We had a couple of examples recently, both in the same vast shopping centre car park. We habitually park at the far end of the car park where all the empty spaces are, but after two recent visits we returned to the car to find another car snuggled up next to us.
In one case it was a family plus one grandparent unloading a pushchair and baby carrier while trying to keep an eye on toddlers dodging around the car. Why not park one space further away and give themselves more room? I don't know.
I spotted something similar in the more populated area of the car park. A driver was carefully edging his way backwards and forwards into a space between two other cars. He was trying to park in a tightly packed row even though there were loads of empty spaces only a little further away. He could have simply driven into one of many spaces where the adjacent spaces were also empty.
In the earlier post, Sam Vega described it as Something along the lines of herd behaviour providing protection and I'm sure that's right. Along those lines there could be a fairly obvious link with behaviour seen during the coronavirus debacle. Herd immunity at the psychological level where the immunity provided is protection against being conspicuous. Masks do that - wearers become inconspicuous.
I spotted something similar in the more populated area of the car park. A driver was carefully edging his way backwards and forwards into a space between two other cars. He was trying to park in a tightly packed row even though there were loads of empty spaces only a little further away. He could have simply driven into one of many spaces where the adjacent spaces were also empty.
In the earlier post, Sam Vega described it as Something along the lines of herd behaviour providing protection and I'm sure that's right. Along those lines there could be a fairly obvious link with behaviour seen during the coronavirus debacle. Herd immunity at the psychological level where the immunity provided is protection against being conspicuous. Masks do that - wearers become inconspicuous.
14 comments:
This came up elsewhere, again some time back.
And I remember replying about leaving my car in a multi storey car park in a shopping mall in Adelaide Australia just after Christmas.
It was very quiet and it was the only car on the first floor, on return there was another as in the photo above parked next to it making getting into the drivers seat difficult.
To be honest I think some people do it deliberately as a sort of black humour, otherwise why?
There are some interesting insights to be had in reading around the "bandwagon effect" and "social compliance" in Social Psychology. I get the sense that we are being gently manipulated by people who have studied this stuff in detail; in effect, using our own innate nature as humans against our interests. It makes me more inclined to value those oddballs who do not conform. That weird old boy who endlessly cycles around our nearest town with a big trailer full of dogs...that woman who carries old newspapers clutched to her bosom...the kid who talks to himself in public in a loud monotone. These people might become more important, and might even become valuable to us as the ratchet tightens.
When I was still working, some time ago, we had a few rules to ensure peace in the office.
1) Don't talk about Royalty (we we still in the Princess Diana death phase)
2) Don't talk about Religion (the Troubles were still fresh in the memory)
3) Don't talk about Politics (polarization had already started)
4) Don't talk about car parking.
Car parking always inspired hot debate. Who should be entitled to the few spaces available, and on what basis. Who got lumbered with that awkward spot next to the pillar. Who tried to carry out an oil change while parked. Whether or not some strange car had been abandoned and should be towed away. And so on.
Still, I have my reasons for parking away from the main herd. It's easier to park, there's less danger of getting your car scratched. You have better sight lines when you reverse up to leave, with no uncontrolled toddler in your 'blind spot'.
But others have different values. They like to park close to the store entrance to cut down on walking. They like the shelter of cars parked near by. It's a shorter trip to return a trolley. They like being in the community of 'those that park together'.
And perhaps it's a combination of all these reasons, and more, why you sometimes get snuggling. Just pining for the Fords?
The same thing happens on long deserted beaches.
The cure to the car snuggling is to have a much neglected, battered, dirty car. Obviously used by a clumsy, careless driver. Evidence of many children helps.
Mind you, I do compromise my values (or prioritise them in a different order) sometimes.
I recall parking in a car park for a show in the local venue. There were a few empty spaces and I chose to park next to a posh new Mercedes on the basis that he (or she) would be unlikely to swing their door wide for fear of damaging it.
After the show we went back to the car park and the Mercedes had had a window smashed and the radio stolen. My modest car was unscathed.
Ever since then I have explained my reluctance to clean my car as not wanting it to be a target for thieves. I'm not sure Mrs Discoveredjoys agrees.
And don’t get me started on when you are having a pee in a public loo and someone takes the one next to yours.
In our local supermarket the parking is in several lines of two spaces, one in front of the other (or,if you prefer, one behind the other). I find it strange that people will drive into the first space and park when the space in front of them is vacant.
If, or when, someone parks into the previously vacant space the aforementioned parker has to reverse out. Whereas, if the person has parked into the second space they could drive out.
Nowt so queer as folks.
Wiggia - it could be deliberate in some cases, but often it seems to be unthinking habit.
Sam - "I get the sense that we are being gently manipulated by people who have studied this stuff in detail; in effect, using our own innate nature as humans against our interests."
That's my impression too. It seems to be the way things are done now.
DJ - Just pining for the Fords? Lovely plumage though. But yes, I'm sure they like being in the community of 'those that park together'.
Doonhamer - and on long beaches generally you can see where the car park is because as you walk away from it the crowds peter out to almost nothing.
DJ - in the car park I'm blogging about, I sometimes see a posh new Mercedes parked so as to straddle the line between two spaces, making sure nobody else can park too close.
Timbotoo - and the only place to look is straight ahead which brings with it other hazards.
DAD - I've also seen that in some car parks. Someone parked behind me like that only recently. No problem for me, but they had to reverse out and there were lots of spaces where they could have parked then driven out forwards.
Well a very long time ago I returned with my family to a car park, and the car was gone. After a few frantic minutes of going up and down to adjacent floors - it was late in the evening and the car park virtually empty so we didn't have to search hard, a stranger pointed out that there were in fact two adjacent identical car parks and we had take a turn to the common lifts/stairs and walked straight across when vehicles left, we were rescued from an even more embarassing situation by the actions of that kind gentleman. Oh, and it was raining...
Timbotoo - When that happened to me I looked down on his side and said, "Blimey, what a little dick". He moved.
MPW - it's a good job you didn't reach the stage of phoning for the police.
DAD - only possible if it really is.
DAD possibly because parking in the forward space (nose out) make it difficult to load a trolley full of shopping in the back.
I tend to try and park between 2 cars rather than far away from other vehicles, due to the actions of those scumbags who park beside a car and cut out the catalytic converter. Rarely do the supermarket security cameras cover the incident.
Penseivat - I've not hear of that in local car parks, but it's a good point.
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