Discussion:
Double parking
(too old to reply)
Will Parsons
2018-05-05 21:28:26 UTC
Permalink
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?

The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.

So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
--
Will
b***@shaw.ca
2018-05-05 22:18:31 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
I have lived five years or more in each of three Canadian cities. In all
of them, "double parking" meant parking parallel to a legally
parked car. It was the sort of thing people did when there were
no empty spaces nearby and they had a brief errand to run, such
as picking something up from a shop.

I would do it only if I could remain at the wheel while someone
else ran the errand.

I've never heard of the second sense until now.
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-05 22:24:41 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@shaw.ca
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
I have lived five years or more in each of three Canadian cities. In all
of them, "double parking" meant parking parallel to a legally
parked car. It was the sort of thing people did when there were
no empty spaces nearby and they had a brief errand to run, such
as picking something up from a shop.
I would do it only if I could remain at the wheel while someone
else ran the errand.
That would be "standing" rather than parking.
Post by b***@shaw.ca
I've never heard of the second sense until now.
Me either.
Sam Plusnet
2018-05-05 23:41:12 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by b***@shaw.ca
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
I have lived five years or more in each of three Canadian cities. In all
of them, "double parking" meant parking parallel to a legally
parked car. It was the sort of thing people did when there were
no empty spaces nearby and they had a brief errand to run, such
as picking something up from a shop.
I would do it only if I could remain at the wheel while someone
else ran the errand.
That would be "standing" rather than parking.
In BrE (IIRC) that would be "waiting" - or, just possibly, "loading or
unloading".

Most of my journeys on roads which are hardly wide enough to permit two
way traffic with one row of parked cars - let alone two.
--
Sam Plusnet
Jerry Friedman
2018-05-06 02:20:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by b***@shaw.ca
What *is* double parking, anyway?  And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
...
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by b***@shaw.ca
I would do it only if I could remain at the wheel while someone
else ran the errand.
That would be "standing" rather than parking.
In BrE (IIRC) that would be "waiting" - or, just possibly, "loading or
unloading".
Most of my journeys on roads which are hardly wide enough to permit two
way traffic with one row of parked cars - let alone two.
Based on my slightly less than comprehensive survey of British and Irish
roads, they're all like that except the motorways.
--
Jerry Friedman
HVS
2018-05-05 23:20:47 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@shaw.ca
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
I have lived five years or more in each of three Canadian cities. In all
of them, "double parking" meant parking parallel to a legally
parked car. It was the sort of thing people did when there were
no empty spaces nearby and they had a brief errand to run, such
as picking something up from a shop.
I would do it only if I could remain at the wheel while someone
else ran the errand.
I've never heard of the second sense until now.
Same here.
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-06 07:35:09 UTC
Permalink
Post by b***@shaw.ca
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
I have lived five years or more in each of three Canadian cities. In all
of them, "double parking" meant parking parallel to a legally
parked car. It was the sort of thing people did when there were
no empty spaces nearby and they had a brief errand to run, such
as picking something up from a shop.
I would do it only if I could remain at the wheel while someone
else ran the errand.
I do that often, whenever my wife goes to the dry cleaners.
Post by b***@shaw.ca
I've never heard of the second sense until now.
--
athel
Peter Moylan
2018-05-06 12:53:58 UTC
Permalink
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.

I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Tony Cooper
2018-05-06 13:17:15 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-05-06 14:29:10 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 06 May 2018 09:17:15 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Tony Cooper
2018-05-06 16:35:43 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 06 May 2018 15:29:10 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
On Sun, 06 May 2018 09:17:15 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Whiskers
2018-05-06 17:47:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 06 May 2018 15:29:10 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
On Sun, 06 May 2018 09:17:15 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
spirit.
--
^^^^^^^^^^
Whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-06 18:21:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
[ … ]
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my ticket to
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were leaving.
--
athel
charles
2018-05-06 19:33:21 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
[ Π]
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my ticket to
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were leaving.
at Gatwick (London) it photographs your number plate and gived you a
ticket. When you come to leave it knows you have paid and opens the
barrier without you bothering to put your card in the slot.
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
--
--
from KT24 in Surrey, England
"I'd rather die of exhaustion than die of boredom" Thomas Carlyle
Sam Plusnet
2018-05-06 20:26:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
[ … ]
We have those here, too.  One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else.  A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes.  He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah.  He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
 registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
 spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my ticket to
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were leaving.
A supermarket we sometimes use (here in the UK) introduced such a system
at the entrance to the car park.
It would read the numberplate on arrival and again on departure.
This was to enforce the rule that 2 hours of parking was free, whilst
there was some punitive charge for longer stays.
Perhaps this was cheaper than employing people to do the job.
The system seemed to vanish within 6 months of its introduction.
--
Sam Plusnet
Lewis
2018-05-06 21:29:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
[ … ]
We have those here, too.  One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else.  A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes.  He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah.  He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
 registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
 spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my ticket to
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were leaving.
A supermarket we sometimes use (here in the UK) introduced such a system
at the entrance to the car park.
It would read the numberplate on arrival and again on departure.
This was to enforce the rule that 2 hours of parking was free, whilst
there was some punitive charge for longer stays.
Perhaps this was cheaper than employing people to do the job.
The system seemed to vanish within 6 months of its introduction.
There was, long ago, a supermarket that tried to charge for overtime
parking. It very quickly went out of business since no serious shopper
would ever go there for fear of running over the free period.

Generally speaking, I refuse to shop anywhere that charges me for
parking.
--
Q: Does anyone know how many LOCs were in the Space Shuttle' codebase?
A: 45. It was written in perl (paraphrased Slashdot discussion)
Sam Plusnet
2018-05-06 22:14:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Lewis
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
[ … ]
We have those here, too.  One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else.  A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes.  He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah.  He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
 registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
 spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my ticket to
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were leaving.
A supermarket we sometimes use (here in the UK) introduced such a system
at the entrance to the car park.
It would read the numberplate on arrival and again on departure.
This was to enforce the rule that 2 hours of parking was free, whilst
there was some punitive charge for longer stays.
Perhaps this was cheaper than employing people to do the job.
The system seemed to vanish within 6 months of its introduction.
There was, long ago, a supermarket that tried to charge for overtime
parking. It very quickly went out of business since no serious shopper
would ever go there for fear of running over the free period.
Generally speaking, I refuse to shop anywhere that charges me for
parking.
The pattern in the UK seems to be for supermarkets to subcontract car
park management to a separate company.
This allows them to sympathise with the unhappy punter, but say "It's
nothing to do with us."
I have no idea if this (im)plausible deniability makes any difference to
customer attitudes.
--
Sam Plusnet
Garrett Wollman
2018-05-07 01:55:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
The pattern in the UK seems to be for supermarkets to subcontract car
park management to a separate company.
This allows them to sympathise with the unhappy punter, but say "It's
nothing to do with us."
I have no idea if this (im)plausible deniability makes any difference to
customer attitudes.
The pattern in the US is for all retail businesses outside of big-city
CBDs to be surrounded with acres of "free" parking. It's one of the
biggest auto subsidies in existence. Zoning codes in most places[1] make
oceans of parking mandatory for any new construction. There's no
culture of taking the bus/train/tram/metro to shop; it's assumed that
customers will carry everything home themselves in their own private
vehicles. And besides, the bus only comes once an hour at best and
the nearest bus stop is half a mile from both origin and destination.

