Now don’t go hating before I explain…
...I’m not talking about snagging a handicap spot…or even fudging that my girls are still infants to park in the spot for expectant and new mothers…
No, I have always parked about as far from those spots as you can get, usually in the far recesses of a parking lot. I don’t want to risk anyone dinging my car, and I know those extra few steps certainly won’t hurt me.
[Years ago, the first time one of my girlfriends rode with me to the grocery store, I parked in my usual far-away spot. She later joked that she was looking for the shuttle service to take us to the door!]
Since the girls were born, little has changed, but I have altered my approach a bit.
Given my no-door-dings motivation, I would normally never park next to a cart return. But I try to find one that is far, far away from the front of the store, perhaps that is only used during holiday madness when the lot gets full.
I pull leisurely in beside it, straddling the line between two parking spots (illegally!), so that there is ½ of a parking space between the cart return and my car. I use that space to load and unload the girls from the stroller.
Tragedy rehearsal at its finest, I know, but I have this crazy scenario that races through my mind sometimes, about a wayward car hitting the stroller when I have my back turned, putting one baby in her carseat.
With the car on one side of the stroller and the cart return on the other, I feel like I have a little framework in which to operate more safely.
And, once the girls are loaded in the car, I only have to walk a couple of steps to put our cart up.
Now when the girls get a little older and are walking beside me, I may have to come up with an alternate plan…
...or maybe we can hope for the implementation of that shuttle service…
Ticker
6 comments:
You've inspirted me, Mandy! I need to start doing this! I, too, park far away, so that I have spots open on either side of me, so that I can maneuver the stroller to both sides of the car without any problem.
I get SO frustrated when someone, for whatever reason, decides that my car needs a friend, and parks RIGHT next to us, so that I can't comfortably, or at all, get the stroller in between the cars. I makes me nervous to leave the stroller so far from me as I put one of the girls in their carseat.
You have inspired this girl to start parking illegally.
P.S. I still totally use the new and expectant mother parking at the grocery store (with my husband there with me). I know the girls are now over a year, but I figure since I got a two for one special, I'm entitled.
I park far away and often straddle another space, too. When I don't, someone inevitably parks next to me, hugging the line next to me and making it nearly impossible for me to get my girls back in the car. There are several times we've had to practically suck in our breath, walk sideways and hope we can squeeze in the door.
I stopped worrying about dings in my car years ago...I guess cause my car is 17 years old!
We are getting a new family car soon so I will be practicing the same precautions as you!
I see nothing wrong with this practice. If you ask me... it is going out of your way to be considerate of everyone involved. Plus you are getting a little exercise too!
I don't tend to think much about where I park. If I've got the kids and they're going to be walking, I try not to park too far away. But I won't circle around and around or wait for someone to pull out just to get a closer spot. Nothing wrong with parking a little further back and getting a bit more exercise! :o)
Do you know how many times I have wanted to "share" a spot? I hate door dings, but I also can't stand trying to wedge myself (and the Crazies) into our doors just to avoid hitting someone else! I like it...I really like it.
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