"Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
06/10/2017 at 12:01 • Filed to: None
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"Jay, the practical enthusiast" (jay-m)
06/10/2017 at 12:01 • Filed to: None | 8
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Just your typical bumper to bumper traffic crawling along at a snail’s pace. Nothing to see here.
Ulaanbaatar is the capital and largest
city in Mongolia. To fully get an idea of what it’s like to drive
(and park) there you need to understand a few things about the city’s
history. Mongolia used to be a Soviet satellite and most of the city
was designed and built in the Soviet style during this time. People
couldn’t freely move where ever they wanted so the city was designed
for a static population of 600,000. The idea that the city would grow
and that they would need to plan for this growth wasn’t really
considered. Also the idea that every single person who lived in the
city would own a car was perfectly ridiculous. So the city streets
are narrow and small and parking is extremely limited.
Mongolia gained its freedom with the collapse of the Soviet Union and with that freedom came an influx of people to the capital. The current population is officially 1.3 million but more realistic estimates put it closer to 1.7 million people. That’s half the population of the country. In a city designed for much less.
Traffic is crazy, to say the least. It can take 30 minutes to travel 3 miles. Congestion is just normal over there. And parking? Like I said, there is parking, just not much. So what do you do if you can’t find a parking space? You double park. What I mean is, if two cars are already parked in a parking space you park in front of them. You block them in.
This is the same scene in every parking lot throughout the city.
Now before you get all upset and start
talking about how you would key up any car that blocked you in, let
me explain how this works in Mongolian car culture. Every single car
owner puts their phone number in the lower corner of their
windshield. Everyone does it. Everyone does it because everyone
double parks at some point. It’s just something Mongolians do.
Lots of businesses give out these number cards in the same way businesses in the U.S. give out calendars and refrigerator magnets.
Some people get really fancy with their phone numbers. I think this type has battery powered LEDs that light up at night.
So what do you do if you come back to
your car and see that you are blocked in? You look on the windshield,
call the number, and say “Hey, move your car.” The people who
double park are always nearby. You only have to wait a few minutes
and because you yourself have to double park from time to time there
is no anger or road rage toward the person who blocks you in.
This is a perfect example. She called the number on the Impreza and the driver was there a few minutes later to move his car.
Urambo Tauro
> Jay, the practical enthusiast
06/10/2017 at 12:14 |
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That’s really cool to see cooperation like that, especially in such a nightmarish parking situation. I have NEVER seen anyone leave their number after double-parking. It’s like they’re fully committed to being an asshole.
Chariotoflove
> Jay, the practical enthusiast
06/10/2017 at 12:50 |
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Wow, truly unique culture.
AfromanGTO
> Jay, the practical enthusiast
06/10/2017 at 14:04 |
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I had to get a car towed today, because he was blocking the GTO in. I park the GTO and SS in a long parking spot you can park 2 cars in, but both cars must be from the same apartment. Someone didn’t get the memo, and decided to be a lazy selfish asshole. I was trying to go to cars and coffee, but the smashed up sonata wasn’t allowing that. So the SS (rental car for now) couldn’t park in the spot, and it made fiance mad. Now the car has been towed and the SS (rental car) is back in front of the GTO.
jordang1028
> AfromanGTO
06/10/2017 at 15:36 |
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Serves them right. I will never understand people who forgive parking crimes this assholish in nature. A close friend of mine lives in a complex with almost no guest parking, and someone took her assigned spot the other night. With literally no other parking available, she had to leave her complex and park her car overnight at the grocery store across the street. I could not believe my ears when she said she didn’t call the tow truck because she would feel guilty!!
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AfromanGTO
> jordang1028
06/10/2017 at 15:51 |
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Forget that! I pay three hundred a month for both cars in the garage in non-assigned spaces. The assigned spots are three fifty a month for one car. I would have called the tow truck, and had that fucker towed. Then slept like a baby. I hope the person has fun going to the tow truck lot to get their car.