-GAWollman

[1] Most places? Well, technically not, because most places are
uninhabited, or barely inhabited. But the places where most Americans
live for sure.
--
Garrett A. Wollman | "Act to avoid constraining the future; if you can,
***@bimajority.org| act to remove constraint from the future. This is
Opinions not shared by| a thing you can do, are able to do, to do together."
my employers. | - Graydon Saunders, _A Succession of Bad Days_ (2015)
Peter Moylan
2018-05-07 04:11:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Lewis
There was, long ago, a supermarket that tried to charge for
overtime parking. It very quickly went out of business since no
serious shopper would ever go there for fear of running over the
free period.
Generally speaking, I refuse to shop anywhere that charges me for
parking.
The pattern in the UK seems to be for supermarkets to subcontract car
park management to a separate company. This allows them to
sympathise with the unhappy punter, but say "It's nothing to do with
us." I have no idea if this (im)plausible deniability makes any
difference to customer attitudes.
There's one shopping centre in the Newcastle region that has a
reputation for especially bad parking woes. I avoid going there except
when there's no choice, because parking is such a pain. Most people I
speak to about it feel the same.

But the main reason why "nobody goes there" is that the parking area is
always full.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-07 04:22:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
There's one shopping centre in the Newcastle region that has a
reputation for especially bad parking woes. I avoid going there except
when there's no choice, because parking is such a pain. Most people I
speak to about it feel the same.
But the main reason why "nobody goes there" is that the parking area is
always full.
Yogi Berra knows what that's like.
HVS
2018-05-08 13:13:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
We have those here, too.  One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else.  A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes.  He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah.  He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
 registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
 spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my ticket to
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were leaving.
A supermarket we sometimes use (here in the UK) introduced such a system
at the entrance to the car park.
It would read the numberplate on arrival and again on departure.
This was to enforce the rule that 2 hours of parking was free, whilst
there was some punitive charge for longer stays.
Perhaps this was cheaper than employing people to do the job.
The system seemed to vanish within 6 months of its introduction.
I certainly have some sympathy with the supermarkets on this, at least when
they're within walking distance of a town centre or train station.

If they don't enforce some sort of limit -- and 2 hours to shop for food
doesn't seem unreasonable to me -- they inevitably get filled as a free
carpark for non-customer cars, left there by unreasonable commuters.
--
Cheers, Harvey
CanEng (30yrs) and BrEng (34yrs), indiscriminately mixed
HVS
2018-05-07 14:35:59 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 6 May 2018 20:21:17 +0200, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
[  ]
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins. While
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist policy,
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with a
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my
ticket to
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were
leaving.

The car park at our local hospital has gone entirely ticketless - you
drive up to the barrier; it raises once the system has read your
number plate {no ticket is issued); when you return you enter your
number plate at the pay machine and pay the relevant fee; drive your
car to the exit barrier; the system verifies that you've paid, and
raises the barrier (no ticket involved).

I don't know what their backup system is if the computer goes down.
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-07 16:14:17 UTC
Permalink
Post by HVS
On Sun, 6 May 2018 20:21:17 +0200, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
[  ]
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an
hour
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me,
and I
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said
he was
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against
the
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Whiskers
Post by Tony Cooper
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
They invented ticket machines that could print the car
registration number on the ticket, to overcome that bit of public
spirit.
Today we went to the airport to pick up two of my wife's cousins.
While
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
waiting for a ticket to appear at the barrier I saw the machine
displaying information to the effect that it was photographing our
licence plate. I wondered if that had to do with anti-terrorist
policy,
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
but afterwards we thought it was probably to stop me coming in with
a
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
cheap old car, stealing a much fancier car, and then using my
ticket to
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
leave. I don't think it printed the licence number on the ticket (I
didn't check), but doubtless the machine checked when we were
leaving.
The car park at our local hospital has gone entirely ticketless - you
drive up to the barrier; it raises once the system has read your number
plate {no ticket is issued); when you return you enter your number
plate at the pay machine and pay the relevant fee; drive your car to
the exit barrier; the system verifies that you've paid, and raises the
barrier (no ticket involved).
I don't know what their backup system is if the computer goes down.
If it's like other computer-based systems everything grinds to a halt
until they fix it, no matter how many hours you're stuck in the
hospital.
--
athel
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-05-06 18:31:29 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 06 May 2018 12:35:43 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 06 May 2018 15:29:10 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
On Sun, 06 May 2018 09:17:15 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
<smile>
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
Lewis
2018-05-06 21:26:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 06 May 2018 15:29:10 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
On Sun, 06 May 2018 09:17:15 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
We have those, but not where you have to go put the ticket in the car
window. I haven't seen that in a decade or more. In fact, I generally
pay those via my phone, which means I don't even have to find the kiosk.
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
You get a ticket and you also have to pay the "parking without paying"
fine.
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he was
an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against the
law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
Some parking meters will reset to 0 when a car pulls out.
--
<div id="me"><div id="Dennis Miller>It's just my opinion. I could be
wrong.</div>But I'm not.</div>
Peter Moylan
2018-05-07 04:14:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 06 May 2018 15:29:10 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go
to a nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket,
place the ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about
your business. I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked
parking spaces. Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for
one space but occupying two.
We have those here, too. One time, in Savannah, I paid for an hour
but decided to go somewhere else. A guy was parking near me, and I
offered to give him my unused 50 minutes. He laughed and said he
was an off-duty policeman and giving unused minutes away was against
the law in Savannah. He declined to accept them.
It's probably illegal here too, but many people will give their
partly-used ticket to someone else if that someone else happens to be
arriving just as they are leaving. I've never heard of anyone being
prosecuted for it.

Sometimes I put mine in the outlet slot of the ticket machine, where it
will be found by the next person who comes to use the machine.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-06 16:47:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
Since the ticket boxes can be some distance from the parking space, I
always wonder what would happen if a ticket were issued while the car
operator is moving to the box, negotiating with it, and returning to
the car.

They tried that system on a couple (at least) of the commercial streets
(BrE high streets) of Jersey City. The parking meters are back.
Rich Ulrich
2018-05-06 17:20:36 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 06 May 2018 15:29:10 +0100, "Peter Duncanson [BrE]"
Post by Peter Duncanson [BrE]
On Sun, 06 May 2018 09:17:15 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sun, 6 May 2018 22:53:58 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
We have "manspreading" to describe encroaching on adjacent seats when
on public transportation, so "parkspreading" could work.
We have some on-street parking which is paid for: park the car, go to a
nearby "Pay and Display" machine to pay and get a ticket, place the
ticket in a visible position inside the car and go about your business.
I don't know what happens if you occupy two marked parking spaces.
Perhaps you risk incurring a penalty for paying for one space but
occupying two.
Pittsburgh city parking lots got rid of meters and started requiring
"display the ticket" quite a few years ago. Street meters disappeared
only a couple of years ago.

When they took out the street meters and put in "kiosks" (previously
discussed), getting a paper ticket became optional, and no display
is needed. I presume that they tap the kiosks by radio and scan
licenses when driving by. (I have seen no drones, yet.) The parking
lots switched over at about the same time, i.e., no display needed.
It has been a long time since I saw anyone getting ticketed, so I
can't say for sure how they do it.

Street parking no longer has painted lines to designate a slot. But
people usually park "compactly", just as they do in areas where
parking is free. In the places where I park on the street, free or
otherwise, the segments where you can park are long enough
for two to ten cars before the curb is interrupted by a driveway -
a natural boundary.
--
Rich Ulrich
Whiskers
2018-05-06 17:03:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City. I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
I've seen it described as 'encroaching parking space demarcation',
for which a fine is levied.
--
^^^^^^^^^^
Whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-06 19:17:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Whiskers
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Will Parsons
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
I've seen it described as 'encroaching parking space demarcation',
for which a fine is levied.
Now _there's_ a name!
JNugent
2018-05-07 17:28:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
[Sorry about the piggybacking. Eternal September seems to have lost a
couple of days' worth of posts.]
What *is* double parking, anyway?  And does it differ according
to location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or
line of cars) already parked on the side of a street.  This is
pretty common in highly-congested areas, such as in New York
City.  I have now come across a different meaning, in which the
term refers to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a
parking lot.
That second meaning certainly deserves a name. I've lost count of the
number of times I would have been able to find a parking space if only
someone had moved half a car length forward or backward.
Ah... that's different. You are referring to street parking alongside
the kerb, leaving irregular-sized spaces between vehicles such that
fewer parking spaces are available than would be available if the
vehicles were all parked a little closer together (in the absence of
bays marked on the carriageway, of course).

