The fastest way to park your car
We’ve all been there. All of us have, at one time or another, entered a car park and begun looking for a parking spot. However, are we all doing it wrong? If you’re a person who tends to circle the car park in order to find the spot closest to the entrance, chances are you’ve spent far too long parking. But, how can you find a good parking spot without wasting so much time? We’re here with some tips and tricks to get you parked as quickly and efficiently as possible.
Common parking mistakes
As mentioned, one of the most common parking methods is to circle the car park looking for a place that’s as close to the exit/entrance as possible. But, as you’ve no doubt surmised, this wastes a lot of time. Not only that, you’re now distracted from the main goal, which is to get parked as quickly as possible.
Another common error is waiting impatiently for someone to leave. We’ve all done it. Spotted someone getting into their car and stopped to prevent other cars from nabbing the spot. But, what you don’t realise is that often this is stressful for the person in the car. Many will wait longer or take their time if they feel pressured to leave. And, if you’re coming in too close to prevent other cars from taking that spot, you might make it difficult for them to leave. All in all, you’re prolonging the parking process, not just for yourself, but for everyone else as well.
So, what can you do instead? Let’s take a look.
Tips to get you parked quickly
One of the best parking practices you can get into is simply parking right away. As soon as you see an empty spot, take it. It doesn’t matter if it’s far from the exit. Really, you’re only going to be walking for an extra five minutes at most, and you’re going to waste far longer than that if you continue to drive around the car park looking for a closer spot. Make the decision, decisively park wherever you can, and go from there.
Another tip, especially on busier days or in parking lots such as at an airport, is to choose a place and wait. Instead of driving around on busy days, it’s actually better to sit and wait for someone to leave. Continually moving around will mean you miss out on opportunities. If you are going to sit and wait though, give the person in the parking spot plenty of place to leave. And, make sure your car is not blocking the rest of the road so that other cars can drive past and continue with their quest of finding a parking spot.
We also recommend changing the places where you look for parking. Rather than aiming for those spots right near the front, look to the sides of the car park. Often the sides are empty and this means that you can get parked very quickly without having to wait too long or walk too far.
Finally, it’s always best to stay calm. Even if you’re frustrated, honking or road-blocking only makes other drivers angry. Staying relaxed is good for both you and any other drivers in the area. Everything will go a lot faster as other drivers are more likely to speed-up their exit from a parking space if they don’t feel any aggressiveness coming from you.
Final thoughts
Car parking is one of the bizarre triggering things that we all have. Part of this comes from feeling very defensive and stressed when parking, especially when in a rush or when the area is very full. As such, we lose the ability to be rational when it comes to the costs and benefits of how and where we park.
Remember, parking at the back of the car park and having a bit of an extra walk to the airport or store has many benefits. Not only will you be parked up more quickly, but you’ll do a little exercise too, and maybe even burn off some calories. Stay calm in the parking lot and you might be surprised just how quickly you can be parked and out of the car.
