Tight Car Parks

[Greebo]

Cars haven’t gotten bigger for the fun of it though, it’s nearly all about safety.

Wrap an original mini round a tree at anything more than walking pace and you’d probably die. Where as hitting a stationary object at 50mph in a modern car, even a small one and you’d probably live.

i disagree. there has definitely being a push to provide more and more internal space and still call it the same model car. Safety measures may have added to it as well.

The mark 1 golf was 1410mm internal width and 345l boot space. the current polo is 1425mm internal width and 351l boot space. The current golf is internally much, much bigger than the original golf. the mark 2 golf grew by 18cm in length and 5.6cm wider all that extra size was to give passengers and boot more space, nothing to do with safety measures. The mark 7 golf has 1469mm interior width and 380l boot space..

If the current golf was the same inside dimensions as the mark 1, yes it would definitely still be bigger on the outside for all the safety measures like airbags and crumple zones but wouldnt be half as big as it is now.

 

[jpaul]

... not forgetting , these bigger cars come at the cost of power to weight ratio too - was the original gti 115bhp, and nearer 1000Kg , and now you need 150bhp to get the same feeling;
yes you get ncap 5 too, and, perhaps, that is principal reason for outside size increase, until materials science (carbon fibre & co) enables us to return to better solution

works car park (design fault I thought) had an anticlockwise spiral on it - which is always an interesting manouver.

 

[K.C. Leblanc]

i disagree. there has definitely being a push to provide more and more internal space and still call it the same model car. Safety measures may have added to it as well.

A lot of manufacturers seem to let their cars grow bigger and eventually drop the larger models and bring in new smaller ones. Consider the disappearance of cars like the Vauxhall Omega and Ford Grenada. Don't forget the Rover 200/25 started as an Escort rival but became a fiesta competitor as it's competitors got bigger.

 

[200sols]

Size = luxury. Well perceived luxury, bigger = better.

 

[gc123]

I also tend to park at the furthest point away from the store entrance in any car park I use, does the wife's head in lol.

and dont you find that when you come back to the car theres always someone else parked close....i can be the only car on the park when i go shopping and there will always be others around my car when i come back grrrrrrrrr

 

[Rroff]

Sounds a bit tricky then! But I'm very careful with my wheels, can't stand wheels that are full of kerbing like a lot of cars on the road.

Google maps suggests more like 2.2-2.4m width - there was another spot I'd forgotten about as well with a wall one side and traffic the other which is kind of hairy if something big is coming the other way.

and dont you find that when you come back to the car theres always someone else parked close....i can be the only car on the park when i go shopping and there will always be others around my car when i come back grrrrrrrrr

I went out to pick some stuff up for my mum from a shop the other day - large car park about a quarter full - from the dashcam (shame I don't have a rear facing one to show the whole thing) this is basically what it was like:

Red spots were already parked cars, green is where I parked, driving a pickup I tend to stay away from other people if I can. A car about 50 yards behind me coming into the car park decided to take up the blue spot behind me while I was in the middle of manoeuvring (I had to use considerable restraint not to ask them if they were an idiot) and with the red one blocking them just driving straight out again so at best it wasn't a good choice given all the other spots. When I came back less than 5 minutes later someone else had parked right beside me! fortunately on the passenger side so at least I didn't have to contort myself to get in.

Would have parked in the central bit so I could drive straight off again but it was easier parked where I was for loading.

Sadly seems to happen almost every time I go out these days

 

[2004typer]

and dont you find that when you come back to the car theres always someone else parked close....i can be the only car on the park when i go shopping and there will always be others around my car when i come back grrrrrrrrr

Yep had that happen a few times, don't mind if it's a decent car from a like minded person, but when it's a banger I'm sure they've just done it on purpose.

 

[Von Luck]

..

 

[a1ex2001]

In my job I tend to get around a fair bit by car and the inevitable situation of finding a car parking space near to where I'm needed.

Does it wind anyone else up how bad some of the car parks are designed and don't at all suit the size of modern cars.

Visited Sheffield today and parked in Arundel Gate opposite the Crucible Theatre. Getting into the car park wasn't bad, but getting out was horrendous, a tight 90 degree turn into the narrowest kerbed area between the exit bollard.

Granted, was driving an Insignia so a fairly large car, but I literally had about 10mm of clear space before shredding the tyre/alloy on the massive kerb, and by the state of it has taken many victims.

Luckily it was quiet so wasn't under any pressure while I navigated the exit at 0.0001mph while eagle eyeing the wing mirrors on the rear wheels, but I can imagine if there was a queue behind and the other driver wasn't particularly patient you'd get some funny looks or a beep of the horn.

Obviously would be loads easier in a little hatchback, but for pigs sake I can't fathom why the owners wouldn't just change it to make it easier (best way - get rid of the kerbs and just have painted line markings).

The car park in concern used to be an NCP, but I'm assuming they got rid due to the age of the place and the obvious design of the facility for cars of yesteryear before they got fat.

Minor moan over lol......lesson learned is to find a modern car park, or drive a smart car.

That car park was probably built 50 years ago when a big family car was the size of a current fiesta! It’s not even the worst in Sheffield try the hospital one where it it so tight you struggle to get out of the car once in the space!

 

[jpaul]

some nice parking spaces in wells by sea, a central back to back row area, but parking parallel against edge buildings too,
so unfamiliar x5'ers, for example, can later find themselves blocked in if they're in middle slots - Jenga

 

[lordrobs]

Some modern cars are ridiculous though. When you see an Audi Q7 at 2m wide in a "normal" parking space you do wonder how we would get on if we all drove these monsters to do the weekly shop!