The PP was talking of vehicles left astride the line between two
adjacent parking spots in a (presumably off-street) car park.
Post by Peter Moylan
I've never known a name for it, though. I certainly wouldn't call it
double parking, because that phrase already has a well-established meaning.
Mark Brader
2018-05-05 22:38:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.

ObXkcd: 562.
--
Mark Brader "It is considered a sign of great {winnitude}
Toronto when your Obs are more interesting than other
***@vex.net people's whole postings." --Eric Raymond
Tony Cooper
2018-05-05 23:18:03 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.

You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Sam Plusnet
2018-05-05 23:42:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
What happens if your vehicle is too large to fit entirely within the
painted lines?
--
Sam Plusnet
Tony Cooper
2018-05-06 00:14:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
What happens if your vehicle is too large to fit entirely within the
painted lines?
Unless you are driving a semi-truck, that wouldn't happen. The space
between the lines is longer than any automobile or four-wheel truck
because space is allowed to maneuver into the space.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
b***@shaw.ca
2018-05-06 01:03:43 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
What happens if your vehicle is too large to fit entirely within the
painted lines?
You're driving a Hummer. You should take it to the nearest cliff
and drive over the edge.

bill
Jerry Friedman
2018-05-06 02:26:35 UTC
Permalink
...
Post by b***@shaw.ca
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Tony Cooper
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
What happens if your vehicle is too large to fit entirely within the
painted lines?
You're driving a Hummer. You should take it to the nearest cliff
and drive over the edge.
:-)
--
Jerry Friedman
John Varela
2018-05-06 22:43:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
What happens if your vehicle is too large to fit entirely within the
painted lines?
Then you are trying to park a full-size vehicle in a space labeled
for compact cars only.
--
John Varela
Lewis
2018-05-06 23:26:20 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
Post by Sam Plusnet
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
What happens if your vehicle is too large to fit entirely within the
painted lines?
Then you are trying to park a full-size vehicle in a space labeled
for compact cars only.
No, some American "cars" are absurdly large. I saw a pickup truck (Ford)
that was parked perfectly on on side, right inside the white line, while
on the other side it was taking up nearly half the next space. It also
needed a fold-down step-ladder to get into.

Ford sells so many pickup trucks it has basically stopped making regular
cars.
--
All Hell hadn't been let loose. It was merely Detritus. But from a few
feet away you couldn't tell the difference.
Jerry Friedman
2018-05-06 02:22:59 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot.
That's what Will said.
Post by Tony Cooper
It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Informal enforcement methods are available to passers-by, I'm told.
--
Jerry Friedman
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-06 07:43:01 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
--
athel
John Varela
2018-05-06 22:58:33 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent, no
longer have three abreast seating in front on account, I believe, of
the need to have three air bags if they did.
--
John Varela
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-07 05:32:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
[ … ]
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent, no
longer have three abreast seating in front on account, I believe, of
the need to have three air bags if they did.
I wondered about that: it has certainly been a long time sice I saw one.
--
athel
Mark Brader
2018-05-07 05:56:39 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent, no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
ObAUE: "Like" or "the same as", but not just "as", please.
Post by John Varela
on account, I believe, of the need to have three air bags if they did.
I had not thought of that.

I did a bit of web searching on the phrase "bench front seat" to see if
there was any insight into whether this was correct. Most of the hits
were pages saying that they no longer exist in new cars or listing the
last few models to have them. Wikipedia has an article that barely
mentions the "why" question, but links to this page:

http://jalopnik.com/why-front-bench-seats-went-away-1776706852

that mentions the air-bag issue, but also says that customers no longer
preferred that type of seating.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "Any story that needs a critic to explain it,
***@vex.net | needs rewriting." -- Larry Niven

My text in this article is in the public domain.
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-07 08:02:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent,
I don't think so: only in countries where a lot of American cars were
bought. I expect you can still find them in Saudi Arabia or (very old
ones) in Cuba. I'm not saying that no European or Asian company ever
made them, but if they did they were very rarely seen on the roads.
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
ObAUE: "Like" or "the same as", but not just "as", please.
Post by John Varela
on account, I believe, of the need to have three air bags if they did.
I had not thought of that.
I did a bit of web searching on the phrase "bench front seat" to see if
there was any insight into whether this was correct. Most of the hits
were pages saying that they no longer exist in new cars or listing the
last few models to have them. Wikipedia has an article that barely
http://jalopnik.com/why-front-bench-seats-went-away-1776706852
that mentions the air-bag issue, but also says that customers no longer
preferred that type of seating.
--
athel
Whiskers
2018-05-07 14:27:13 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent,
I don't think so: only in countries where a lot of American cars were
bought. I expect you can still find them in Saudi Arabia or (very old
ones) in Cuba. I'm not saying that no European or Asian company ever
made them, but if they did they were very rarely seen on the roads.
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
ObAUE: "Like" or "the same as", but not just "as", please.
Post by John Varela
on account, I believe, of the need to have three air bags if they did.
I had not thought of that.
I did a bit of web searching on the phrase "bench front seat" to see if
there was any insight into whether this was correct. Most of the hits
were pages saying that they no longer exist in new cars or listing the
last few models to have them. Wikipedia has an article that barely
http://jalopnik.com/why-front-bench-seats-went-away-1776706852
that mentions the air-bag issue, but also says that customers no longer
preferred that type of seating.
Some vans have three front seats still, in the UK. I don't know
if all three have air-bags though.
--
^^^^^^^^^^
Whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/
John Varela
2018-05-07 21:44:31 UTC
Permalink
On Mon, 7 May 2018 08:02:11 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent,
I don't think so: only in countries where a lot of American cars were
bought. I expect you can still find them in Saudi Arabia or (very old
ones) in Cuba. I'm not saying that no European or Asian company ever
made them, but if they did they were very rarely seen on the roads.
I was saying that bench seats are no longer made. The last car I
owned that had a bench seat was a 1966 Plymouth (if we don't count a
clapped-out Mercury Marquis that I bought for a teenager to drive).

I don't know what point you are trying to make here.
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
ObAUE: "Like" or "the same as", but not just "as", please.
Post by John Varela
on account, I believe, of the need to have three air bags if they did.
I had not thought of that.
I did a bit of web searching on the phrase "bench front seat" to see if
there was any insight into whether this was correct. Most of the hits
were pages saying that they no longer exist in new cars or listing the
last few models to have them. Wikipedia has an article that barely
http://jalopnik.com/why-front-bench-seats-went-away-1776706852
that mentions the air-bag issue, but also says that customers no longer
preferred that type of seating.
--
John Varela
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-08 05:23:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Mon, 7 May 2018 08:02:11 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent,
I don't think so: only in countries where a lot of American cars were
bought. I expect you can still find them in Saudi Arabia or (very old
ones) in Cuba. I'm not saying that no European or Asian company ever
made them, but if they did they were very rarely seen on the roads.
I was saying that bench seats are no longer made. The last car I
owned that had a bench seat was a 1966 Plymouth (if we don't count a
clapped-out Mercury Marquis that I bought for a teenager to drive).
I don't know what point you are trying to make here.
Simply that "as, I believe, cars from every other continent," is misleading.
Post by John Varela
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by John Varela
no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
--
athel
Peter Duncanson [BrE]
2018-05-08 10:11:14 UTC
Permalink
On Mon, 7 May 2018 10:02:11 +0200, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent,
I don't think so: only in countries where a lot of American cars were
bought. I expect you can still find them in Saudi Arabia or (very old
ones) in Cuba. I'm not saying that no European or Asian company ever
made them, but if they did they were very rarely seen on the roads.
Various models of the Ford Zephyr/Zodiac designed and built in Britain
had bench front seats as standard. From 1951-

