Discussions

Personally, I prefer driving cars and for that reason I will probably never purchase a larger vehicle unless I absolutely have to. But, it’s pretty obvious that larger trucks were not built for parking lots. They simply do not fit in the designated spots properly. So I sympathize with anyone who owns a larger vehicle. I don’t know about every body else but I have never had so much of an issue with trucks taking up two spots that it ruins my day. I just simply park elsewhere. But that is just me.  
 
And yes I’m aware of the issue this causes in number of vacant spots... but if you really think about it, the number of vehicles parked improperly is almost insignificant compared to the amount of spaces in total.

A F150 is a ordinary pickup truck, not a bigger 250-350.  
We have a Chev Equinox, it is not big by any means, but i try to park in a space that is free on both sides, have come back to encounter a car parked beside me where i can barely open the door.  
Brandon has the poorest parking people in the country i feel.

poporida said "As a "big truck" driver I always park way in the back away from everyone else and often will take up two spots to make sure that no one parks beside me. No it's not because I'm doing this to take someone else's parking spot. It's because my "big truck" costs about 100 thousand dollars. Now when you spend that kind of money on a vehicle the last thing you want is for someone in a POS 500 dollar vehicle to pull up right beside you and band their door into yours and leave so little room that they have to rub up beside your vehicle to get in and out and scratch the side of your vehicle with their zipper, who knows what else. I will continue and always continue to park away and take up two spots as I am very ocd when it comes to keeping a perfect condition vehicle and I'm not going to let someone ruin that for just parking beside me who doesn't care for 1 second about the condition of their vehicle or others. It's called pride of ownership!! "

attitudes like this that make people upset. The dollar value of your truck does not supersede the value of a "$500 POS" vehicle to someone when that is all they can afford. It may be a $500 POS to you but that may be everything to that person who needs that vehicle to make a living, get kids to school... you name it.  
 
As a "big truck" driver myself, I find the attitude behind comments like yours is what makes people stererotype truck driver's into a certain category of jerks.

..yet I still use the Courtesy to park within the lines.. however I see soooooo many smaller much easier to park vehicles on angles, in two spots, in handi-cap spots etc. I also park my truck not only between the lines but also a large distance from the doors in hopes that no one will damage my vehicle. To be perfectly honest more has happened to my vehicle parked further from the store then closer. I also have three children (and ONLY my truck as a vehicle) these children need room on either side to get into the vehicle and yet people still park up against it like I’ve personally done something to them by owning a nice vehicle. My truck has been side swiped, dinged by doors and scratched by god knows what all while buying groceries for my family. Although having a truck leads to all these issues, and general HATE from people I’m assuming are jealous of my beautiful truck I STILL take the time to head out into the worst of storms to go pull small vehicles out of the snow, or drop what I’m doing to help someone move etc. Remember when you’re scowling at someone’s truck remember that not all people who own and operate a large vehicle are assholes nor do they deserve the hate handed out by so many! Hell I’ll even take your kids for a ride in my “monster truck” if they asked nicely! It’s a matter of human decency the lines are there for a reason if you need to back up or pull forward and correct yourself don’t be embarrassed just do it!! And when you see us all out in our trucks helping people get out of some shitty situations remember this post and how silly it was to lump EVERY truck owner in with the ones who don’t park properly! I for one drive such a big vehicle for the fact it’s SAFE! And strong not because I want to inconvenience anyone. With that said I believe all ya truck owners can appreciate that driving larger vehicles also comes with larger responsibilities!

OceanBlue said "Sometimes people need extra space ...because they need extra space. I can't even believe you would say you did that and with pride! I for one who drive an SUV had someone with your selfish attitude park so tight beside my driver's door that I had to crawl in through my passenger door into my drivers seat. The thing that is most important in this story is that I was recovering from knee surgery. I took the extra room because I needed the extra room. I don't have family in the city, and I'm a single person. So if I don't do it ...it won't get done. It was so incredibly painful to have to get into my vehicle that way that I sat there and cried.     The next time you decide to get a holier than thou attitude about people's parking, take into consideration that there is likely a reason they did that. Not everyone is a jerk on the road. The same with people that are tailgating. I used to think that they were just being jerks until I needed to tailgate someone to get out of my way as I was trying to get to a family emergency at the hospital.     You never know what is going on in people's lives on a daily basis and you'd be best to remember that. Have some compassion for people Brenda and don't think that everything is all about what you think it is! "

