You Can Help Put a Dent In Asshat Parking

"Tom McParland" (tommcparland)
12/23/2013 at 09:17 • Filed to: Researchlopnik, asshat parking, justice

What is the worst automotive sin? Stancing? Rolling Coal? I think around these parts we can all agree that asshat parking, especially in handicapped spaces ranks pretty high on the list.

I take this stuff kind of personal because I have a wife who is a wheelchair user and has a ramp-van. She is dependent upon those spots to be able to actually go out and do things. So when people park inside the lines or take up handicapped spots illegally it gets to me, especially when we have to park elsewhere and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! . I know it gets to most of you as well regardless of whether or not you are disabled or know someone with a disability.

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But what is to be done about it? !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! We could call the police and hope they get a ticket or towed (not likely to happen). We could post their picture on the internet and shame them (makes us feel good, but doesn't seem to be terribly effective). Or we could look a little deeper at the root cause.

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While I was holiday shopping this weekend I had 3 separate encounters with people who attempted to park in the lines too close to our van. I was fortunate enough to catch them and say something like, "Excuse me mam/sir...you see we have van with a ramp and when you park in the lines the ramp can't open without hitting your car. And then my wife can't get out." What surprised me is that all three encounters were with nice folks who responded with, "Oh I'm sorry I had no idea that is what those lines where for." They promptly moved their vehicle. Now perhaps I just encountered a special population this time of year who is both nice and clueless. But it got me thinking...what if some asshat parking did not arise out of arrogance but rather ignorance? What if most people honestly had no clue that those blue lines had a specific purpose? I like to believe in the good in people (again maybe it's the time of year) and I want to believe that if more people understood why those blue lines where there, maybe we could cut down on the incidents of asshatery.

I propose we do a little informal survey this holiday season when we are talking with family and friends (or strangers). I need your help to ask folks-

"Hey do you know what those blue lines in the parking lots are for?"

I am genuinely curious how many people really know. Report back here with your findings.

-Tell me how many people you asked

-Tell me how many of them were not aware of the purpose of those blue lines

-What state you live in

Do I think our efforts will put a stop to this behavior? Probably not. But the conversations you have with people will increase awareness and if it turns out that most people are truly clueless perhaps we can take it to another level. We could proposition state governments to add a question or two to the driver's test (at least we could make the next generation a little smarter) or maybe some kind of PSA could be in order.

The Jalopnik community has had a great history of getting behind some good causes. This is something that we all get fired up about, maybe it is time we take some positive action.

DISCUSSION (31)

CalzoneGolem > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:20

I'd argue that stancing and rolling coal are both dangerous to others.

Tom McParland > CalzoneGolem
12/23/2013 at 09:21

Good point I'll make that edit.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:24

You might also want to write to your state rep in Trenton, might find someone willing to take up the cause.

Tom McParland > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
12/23/2013 at 09:24

Yes but I would like to have some data..even if it is informal to present

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:26

As someone who has spent 4 years working Parking Crew, it isn't ignorance of the blue lines, it's impatience and laziness. People just pull into a spot. That's it, no corrections, just once and done. They know that they parked like an ass, but they don't care, they have coffee to buy. Even if you have cops standing there watching them park, it is still the same story.

TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts. > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:26

I'll make a point to ask the question over the next couple of days and see.

Tom McParland > TheBloody, Oppositelock lives on in our shitposts.
12/23/2013 at 09:28

Thank you much appreciated

Tom McParland > Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire
12/23/2013 at 09:29

And that is why I want some data. To prove my hypothesis correct or not. Arrogance and laziness we can't fix...ignorance we can at lease attempt to correct.

With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:31

"JOLYNN" should be happy that this picture went up on oppo and not 4chan.

cazzyodo > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:31

I'll ask people over the next couple days.

Also, although I am one to occasionally color outside of the lines, when it comes down to parking, I am an unforgiving sonovabitch.

Merry Christmas to you, sir. I hope you have a terrific holiday.

Tom McParland > cazzyodo
12/23/2013 at 09:32

Thanks and to you as well!

Arch Duke Maxyenko, Shit Talk Extraordinaire > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:33

That was just my observations from working in the field. As far as raw data is concerned, a simple random sample taken at a mall might work.

Meatcoma > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:38

We could call the police and hope they get a ticket or towed (not likely to happen).

In Kansas you will get a ticket. If you call the police and they show up and verify that they are in violation, they will ticket the vehicle.

davedave1111 > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:39

I get as annoyed as one should by people parking in disabled bays who don't need them. The rest, though? I couldn't care less about most of the 'asshat parkers' posted here, who generally seem to have done nothing wrong other than offend some OCD Opponaut by not quite parking straight enough within an arbitrary grid of lines drawn in a parking lot.