Later: Zodiac Mk III, 1962–1966:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ford_Zephyr#Zodiac_Mark_III

A choice of individual or bench front seat was available trimmed in
leather or cloth.
--
Peter Duncanson, UK
(in alt.usage.english)
John Varela
2018-05-07 21:08:15 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent, no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
ObAUE: "Like" or "the same as", but not just "as", please.
Why?
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
on account, I believe, of the need to have three air bags if they did.
I had not thought of that.
I did a bit of web searching on the phrase "bench front seat" to see if
there was any insight into whether this was correct. Most of the hits
were pages saying that they no longer exist in new cars or listing the
last few models to have them. Wikipedia has an article that barely
http://jalopnik.com/why-front-bench-seats-went-away-1776706852
that mentions the air-bag issue, but also says that customers no longer
preferred that type of seating.
--
John Varela
Mark Brader
2018-05-08 03:21:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by John Varela
American cars, as, I believe, cars from every other continent, no
longer have three abreast seating in front...
ObAUE: "Like" or "the same as", but not just "as", please.
Why?
Because "as" as a preposition by itself doesn't have the sense of
"like". It denotes a role, as in the previous sentence, not a
similarity.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "If gravity stops working, a power cut is
***@vex.net | the least of your problems." -- David Bell
John Varela
2018-05-06 23:04:55 UTC
Permalink
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.

Loading Image...
--
John Varela
Will Parsons
2018-05-07 00:09:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
I know that location! I, too, used to be an expert in parallel
parking, able to squeeze into the smallest possible space. But that
was at a time where I lived in a location where the only parking
available was on-street. Since then, though, my skills have
deteriorated, both due to lack of practice, and simply not being able
to twist around to the extent that I used to.
Post by John Varela
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
--
Will
Tony Cooper
2018-05-07 00:33:50 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
In 1956 I was reasonably proficient in squeezing into a parking space
like those, but it took some muscle. I doubt if all those cars - or
any - had power steering. The two-toned green station wagon seems to
have incurred some damage. Not by you, I hope.

Remember the days when the gas filler cap was on the outside of the
fender? As on the black car at the far left?
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Whiskers
2018-05-07 14:33:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Those cars look to me as though they're mostly each touching both
neighbours, so they've been shunted together after parking. But
parallel parking with manouevering space at both ends is still
the standard way of parking at the side of the street or road in
the UK. It's polite to leave 'enough' room.
--
^^^^^^^^^^
Whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/
John Varela
2018-05-07 21:47:58 UTC
Permalink
Post by Whiskers
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Those cars look to me as though they're mostly each touching both
neighbours, so they've been shunted together after parking. But
parallel parking with manouevering space at both ends is still
the standard way of parking at the side of the street or road in
the UK. It's polite to leave 'enough' room.
This was in Massachusetts. You can forget "polite".
--
John Varela
Quinn C
2018-05-07 22:25:52 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.

Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
--
... their average size remains so much smaller; so that the sum
total of food converted into thought by women can never equal
[that of] men. It follows therefore, that men will always think
more than women. -- M.A. Hardaker in Popular Science (1881)
Tony Cooper
2018-05-07 23:43:57 UTC
Permalink
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Will Parsons
2018-05-08 01:35:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
--
Will
Tony Cooper
2018-05-08 02:31:57 UTC
Permalink
On Mon, 7 May 2018 21:35:24 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
Back when I drove manual transmission cars, I don't think I engaged
the handbrake* more than half-a-dozen times. Only when parking on a
steep hill or summat like that.

*Dunno about others, but I really don't use the term "handbrake". I
call it "the emergency brake". Some were handbrakes; on the older
cars, an under-dashboard curved handle that was pulled back, and later
a t-shaped handle that was pulled out. Some were footbrakes; a pedal
high up on driver's floorboard.

I do recall parking my car in public parking garage where the
attendant retrieved the car and set the emergency brake. I didn't
notice until - after driving a few miles - the smell of hot brakes
started. I thought the car was rather sluggish before that.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-08 02:42:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 21:35:24 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
Back when I drove manual transmission cars, I don't think I engaged
the handbrake* more than half-a-dozen times. Only when parking on a
steep hill or summat like that.
"Steep hill or summ[i]t" seems nearly redundant.
Post by Tony Cooper
*Dunno about others, but I really don't use the term "handbrake". I
call it "the emergency brake". Some were handbrakes; on the older
cars, an under-dashboard curved handle that was pulled back, and later
a t-shaped handle that was pulled out. Some were footbrakes; a pedal
high up on driver's floorboard.
I do recall parking my car in public parking garage where the
attendant retrieved the car and set the emergency brake. I didn't
notice until - after driving a few miles - the smell of hot brakes
started. I thought the car was rather sluggish before that.
I always use the emergency brake when parked, perhaps a carryover from when
I had automatic transmissions.

I was shocked when I got in the car for my first lesson and learned that
you had to have a foot on the brake when you started, because an automatic
transmission will move the vehicle all by itself if you don't.

I've been shocked a few times when the mechanic parked the current car in
gear and it lurched and stalled when I started it.
Tony Cooper
2018-05-08 05:09:59 UTC
Permalink
On Mon, 7 May 2018 19:42:51 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 21:35:24 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
Back when I drove manual transmission cars, I don't think I engaged
the handbrake* more than half-a-dozen times. Only when parking on a
steep hill or summat like that.
"Steep hill or summ[i]t" seems nearly redundant.
Post by Tony Cooper
*Dunno about others, but I really don't use the term "handbrake". I
call it "the emergency brake". Some were handbrakes; on the older
cars, an under-dashboard curved handle that was pulled back, and later
a t-shaped handle that was pulled out. Some were footbrakes; a pedal
high up on driver's floorboard.
I do recall parking my car in public parking garage where the
attendant retrieved the car and set the emergency brake. I didn't
notice until - after driving a few miles - the smell of hot brakes
started. I thought the car was rather sluggish before that.
I always use the emergency brake when parked, perhaps a carryover from when
I had automatic transmissions.
I was shocked when I got in the car for my first lesson and learned that
you had to have a foot on the brake when you started, because an automatic
transmission will move the vehicle all by itself if you don't.
And I am shocked that you could start the car if the automatic
transmission was in Drive or Reverse. I've never known that to be
possible. If the car is in Park, you have to put your foot on the
brake to change to Drive or Reverse. Otherwise, the gearshift is
locked. Applying the brake releases the lock.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
I've been shocked a few times when the mechanic parked the current car in
gear and it lurched and stalled when I started it.
If you could start it in Drive or Reverse, no wonder they stopped
making Saturns.

I'm sure you will question the above, but - before you do - Google
"gearshift locked until brake is applied".
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-08 12:26:11 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 19:42:51 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 21:35:24 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
Back when I drove manual transmission cars, I don't think I engaged
the handbrake* more than half-a-dozen times. Only when parking on a
steep hill or summat like that.
"Steep hill or summ[i]t" seems nearly redundant.
Post by Tony Cooper
*Dunno about others, but I really don't use the term "handbrake". I
call it "the emergency brake". Some were handbrakes; on the older
cars, an under-dashboard curved handle that was pulled back, and later
a t-shaped handle that was pulled out. Some were footbrakes; a pedal
high up on driver's floorboard.
I do recall parking my car in public parking garage where the
attendant retrieved the car and set the emergency brake. I didn't
notice until - after driving a few miles - the smell of hot brakes
started. I thought the car was rather sluggish before that.
I always use the emergency brake when parked, perhaps a carryover from when
I had automatic transmissions.
I was shocked when I got in the car for my first lesson and learned that
you had to have a foot on the brake when you started, because an automatic
transmission will move the vehicle all by itself if you don't.
And I am shocked that you could start the car if the automatic
transmission was in Drive or Reverse.
Reverse??

