# is multi-space parking illegal?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [February 23, 2009, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056 "2009-02-23T15:49:00Z")
**Posts on this page:** 17
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@yabob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/yabob)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/41 "2009-02-24T15:12:35Z")
> [@missred](#):
>
> Not saying tht it’s right, but some folks intentionally will occupy more than one space to save on scratches and dents.
>
> One place that I worked actually had to boot a couple of employee’s vehicles for that after several warnings to everyone. They had a limited parking area with just enough slots to cover the largest shift (no shift overlap), but with a couple of jackasses taking up more than one spot, came up short. One of them had a classic car that he didn’t want scratched by someone else’s door and the other had just bought a new pickup that was a tight squeeze (but doable) for a standard parking space.
At one place I worked, we had one of the executives (in Sales, I think), who took the cake for this stunt. We had parking spots that faced each other. Not content to take up 2 slots to protect his precious automobile, THIS particular jackass would take 4 - one wheel in the corner of each one, so nobody could park opposite him either.
Actually, in that situation, if your lot usually doesn’t fill up, I don’t really mind people doing the straddle thing with two spots if they have the courtesy to go out to the edge of the lot to do it, rather than take up two spots near the building.
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### Author:  [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/42 "2009-02-24T16:40:58Z")
> [@yabob](#):
>
> THIS particular jackass would take 4 - one wheel in the corner of each one, so nobody could park opposite him either.
Some guy with a truck did this in the Ralph’s parking lot about 5 spots away from the recycling center. To get to the recycling center, I had to park on the opposite side of his truck, and then walk around it. This is one of the two instances in which I phoned the police and complained about illegal parking (FOUR spaces! And his truck wasn’t THAT big!) and they said it’s not illegal… ☹
> [@yabob](#):
>
> Actually, in that situation, if your lot usually doesn’t fill up, I don’t really mind people doing the straddle thing with two spots if they have the courtesy to go out to the edge of the lot to do it, rather than take up two spots near the building.
Oh sure, and I often won’t even take a picture in those situations. You aren’t being all that rude if you aren’t actually inconveniencing someone else, although of course it makes for bad practice. When you get too used to that habit, you find reason to do it more even in different situations.
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### Author:  [@mlees](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mlees)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 5:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/43 "2009-02-24T17:19:22Z")
> [@SeanArenas](#):
>
> re: [You Park Rudely: Grey Honda parked rudely](http://youparkrudely.blogspot.com/2009/02/grey-honda-parked-rudely.html)
>
> This picture was taken by a coworker at our place of employment. This was taken about 6:50am. Traffic is just starting to fill up in the lot, it was about 20% full. This parking area is close to the entrance door which is why this area fills up quickest.
Place yourself in the drivers seat of that car. He/she is backing in, and probably using the car on thier passenger side as a “guide”. (Can’t see the lines of the parking spot when backing in and looking over your right shoulder- like your supposed to while in reverse.)
Arguably, after getting out and realising that the car they guided on was improperly lined up (messing up their own parking job), that driver should have readjusted.
YOMV
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### Author:  [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/44 "2009-02-24T17:27:11Z")
> [@czarcaztic](#):
>
> \*The police don’t know? \* ☹
>
> And your friend does? Riiiiiiight. :rolleyes:
The police are often not experts on Parking or other code enforcement. In many cities they very rarely do parking enforcement and even if they do it’s for something extremely blatant.
And this is a Good Thing as cops are fairly highly compensated professionals that we want concentrating on fighting crime, not writing parking tickets. “Meter Maids” cost about 1/4 what a cop does.
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### Author:  [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/45 "2009-02-24T18:41:36Z")
> [@mlees](#):
>
> Place yourself in the drivers seat of that car. He/she is backing in, and probably using the car on thier passenger side as a “guide”. (Can’t see the lines of the parking spot when backing in and looking over your right shoulder- like your supposed to while in reverse.)
>
> Arguably, after getting out and realising that the car they guided on was improperly lined up (messing up their own parking job), that driver should have readjusted.
Honestly, either I’m just naturally a superb parker, or I just plain pay more attention to how I’m parking as I park. I almost never need to shift into reverse, then forward again to make sure I’m in a spot correctly (we’re talking lot parking, not parallel). I always check my parking job after I get out of the car, and never, ever am I over the line in either direction. If I were, I’d get in and readjust, but I am never over the line.
Between being superb at it and paying more attention, I’m guessing I just pay more attention. I know at what angle I should approach a spot and when to turn the wheel and stuff, and pay attention closely enough to make sure I don’t.