... I, myself, would have left out the "holier than thou" bit about "needing to tailgate someone to get out of my way".

well said. some people are so ignorant and rude.like you said maybe the 2 vehicles on either side may not have been parked properly when the "big" truck parked or maybe the lines have faded or this time of year, covered by snow or ice. yes,there are some that have a misplaced sense of entitlement. or also the ones who say they do things by the book and expect the rest of the world should do as they do. i had an older small truck one time yrs ago. was sitting in it at one parking lot waiting for someone. this lady parks between me and the next car over. her car wasn't very big but she was. well, she only left about 2ft between my truck and her car.she banged her door off my truck at least 4 times and said i parked too close to her when i told her to stop.took her plate number and took pictures with my camera. before cell phones.then called the cops.

loeog said "    veloster said "I just wish the cops would ticket them for keeping it on so maybe they wouldn't. " How can they ticket a person when there’s no law on the books about removing the receiver when not in use. "

there is a law about reciever hitches. they must be taken out when not in use. it is illegal to have anything sticking out past the bumper.

http://web2.gov.mb.ca/laws/statutes/ccsm/h060e.php

I drive a service vehicle for a living, and have to pull ladders off ( from the back) and as a rule, we park the furthest away, but will pull through a double spot, because you can’t really see out the back at all, so to eliminate blind spots it’s easier and safer to do so, and there’s an entire parking lot out there and than someone with a small car parks right behind you and beside you, so not only do you have to wrestle a ladder on top of the truck but have to try and get my fat arse in the 6” of space, and it’s never the big trucks, it always little cars

Brenda said "    Fishin Guy said "I drive a F150. When parking properly my mirrors are directly over the yellow lines. That leaves little to no room when someone parks beside you. At the mall I have come across cars that feel the need to park directly against my door leaving me about 6" of open door space to try and get my fat arse into my truck. I have come back to busted tail lights from someone backing into me then taking off. These vehicles have a turning radius from 46-52 ft to try and park. I usually back into a spot as it gives me more flexible turning radius. Now after experiencing the dicks of Brandon costing me money in deductibles for hit and run, plus the unknown thrill of watching a fat guy trying to squeeze through a 6" door opening, I will always be "that guy". BUT!! I will be that guy at the end of the parking lot taking up 2 spaces. So be it. Since doing that I have had (knock on wood) zero hit and runs, plus have enough room to properly open my door and put groceries inside the vehicle. " Just because you own a big tuck, you feel entitled to take up two parking spots?     I for one parked right beside a big truck yesterday. I was in between the yellow lines. I am sure he/she would have had to get in the passenger seat and crawl over to the drivers seat, as their was definitely no room....but I was in a designated parking spot.     Most people that have a big truck, tend to have a second vehicle, maybe take that one to the mall. "

What has happened to simple decency? Knowingly parking so close that you know the person will have to climb through? I don't care if you are between the lines or not! What if that person has mobility issues? What if he or she is 80 and can't climb over? Or obese? You are basically saying "Screw 'em I'm between the lines." Get of your high horse and treat others the way you would like to be treated!  
 
And your comment about most truck owners having a second vehicle is just dumb. I guess I should go to my wife's work, pull her car out of her spot, put my truck in her spot, and take her car to the mall? Would that please Your Highness? SMH

JackAzz said "    Brenda said "    Fishin Guy said "I drive a F150. When parking properly my mirrors are directly over the yellow lines. That leaves little to no room when someone parks beside you. At the mall I have come across cars that feel the need to park directly against my door leaving me about 6" of open door space to try and get my fat arse into my truck. I have come back to busted tail lights from someone backing into me then taking off. These vehicles have a turning radius from 46-52 ft to try and park. I usually back into a spot as it gives me more flexible turning radius. Now after experiencing the dicks of Brandon costing me money in deductibles for hit and run, plus the unknown thrill of watching a fat guy trying to squeeze through a 6" door opening, I will always be "that guy". BUT!! I will be that guy at the end of the parking lot taking up 2 spaces. So be it. Since doing that I have had (knock on wood) zero hit and runs, plus have enough room to properly open my door and put groceries inside the vehicle. " Just because you own a big tuck, you feel entitled to take up two parking spots?     I for one parked right beside a big truck yesterday. I was in between the yellow lines. I am sure he/she would have had to get in the passenger seat and crawl over to the drivers seat, as their was definitely no room....but I was in a designated parking spot.     Most people that have a big truck, tend to have a second vehicle, maybe take that one to the mall. " What has happened to simple decency? Knowingly parking so close that you know the person will have to climb through? I don't care if you are between the lines or not! What if that person has mobility issues? What if he or she is 80 and can't climb over? Or obese? You are basically saying "Screw 'em I'm between the lines." Get of your high horse and treat others the way you would like to be treated!     And your comment about most truck owners having a second vehicle is just dumb. I guess I should go to my wife's work, pull her car out of her spot, put my truck in her spot, and take her car to the mall? Would that please Your Highness? SMH "