Ok, maybe it wasn't starting the car, maybe it was after coming to a stop.
The driver of an automatic transmission car can never relieve the pressure
of the right leg.
Post by Tony Cooper
I've never known that to be
possible. If the car is in Park, you have to put your foot on the
brake to change to Drive or Reverse. Otherwise, the gearshift is
locked. Applying the brake releases the lock.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
I've been shocked a few times when the mechanic parked the current car in
gear and it lurched and stalled when I started it.
If you could start it in Drive or Reverse, no wonder they stopped
making Saturns.
When did you last drive a standard shift? You start it by stepping on the
clutch and turning the key. If it's in neutral, the engine starts. If it's
in gear, the car moves and you have to slam on the brake (hence the stall)
to avoid hitting the car parked in front.
Post by Tony Cooper
I'm sure you will question the above, but - before you do - Google
"gearshift locked until brake is applied".
No. Evidently you cannot distinguish between the clutch and the brake. Yet
the state of Florida still permits you to have a driver's license?
Tony Cooper
2018-05-08 13:34:35 UTC
Permalink
On Tue, 8 May 2018 05:26:11 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 19:42:51 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 21:35:24 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
Back when I drove manual transmission cars, I don't think I engaged
the handbrake* more than half-a-dozen times. Only when parking on a
steep hill or summat like that.
"Steep hill or summ[i]t" seems nearly redundant.
Post by Tony Cooper
*Dunno about others, but I really don't use the term "handbrake". I
call it "the emergency brake". Some were handbrakes; on the older
cars, an under-dashboard curved handle that was pulled back, and later
a t-shaped handle that was pulled out. Some were footbrakes; a pedal
high up on driver's floorboard.
I do recall parking my car in public parking garage where the
attendant retrieved the car and set the emergency brake. I didn't
notice until - after driving a few miles - the smell of hot brakes
started. I thought the car was rather sluggish before that.
I always use the emergency brake when parked, perhaps a carryover from when
I had automatic transmissions.
I was shocked when I got in the car for my first lesson and learned that
you had to have a foot on the brake when you started, because an automatic
transmission will move the vehicle all by itself if you don't.
And I am shocked that you could start the car if the automatic
transmission was in Drive or Reverse.
Reverse??
Yes. Modern cars are equipped with a transmission that allows the car
to moved backwards. The makers cleverly use the letter "R" on the
gearshift indicator to alert the driver.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Ok, maybe it wasn't starting the car, maybe it was after coming to a stop.
The driver of an automatic transmission car can never relieve the pressure
of the right leg.
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
I've never known that to be
possible. If the car is in Park, you have to put your foot on the
brake to change to Drive or Reverse. Otherwise, the gearshift is
locked. Applying the brake releases the lock.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
I've been shocked a few times when the mechanic parked the current car in
gear and it lurched and stalled when I started it.
If you could start it in Drive or Reverse, no wonder they stopped
making Saturns.
When did you last drive a standard shift? You start it by stepping on the
clutch and turning the key. If it's in neutral, the engine starts. If it's
in gear, the car moves and you have to slam on the brake (hence the stall)
to avoid hitting the car parked in front.
Among the manual transmission cars I have owned, the starter was floor
button pressed with the foot (1938 Chevvy), the starter was a button
on the dashboard (1941 Ford), and the starter was activated by turning
the key on most of the rest. The Austin A40 may have been a dashboard
button, but I don't remember how the starter was activated on the 1948
Ford, 1948 Kaiser, 1957 Volvo PV444, or 1974 Volvo 245.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
I'm sure you will question the above, but - before you do - Google
"gearshift locked until brake is applied".
No. Evidently you cannot distinguish between the clutch and the brake. Yet
the state of Florida still permits you to have a driver's license?
Interesting that in other threads you whine that I don't read posts.

The above is about cars with automatic transmissions. Manual
transmission vehicles were not mentioned. Manual transmissions have
no "Park".

Do check the floorboard of any car with an automatic transmission. If
you see a clutch, report it immediately. Some other car is missing
one.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Richard Tobin
2018-05-08 13:43:48 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
Or use the handbrake.

-- Richard
Tony Cooper
2018-05-08 15:23:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by Richard Tobin
Post by Tony Cooper
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
Or use the handbrake.
Possible, of course, but not something I'd ever do. If it's a
stoplight, I keep my foot on the brake. If it's a train, I shift into
Neutral.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-08 16:24:10 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Richard Tobin
Post by Tony Cooper
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
Or use the handbrake.
Possible, of course, but not something I'd ever do. If it's a
stoplight, I keep my foot on the brake. If it's a train, I shift into
Neutral.
Mmm -- so that if someone bumps you from behind, you roll directly into the
path of the onrushing train!
Whiskers
2018-05-08 17:41:32 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Richard Tobin
Post by Tony Cooper
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
Or use the handbrake.
Possible, of course, but not something I'd ever do. If it's a
stoplight, I keep my foot on the brake. If it's a train, I shift into
Neutral.
Mmm -- so that if someone bumps you from behind, you roll directly into the
path of the onrushing train!
My driving instructor (in the 1960s) was adamant that the
footbrake should not be relied on to keep a car stationary;
there's too much risk of your foot slipping or your attention
wandering and letting the car move off not under proper control.
Always apply the handbrake, and put the gears in neutral (whether
manual or automatic). Recent advice is to switch the engine off
too if you're going to be stuck for more than a minute or so
(some cars do that automatically anyway). But judging by the
number of stationary blazing brake lights to be seen at any set
of traffic lights, I'm in a minority.
--
^^^^^^^^^^
Whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/
Garrett Wollman
2018-05-08 14:33:37 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
As do many cars without automatic transmissions. Hybrids and EVs have
simulated creep, because drivers used to autoboxes expect it.[1]

-GAWollman

[1] Some hybrids and plug-ins have traditional automatic
transmissions; it depends on the system design. EVs generally don't
-- there's often just a single-speed reduction gear -- and series
(two-motor) hybrids tend to do the same. Parallel hybrids usually
have a (mechanical) CVT.
--
Garrett A. Wollman | "Act to avoid constraining the future; if you can,
***@bimajority.org| act to remove constraint from the future. This is
Opinions not shared by| a thing you can do, are able to do, to do together."
my employers. | - Graydon Saunders, _A Succession of Bad Days_ (2015)
Tony Cooper
2018-05-08 15:25:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by Garrett Wollman
Post by Tony Cooper
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
As do many cars without automatic transmissions. Hybrids and EVs have
simulated creep, because drivers used to autoboxes expect it.[1]
Beyond my scope of knowledge. Never been in one.

