Parking lots

[Parts]

Has anyone noticed that parking lots for new stores and shopping centers are becoming more and more complex  with all kind of weird little landscaped islands set up to funnel traffic one way or another sometimes in ways that seem to make little sense and the rows you are to park in also set up in counter intuitive ways?  I assume it's mostly about safety but it seems to have lead to kinda free for all with people zipping every which way.  Just wondering if its just around here or if it's wide spread or if anyone even notices things like parking lot layout but me

[odeon]

The new ones I've seen here have a bit more complex layout, now that you mention it.

IKEA's parking lots are a bit like what you describe.

[Eclair]

Has anyone noticed that parking lots for new stores and shopping centers are becoming more and more complex  with all kind of weird little landscaped islands set up to funnel traffic one way or another sometimes in ways that seem to make little sense and the rows you are to park in also set up in counter intuitive ways?  I assume it's mostly about safety but it seems to have lead to kinda free for all with people zipping every which way.  Just wondering if its just around here or if it's wide spread or if anyone even notices things like parking lot layout but me

Yes, I noticed that with underground carparks when I moved to Sydney. Hooks and turns everywhere, teeny tiny carspaces. It's Australia's largest city, and loads of traffic cameras and patrolling. I assume it's primarily to deter speeding.

It's not like that everywhere else in Australia that I can tell. Maybe one or two here or there, but yeah, annoying.

['andersom']

Hi Eclair.

Good to see you.


@ Parts, yes, they do get more complicated. Not only parking lots, also the whole road layout and traffic light settings. Looks like they are getting more and more people designing that who have done nothing but sitting behind a drawing table with a big degree, but no sense of the area they are making decisions about.

A town nearby, they have to change things every other year, because again, they fucked up with their plans.

[Parts]

Also as Eclair mentioned the spaces are getting smaller and smaller  I drive a full sized van and some places I am on the lines on both sides

[Icequeen]

It's crazy, noticed the same happening in town.

Roads in general are becoming crazy. They had a bar sitting at the corner of an intersection in town for decades with the parking lot in front...they came through and put in a traffic light and poured the curb completely blocking off their parking lot. No notice I guess, nothing.

Owner sued and won...quite a hefty sum too...and they built a parking lot in back. But you wonder who's drawing up these plans, and do the ones implementing them have any common sense or are they just getting paid and don't really give a damn.

[Parts]

It's crazy, noticed the same happening in town.

Roads in general are becoming crazy. They had a bar sitting at the corner of an intersection in town for decades with the parking lot in front...they came through and put in a traffic light and poured the curb completely blocking off their parking lot. No notice I guess, nothing.

Owner sued and won...quite a hefty sum too...and they built a parking lot in back. But you wonder who's drawing up these plans, and do the ones implementing them have any common sense or are they just getting paid and don't really give a damn.

Part of the problem at least it seems to be from my perspective is that every year there seems to be fewer and fewer hands on architects and engineers who have a good understanding of how things actually work in the real world and more of the looks good on paper types.  Computers have probably played a big roll in this in that in the past plans were drawn out which took a lot of time and money so they put more effort into making sure they would work with computers it is just so many clicks of a mouse.
As to the ones implementing the changes I myself have been in that position and learned that it's best not to push to hard or you suffer the consequences for daring to question them. In the past I have been kicked off of jobs for asking too many questions and they seem to get even madder if they realize your right.  Now I generally say something once maybe twice and not push too hard  but make a note of it in writing because they will come back and blame you after the fact and say you never told them it was a problem.

['andersom']

It's the hands on knowledge that seems to be missing everywhere lately.
Not only in traffic, alas.

[renaeden]

The place I go to get cat food from has the weirdest curvy lines to drive along that I ignore if there are no other cars and just drive straight across them.

The car park at the train station has really small spaces and I don't like to park there.

[odeon]

Is there any reason for that place to have curvy lines?

['andersom']

Is there any reason for that place to have curvy lines?

Curvy lines are sexy. 

[Parts]

Is there any reason for that place to have curvy lines?

They are used to slow the traffic like speed bumps. 

[Semicolon]

Is there any reason for that place to have curvy lines?

Curvy lines are sexy. 

Not as sexy as Dutch cows.

It's easier to expand a parking lot than to build a garage, or to plan for mass transit.

[Parts]

It's snowing here and we are supposed to get 6-10 inches which reminded me of another thing about the newer parking lots, the people who plow them don't seem to know how to deal with it very well.  They are normally a big mess after a storm piles everywhere blocking isles and sometimes you can see where they hit the little landscaped islands and break the curbing

["couldbecousin"]

  As a pedestrian, I do not notice such things at all. 


  My complaint about parking lots is that sometimes I will be walking through an almost empty parking lot, and some driver
  will seem to follow me because he wants to park exactly where I'm walking.  It makes me feel harassed.