Shopping is my passion and a shopping trip to the mall can be enhanced by a good parking spot, you know that spot that puts you right near the entrance to your favorite store. Lately, I have noticed that there are less spots for me to park in. Not only are there the typical spots for the handicapped, but there are spots for expectant mothers or new mothers. At a local Home Depot, I saw parking spots just for veterans. During a recent trip to Ikea I noticed spots just for families and spots for cars that were eco-friendly.
Come on now this is crazy. Where are the spots for the frequent shopper? Or spots for women whose feet are killing them because they have been shopping all day, we need love too. How about the spot for the person who is making a return of a heavy item? Not sure why I’m complaining when I am trying to park as far away as I can to get in more steps, but I guess I just want a special spot as well. I can understand the special spots for electric cars; these vehicles need to be by the unit so they can plug in their cars. I’m sure there will be more of these spots as time goes by.
Reportedly, the proponents of so called stork parking or stroller parking say that pregnant women or women with small children need the convenience of these designated spots that are often very close to the door of stores. While not all stores or all cities have stork parking, those that do say that it’s very popular. Where I live, we have some stork spots, the ones I can think of are at the local Red Lobster, the Home Depot, and oddly enough, a huge sign hangs over some parking spots at a local hospital that says “Women in Labor Park Here!” I ask why is the woman in labor driving a car?
Some people feel they can park in the expectant mothers spot because they will be a mother someday and you can’t be legally towed from those spots. Yes, take a close look at the sign, no towing fee is mentioned or a fine for parking in that spot. But some people have been known to fight over these spots, so who wants to start a fight over a parking spot? I have thought about parking in these “special” spots, but what if someone I know sees me and knows that I was not in the military or knows for sure that I have not had a baby.
These spots are actually discrimination. What makes these people more special than me? I like to spend money in the stores just like they do. One store has an employee of the month spot. Each time I went to the store it was empty. Twice I was lease holder of the month at work; I loved having that special parking spot. Special spots are cool, but I ask the stores to really think them out.
(Email the columnist at debbienorrell@aol.com)
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