I like the idea, but - at my age - the long-run economy wouldn't be
worth the expense.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
Peter T. Daniels
2018-05-08 16:22:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Tue, 8 May 2018 05:26:11 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 19:42:51 -0700 (PDT), "Peter T. Daniels"
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 21:35:24 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
Hmm... If one is parked on a slope, one would certainly want to leave
it in gear, but on level ground, I've always left the car in neutral
with the handbrake on. That is, of course, not like the "French
parking" described. (I've driven manual shift cars all my life.)
Back when I drove manual transmission cars, I don't think I engaged
the handbrake* more than half-a-dozen times. Only when parking on a
steep hill or summat like that.
"Steep hill or summ[i]t" seems nearly redundant.
Post by Tony Cooper
*Dunno about others, but I really don't use the term "handbrake". I
call it "the emergency brake". Some were handbrakes; on the older
cars, an under-dashboard curved handle that was pulled back, and later
a t-shaped handle that was pulled out. Some were footbrakes; a pedal
high up on driver's floorboard.
I do recall parking my car in public parking garage where the
attendant retrieved the car and set the emergency brake. I didn't
notice until - after driving a few miles - the smell of hot brakes
started. I thought the car was rather sluggish before that.
I always use the emergency brake when parked, perhaps a carryover from when
I had automatic transmissions.
I was shocked when I got in the car for my first lesson and learned that
you had to have a foot on the brake when you started, because an automatic
transmission will move the vehicle all by itself if you don't.
And I am shocked that you could start the car if the automatic
transmission was in Drive or Reverse.
Reverse??
Yes. Modern cars are equipped with a transmission that allows the car
to moved backwards. The makers cleverly use the letter "R" on the
gearshift indicator to alert the driver.
Yo idiot, why would the car be parked with it in reverse?
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Ok, maybe it wasn't starting the car, maybe it was after coming to a stop.
The driver of an automatic transmission car can never relieve the pressure
of the right leg.
That's "creep". All cars with automatic transmissions creep if in a
gear when the car is stopped. If stopped at a stoplight, you have to
either keep your foot on the brake or shift the car into Neutral.
Yes, Creep. It is unexpected when driving for the first time.
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
I've never known that to be
possible. If the car is in Park, you have to put your foot on the
brake to change to Drive or Reverse. Otherwise, the gearshift is
locked. Applying the brake releases the lock.
Post by Peter T. Daniels
I've been shocked a few times when the mechanic parked the current car in
gear and it lurched and stalled when I started it.
If you could start it in Drive or Reverse, no wonder they stopped
making Saturns.
When did you last drive a standard shift? You start it by stepping on the
clutch and turning the key. If it's in neutral, the engine starts. If it's
in gear, the car moves and you have to slam on the brake (hence the stall)
to avoid hitting the car parked in front.
Among the manual transmission cars I have owned, the starter was floor
button pressed with the foot (1938 Chevvy), the starter was a button
on the dashboard (1941 Ford), and the starter was activated by turning
the key on most of the rest. The Austin A40 may have been a dashboard
button, but I don't remember how the starter was activated on the 1948
Ford, 1948 Kaiser, 1957 Volvo PV444, or 1974 Volvo 245.
Your antiquated experience is not relevant to cars of today.

Modern cars do not have a "starter button." They have an "ignition switch"
activated by turning a key or by pushing a button on a pocket device whose
battery doubtless fails at the most crucial moments.

Are you now going to deny your usual goalpost-moving, or are you going to
claim that in none of those cars did you need to step on the clutch to
engage or change a gear?
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Peter T. Daniels
Post by Tony Cooper
I'm sure you will question the above, but - before you do - Google
"gearshift locked until brake is applied".
No. Evidently you cannot distinguish between the clutch and the brake. Yet
the state of Florida still permits you to have a driver's license?
Interesting that in other threads you whine that I don't read posts.
How else explain ignoring the matter of the clutch?
Post by Tony Cooper
The above is about cars with automatic transmissions. Manual
transmission vehicles were not mentioned. Manual transmissions have
no "Park".
That's right, automatic transmission vehicles were not mentioned. Your
field must be chock-full of holes that look like they were made by gophers.
Post by Tony Cooper
Do check the floorboard of any car with an automatic transmission. If
you see a clutch, report it immediately. Some other car is missing
one.
Pathetic.
CDB
2018-05-08 12:28:22 UTC
Permalink
[hanging tin, butt-for-sale-ing, saddlebagging]
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Quinn C
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call
"French parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so
that the parked car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
That depends on local conditions. In Buenos Aires you left the brake
unpulled and the transmission in neutral, because the local custom was
that parkers who needed a little more space would push your car to get it.
Quinn C
2018-05-08 16:51:56 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by John Varela
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
The way I learned it was in gear on a slope, neutral + handbrake
otherwise.
--
Who would know aught of art must learn and then take his ease.
the Omrud
2018-05-08 16:57:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Quinn C
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by John Varela
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
The way I learned it was in gear on a slope, neutral + handbrake
otherwise.
ARAICR, young Br drivers were/are taught always to leave the car in gear
- normally 1st Gear, but Reverse if pointing downhill. And to ALWAYS
press the clutch before turning the ignition, partly to give the starter
motor less to crank, but mostly in case the car was still in gear (which
should have already been moved to Neutral).

We all use handbrakes when parked, probably because most people drive
manuals, and those of us with automatics learned in manuals. If you
take your driving test in an automatic in the UK, you are not qualified
to drive manuals. Except mine is electronic and controlled by a little
rocker switch, so I call it a Parking Brake.
--
David
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-08 17:02:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by Quinn C
Post by Tony Cooper
On Mon, 7 May 2018 18:25:52 -0400, Quinn C
Post by Quinn C
Post by John Varela
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't find
it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above photo
was expected.
Did US drivers at the time by any chance practice what we call "French
parking" in German, i.e. not pull the parking break, so that the parked
car could move if pushed?
If the car was a manual transmission, it would left in gear when
parked. That would make it immobile. If left in neutral, it might
roll into another car and do damage or be damaged.
The way I learned it was in gear on a slope, neutral + handbrake
otherwise.
In the 1960s the California highway code made a big thing about turning
the front wheels when parked on a hill such that if the parking break
failed the car would be stopped by the kerb. No doubt it still does. In
San Francisco that made a great deal of sense, but it wasx the law
everywhere. Anyway, when I was last in Montreal (along time ago: 1970)
I was struck by that fact that apparently there was no evidence of such
a regulation on the steep hill that goes up to Rosemont and cars were
parked with their wheels parallel to the kerb. Is that still the case?
--
athel
Peter Moylan
2018-05-08 02:47:42 UTC
Permalink
Post by Quinn C
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't
find it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above
photo was expected.
When I got my driver's licence (1969) great precision was expected. The
test required us to parallel park on a steep hill, and to make a
three-point turn (no more than two changes of direction) in a narrow street.

On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two) I was doing
well until the examiner asked me to parallel park behind a truck. I
ended up with the driver's side of my car perfectly aligned with the
driver's side of the truck, which of course meant that I was a long way
out from the curb. To my surprise the examiner forgave that error, and I
passed that time.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-08 05:27:55 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Quinn C
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't
find it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above
photo was expected.
When I got my driver's licence (1969) great precision was expected. The
test required us to parallel park on a steep hill, and to make a
three-point turn (no more than two changes of direction) in a narrow street.
Although we called it a three-point turn in the UK the wording was
something like "within the width of the road". If it took five then
that was OK. The essential thing was not to touch the kerb.
Post by Peter Moylan
On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two)
Women sometimes passed on the first test (I think both my sisters did),
but men virtually never did.
Post by Peter Moylan
I was doing
well until the examiner asked me to parallel park behind a truck. I
ended up with the driver's side of my car perfectly aligned with the
driver's side of the truck, which of course meant that I was a long way
out from the curb. To my surprise the examiner forgave that error, and I
passed that time.
--
athel
Cheryl
2018-05-08 10:10:18 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Quinn C
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't
find it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above
photo was expected.
When I got my driver's licence (1969) great precision was expected. The
test required us to parallel park on a steep hill, and to make a
three-point turn (no more than two changes of direction) in a narrow street.
Although we called it a three-point turn in the UK the wording was
something like "within the width of the road". If it took five then that
was OK. The essential thing was not to touch the kerb.
Post by Peter Moylan
On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two)
Women sometimes passed on the first test (I think both my sisters did),
but men virtually never did.
When I was growing up, the pass rate depended on where you took the
test. If you took it in a rural area from the local Mountie, you were
almost guaranteed to pass (although one of the kids in my class failed).
If you took it in the capital city, where they had professional
examiners, you were almost guaranteed to fail the first time.
--
Cheryl
Peter Moylan
2018-05-08 12:52:46 UTC
Permalink
Post by Cheryl
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Moylan
On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two)
Women sometimes passed on the first test (I think both my sisters
did), but men virtually never did.
When I was growing up, the pass rate depended on where you took the
test. If you took it in a rural area from the local Mountie, you were
almost guaranteed to pass (although one of the kids in my class
failed). If you took it in the capital city, where they had
professional examiners, you were almost guaranteed to fail the first
time.
My mother got her driver's licence in the small town where I grew up.
The test was done at the police station, and I gather that the candidate
just had to drive around the block, most likely meeting very little traffic.