I figure other people aren’t “bad” at parking, they’re just not paying enough attention. I don’t see how parking the car should be any different than driving it, though. If we can’t expect them to pay attention to their job driving, how can we expect them to pay attention to the job parking?
(I’m thinking of the Simpson’s episode where Homer says, “Wait a minute, Barney. You’ve got to be sober to fly. I mean, it’s not like driving a car.”)
But parking, as you point out, is one of those things where, after the fact, you can fix it. It’s like a typed document on the screen. You can hit the backspace key and fix the document, and you can get back in your car and re-park it.
But getting back in your car and re-parking it is not something a lazy person will ever, ever do. (Nor will lazy people repeat words in a sentence like I just did…)
Worse than “taking time” or effort, re-parking your car means you had to admit to yourself that you did a crappy job parking it in the first place, and no one wants to do that.
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### Author:  [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/46 "2009-02-24T18:51:53Z")
> [@Balthisar](#):
>
> On the first photo, “Grey Toyota Tundra rudely parked” I’m not sure what’s wrong. The paint is only half there, but it looks like the concrete barriers are delineating the spaces instead of the leftover paint. From the photographic evidence, it looks like the white truck is the rude parker.
Based on this statement and others, I’ve decided to spend a little more time as I prepare pictures for posting there. I have started drawing a marquee around the shadow below the car, and then brightening the exposure there. That will help to reveal the lines in the picture.
Also, when I happen to have my big camera with me (Rebel XTi) I’ll use the flash to defeat the shadow somewhat, and then brighten it more after I drop it into the computer.
I would prefer that the pictures are more obvious to the viewer with what they’re doing wrong.
Also, now I understand that other parts of the country may not have Compact spots, so seeing someone 2 feet to the side of a line in a Compact spot won’t be obvious to you that they’re actually in two compact spots with a vehicle way too large for it. So, if I brighten the shadow below them, the line may be more obvious.
By giving me this input, you’re helping me make a better site 🙂
Here’s some with brightened shadows:
> **[Black Cadillac parked rudely](http://youparkrudely.blogspot.com/2009/02/black-cadillac-parked-rudely.html)**
> **[Grey Mercedes S500 parked rudely](http://youparkrudely.blogspot.com/2009/02/grey-mercedes-s500-parked-rudely.html)**
On that second one, I brightened the shadow behind it, not below the middle. If I hadn’t done it, I don’t think you’d be able to immediately tell the offense.
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### Author:  [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)
#### Post date: [February 24, 2009, 6:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/47 "2009-02-24T18:52:30Z")
Laws vary, but generally I believe police can only cite you for careless driving in a private parking lot, and fire lane and handicap parking violations. You can run the stop signs and cross the lines all you want otherwise.
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### Author:  [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 1:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/48 "2009-02-25T13:05:24Z")
> [@SeanArenas](#):
>
> By giving me this input, you’re helping me make a better site 🙂
I’m glad you’re taking it as constructive criticism rather than viewing it at me defending the drivers (some peope here take things completely the wrong way)!
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### Author:  [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/49 "2009-02-25T16:01:44Z")
> [@Balthisar](#):
>
> I’m glad you’re taking it as constructive criticism rather than viewing it at me defending the drivers (some peope here take things completely the wrong way)!
I think taking up two parking spaces is likely to get your car keyed, so it’s probably self-policing to a certain extent.
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### Author:  [@binjod](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/binjod)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/50 "2009-02-25T17:23:19Z")
I once was issues a warning for having my rear passenger tire on the line dividing parking spaces.:rolleyes:
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### Author:  [@Troy\_McClure\_SF](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Troy_McClure_SF)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/51 "2009-02-25T19:19:53Z")
> **[iparklikeanidiot.com](http://www.iparklikeanidiot.com/)**
>
> This domain may be for sale!
The city DPT cart was spotted in our private employee parking lot recently. My co-worker asked about it and said they were checking for non-placarded cars in the handicapped spots only. However, if you call them, they can enter the private garage and give tickets for other stuff.
I wish I’da known that when I was still using that garage. I usually just ended up parking normally in a spot, and if the guy on the right parked way too far left and there was only abut an inch of space between my car and his, well, tough beans. [S’fun, too. 😛](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=351481)
> [@binjod](#):
>
> I once was issues a warning for having my rear passenger tire on the line dividing parking spaces.:rolleyes:
Yeah, how DARE you be expected to get your car between two lines that are eight feet apart.
