Giving us all a bad name.

Spotted this inconsiderate bit of parking at our local Aldi. It's only a small carpark and usually full. The cameras ensure you only park for 90 minutes or else a fine is winging it's way.
I don't know how long this van had been there, but I was so tempted to park my car in front of it and stay there for 85 minutes...
The good people of my town had kindly given the van two spaces to exit.
Al.

Not having the plan of your Aldi parking to hand I can’t make an informed judgement but, if he had parked in one space it looks like his back end would have stuck out into the road: not a good idea. It seems to me he has done his best; tucked out of the way in a corner, not obstructing anyone, backed in as close to the wall as possible. He could have been us.  If we have any doubts as to whether we will be welcome we generally ask someone in the shop and have never been asked to go away.

Our Aldi carpark is awkward for motorhomes as it's walled or fenced all the way around, there's no grass verge to reverse over, however there are double rows down the middle where taking up only two spaces is possible, but maybe there were none free when this van parked.
They've relied on other shoppers being considerate though, which is taking a risk on a time limited carpark.
Al.

I wouldn`t even get in our  Aldi , it is so small, parking wise, difficult for some cars, luckily I can usually park on the road outside.

I wonder what the driver would have done if, someone quite legitimately parked in either of the two spaces in front?

Les W wrote:I wonder what the driver would have done if, someone quite legitimately parked in either of the two spaces in front?

Over many years experience of having to park in supermarkets etc carparks without provision for larger vehicles we have not come across anyone who has parked so that we could not get out. Given that Peugeot has  a very good turning circle they only need to leave one vehicle space in front at the very most.  In the event that we couldn’t get out we would probably  make a cup of tea and wait until they came back.  If we were in a tearing hurry, unlikely, we would take their number, go back into the shop and ask if they would make an announcement and then very politely asked them if they minded moving for a moment.

( We have, when we’ve gone into normal car parking spaces, had people park so close to the door that we’ve had to ferry the shopping in item by item)

Strangely enough, at our local Aldi not far from Al's I parked across 3 spaces on the periphery of the car park while SWMBO went into the shop to get some provisions.
Our car park is huge compared to Al's, so I chose an area where no-one else had parked, leaving probably 50+ other available spaces.

I had the engine running, as I could see SWMBO walking back with the shopping, and some dozy woman parked in front of me in the very last space before the end of the kerb.

I pipped my horn and put my indicator on to show that I was about to leave, and she just ignored me.
As she got out of the car I opened my window and shouted "excuse me, can you move so that I can get out please".

She gave me such a dirty look.

Al, if you read this I was in the spaces at the very bottom of the big main car park, where the trees are.

Comments welcome.

meanchris wrote:

Comments welcome.

Too small a sample to be statistically significant. However....

One lady; always parks in that spot, in bad temper that day as big white van parked there ?

People in NW less considerate or less thoughtful than elsewhere ?

No...I can't make any generalisations about Aldi shoppers as I'm one.

I was picking my daughter up from Waitrose one evening at 20:00, the shop was just about to close and I was the only car on the carpark, some idiot parked about six inches from my car and banged their door into mine. Lets just say that I had a bit of a one on me!!!  

I think that she was just dozy.

I do my best to avoid inconveniencing anyone while driving and parking our van, but what choice do we have in a 7m vehicle if there are no double length spaces available.
In that cap park there are kerbs perpendicular to all the spaces so that parking transversely across more than two spaces is the only real option.

In Al's example, if there are no double spaces in the central area, which doesn't have kerbs, then I think I'd have done the same as in his picture, but stayed in the van to ask anyone parking to leave me space to get out.

I suppose, like the people in our Park and Ride at the moment, you could always put out the generator, gas bottle, dog kennel, washing line and rubbish bags.

That certainly ensures that no-one parks close to you and you don't have to worry about paying or over-staying as no-one in authority will bother you.

Quilter wrote:I suppose, like the people in our Park and Ride at the moment, you could always put out the generator, gas bottle, dog kennel, washing line and rubbish bags.

That certainly ensures that no-one parks close to you and you don't have to worry about paying or over-staying as no-one in authority will bother you.

:hugegrins:Brilliant.

If I had no choice other than parking as in Al's pic, I would have moved forward from the wall half a parking bay, leaving me half a bay in front and behind, to shufty out, if someone had blocked me in (other than Al on his bike) 

Last year we went shopping at Asda near Bude Cornwall I parked on the road in Car park and was directing cars out as I had caused a blind spot after 10 minutes I got fed up with the abuse from drivers so I parked across 3 bays

I use Aldi stores regularly when away but check the parking layout on Google earth before I go. So far I've always been able to find plenty of space whilst getting the essentials (like Steinhauser). The person Al has photographed may have had little option but to park that way, it will attract animosity though from the usual suspects. On one occasion I was told by a chap that vehicles like ours should be banned from supermarket carparks. The discussion (as much as it was) was him repeating, “it’s for cars”  

Kingham wrote:If I had no choice other than parking as in Al's pic, I would have moved forward from the wall half a parking bay, leaving me half a bay in front and behind, to shufty out, if someone had blocked me in (other than Al on his bike) 

I think if it was me, that's exactly what I would have done. I hate having to rely on the good nature (or not!) of others.
Al.