She was such a bad driver that nobody was willing to be a passenger in
her car.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
Cheryl
2018-05-08 13:06:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Cheryl
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Moylan
On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two)
Women sometimes passed on the first test (I think both my sisters
did), but men virtually never did.
When I was growing up, the pass rate depended on where you took the
test. If you took it in a rural area from the local Mountie, you were
 almost guaranteed to pass (although one of the kids in my class
failed). If you took it in the capital city, where they had
professional examiners, you were almost guaranteed to fail the first
time.
My mother got her driver's licence in the small town where I grew up.
The test was done at the police station, and I gather that the candidate
just had to drive around the block, most likely meeting very little traffic.
She was such a bad driver that nobody was willing to be a passenger in
her car.
After my written test, the Mountie noticed my parents' car had an
indicator light which didn't work, and sat beside me as I drove very
nervously through the town (no traffic lights and barely any traffic.
although there was a stop sign or two at intersections, and a short
distance along the two-lane rural highway. Then I had to turn by backing
into a little dirt road and drive back to the police station, where I
rather awkwardly parallel parked between two posts. I passed. I think I
was a reasonably good driver. At least, I had no major accidents, and
only a couple of scrapes or fender-benders - one at a bad intersection
and one in a parking lot. I don't know how good I'd be now, after not
driving for so long. I don't really intend to find out. The last time I
did drive, I covered some crazy distance - maybe a couple thousand
kilometers - driving visiting relatives around without problems. That
is, unless you count a couple of minor disputes about how to find some
graveyard no one present had visited in decades as a problem. We did
eventually find all locations the relatives wanted to visit.
--
Cheryl
Quinn C
2018-05-08 16:49:08 UTC
Permalink
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Cheryl
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Peter Moylan
On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two)
Women sometimes passed on the first test (I think both my sisters
did), but men virtually never did.
When I was growing up, the pass rate depended on where you took the
test. If you took it in a rural area from the local Mountie, you were
almost guaranteed to pass (although one of the kids in my class
failed). If you took it in the capital city, where they had
professional examiners, you were almost guaranteed to fail the first
time.
My mother got her driver's licence in the small town where I grew up.
The test was done at the police station, and I gather that the candidate
just had to drive around the block, most likely meeting very little traffic.
She was such a bad driver that nobody was willing to be a passenger in
her car.
I did most of my practice in this kind of environment:

Loading Image...

Narrow streets with parked cars, lots of traffic - including many
pedestrians and bicycles, and sometimes streetcars - many one-way
streets so the instructors can do their favorite "turn left at the next
opportunity" game ...

Also, in the place where I grew up, you do habitually get on and off
limited-access highways for the hop to the next town 5 kilometers away.

Then again, I did all my learning in summer. My brother had his first
lessons in fresh snow. The rules required some night driving, but they
couldn't enforce snow. I think I had mild fog once. Fog is quite common
in the area - once we had fog for 5 days straight.
--
The most likely way for the world to be destroyed, most experts
agree, is by accident. That's where we come in; we're computer
professionals. We cause accidents.
Nathaniel Borenstein
Rich Ulrich
2018-05-08 06:10:35 UTC
Permalink
On Tue, 8 May 2018 12:47:42 +1000, Peter Moylan
Post by Peter Moylan
Post by Quinn C
Now I wonder whether the practice of the time made "parallel parking"
the terror of the learning drive, as in so many TV shows. I didn't
find it that difficult, but nothing like the precision in the above
photo was expected.
When I got my driver's licence (1969) great precision was expected. The
test required us to parallel park on a steep hill, and to make a
three-point turn (no more than two changes of direction) in a narrow street.
On my third licence test (nobody ever passed the first two) I was doing
well until the examiner asked me to parallel park behind a truck. I
Man, you had it tough. In the panhandle of Texas, there were no
steep hills available. The only parallel parking I saw near home was
a piece of curb with paint, and pylons marking where cars might be.
The high school had that, for Driver's Ed. The DMV (in Panhandle,
Texas, 14* miles away) had a similar setup.

Failing parallel parking took maybe 5 points away from 100, the same
as most other mistakes - staying above 70 in the 10 minutes of
test-drive was not hard. I failed to turn my head enough when
backing up, and failed to set my brake after parking at the end. But
I still passed the test. At age 14, after taking Driver's Ed.

Somehow, my mother had failed the test, the first couple of times she
took it. She learned to drive at age 35, about 6 years before I did.
Post by Peter Moylan
ended up with the driver's side of my car perfectly aligned with the
driver's side of the truck, which of course meant that I was a long way
out from the curb. To my surprise the examiner forgave that error, and I
passed that time.
--
Peter Moylan http://www.pmoylan.org
Newcastle, NSW, Australia
*trivia - and might be true: Towns in the panhandle of Texas tend
to be separated by multiples of 7 miles. The main purpose of
settlement there, 110-120 years ago, was wheat farming. Seven miles
was a standard spacing for the wheat silos, determined by how far
it had been reasonable to haul wagon loads of grain.
--
Rich Ulrich
Richard Yates
2018-05-07 23:02:05 UTC
Permalink
Post by John Varela
On Sun, 6 May 2018 07:43:01 UTC, Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front you'd find it impossible to get between the lines.
Here is a photo I took in 1956 of cars parallel parked on Memorial
Drive in Cambridge, Massachusetts. At the time, I was well practiced
in parallel parking and could have fit into that line-up. All I
needed was about a foot more space than the length of my car.
http://npcnt.net/temp/Parallel-Parking-1956.jpg
Of course those cars had bumpers that deserved the name, unlike cars
today.
Mark Brader
2018-05-06 23:49:38 UTC
Permalink
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front...
Just for interest, after reading this I looked at Google Maps imagery
of a parking lot at Walt Disney World in Orlando (specifically, the one
at 28.368,-81.562) and a shopping mall parking lot in the suburbs of
Marseille (at 43.416,5.36).

According to Google Maps's "Measure distance" function, 20 spaces in
the Disney lot occupy a total of 180 feet, so they're 9 feet wide.
The other dimension is fiddlier to measure since you can only total
the length of two spaces, but they appear to be 20 feet long.