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### Author:  [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/52 "2009-02-25T20:53:33Z")
> [@SeanArenas](#):
>
> Honestly, either I’m just naturally a superb parker, or I just plain pay more attention to how I’m parking as I park. I almost never need to shift into reverse, then forward again to make sure I’m in a spot correctly (we’re talking lot parking, not parallel). I always check my parking job after I get out of the car, and never, ever am I over the line in either direction. If I were, I’d get in and readjust, but I am never over the line.
What about if it’s the last space available and the people on either side are shifted? Do you take the spot or give up and go to a different lot? And if you do stay until you’re the last person at work, and you’re going to look like you parked rudely, do you go out and move your car a couple of feet as soon as you can so no one takes a picture?
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### Author:  [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/53 "2009-02-25T20:59:19Z")
I did this a few times. Doctor’s office parking lots seem to be the worst. OK, you parked 25% into the only spot remaining in the lot, but I only need 74% of that spot to park. That leaves 1% of space between our cars.
Unfortunately, EVERY TIME I have done this, I’ve returned to see their car still there. So, either … they work at the doctor’s office, or they couldn’t get into their car so left on foot.
By the way, I also have a downloadable thing for people to print out and put on cars if you ever need one that’s not a bumper sticker, and is free:
[http://youparkrudely.com/pages/flier.html](http://youparkrudely.com/pages/flier.html)
Just print it and put it on windshields. Then take a picture so we can see the flier it and e-mail me the picture.
I’ve actually had good results using the flier. At my work, our parking lot is eternally too full, so we have overflow parking at the hotel parking lot around the corner. While I would never personally take a picture of a car on our company’s parking lot, I snap away like crazy at cars in the hotel parking lot. After I see a car parked rudely more than 2 or 3 times, I’ll pop a flier on their windshield. Every time they started parking better. One time, in addition to parking better, someone complained to human resources that I took a picture of their car and posted it on the Internet. HR said they don’t care what I do in the hotel parking lot or on the Internet, and gave me their unofficial blessing to continue.
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### Author:  [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/54 "2009-02-25T21:01:28Z")
> [@gigi](#):
>
> What about if it’s the last space available and the people on either side are shifted? Do you take the spot or give up and go to a different lot? And if you do stay until you’re the last person at work, and you’re going to look like you parked rudely, do you go out and move your car a couple of feet as soon as you can so no one takes a picture?
Then I park in the street out in front, or I squeeze into the spot so I’m not over the line. Or I drive around the lot until a real space opens up. Or I go into a neighboring lot, or I find some other alternative parking.
People are never, ever limited to parking in only “that one spot.” C’mon, I go to about 5 concerts a month in Hollywood and LA and avoid venue parking and find street parking all the time. People’s bad parking isn’t other people’s fault, it’s their laziness.
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 9:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/55 "2009-02-25T21:06:46Z")
> [@elmwood](#):
>
> FWIW, the holy grail would probably be seeing someone parked across two _handicapped_ spaces, or two preggo spaces.
Ooooh! Ooooh! Mr. Kotter!
I’ve actually seen this, and it had a twist that made it even better. I went to a gas station in Manchester, NH about 4 years ago; they had 2 handicapped spots, and there was a car, with a handicapped tag or plates, parked diagonally across both spots. I went back to my car to get my phone to call the cops; just then, the offending parker came out, got in his car, and left. He was wearing a SCOUTMASTER uniform!!!
What do I win?
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### Author:  [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/56 "2009-02-25T22:33:09Z")
> [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](#):
>
> Ooooh! Ooooh! Mr. Kotter!
>
> I’ve actually seen this, and it had a twist that made it even better. I went to a gas station in Manchester, NH about 4 years ago; they had 2 handicapped spots, and there was a car, with a handicapped tag or plates, parked diagonally across both spots. I went back to my car to get my phone to call the cops; just then, the offending parker came out, got in his car, and left. He was wearing a SCOUTMASTER uniform!!!
>
> What do I win?
Crap. That should read “with NO handicapped tag or plates”.
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### Author:  [@SeanArenas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeanArenas)
#### Post date: [February 25, 2009, 10:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/is-multi-space-parking-illegal/487056/57 "2009-02-25T22:34:45Z")
Haha, e-mail me a correct version and I’ll post it as an anecdote on that Blog site. [youparkrudely@gmail.com](mailto:youparkrudely@gmail.com)
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