In life there are rules. Some rules are in the form of laws. Set forth by the communities in which they exist, laws work to keep peace amongst the civilized people and to bring justice to those who can't function properly inside the confines of the 'rules'. There's written 'rules' like those found in the Bible. The 10 commandments were a set of rules handed down by God Himself. Thou Shalt not Kill, for instance or Worship no other gods before me. Very good rules to live by and easy to understand. Matthew 7:12 says "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you". That's the Golden Rule. And then there's the posted rules like those you find hanging at swimming pools warning against diving in the shallow water or playground signs which admonish jumping into the ball pit while wearing shoes. I can even think of some rules which aren't posted but seem to be widely accepted like the "be quiet at the library" rule or removing your hat during the National Anthem. But there are rules that are generally left unspoken, relying mostly on common sense to be adhered to and one place that has never been more true is in the parking deck.When Matthew was little he used to LOVE going into parking decks. If he saw one while we were driving by he would all but beg me to drive into it. It fascinated him. For me though the fascination wasn't how many cars could squeeze into a high-rise, dimly lit and exhaust covered, stacked square structure but just how people who drive round and round and round the inside of one searching for the prime spot closest to the elevator forgetting all about the unspoken-but should at least be known "rules". This past week while visiting my mom in the hospital and having to utilize the parking deck several times, I decided it's time for someone to make a list of parking deck rules. Perhaps print them on a sign and post them in parking structures all over the world!
1. If you're in a busy parking deck, please, PLEASE don't stop in the middle of the thing to wait on a spot to open - ESPECIALLY if there's more spots up ahead. You might see someone with keys in hand and about to throw their bags into the car sitting in the first space past the handicap parking but that doesn't mean for a second that the space is about to become unoccupied. In fact, if that driver is anything like me - bothered greatly by people waiting on me to move out of my primo parking spot - then they may sit there for 1o minutes on principle alone! Move on!! It won't hurt you to walk the extra 7 spaces!
2. Speed Kills! It is NOT ok to take that hairpin curve lined by cars on every side at 40 miles an hour. But if you must take that turn at a break-neck speed - at least HANG UP THE PHONE AND DRIVE!
3. A parking garage is no place for a Monster Truck. If you can't fit into a normal sized parking space at Vera's Truck-o-Rama then please don't try to squeeze the "Gravedigger" into the first space on the right. It's not possible!
4. There is no need to pull your car into a spot backwards. I know that's 'cool' and all but really, in a parking deck - who cares! You are gumming up the whole process when you pass the space, back in just a smidge (trying of course to avoid slamming into the mini-van parked on each side, one who's wheel is clearly in your space), turn your steering wheel all the way to the left, move forward one inch, turn the steering wheel all the way to the right, move back one inch, and so on and so on until finally managing to slide it in 15 minutes later. Meanwhile the 47 people in the cars behind you are about to suffocate from exhaust fumes and they're mad. Trust me.
5. Lastly, never in the history of cars has a 1978 Mercury Grand Marquis been considered a "compact" car. When you see a sign that says "Parking for Compact Cars" that doesn't mean 'park here if you can fit a compact car in your trunk'.
Parking decks are a useful, modern day space saver and a perfectly nice place to leave your car but forgetting the rules could be dangerous. Remember the rules and remember that we can't all be in the first space by the stairs! Happy parking!
