Sandy Banks: A plea for parking lot etiquette at the shopping mall

ETIQUETTE, people!!

What about parking lot etiquette don’t you understand?

More than the rain or the lines, or the coupons that didn’t work on anything I wanted, it was the nerve-wracking cruise through the parking lot that turned today’s mall expedition into the kind of ordeal that makes online shopping seem downright fun. For those of you who missed the memo about holiday parking lot navigation, here are a few simple requests from those of us who need parking spaces, to those of you who already have them: If you sense a car crawling down the aisle behind you, don’t presume they’re sightseeing.

THEY WANT YOUR SPACE.

And they are willing to block an entire lane to get it. If you’re just dropping off your shopping bags and heading back into the mall, GIVE US A CLUE: Shake your head vigorously, wave us around you, mouth the words “I’m not leaving” with the sort of exaggerated gestures you’d use with a child.

And if you are leaving, make eye contact please, then nod and point toward your car. Remember where you parked, and DON’T MEANDER. It’s aggravating to stalk a shopper to the end of a row, only to watch him cut across to a different aisle, pull out and let somebody else grab the spot before you can wheel around. If you’re lost, just signal.

We’ve all had those “Where’s my car?” moments.

Just don’t leave that car crawling behind you guessing while you wander around. When you get in your car, LEAVE IMMEDIATELY. Don’t phone your friend to tell her how crowded it is, or sort through the receipts stuffed in your wallet. Don’t let the car warm up or fiddle with the radio dial. You can do that after you pull out -- when you join that line of idling cars waiting to leave the parking lot.

As we head down to the wire in this shopping season, Talk Back and tell us what complicated your gift-buying trips: parking lot follies, clueless clerks, that customer with a handful of expired coupons whose credit card just wouldn’t go through.

Or was that you?

-- Sandy Banks

Photo: Los Angeles Times

Comments

[LAHuman]

What do you expect from car owners? To own a car in Los Angeles is all about entitlement. It's all "me, me, me... I own the road and I don't have to care about cyclists, pedestrians, or other drivers."

[seriousfun]

Disagree!

Drivers who follow walkers in any parking lot in any season in any weather should get a hefty non-moving violation fine.

There's always another space, even in the most crowded lots.

If I am headed back to my car and see you following me and blocking one or more cars, if I have the time I will walk slower, detour around wrong-way lanes, return to the store...anything to get you to move on.

You've been warned.

[Stephen]

Would have been nice to provide some alternatives to driving... I know that's like saying it'll snow in LA...

But many shopping centers are served by Metro. I just took the 92 to Glendale Galleria, saved about 20 min not having to fight for a parking spot. Anyone looking to NOT be stuck in a parking lot can use Google Transit to find a trip that works for them... or use the Metro Shopping Guide Map: http://www.metro.net/news_info/publications/images/shopping_guide.pdf

[Andrew]

Don't block the aisle while waiting in fact don't wait there is generally always space in a parking structure if you go to the roof.

[Brian]

Is it poor etiquette to wait at the end of a row, holding up cars behind you, then to try to back up when a car you are blocking in gets ready to vacate their spot? Is it ok to expect everyone behind you to have to back up for you for the spot? This is what gets me at Trader Joes, when I have to back up for a spot someone already passed.

[Let go]

Let go. You simply cannot control every part of life. There are often good reasons why people do what they do in parking structures that are beyond your obsessive ideas of right and wrong. The kind of gesticulating you promote is often the misunderstood beginning of many a road rage incident. May I suggest a vacation as far from the nearest car as possible?

[Ginger C]

What ever happened to just plain etiquette? It is not just car owners, cyclists, public transit users, etc. We just don't have nearly enough etiquette anymore.

[ikagirl]

I disagree as well. It's only going to increase your frustration. Let go of your ideas of parking lot behavior, and drive to the nearest open spot. Until a driver actually has their back up lights on, you have no business in stalking them. That driver might be doing safe things, putting on seat belts or glasses. But it seems you'd rather they were in an accident, just so you can park.

[Joel]

You're kidding right? It's a parking space. That's all. This isn't the cure for cancer, world peace, or an end to hunger in the world. It's a parking space. Deal with it. Park on the next level up in the parking structure. Get your big behind out of your car and walk a little. The air will do you good. Get real people.