We always take my company car to places where we know parking is going to be an issue and ironically I've never had any damage done to it (at least not that I've spotted) even when I have to take that last space where you have to squeeze yourself out of the gap between the two beaten up MPVs with child seats in the back!

My new theory is the tighter the space the less of a swing Mr/Mrs Couldn't-care-less has to inflict damage!

 

[Greebo]

Some modern cars are ridiculous though. When you see an Audi Q7 at 2m wide in a "normal" parking space you do wonder how we would get on if we all drove these monsters to do the weekly shop!

We always take my company car to places where we know parking is going to be an issue and ironically I've never had any damage done to it (at least not that I've spotted) even when I have to take that last space where you have to squeeze yourself out of the gap between the two beaten up MPVs with child seats in the back!

My new theory is the tighter the space the less of a swing Mr/Mrs Couldn't-care-less has to inflict damage!

Not just the q7. The x5 is 2015mm wide, the Merc gle is 2018mm, RR sport 2019mm.

The q7 is actually the slimmest in its class at only 1968mm wide.

I know at work its an issue and all the directors try not to park next to each other - all consists of the cars listed already.

rear steering helps massively on this big cars but you may be able to get into a parking spot but that doesnt mean you can get out of your car.

 

[Semple]

You think that bad, what about this?

Cars written off by Watford road bollards caught on camera https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-beds-bucks-herts-59641534

Fairly sure there is a longer version on YouTube somewhere.

Not sure how the council have got away with that.

The bollards may have been removed since the last google street view drive through, but there's only a narrow vehicle warning - which in majority of cases never applies to cars. But worst of all if you follow street view past that section then the road goes back to a normal width, so not sure what they were trying to achieve there.

 

[lordrobs]

Not just the q7. The x5 is 2015mm wide, the Merc gle is 2018mm, RR sport 2019mm.

The q7 is actually the slimmest in its class at only 1968mm wide.

I know at work its an issue and all the directors try not to park next to each other - all consists of the cars listed already.

rear steering helps massively on this big cars but you may be able to get into a parking spot but that doesnt mean you can get out of your car.

I went for my covid booster this morning and had to wait while a Merc GLE Coupe had five attempts at getting round the one way system in the doctors surgery car park. My Leon Estate went round without even really having to give it any thought at all.

I remember someone coming back to a big SUV parked so close to their car they couldn't get in. They shouted over to the driver who responded "It's not my fault I've got a big car" his response of "So who's fault is it then?" did make me chuckle.

I totally get why people like these monster sized cars but the trade off with parking hassles would be too much for me.

 

[b0rn2sk8]

Could be worse, the best selling vehicle could be a Ford F-150 like elsewhere in the world.

Up to 6.8m long and over 2.4m wide with mirrors

 

[MikeTheNative]

Could be worse, the best selling vehicle could be a Ford F-150 like elsewhere in the world.

Up to 6.8m long and over 2.4m wide with mirrors

Someone who goes to my gym has one and the thing is huge. He usually parks it away from everyone else and on the end as it can't take up less than 2 spaces.

 

[Rroff]

Could be worse, the best selling vehicle could be a Ford F-150 like elsewhere in the world.

Up to 6.8m long and over 2.4m wide with mirrors

Mind you we might actually get a decent road network and car parks if everyone went out and bought them... once they'd finished demolishing the current mess.

 

[Deleted User 298457]

Mind you we might actually get a decent road network and car parks if everyone went out and bought them... once they'd finished demolishing the current mess.

There is nothing 'good' about a national road widening scheme to accommodate unnecessarily large, polluting, 'work' trucks.

 

[Resident]

In my job I tend to get around a fair bit by car and the inevitable situation of finding a car parking space near to where I'm needed.

Does it wind anyone else up how bad some of the car parks are designed and don't at all suit the size of modern cars.

Visited Sheffield today and parked in Arundel Gate opposite the Crucible Theatre. Getting into the car park wasn't bad, but getting out was horrendous, a tight 90 degree turn into the narrowest kerbed area between the exit bollard.

Granted, was driving an Insignia so a fairly large car, but I literally had about 10mm of clear space before shredding the tyre/alloy on the massive kerb, and by the state of it has taken many victims.

Luckily it was quiet so wasn't under any pressure while I navigated the exit at 0.0001mph while eagle eyeing the wing mirrors on the rear wheels, but I can imagine if there was a queue behind and the other driver wasn't particularly patient you'd get some funny looks or a beep of the horn.

Obviously would be loads easier in a little hatchback, but for pigs sake I can't fathom why the owners wouldn't just change it to make it easier (best way - get rid of the kerbs and just have painted line markings).

The car park in concern used to be an NCP, but I'm assuming they got rid due to the age of the place and the obvious design of the facility for cars of yesteryear before they got fat.

Minor moan over lol......lesson learned is to find a modern car park, or drive a smart car.

Next time park in the "Cheesegrater". It's on Charles St and run by Q-park. Spaces are decent sizes and it's only a minute further down the road. Tends to be a bit cheaper too

 

[Greebo]

I went for my covid booster this morning and had to wait while a Merc GLE Coupe had five attempts at getting round the one way system in the doctors surgery car park. My Leon Estate went round without even really having to give it any thought at all.

I remember someone coming back to a big SUV parked so close to their car they couldn't get in. They shouted over to the driver who responded "It's not my fault I've got a big car" his response of "So who's fault is it then?" did make me chuckle.

I totally get why people like these monster sized cars but the trade off with parking hassles would be too much for me.

On these big SUVS it really is worth every penny buying the £995 rear wheel steer option. Drops the turning circle by over 1.5m. My VW touareg supposedly has the same turning circle as VW golf and I believe it.