Am I the only one with a major pet peeve about designated parking slots?

[llmart]

I am OK with having a few for physically disabled people, but now some of the stores around me have reserved slots for the disabled, for military service people, for online orders pickup, for pregnant women, and one for employee of the month. Several times I drive down an aisle and think there's an open slot and get ready to turn in and see a new sign for some other "group".

Aren't we taking this a little too far? When will they have a couple slots for senior citizens?

Most of the time there's no one in the parking slots for the newer groups, though the handicapped slots do get used.

[dhol82]

1. Have not seen this in my area.

Frankly, I try to park as far as possible from where I’m going.
Need to get exercise somewhere.

[Iggo]

2. Yep, pick the first open spot, then start walking.

I've been an old man about that ever since I was a teenager.

Driving around looking for a better parking spot is a colossal and tragic waste of precious time.

[dhol82]

4. Totally!

[Thomas Hurt]

12. +1

Went to Walmart cuz of the Target disaster, was trying to leave, some dude sat in his truck for five minutes waiting people to load their care and leave...meanwhile myself and two other cars were waiting on him.

[MyOwnPeace]

5. Good one!

Exercise, for one. The other is to prevent the "dings" on the car from the moms with 7 kids throwing the doors open REAL FAST - or Grandma with the '92 Buick taking off the back fender on her way out of her own parking spot.

However, can't tell you how many times I've parked WAY out from the door to avoid ANY conflict, only to come out and find two cars wrapping me in on both sides!

[dhol82]

9. Damn, that's really bad luck!

Knock wood, I haven’t had that happen. Yet.

[csziggy]

25. One of the funniest things I've ever seen was parking competition for space near a gym

People trying to get the closest parking space to the door of their gym and getting into arguments over who saw the space first. Hey, if you're going to exercise, why not start by walking across the parking lot?

[Wounded Bear]

42. Yep, much like tanning salons in Southern California...

[hlthe2b]

3. Yes. No problem with the handicapped slots, of course, but all those rows for those too lazy to

come into the store to shop or to pick up their online order? Really?

[Shrike47]

8. Some of us can't walk in to the store some days, but don't qualify as handicapped.

[hlthe2b]

15. Obviously I wasn't referring to those who need the help. Most do not.

Unless your area is different than mine at least...

[tymorial]

6. This doesn't bother me what really bothers me are the followers

These are the people that will follow customers as they leave the store and track them until they get to their car at which point they sit idling waiting for you to leave. They interrupt traffic flow and pressure you to move faster so that they can take your spot. I loathe these people even at Christmas time and other holidays when parking spots or not plentiful.

Words cannot describe just how much I cannot stand these people

[dameatball]

7. Actually I have more of a pet peeve about people parking in the fire lanes.

[Shrike47]

11. They infuriate me. I would love to see them towed.

[dem4decades]

10. Don't have a problem with it. I'm thankful i can walk without a problem.

And thankful i'm not a Purple Heart vet, or even thankful i don't have young kids. And good for the employee of the month, he probably didn't get a raise but at least he/ she got a stupid parking space.

[patricia92243]

47. I LOVE your attitude. :)

[zipplewrath]

13. Many are required

There are regulations that require many of these. I know what you mean in that I think often the regulations aren't consistent with the need.

[jberryhill]

14. Park far away, walk, and count your blessings

[MyOwnPeace]

18. Yep, that's it!

"I felt bad because I had no shoes - until I met a man who had no feet."

[hlthe2b]

19. Yup... just adds to my daily steps goal. That said, I do hate playing "chicken" with a shopping cart

in the parking lot as drivers race for the next open space, oblivious to everything and everyone else.

[marble falls]

31. Agree totally.

[BluesRunTheGame]

16. This Parking Space is reserved for Democrats.

If you park here with a Trump bumper sticker we’ll tow your car to the edge of town and set it on fire.

[marble falls]

32. They've been burning Democrats' cars???

[marble falls]

34. Honestly, that's the first I've heard of that. Yikes. Were you in the car when it happened???

That's an assault with a deadly weapon!

[marble falls]

37. The reason I don't bumpersticker my car is the cops.

[marble falls]

39. There's been an amazing turnaround out here in GOPtopia - I see almost no Trump stickers ...

anymore but I still see Obama and Clinton stickers.

[VarryOn]

17. I'll join your club!

I usually just head far outt to park rather than spending 10 minutes driving around for a close-in spot. Of course, handicapped parking is a good thing. All the other types are just annoying, except online pickup. We buy all our groceries online with Walmart, and their process for assigning you a slot at pick up is pretty handy. But, these parking spots are around to the side of the store and dont take up spots in the main parking lot.

I get most annoyed with my employer's handicap spots in the employee parking lot. Our lot is probably around 1200 spots, and there are probably 75 reserved for handicapped. Over the years they've expanded the number several times. And every damn time they do, they fill up immediately! I guaran-damn-tee you they could double it tonite, and tomorrow it would be full! And if you watch them park and go into one of the buildings, most seem to get along quite well. I think many people with handicapped parking dont need it.

They dont rob me of a spot since I like to park far out. I consider it part of my exercise regimine! And I am thankful I can walk, so I donttake it for granted.

[llmart]

20. OK, so many of you apparently think my peeve was that I can't get a really close spot.

That really wasn't my point and maybe I'm tired tonight so didn't elaborate enough. For what it's worth to those who say, "park far away. It's good exercise." I usually do, but I also am someone who walks four miles every day at my nearby park all year long. I'm 70 years old. Sometimes I'm just plain tired after the four miles I've already walked and then the yardwork I've already done and I just want to run in and get milk.