If you have mobility issues park in an space designated for people with mobility issues. If you have mobility issues why the heck are you driving a big truck? If you can climb in and out of a truck you can walk across a parking lot. And I still don't see how mobility issues prevent you from parking like a human being.  
 
Everyone gets to park there car between the yellow lines, those are the rules. If you're too lazy/inconsiderate/special to park within the yellow lines it's YOUR problem for parking incorrectly. I never park over the yellow lines but if you're parked like an idiot I'm not going to drive around for 20 minutes looking for another spot. Don't get back to your car and curse the person who did everything properly.  
 
There are PLENTY of spots far away from the doors for gorillas to park their beasts like donkeys.

After reading many of these posts, I think I like the attitude of the truck drivers.  
Merry Christmas and here’s hoping not too many parking lot fights happen in the name of parking over the yellow line.

Maybe this statement will upset some, but here's hoping it is the feeling of the majority.  
For myself the lines really don't matter, but the consideration of others does, and the consideration of others means at times I will inconvience myself, but it isn't really an inconvience when thinking of others. Sort of like stopping to help someone with no expectation of anything but maybe a thank you, and even if there is no thank you, you live with there is the thought that it may be payed forward.

Yup I will continue to take up 2 spots. Now maybe if everyone parked like you I would have a different opinion. Or if you would like to pay for my deductibles parking between the lines fine by me too. But truth of the matter is not everyone parks like you and I cannot keep shelling out money for hit and runs, dented doors, etc. Call me what you want but I really could care less. And no I don't have a second vehicle can't afford it....wait maybe we could carpool to the mall with yours and see the perfect parkers lol.

Last night I reviewed the HTA and did not find any references to trailer hitches/ receivers having to be removed when not in use. I will continue to leave mine on. I drive a new vehicle and the hitch, in my opinion, helps save the rear bumper from someone hitting the rear bumper.

loeog said "Have you ever seen an entire row of cars and trucks parked outside the lines. Do you ever wonder if the car or truck that is in two spots started the problem or is a victim of someone else’s elite attitude.   Unless you know all the facts, Try not to act too privileged next time you see a vehicle parked in a way that displeases your high standards.     I might suggest parking yourself at the outside area and walking to where your going, it might give you time to think about what’s really important in life.     Edited by loeog, 2017-11-27 20:19:08"

I pull mine after every use and put it in before every use. It's a pin and pull. Takes 5 seconds.

To all those saying "big trucks need to learn how to park" etc, I will give you my keys, you park my truck. It is a crew cab long box dually. The spots made in parking lots now are the size of a chevy volt and not for trucks. You can take all the time in the world, and if your lucky, I will have about 2 inches on either side of my fenders that are inside the lines...and my truck will stick out about and extra two feet into the driving lane. It is difficult to make it fit properly.  
 
And no, not everyone has two vehicles. This is my only one, and I need it on my farm and many others only have one vehicle. Get over it, we do not need to guy buy a special vehicle for the sole purpose of fitting inside a parking stall at the mall to please a few people.  
 
This is truly a first world problem and actually really sad that people complain about a parking lot. My god, society is getting worse.

MrDobalina said "    loeog said "Have you ever seen an entire row of cars and trucks parked outside the lines. Do you ever wonder if the car or truck that is in two spots started the problem or is a victim of someone else’s elite attitude.   Unless you know all the facts, Try not to act too privileged next time you see a vehicle parked in a way that displeases your high standards.     I might suggest parking yourself at the outside area and walking to where your going, it might give you time to think about what’s really important in life.     Edited by loeog, 2017-11-27 20:19:08" I pull mine after every use and put it in before every use. It's a pin and pull. Takes 5 seconds. "

I guess if you only use the hitch a couple times a month, that makes sense for some people.  
 
I find I’m using mine all the time and it’s often wet and grimy from the road conditions, so I just leave it in.  
 
