Let loose in the car park!

Visiting our local shopping mall usually means parking in the high-rise car park, a very good place because its floors lead to different stores. Two big stores actually have back doors leading directly to the car park; it’s a godsend for car drivers. If I want to visit the top floor of the biggest store in town I go to the penultimate floor in the car park. From there it is a short walk to the entrance of the store. The same applies for other stores in the vicinity and drivers have learned to park at the nearest exit point or the nearest lift.

I am one of those happy motorists who always find an appropriate parking space. If Joe is driving, I’m usually the one that finds the empty spots. Quite often, if he sees a place, he swears it’s because I’m with him.

The subject of parking was a recent topic of conversation with my hair stylist, who claims to be the world’s worst at spotting suitable spaces. It is something I don’t understand because of my flair for seeking out vacant areas.

You would have laughed if you’d witnessed a recent experience.

I went into town and followed my usual routine of driving right up to the exit door and THEN looking for a place to park. Many times I have noticed drivers grabbing the first place they see instead of being brave enough to venture further in where the empty spaces are. I guess that’s the secret of my success. As ever, there were one or two where I expected them to be.

First was a slot next to a huge 4x4 that took up more space than it should. I had no chance of squeezing in beside it, AND miss a concrete pillar that divided the spaces, AND be able to climb out. So I moved on to the next available space. 

It was tight but I thought I could do it. Then I noticed that there were two spaces in the row behind. Ooooh, I thought, it would be easier to go into that lane and drive forwards instead of reversing. So I angled the car ready to drive round the back, just as a couple more cars entered my lane. It only took a few seconds to go round, by which time the other cars had moved forward ready to enter the spot I was leaving. Only they didn’t count on this old lady being a step ahead. While one was preparing to drive in the newly vacated slot, I had shot round the back and was driving into the same slot with a look of pure innocence on my face.

The moral of this story is ... never trust an oldie in a car park....lol.