As for asking people about the lines, I don't think I'll bother. I've never seen anyone park in them in this country, because, as far as I can tell, you have to be a complete fecking moron not to realise they're part of the disabled bay. But then we commonly paint them yellow, which people have been trained not to park on, rather than some blue colour they don't respond to.

Kinja'd!!!

And I ran across this while googling for a pic, which made me chortle:

Kinja'd!!!

Tom McParland > Meatcoma
12/23/2013 at 09:41

In NJ cops rarely bother.

philipilihp > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:41

I have to call BS on the ignorance part. It might have been a cop-out so as not to look like an ass caught red-handed. Regardless of knowing what the lines are for, clearly they are covering up a spot. ALL the other parking spots are open, only have lines marking the sides and one open one so you know where to pull in. This one is closed. The lines pretty clearly close the area. If you can't tell that this means that you shouldn't park there, maybe you shouldn't be driving because common sense has escaped your grasp.

I feel for your cause, but the reason these people park there is not ignorance.

Tom McParland > philipilihp
12/23/2013 at 09:42

Maybe so...but I want to give folks the benefit of the doubt and see what everyone comes up with.

philipilihp > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 09:44

I do appreciate that. My pet peeve in the universe is the loss of common sense in general, asshat parking with an excuse of ignorance just irked me a bit. Didn't mean to get so excited so early in the morning!

jariten1781 > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 10:36

The vast majority of people don't know why the lines are there. I've had the conversation a number of times when my knee was giving out (old gymnastics injury that flares up every few years) and I wouldn't park in van spots.

Now that said, they don't know why, but they certainly know that they're not supposed to park there. For some people they just assume that the lines were painted because the handicapped spots were larger and screwed up the layout in the lot such that they couldn't fit another full-sized spot there. If their car/motorcycle/bicycle is compact enough to fit they believe no harm no foul. Once they realize the purpose they usually will stop parking there. It's still kind of a dickish move because they know they're doing something wrong but think they're being clever by rationalizing it. It's forgivable though.

A lot of others though will say 'Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know' and will move their car so they don't seem like an asshole, but will return to it the next time and just play the ignorance card again later if they get called out again.

Some places where I've lived will have parking sweeps a couple times a year where they pull officers from traffic duty for a day or a week and have them solely enforce handicapped, yellow curbs, and fire hydrant laws when not on an active calls. I think it's a decent way to minimize the amount of asshattery that goes on. The local news will usually do a little 'feel good' piece afterwards as well which does a little to raise awareness. Maybe contact the mayor/council/PD and see if that kind of thing can be set up where you live.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 11:54

EDIT: Nevermind, I'll make it its own post...

Tom McParland > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123
12/23/2013 at 11:56

Gotcha I was using common terminology as to not confuse people.

Stef Schrader > With-a-G is back to not having anything written after his username
12/23/2013 at 12:01

True dat.

I will, however, want to fart on it if I ever see it in Texas. No excuse for this, especially with a Roush Mustang. Park that thing where people won't want to bulldoze it. You being a butthole will make people want to destroy your car on principle, and that's too nice a toy for total destruction.

Come to think of it, I'll wait and fart on JoLynn instead.

Rainbow > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 13:28

Bulloch and Effingham counties. Is this your picture? I go to school in Bulloch.

Tom McParland > Rainbow
12/23/2013 at 13:30

Interesting... I just grabbed it from Google.

Rainbow > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 13:32

Ah, alright. I know there are plenty of Jalops around Atlanta, but as far as I know I'm the only one in southern GA. :P

TwoFortified > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 18:54

Several commentors call BS on ignorance...I LITERALLY just learned, in this post, what those lines are for. Up until 5 minutes ago, I sort of assumed they were like a designated pedestrian walking area or something. I can tell you that I've never parked in them, despite being tempted (because, again, I DIDN'T KNOW WHAT THEY WERE FOR). This makes sense. If I had ever stopped and thought about it real hard, I'd have probably figured it out, but what can I say, never have.

Good info.

Tom McParland > TwoFortified
12/23/2013 at 19:03

Thank you...

ttyymmnn > Tom McParland
12/23/2013 at 20:15

Sounds like a good idea. I'll ask around.

Tom McParland > ttyymmnn
12/23/2013 at 20:18

Thanks!

Lokki > Tom McParland
12/25/2013 at 10:41

How about asking your state representative to change the markings to include a small handicap symbol in the blue striped area? Cheap to implement and makes it clear that it's part of the handicap slot and not just a walk way

Meatcoma > Tom McParland
12/26/2013 at 08:44

I did say "if" lol. Good luck getting them to come for that. Would have to be a really slow day.