You Have No Idea How to Use Angled Parking

Say what you will about people who park crooked, take up two spaces, park too far from the curb, whatever.

It’s the people who don’t use angled parking properly that really need a lesson.

Because when you do it properly, it’s easier and safer than square grid parking. When you don’t do it properly, it messes things up for everybody.

Want to know if you’re using it properly? Yeah, you do. Because now you’re not sure if you do or not (ha!).

Just to make sure you know what I’m talking about, here’s the difference between square grid parking and angled parking.

I’m not even going to caption this, it’s so obvious.

Pretty simple right? For a square grid everyone parks in squares, and for angled parking you park at an angle. It’s pretty obvious. I didn’t even label the pictures and you coud figure it out!

Now here’s how traffic flows for these two parking scenarios.

I apologize for these graphics that I did myself in Word. Yes, I know it’s ridiculous.

Ha! I bet you noticed that in the angled parking example, you only have one-way traffic.

Know why?

Because it’s more efficient and safer, that’s why.

Two-way traffic in a narrow parking lot is nerve racking. Vehicles come from every corner, ready to ding you, swipe you, and generally cut you off. There’s people pulling in, people backing out.

And pretty much everyone is on their cell phone sending a text, talking, or playing Candy Crush which is why one in five accidents happens in a parking lot.

It’s a dangerous place.

Here’s how angled parking makes things easier:

· One-way traffic — you avoid all the problems I just mentioned (except Candy Crush)

· It’s all pull-in parking — no backing in!

Sounds great right? Like, why would anyone design a parking lot that didn’t have angled parking?

I’m sure there are reasons, but for the purpose of this post — who cares.

Anyhoo…

Now you know that angled parking is easier and safer. It seems simple, but it all falls apart if you don’t do it right. Which a LOT of people don’t.

Here are the two biggest ways people mess this up royally:

1. Pulling through to the next space

OK, I agree pull-through parking is way easier than backing in. And it’s nice to pull forward when you leave instead of backing out.

This is a great technique for square grid parking lots, but it totally, completely defeats the purpose for angled parking.

Pull forward, and you’re facing the wrong goddamn way on the one-way. And now you just made it more dangerous to pull out and make that sharp turn.

That makes you tempted to go the wrong way on the one-way.

2. Backing in

Why, oh why would anyone do this? I guess it’s because backing in is safer, and you can leave without running people over.

But now you’ve messed things up again because it’s ridiculously difficult to back in on such a tight turn. If it’s super difficult to get into your parking spot, you’re probably doing it wrong.

And you’re tempted to go the wrong way AGAIN.

And now this brings me to…

The only 3 Things You Need to Know About How to Use Angled Parking:

· Don’t pull through

· Don’t back in

· Don’t go the wrong way

See how simple angled parking is to use properly? And how stupid you have to be to mess it up? Now go forth and spread the word, do right, and be safe out there.

**end rant**