Actually, the only time I remove it is when I need the smaller 2 inch ball.  
I usually replace it with the larger one as soon as I’m done.

I bet they painted parking lines in their drive ways so they can double park at home too

The law is that if something projects out of your truck 24 inches or more you need a red flag. You DO NOT have to remove your trailer hitch in Manitoba, only if extends beyond the requirement for a red flag.

SensibleFarmer said "The law is that if something projects out of your truck 24 inches or more you need a red flag. You DO NOT have to remove your trailer hitch in Manitoba, only if extends beyond the requirement for a red flag. "

The only thing that bugs me more than this myth are the experts that feel the need to spread it.

I drive a Durango, and recently parked at Canadian Tire. Found a spot I could pull through, so I didn't have to back out. There was a car to my driver's side, and we were both centered in our spots, and there was an open space on my passenger side. Got my toddler out of her car seat, went into the store. Come back out with dog food and softener salt, and .... can't even get the rear passenger door open enough to put the toddler into the vehicle (never mind reaching in and buckling her up) because a vehicle had parked on my passenger side. They were within their spot, and relatively centered.  
 
I ended up squeezing the toddler through the driver's side rear door, dragging softener salt and dog food around to the back of the vehicle (while parking the cart against my front bumper so it wouldn't roll away in that ridiculously sloped parking lot), then getting rid of the cart and squeezing into the front driver's door, climbing over into the back seat and finally being able to buckle the toddler in.  
 
I do not need anything from Canadian Tire as long as the parking spots are that small. I don't need that kind of difficulty in my life - anything I buy from Canadian Tire, I can buy somewhere else.  
 
I might even say the spots are smaller there than the mall. But I haven't measured them.  
 
When I drove a very small SUV I still ran into the same problems. The spots are too small for the vehicles that people drive. And it only gets worse when you get two decent size vehicles parked beside each other. Or when you have to wrangle a kid in and out of a car seat, and they fight like a banshee to delay getting buckled in.

sjelectric-if you feel my comment is a myth-then like loeog says find it in the Manitoba Highway Traffic Act or anywhere that's proves the "experts" wrong

Most parking spots are designed for small to midsize cars with lean bodied drivers. I have seen overweight drivers who parked properly have difficulty getting out of their vehicles without their doors touching the next vehicle. I don't see a problem with bigger vehicles using more spots if they need it. For example, travellers with RV's who stop for groceries or other shopping could not possibly fit in a typical parking spot. What about people who rent moving vans to move across the country and need to stop for supplies? The solution is either to make all parking spots large enough for bigger vehicles or let drivers of bigger vehicles use more than one spot if needed. It's all about courtesy and common sense.

This thread has produced such a reaction in me I had to email the first draft to my wife because I knew it would illicit adverse reactions!  
This is what I see daily. People treat other people's property with disrespect...and why...because they believe they are morally on the high ground. What makes it right to block a vehicles doors so badly that the owner with 3 back surgeries has to climb over the center console just to enter their vehicle. Not even parked over the line, perfectly centered in the parking spot...but large in reference to the lines painted on the ground. They drive a vehicle that the owner of the premises has decided they wouldn't accommodate and that gives people the morale position to scrape the paint off of an $80,000 truck. Clap, Clap, Clap...well done you! you really showed that guy for parking his truck perfectly in the spot with his mirrors literally over the painted lines. *sarcasm* He should've taken his beautiful (my opinion) truck home and picked up his secondary vehicle specifically purchased for parking at...ANY establishment in Brandon! I used to think people would always respect me and my property if I respected theirs and watched out for others if they weren't around too. Now...I believe respecting others just makes them disrespect you even more. Every time you damage another persons vehicle you are devaluing their property. And why...because YOU think you're position and opinion are in the right...who decided that? Not to get into my sob story but their are people who drive large trucks for very good reasons...and they also might very well have a good reason for parking close to the door. How prepared are you to defend your position up there on your pedestal when that person confronts you the next time you decide to exercise your morale right to be an a$$hat and block someone from their vehicle or hit it with your door causing damage to the paint or worse??? Do you think that person is going to return to their vehicle and say out loud "OMG what a fool I've been for driving this very large vehicle around town and parking in others ways! I need to go trade the safety of my half ton in for a small passenger vehicle that won't impede on anyone else's rights!" Get a clue! Eventually you or all of the people doing the same thing are going to cause someone to PTSD the crap out of your a$$ and then maybe you will realize that sometimes the morale high ground AIN'T the right way to go.  
 
