Parking at the shops
 

Here is something that I was curious about:

How many dedicated cyclists still try to park their car as close to the store as possible when the drive to the shops? We spend hours riding as far as we can, but how many of us are willing to park a little further away and walk? :rolleyes:

Personally I'm not concerned with getting the best possible spot. Most of the cars you see in the front rows don't have bike racks on the back either. I thought I would float the question to see what anyone else has to say about it.

Andy

I'll park way out in the back of the parking lot. I love walking, I don't care if it's 1 or 100 degrees out.

depends on what i'm shopping for.

regular groceries, liquor store, etc. - i'll park wherever.

heavy furniture, lumber, etc. - closest i can get.

I suspect that for many people, walking through massive carparks is not the most enjoyable activity.

I park at the closest open spot. I won't circle around for a spot though, so if the closest spot is far back ,then so be it.

This will change in the winter. I'd be willing to wait for a close spot, but I have an infant to consider. If I were alone I'd park far out and not care about the walk.

my cars are mint condition and like to keep an eye on them... but to avoid door dings I pick end spots so I may be the closest or farthest, I don't park for fitness reasons

hope that makes sense

Now that I drive I just park at any open spot. If its close great, if its far away great. Anything goes.

I don't drive to the shops. I bike. I think that's the definition of dedicated cyclist. But at any rate, while we are on the topic of parking distance, my pet peeve is my local grocery store. They have bike racks but have placed them what seems to be as far away from the doors as humanly possible when there is a large empty space right next to the vending machines by the door where a rack would fit nicely. But no, I have no interest in parking my bike further from the door and walking a long way, I like to park right in front of the door :)

Yeah, I do. Especially if I am going to be shopping for a while. I can ride all over, but if I have to stand or walk for too long, my arthritic knees doth protest too much!

I park at the far ends of lots for 2 reasons. 1. I don't want my car to get door or cart dings. 2. Security. I like to see the area around my car. If I'm parked out in the middle of nowhere and there's another car parked next to mine, I'm alerted to a possible threat.

I park as far away as I can. That way I can actually see my car when I come out the door. Otherwise, I can never remember where the hell I put it.

Personally, I take the handicap parking space.

Other than two marks that only I would notice, my car is in like new condition. Parking in a far corner of the lot is my normal routine because the average person is an idiot who doesn't respect my property.

I'll have to keep that in mind when I go pick up 75 bundles of shingles :p You're only a dedicated cyclist if you can carry a ton of building materials on your rack! ;)

I park really close. I usually lean my vehicle against the front window if it's a small shop.

I use the handicap space. Easier on the wheelchair.

My covered and secured bike parking is at the furthest location from the entrance, so I am used to walking. ;)

I've never circled looking for a spot. Never had a need.

Al

since I live in Arizona the best parking spots are the ones with any amount of shade. Often it seems these are at the end of the parking where the trees are. I would much rather walk a little farther if it means that my steering wheel is under 200 degrees :D

I never circle looking for a spot. When I take the car to the supermarket (I often ride for 'top-up' trips), I usually park in the same area, which is a little bit further away than the closest park would be, but right near a cart return thingy. I don't mind walking between the car and the shops, but for some reason I hate having to take the cart a long way away to return it. No idea why.