I also live in a neighborhood of mostly older people and I think about many of them that don't qualify for any of these spots, but do have difficulty with arthritis or some such senior ailment.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that I wasn't really that concerned for myself but for my neighbors that I know quite well who go to these stores.

[Iggo]

23. My comments were about how able-bodied people should park farther away and walk.

Not about you.

[Phentex]

43. Vent away!

Sometimes I come here to do the same thing. I almost feel like I have to preface every post with *I know this isn't the most pressing issue in the world, I am aware of
wars and floods and starving/caged children, abandoned animals, and civil rights violations all over the world.

But this is the lounge. And the description says Relax with your friends and talk about off-topic stuff.

I will gripe about cilantro if I darn well please.

And to stay on topic, I have seen the very things you have seen. And when I broke my foot I especially noticed such things! I probably should have gotten a temporary handicapped permit but I felt like I could handle the walking.

[llmart]

45. Thank you for that.

There are a few DU'ers on here who like to post negative comments whenever they can, I guess just to make themselves feel superior. One would think that Democrats are generally kinder to one another, but I'm old enough now to know that you can even find Democrats who have to be snarky and negative all the time.

By the way, I just went to Home Depot and saw two new ones that said "Pro Service Shoppers Only". I'd never seen them before and I shop there all the time because it's almost across the street from my sub. I have no idea what a "Pro Service Shopper" is but since I shop there all the time, I'm going to assume it applies to me.

[True Dough]

21. Order everything you need online

Don't even get out of your recliner!

[dflprincess]

22. The building my periodontist's office is in has spots for senior citizens.

I was running late for my appointment last March so I pulled into one (I did turn 65 last year). Usually I park further away to get some extra steps but I was in a hurry. (The odd thing is, you can only pull in and back out of these spots because of the large post on which the reserved sign hangs. All the 55+ driving classes tell you to look for spots you can pull through so you don't have to back up. I guess because our necks don't swivel as well when we're older.)

I had some old coot yell at me that it was a reserved spot. Made my day.

Other than that, yes I think they have gone overboard with reserved spots. Clearly the disabled ones should be there, maybe even the ones for pregnant women (if we're talking last trimester). But the rest of them are silly. If you really can't walk a few extra steps you'd probably qualify for a disabled plate or window hanger.

[Rhiannon12866]

29. My mother's friend - 80+ years old - tripped over one of those posts and broke her arm

[LuckyCharms]

24. I won't be happy until businesses hire people to...

carry me to and from my car on a pillow.

[Phentex]

44. YES! Call it Lift

and make a fortune.

[Coventina]

28. The ones for pregnant women really irk me.

Pregnancy is not a disability.

Unless you are on bed rest, in which case, you aren't driving.

[Jake Stern]

35. My partner's OB said much the same thing

She was encouraged to walk as much as possible during her pregnancy.

[marble falls]

30. On the scale of things wrong with life in the USA to day, this is not on the list. All this needs ..

is a letter, not a movement.

[llmart]

40. Um, that's why I said it was a "pet peeve".

I didn't say it was a monumental problem in the USA.

Maybe the term "pet peeve" is something people don't understand. Also, that's why I posted it in the Lounge and not in General Discussion.

[marble falls]

41. I appologize for teeing you off.

[fleabiscuit]

56. To be helpful...

"A pet peeve, pet aversion, or pet hate is a minor annoyance that an individual identifies as particularly irritating to them, to a greater degree than would be expected based on the experience of others. The phrase analogizes that feeling of annoyance as a pet animal that one does not wish to give up, despite its objective lack of importance."

[orleans]

46. i've never seen reserved spots

except for
1. handicapped
2. online order ready for pick-up (grocery store)

what other kind of reserved parking do places have?

[Submariner]

48. My peeve is healthy people parking in handicapped spots

and then trotting into and out of the store. I see a lot of that and am not sure if it is a relative/friend driving the car with the handicap tag, or an individual with a handicap tag they do not need.

[llmart]

49. I have a neighbor who does that.

Her mother-in-law was disabled in her later years and she died a few years ago. My neighbor kept the handicapped sticker and now uses it on her car, and she is no more handicapped than the man in the moon! Well, except for the fact that she is as dumb as a rock and arrogant to boot. She also thinks Trump is wonderful, so there's that. Needless to say, I have next to nothing to do with her because she's also mean and doesn't abide by any of our homeowners' bylaws. Yeah, she's that kind of person. Rules weren't meant for her because she's "special".

[Submariner]

50. They should at least fake a limp and not be the picture of health in my face

if they're going to play who's the handicap faker.

[Flaleftist]

51. I assume they are not legally enforceable and ignore them.

[cyclonefence]

52. At age 72

I take a great deal of pleasure in parking in the "reserved for moms with toddlers" space. So far no challenges. And yes, I should be ashamed of myself, but fuck it.

[Freddie]

53. "Mothers With Children"

Had a couple spots reserved at the Giant where I shop. Have always been tempted to park there - I have children! They’re in their 30s, but still.
I think they changed the sign to “Parents With Young Children.”

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

54. I always want a pull-through space

and they are rarely available all that close to a store. Plus, I do like getting that bit of extra exercise.

And the reason I want a pull through space is because of the fucking stupid giant SUVs that are far more of a menace to the long-term viability of this planet than eating meat is. If I'm trying to back out between them I need to be all the way out before I can see anything. God, I hate them.

[doc03]

55. Lowes has spaces for veterans now, finally I can

get a front row space.