Alright guys, it's getting colder and wetter, and more people are driving to campus. So, please learn to make a little more room for others on the side of the road! There's nothing more irritating when I'm 15 minutes early for class and am sizing up spots just too small even for my car until I make myself late. SO PLEASE:

1) If you're parking at the very end of the legal parking stretch of street (i.e. where the yellow or blue line starts), pull up to the yellow/blue line as close as possible without ticking off the ticketers. (On a similar note, QUIT parking ON those lines! I have to nose out into traffic to see anyone coming and no one can see me when they're flying around the corner at me because some honking truck is in the way! It's not just the cops' excuse for getting your money; it keeps people from getting CREAMED.)

2) If you drive a motorcycle, and if you're forced to park on the side of the road (I don't know if it costs to park your bike in the motorcycle only spots in UMR parking lots), don't use up too much room. Park as perpendicular to the curb as possible and don't give the car on either side of you more room than it really needs. If there's half a car length on each side of you, that's too much.

3) When you're parking your car, know how long it is! I'm sick of thinking I see a spot when the space is just big enough to put my car only if I could lift it up and place it there (so parallel parking is NOT happening). There are WAY too many spaces like that around here lately and if people would learn to SCOOT UP there would be 3-4 more spots on the side of the road for others.

Just a vent; I don't think I should come to campus half an hour early in search of a parking spot that some assclown nosed too far into.

Additions/amendments are welcome.

As an addendum, I am not afraid to push your car up a few inches to fit into a spot, so if you are parking like a jackass on purpose, you can expect some scuff marks from people like me on your clean, finished bumpers. I have fit into spots with less than a foot of clearance on either end of the vehicle when I finally got parallel, but i won't say that I didn't nudge the surrounding cars to make it happen.

and i wont be afraid to call the cops on you


also why isnt it called series parking?

meh, it wouldn't be the first time. I don't push unless I am desperate or pissed. Normally I can wiggle in with minimal contact, if any.

As for the question, think geometrically, rather than electrically.

ya, its not parallel if its the same line y=x is not parallel with 2y=2x

normal parking is parallel since your car is parallel to a bunch of others.

I was thinking it was parallel to the flow of traffic, wheras, such as in parking lots, you park perpendicular or at an angle to the "flow of traffic" or lanes through the lot.

That is my interpretation.

i guess that makes sense, but i rarely think of how im parking in accordance to traffic, when you need to "parallel park" its because of the cars parked not of the traffic.

IT'S BECAUSE YOU'RE PARALLEL TO THE CURB YOU...ahem.

I meant, it's called "parallel parking" because you park parallel to the curb.

Also, why don't they paint parking space lines on the street by EE? 'Twould solve everybody's problems and allow for a little extra Rolla City street revenue.

Also, drive a tow truck.

I liked your original post better.

me too

What if that person originally parked perfectly and then the situation of cars around them changed so that it looked like they parked horribly? I know that more often than not it isn't like that but I could see how it could happen and would hate to get bumped around when I parked just fine.

I have thought of that, and i don't have a good answer. Usually, there isn't a problem, because the typical places I park are only about 3 cars long, so someone is obviously being an ass if only 2 cars can fit.

Seems like the OP is just being selfish. I mean I know other people could make more room, but why? You had the option of getting a parking sticker, or parking in free public parking, you just have to walk a little bit more. Really it seems you just want to walk less so you want other people should make that easier for you.

indeed what part about driving or parking has ever been looking out for the other guy