BTW 5 second google search brought me to this...  
https://www.mpi.mb.ca/en/PDFs/TrailerSafety.pdf  
Page 4 at the bottom  
Make sure the hitch allows a clear view of your  
vehicle’s rear licence plate when you’re not  
towing a trailer.  
I realize that's not actually stating the law but that is the MPI standard for trailering safety. If someone can provide something better... please do so.  
PS I firmly believe it's the same attitude that people demonstrate while driving these days... consistently running red lights, pulling out in front of people with the expectation that THEY are the ones that need to yield and slow down for you, or racing you so you cannot change lanes or close the gap on you to deny you from changing lanes. Brandon's lack of respect whilst driving is astonishing. I've driven in a war zoneS and been less nervous than I am picking my kid up from school!

is no law stating you must remove your receiver hitch when it is not in use. Not in Manitoba anyway. I do not know about other provinces and their provincial legislation.

dadandmom said "This thread has produced such a reaction in me I had to email the first draft to my wife because I knew it would illicit adverse reactions!   This is what I see daily. People treat other people's property with disrespect...and why...because they believe they are morally on the high ground. What makes it right to block a vehicles doors so badly that the owner with 3 back surgeries has to climb over the center console just to enter their vehicle. Not even parked over the line, perfectly centered in the parking spot...but large in reference to the lines painted on the ground. They drive a vehicle that the owner of the premises has decided they wouldn't accommodate and that gives people the morale position to scrape the paint off of an $80,000 truck. Clap, Clap, Clap...well done you! you really showed that guy for parking his truck perfectly in the spot with his mirrors literally over the painted lines. *sarcasm* He should've taken his beautiful (my opinion) truck home and picked up his secondary vehicle specifically purchased for parking at...ANY establishment in Brandon! I used to think people would always respect me and my property if I respected theirs and watched out for others if they weren't around too. Now...I believe respecting others just makes them disrespect you even more. Every time you damage another persons vehicle you are devaluing their property. And why...because YOU think you're position and opinion are in the right...who decided that? Not to get into my sob story but their are people who drive large trucks for very good reasons...and they also might very well have a good reason for parking close to the door. How prepared are you to defend your position up there on your pedestal when that person confronts you the next time you decide to exercise your morale right to be an a$$hat and block someone from their vehicle or hit it with your door causing damage to the paint or worse??? Do you think that person is going to return to their vehicle and say out loud "OMG what a fool I've been for driving this very large vehicle around town and parking in others ways! I need to go trade the safety of my half ton in for a small passenger vehicle that won't impede on anyone else's rights!" Get a clue! Eventually you or all of the people doing the same thing are going to cause someone to PTSD the crap out of your a$$ and then maybe you will realize that sometimes the morale high ground AIN'T the right way to go.     BTW 5 second google search brought me to this...   https://www.mpi.mb.ca/en/PDFs/TrailerSafety.pdf   Page 4 at the bottom   Make sure the hitch allows a clear view of your   vehicle’s rear licence plate when you’re not   towing a trailer.   I realize that's not actually stating the law but that is the MPI standard for trailering safety. If someone can provide something better... please do so.   PS I firmly believe it's the same attitude that people demonstrate while driving these days... consistently running red lights, pulling out in front of people with the expectation that THEY are the ones that need to yield and slow down for you, or racing you so you cannot change lanes or close the gap on you to deny you from changing lanes. Brandon's lack of respect whilst driving is astonishing. I've driven in a war zoneS and been less nervous than I am picking my kid up from school! "

it''s "moral", not "morale".  
 
Edited by Classified, 2017-11-30 19:03:06

I like big trucks and I can not lie

I thought the same as you, but when in doubt check it out.  
Found this and it makes me wonder, when a definition talks of righteousness and future reward, it might means sort of the same thing.  
 
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/morale.html

I think is pure and utter laziness for some people. Was at wal-mart tonight. We parked in the back of the lot away from the doors and Between our lines. As we were putting our groceries away, some older gentlemen and his wife pulled up beside us in a Ford truck much smaller than our mega cab diesel. He took up 4, yes you read that correctly, 4 spots by parking on an angle right beside us. Didn’t make a spec of effort to park properly. Just parked on an angle, hopped out, locked their pooch in their truck and walked away. The sad thing is he could have easily parked properly between the lines, he chose not to. There was also ample room for him to park properly because no one else was around us.