In the French lot, the lines of spaces are a bit more broken up with
bits of greenery, diagonal crosswalks, and so on, so it's not possible
to measure 20 spaces. But 14 spaces occupy a total of 4,756 miles --
no, wait, I forgot to clear the distance measurement in Orlando before
starting the new one. Okay, let's try that again. 14 spaces occupy
34.6 meters, so that's about 2.47 m per space, or about 8.1 feet --
indeed significantly narrower. And yes, the spaces seem to be shorter
too -- about 5 m or between 16 and 17 feet.
--
Mark Brader, Toronto | "...what kind of mind has a steel trap got anyway?"
***@vex.net | --Lawrence Block, "The Burglar in the Library"

My text in this article is in the public domain.
Whiskers
2018-05-07 14:37:57 UTC
Permalink
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Athel Cornish-Bowden
Post by Tony Cooper
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
Parking places in France tend to be barely wider than a standard car
("barely" meaning about 15 cm of space on each side), so getting in
between the lines either means some manoeuvering or parking so close to
an already parked car that it's difficult to get out. I parked
yesterday at a supermarket in a way you woould find unacceptable. Mind
you, if you arrived in an American car wide enough to seat three adults
in the front...
Just for interest, after reading this I looked at Google Maps imagery
of a parking lot at Walt Disney World in Orlando (specifically, the one
at 28.368,-81.562) and a shopping mall parking lot in the suburbs of
Marseille (at 43.416,5.36).
According to Google Maps's "Measure distance" function, 20 spaces in
the Disney lot occupy a total of 180 feet, so they're 9 feet wide.
The other dimension is fiddlier to measure since you can only total
the length of two spaces, but they appear to be 20 feet long.
In the French lot, the lines of spaces are a bit more broken up with
bits of greenery, diagonal crosswalks, and so on, so it's not possible
to measure 20 spaces. But 14 spaces occupy a total of 4,756 miles --
no, wait, I forgot to clear the distance measurement in Orlando before
starting the new one. Okay, let's try that again. 14 spaces occupy
34.6 meters, so that's about 2.47 m per space, or about 8.1 feet --
indeed significantly narrower. And yes, the spaces seem to be shorter
too -- about 5 m or between 16 and 17 feet.
When the parking spaces were laid out in my street (long after the
houses were built) the men with the white paint just painted
around the cars parked there at the time. Which leaves us with
an occasional struggle to fit in, and the traffic wardens have to
exercise discretion in dishing out penalty notices.
--
^^^^^^^^^^
Whiskers
~~~~~~~~~~


----Android NewsGroup Reader----
http://usenet.sinaapp.com/
Bill Day
2018-05-06 14:28:09 UTC
Permalink
On Sat, 05 May 2018 19:18:03 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
I saw that happen at a place where I worked. The new car sticker was
still on the rear window. Next day, same thing.... but after the 2nd
offense, there was a note under his wiper blade... "If this happens
again, you will find an intentional version of what you are trying to
avoid accidentlally."
It didn't happen again.
Post by Tony Cooper
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
--
remove nonsense for reply
Bart Dinnissen
2018-05-06 15:48:34 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot.
Loading Image...
--
Bart Dinnissen
Mark Brader
2018-05-06 19:58:24 UTC
Permalink
Post by Bart Dinnissen
https://imgs.xkcd.com/comics/parking.png
Snap!
--
Mark Brader | "If I were creating the world...
Toronto | I would have started with lasers, 8:00, Day 1!"
***@vex.net | --Evil ("Time Bandits", Palin & Gilliam)
Lewis
2018-05-06 16:27:04 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
They do seem to attract stray keys, metal buckles, and other objects
that will accidentally cause a scratch, however.
Post by Tony Cooper
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
It was a long time ago, but I saw a very expensive sports car towed for
this.

It gave me a very warm feeling.

Also, the tow truck hauling the car onto the flatbed cause quite a bit
of (cosmetic) damage, but the row-truck driver said they were not
legally responsible for any damage done in towing a car.
--
This wasn't a proper land. The sky was blue, not flaming with all the
colours of the aurora. And time was passing. To a creature not born
subject to time, it was a sensation not unakin to falling. --Lords and
Ladies
Sam Plusnet
2018-05-06 20:35:22 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
On occasion, I have had to squeeze into the space left by
err... creatively parked vehicles.

Of course, by the time I have done my shopping or whatever & returned to
my car, the other vehicle has long departed leaving _my_ car as the
subject of scorn & derision.
--
Sam Plusnet
JNugent
2018-05-08 15:33:26 UTC
Permalink
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
How unreasonable.

I don't (at the moment) have a new car, because I bought it a few years
ago. It wasn't expensive either - about £12,500, from memory.

But I still don't want to be damaged and will take any reasonable steps
required to prevent it.

Am I automatically in the wrong? IOW, is damage to my car simply what I
deserve?
Post by Tony Cooper
You can get a ticket in this city for not parking between painted
lines on a street, but tickets aren't issued to people who do this in
a store's parking lot.
HVS
2018-05-08 16:18:28 UTC
Permalink
Post by JNugent
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Mark Brader
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway?
...
Post by Will Parsons
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street.
That's correct.
Post by Will Parsons
This is pretty common in highly-congested areas...
No, I hardly ever see it.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
No, that's so selfish there isn't a term for it.
Equally unacceptable to me is the person who parks at an angle -
taking up two spaces - in a store's parking lot. It's usually someone
with a new car or an expensive car who doesn't want to get dinged by
an opening door of another car.
How unreasonable.
I don't (at the moment) have a new car, because I bought it a few years
ago. It wasn't expensive either - about £12,500, from memory.
But I still don't want to be damaged and will take any reasonable steps
required to prevent it.
Am I automatically in the wrong? IOW, is damage to my car simply what I
deserve?
If you're concerned about that risk, you should aim to park the car -
if you can - in part of the car park that's as far away as possible
from the entrance to the shop and other cars.

Otherwise, yes - it's a fact of life that parking in a car park risks
dings from other cars, and regardless of the reason, taking up two
spaces is antisocial.
Tony Cooper
2018-05-05 22:58:56 UTC
Permalink
On Sat, 5 May 2018 17:28:26 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
To me, it is parking a car on the street-side of already parked cars.
If you double-park, you block the car on the curb-side from leaving
that parking space.

The other thing, not parking within painted lines, will get you a
ticket here, but I don't know of a specific term that describes that.
--
Tony Cooper - Orlando, Florida
HVS
2018-05-05 23:22:34 UTC
Permalink
On Sat, 05 May 2018 18:58:56 -0400, Tony Cooper
Post by Tony Cooper
On Sat, 5 May 2018 17:28:26 -0400, Will Parsons
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty
common
Post by Tony Cooper
Post by Will Parsons
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
To me, it is parking a car on the street-side of already parked cars.
If you double-park, you block the car on the curb-side from leaving
that parking space.
The other thing, not parking within painted lines, will get you a
ticket here, but I don't know of a specific term that describes that.
"Asshole parking" would work for me.
Horace LaBadie
2018-05-05 23:33:19 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City.
That's the common term that I know.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
The only term for that malpractice that I have heard consistently is
"hogging," either with or without "space."
Jerry Friedman
2018-05-06 02:25:54 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
Same as what it means to you, except that in some places it's possible
to park so as to block one or two cars in a parking lot, and I call that
double parking too.
--
Jerry Friedman
Athel Cornish-Bowden
2018-05-06 07:33:51 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City. I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
So, I'm interested in what "double parking" means to other people.
The same as it does to you.
--
athel
Lewis
2018-05-06 16:22:16 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City.
Yes.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
I've never heard that, but it sounds like someone in Suburbia having
heard or the phrase "double parking" and, having no concept of what it
could possibly mean, applying it to a random asshole at the mall.
--
I'm not old, I'm chronologically challenged.
Will Parsons
2018-05-06 23:40:06 UTC
Permalink
Post by Lewis
Post by Will Parsons
What *is* double parking, anyway? And does it differ according to
location?
The term has always meant to me parking parallel to a car (or line of
cars) already parked on the side of a street. This is pretty common
in highly-congested areas, such as in New York City.
Yes.
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come across a different meaning, in which the term refers
to parking overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
I've never heard that, but it sounds like someone in Suburbia having
heard or the phrase "double parking" and, having no concept of what it
could possibly mean, applying it to a random asshole at the mall.
I suspect you may be on to something there.
--
Will
J.R.Hartley
2018-05-06 17:07:30 UTC
Permalink
Post by Will Parsons
I have now come
across a different meaning, in which the term refers to parking
overlapping two delineated spaces in a parking lot.
That is not double parking. In my part of the world, that is known as
Arab parking. All these lines on the ground is a mystery to them.
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