[Marcy]

Here's an idea, Ms. Banks. Try getting to the mall earlier, so you won't suffer the terrible frustration of lot-crawling and placing the onus of 'polite behavior' (which sounded more like 'do what I want you to do') onto those who did arrive early.

[Zonker]

Are you serious?! Park further away; there are always spots in a parking lot. It's the people stalking pedestrians at 2 MPH that ought to be chastised.

[hairy carrion]

Car etiquette? Parking lot etiquette? In L.A.? I wish.

One holiday season, not so long ago, I was at Trader Joe's in on Lake St. in Pasadena. I was driving a beat up '67 VW Bug. There was essentially no parking, with the exception of a COMPACT space between two SUVs (Stupid Utility Vehicles, or Status Utility Vehicles) parked badly in the COMPACT section of the lot. I grabbed it. Got out. Apparently a self-entitled self-important nit wit of the SUV on the left of my car, had not yet gotten out of her monstrosity on wheels. She rolled down her window and made a snarky comment ending with "Thanks."

I looked at her and then pointed to the text in the space she occupied. "Compact," I stated. Then pointed to her stupid large gas sucker and said, "Not compact. Very large SUV." She turned red, and yelled, "There's no parking spaces left!" I looked toward the left of where we were parked and started to count the remaining 12 spaces of normal sized parking allotments.

She called me some stupid name, like "Bitch." Well, yeah maybe I am. But I'm not a douchenozzle who takes the tiny spaces with my big dumb vehicle because I'm too lazy to walk another 15 or 20 feet.

I said, "Merry Christmas, darlin'," and walked off. She then proceeded to pour her Starbucks corporate coffee all over my windshield.

Grown ups are so freaking stupid.

[lola]

Here's the one that puts me into orbit, and it's not limited to the holidays only: Standing in line waiting for my turn to pay and having whoever's at the register keep stopping the flow of the transaction or line to pick up the phone whenever it rings and help the caller instead. I'm talking to *you* Nordstrom and every other store out there! Help the customers who are already waiting for you in person instead of the people who butt in line via phone.

I'm with you, Sandy. As in-store customer service swirls down the toilet, online shopping looks better every day.

[Devils Advocate]

Ms. Banks, why is it my responsibility to hold your hand and talk you through as I guide you to an available parking space? Just as it will be the case when you get a space, the space I'm parked in is mine until I decide to relinquish it (whenever that may be!). If I decide to get in my car and talk on the phone, how is that any of your business? Don't expect me to set up signal flares, motion with flailing arms, or otherwise go out of my way to ensure your parking experience is an enjoyable one. And don't even think about honking to motivate someone else to depart their space in order to meet your guilt-inflicting, self-righteous schedule. If someone is not performing their civic-minded parking duties as you imagine them to be, simply latch onto someone else to follow. Maybe then your feverish pursuit of a parking space will meet with more success. I hope your commentary was done in jest because surely this attitude of needing things to be handed to them on a platter is very distasteful.

[Johnnyred]

Relax a little ... finding a car park isn't the end of the world....

[me]

It is sooooLA.
You can buy a nice car but you can't buy class.

[Goobies in Glendale]

Seriously?! I hate parking space stalkers...just drive and find the first available spot. More often than not...parking in the furthest spot will probably get you inside the mall faster than those people who prowl to find a spot close to the door. And really what's is the point of getting a spot near the door? YOU'RE GOING TO A MALL!! It's very likely you're going to do plenty of walking...why hold up traffic stalking some lady carrying 4 bags from Macy's and then having to secure her 2 year old into some oversized SUV.

Why don't you address something more relevant....like why do people think a Chevy Tahoe, a Hummer, or any SUV for that matter is a "COMPACT" car and then parks in that spot? I intentionally park my 14 year old beater next to those vehicles and my door just "happens" to swing open a lil hard....leaving a very quick reminder that their vehicle is not so "compact."

[dude]

I personally love to walk in meandering routes to my car, it's fun to keep everyone guessing!

[Crazy Horse]

Hell, I do all the shopping online and have the presents delivered to my office. Malls are for losers.

[Ish]

I choose to avoid the mall this time of year. It's horrible! California Vehicle Codes are not enforceable on private property, so why bother!

[jensz]

This is why I avoid parking lots/garages wherever possible, not just on holidays: there's a lot of impolite and inconsiderate behavior in parking lots. And it seems to me that driver incompetence is magnified in parking lots/garages. If street parking is available, I always prefer it.