Car parking made easy - A guide to parking lot etiquette & safety

We have all been through the parking lot hell. You have been going around the parking lot for many agonizing minutes, trying to find a parking spot in a mall or a supermarket. Atlast you find a spot, but can't park your vehicle because a moron parked his SUV sideways. There is no excuse for such a behaviour. While driving seems easy, why does proper parking seem so difficult that we all are not equipped to perform?So if you are in serious need of a tutorial do read on as we breakdown the basics of parking your car so you don’t be the next shamed viral person (or a car) on social media.

Drive slowly and cautiously

As you enter a parking lot, don't drive above the prescribed speed limit. Some of the lots may not have mention a speed limit, in such cases use you common sense and drive slow. Remember that there vehicles backing out of a slot or people crossing lanes. Driving too fast will prevent you from stopping on time and may cause an accident. So drive slowly and cautiously.

Observe direction and stop signs

Most parking areas have one-way lanes and they are often marked by signs hanging from the ceiling or a huge arrow painted on the pavement. Sometimes these signs may get faded beyond identification, in that case check the orientation of the vehicles in that lane. If they’re parked diagonally, it shows that the traffic moves along only a single direction. Obey all the stop signs or other cautionary signs as you are not the only parking your car, there are other people too.

Use turn indicators

Yes your car does have a turn indicator. So just as you are driving in traffic, use your turn indicator while taking a turn inside the parking area. Using them lets the driver behind you know that you are either parking into an empty slot or turning into the next lane.

Properly park your car

Parking your car doesn’t have to be a work of art but you may have seen many that make you pull your hair out. We understand that some people may be directionally-challenged but its not like they are landing a plane. Even a kid can distinguish between straight and diagonal lines. People need to get out of their vehicles after parking. Hence it is understood that a proper amount of space is required to be able to open their doors. Even when you are parallel parking, get close to the curb as possible without tripping on it. That will ensure that no part of your vehicle is sticking out and there is no chances of it getting ripped off by passing traffic.

Don't park in reserved slots

Just because all slots are filled up doesn’t mean you park your car in a space reserved for the person with disability. Also its inhumane to park and block disabled access ramps. Don’t leave your car in striped marked areas, as they are meant for emergency vehicles like an ambulance or fire trucks only. Also, the driveways aren’t parking spaces by any means, so just don’t even think about leaving you car there.

No stand-ins

Parking spots are created to park vehicles and should be never be claimed by a stand-in. Its not a hard-and-fast rule, but plain common sense that parking slots are on a first-come, first-served basis. And since your car is not there, you can’t stand there to reserve it. If you don’t own the parking space, you have no reservation rights.

Open your doors carefully

Don't you hate marks and scratches on your doors? Then do be careful when you open your own. Avoid rashly swinging it open, rather nudge it gently. An angry car owner may tend to take revenge and may damage your car in the process.

Be polite

Lastly, don’t follow someone to their vehicle to see if they are leaving. If you see a person walking towards their car, open your window and politely ask if they’re leaving. They will respond better to that than a vehicle creepily following them around.

So here it is, the ultimate guide to driver etiquette, from the moment you enter into a parking lot until the minute you drive away from the premises. It may seem like a lot but for the sake of humanity, we should all live by it. So unless you want to be on the wrong side of the next trending photo, park it like a pro.