This is the week when holiday shopping escalates into frenzy -- and the search for a parking place at shopping centers gets frantic. We want a space close to the door, and we want it now so we can get on with the task at hand.
Of people who regularly shop malls, 18 percent say their main complaint about the experience is poor or congested parking, according to a survey by Maritz Marketing Research. That's a significant number, says Phil Wiseman, director of marketing for Maritz, because it's the second most frequent complaint about mall shopping. The biggest complaint, for 26 percent of those respondents, is that malls are too crowded.
And while one-third of the adults said they're shopping less at malls this year than last, it doesn't mean they're not shopping at all. "The survey showed those people are going to discount stores," says Mr. Wiseman.
Other surveys show the majority of Americans now shop with purpose rather than for pleasure, and anything that slows us down -- like finding a parking space -- really ticks us off.
"When I'm in a hurry, I feel like everybody should get out of my way," says Marie Witmer, director of technical services for the Institutional and Municipal Parking Congress in Fredericksburg, Va. "But I don't believe I have a God-given right to a space by the door."
Defending her constituents, Ms. Witmer says shopping centers generally do have plenty of spaces, even in the height of the holiday season. City ordinances require a certain number of parking spaces per square foot of shopping area based on Saturday daytime traffic (the busiest shopping period). It's just that lots of them are in the boonies or in parking garages. Still, finding a space should take no more than 10 minutes, she says.
This is true even at Towson Town Center, in the parking lot Baltimoreans love to hate. That is, if customers follow the advice of Christopher S. Schardt, general manager of the mall: "Just give in and park in the garage. Even there, though, you can see people circling the first floor of the parking deck just praying for back-up lights. People could save much time and aggravation by going up two levels."
Ms. Witmer says people shy away from parking in garages because of a perception problem. "In a flat lot, even if you park at the far end of the aisle, you can still see your destination. In a garage, you can't. So it feels like the stores are farther away. But you may actually be walking less than if you park in the south 40."
She adds that there's also a prevalent perception that parking garages are less safe than a flat lot. "But crime statistics prove you're safer in a garage. They're very well lighted, and stacked parking means there are more people walking around per square foot than in a flat lot where everything is spread out."
Ms. Witmer offers a few more suggestions for parking quickly:
* Don't sit and wait for places by the door. If someone's back-up lights are on, it makes sense to wait for the space. If not, parking in a far section and walking is faster. Besides, says the parking expert, "If you wait more than three minutes for a parking space, you're creating a traffic hazard." She also shakes a no-no finger ,, at following someone to his or her car to snag a space.
* Pull into spaces rather than backing into them. "Most people aren't good at backing into spaces, so it takes more time."
* If parking in the city, don't waste time -- and sometimes money -- trying to find on-street parking. Spaces are hard to come by. Tickets for expired meters aren't.
* If you can afford it and it's available, use valet parking. It may not always be faster, but it is, of course, easier.
* Plan to be patient. "Whether it's trying to find a parking space or standing in a checkout line at a store, it doesn't help to get upset."
IN TIME
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