Parking: It’s just not that easy

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, April 28, 2004

Anna Monica – Ripples

It has become convincingly clear to me, yes it has. I don’t have enough eyes. Sure, I have perfect vision because the doctor recently told me so. Still I don’t have enough eyes – especially when I am in a parking lot and it is hard to see everything going on at once. To me, parking lots provide the occasions for harrowing experiences these days. At least, that has been my own experience and I have a new back tail light on my Tracker to prove it!

You see, I was excited to find a parking spot which I had barely passed and was backing up to take it. Unfortunately, this pickup truck was backing out of its own spot and whether it was in my “blind” spot or I was in his, I don’t know (a little toot of the horn from him would have helped). Anyhow, the two vehicles did meet in a most unpleasant fashion. Do you know how scary the sound of a metal “thump” can be; not to mention the tremendous surprise that you are actually one of those making that sound? It worked out okay, they were nice people and we all went on our way to take care of our own little – and I emphasize little, but expensive – dents.

That little incident proved to me what I had been having unpleasant thoughts about – one needs many, many eyes to be able to maneuver safely in and out of parking lots, no matter where they are. For instance, in backing out of a spot, which most of us do because it usually is not possible to go forward, you have to be aware of so many obstacles. Other cars are coming in to find a spot, sometimes from different directions (and at the same time) and you have to watch out for both; people are pouring out of the store or rushing into it. In fact, people are all over the place and you are responsible for their safety if you are in the moving vehicle. It can be so difficult to watch out for all of these things. If people and cars are not behind you, surely they are in front of you. It can be nerve-wracking.

Then, too, after you have parked, assuming someone did not get to that open spot you just saw before you do, you must be careful to not swing your door into the vehicle next to you. That would be the most considerate gesture and unfortunately some people don’t qualify as considerate.

A couple of months ago, I was backing out of my own parking spot and got hit in the same fashion as above. However, I was yelling and blowing my horn to no avail but he was a nice, elderly person. That worked out okay, too. But you see what I mean about parking lots.

I did have another scary experience in a lot; the moms were standing there talking and enjoying each other which was good. Their children were having a good time, too, as they ran in and out of parked cars. Everybody was carefree and happy – except me witnessing this.

Whenever I go to a store at night, I do park as close to it as possible and would recommend that all women, especially, do that. And, seeing Security riding around is a great comfort, too. The only time I don’t like police cars is if they are behind me on the highway and their lights are flashing!

Also, they say we should not park next to a large vehicle where we cannot be seen. No one has said anything about a large vehicle pulling into the space next to you after you have parked (and left) your vehicle. That’s a little surprise for when you come out of the store. All of us need to be alert in any parking lot any time of day, I believe; and be very appreciative of those stores which do provide security for us.

Back to the eyes, I still don’t have enough to watch out for all that is going on in a parking lot so I have come up with the best safety solution when moving about one. Pray; and if you can’t or won’t do that – open your eyes wide and go for it!

Let me add, my friend Don Tregre, corrected me about the cypress trees statement I made in the last column and that is: cypress trees can actually exist for one thousand years (not one hundred); five hundred to mature and then five hundred to die. For us humans, that would be a little much.

Anna Monica writes this column weekly and can reached at lobnews@bellsouth.net