Don’t Be a Parking Space Tease
Not leaving that parking spot soon? Play it stealthy.
Driving away from a parking space used to be simple. You’d get in your car, start it, put on your seatbelt, and go. It took ten seconds. Now, you get in your car, pull out your phone, check your emails, texts, and voicemails, program the GPS for your destination, find the podcast you want to listen to… and there goes ten minutes.
Meanwhile, if you’re parked on a city street or in a lot, there’s a good chance somebody wants your space. And they’re behind you, waiting. Patiently at first. Then impatiently. And then in a seething rage.
There is an etiquette of sitting in a parking space and not leaving. Following it will help you lower the aggravation all around.
The Ground Rules
How long can you rightfully loiter in your car? Does the person behind you have a reasonable expectation that you will be leaving soon?
Despite what the honking behind you is saying, that spot is not theirs until you are not in it. But it is the lack of information as to when you’re going to leave that causes angst.
The Wave-Around
The first guideline to good parking space etiquette is: Recognize that other people exist. If somebody is waiting for your spot and you’ve got tech to fiddle with, the polite thing to do is communicate that it might take a while.
It is appropriate — and kind — to signal that you have no intention of leaving soon. The arm out the window wave-around is acceptable. It’s certainly more polite than just sitting there, pretending the other driver doesn’t exist.
(If I thought my advice would reach a critical mass of people, I would institute a more granular signaling protocol: Hold up one finger out the window — not that finger — if you think you’ll be leaving in one minute, five if you think you’ll be five minutes, or a wave-around if you think you’ll be longer.)
By Cover of Darkness
You can also be a more considerate parking space hog by making sure your car’s lights are off and that your foot is nowhere near the brake pedal. Illuminated lights, especially brake lights, are a beacon to people who want your spot. When your reverse light is on it’s even more stark. Brake plus reverse lights mean, “I am leaving now.”
So, get in your car, and start it or open the window if you need to, but if you’re going to sit and play with your phone, make sure your lights are off and your transmission is in park.
Full Ninja
Want to avoid the awkwardness entirely? Go full stealth. Sneak into your car when nobody’s looking, and keep it dark and stealthy while you do your phone business. Recline your seat so you’re harder to see. No reason to give false hope.
When you do (finally) put your car in gear and leave, if there’s a person waiting for the spot, give them a nice wave as you drive off. A little friendliness goes a long way.
