Finally, people are horrible parkers who don't care if they are crooked or if the other guy has to enter through his tailgate. And then they force me to park like crap to avoid entering through my tailgate.

For the love of all that is automotively holy, remove one damn spot from that line of spaces and make them all regular. I guarantee that's all it would take. One car per row isn't going to ruin the parking garage's bottom line  -- especially at the Beverly Connection, which is never remotely full any way.

COMPACT spots are stupid ... although I suppose I like them better than valet. But that's an entirely different rant.

-James Riswick

8:56 am | Categories: the rant Permalink | Alert Administrator

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