I cant believe the travellers are still there, if I were to try parking my van in a P&R for a few days, even leaving no mess I would be moved on within a few days at most.

MIKE L wrote:I cant believe the travellers are still there, if I were to try parking my van in a P&R for a few days, even leaving no mess I would be moved on within a few days at most.

Precisely! As I pointed out to the authorities. There is signposted motorhome parking at Redbridge P&R and it is well-used by many motorhomers of all nationalities . There are also notices forbidding overnighting in said motorhomes. I know of at least 2 vans who have been asked to move on. They’d had a busy day in Oxford, wanted to stay until the next day, the C&CC site over the road was full, they were fully self- contained and not nuisance to anyone but, rules is rules. I have tried to sell the authorities the idea of an organised aire, citing the success of the Canterbury one, but they are worried about - guess what- ?!

Shall we organise an ASOF rally there ? It would be discrimination to move us on !

Travellers once descended on ex-railway land near our house, after a few weeks of inaction by the council, we complained to the police about the foul stench of human waste left on the verges of the nearby public footpath. We also mentioned none of the traveller's vehicles were displaying a valid tax disc (this was when you had to). We had a polite call back telling us there was nothing they could do as the travellers were parked up on private land. My wife pointed out that they had to use public roads to get on and off the private land, and all the police had to do was wait at the entrance. Their reply was 'Are you trying to tell us how to do our job madam? We don't advise you to do that.'
The travellers stayed unhindered for the entire summer, in the end snow drove them off.
Al.

bikeralw wrote:Their reply was 'Are you trying to tell us how to do our job madam? We don't advise you to do that.'
The travellers stayed unhindered for the entire summer, in the end snow drove them off.
Al.

"No, I am telling you how to do the job I am paying you to do as a council tax payer"

Some in the police need to be reminded where their pay packet comes from. I think I would have been on to the Chief Constable the second the phone went down.

meanchris wrote:I think that she was just dozy.

I do my best to avoid inconveniencing anyone while driving and parking our van, but what choice do we have in a 7m vehicle if there are no double length spaces available.
In that cap park there are kerbs perpendicular to all the spaces so that parking transversely across more than two spaces is the only real option.

In Al's example, if there are no double spaces in the central area, which doesn't have kerbs, then I think I'd have done the same as in his picture, but stayed in the van to ask anyone parking to leave me space to get out.

Slightly off topic, but recently went to a historic City in Italy, using park for a night app went to a free car park on town edge. After waiting ten minutes in a spot no where near long enough but where others could pass a nice Italian man turned up in one of the 6 spaces where we could actually fit as our overhang would go over the flat grass. I saw him get in his car leaving other half at wheel as to get there involved driving around the cars from one end of the rather large car park to the other. The very nice Italian man actually spoke English and seeing me standing about watching him, asked me if we were in the camping car, to which i said yes, he said tell your friend to drive round,ill wait til he is here so you can get in. After nice man had gone i stayed as did not like leaving van unaccompanied and shortly after the little Polo next to us left a space, tight admittedly but a space. Along comes an Italian in a 5 series BMW, at this point several spaces were free up the other end. But he determinedly drove in with about 6 inches on his side LHD and about a foot from us. I was sat having a cuppa watching then, he tried getting out. Opening his drivers door he had only room to squeeze out upwards, so he put a hand on his roof and cars next to him. He literally climes on his hands like a monkey swinging his legs between the cars extracting himself. Opened his boot got his bag and went to the gym at next to the car park. At this point young lady with car in no parking corner space next to us turned up, and got her tiny Axim out the corner so I moved up so BMW man had 2 foot along side when he returned. Did not hang around to see result, as now parked in as safe a spot as possible we went off to explore the town, dog having been for his walk first. Amazes me Italians will not walk further than possible, forget lines in Aldi or Lidl in Italy, they park across the doors ignore parking bays always plenty of spaces in Italian places as long as furthest from door of where they are heading. Dozy sums up Italians in general. 

Like others I would have left more space behind so I could get out.

The converse is that LIDL in Falmouth has about five spaces which are sideways to the rest of the car park and ideal for motorhomes, so of course some Bozo in a micra will be parked right in the middle of a massive space that could take two small cars ... I did suggest they mark just two of the spaces 'long vehicles only' but the suggestion fell on deaf ears.... instead IF I can get in I end up using four spaces or shop somewhere else! Defies logic since this area is full of motorhomes especially during the Summer!

The other side of the coin here.
To their credit, Sainsbury's in Ashbourne have thoughtfully provided four extra large spaces for motorhomes at the far end of their carpark.
When I called today they were all filled with cars despite lots of vacant spaces much nearer the store entrance.
I can only think the car owners park in the big spaces to avoid the supermarket car park door clashes.