Parking Lots and Holiday Shopping

December 6, 2006 | By: | Comments (0) | Posted in: Auto

In December, parking lots closely portray scenes from Mel Gibson's “Mad Max.” Ravaged shoppers desperately prowl among crowded parking spaces amid lurking criminals that target those unsuspecting. Before returning to “Thunderdome,” let us be reminded of three things: 1) Don't be a dangerous driver; 2) Protect your car from being broken into; and 3) Be aware of your personal safety.

Don't Be A Dangerous Parking Lot Driver
Parking in holiday parking lots can be stressful. It causes us to lose sight of everything but the task at hand, including pedestrians and other cars looking for spots. It can cause aggressive driving if you and another car duel for a vacant spot.

While this situation is obviously frustrating, challenge yourself to stay calm. Mary Schmich of the Chicago Tribune is proposing the following holiday parking karma challenge: “From now until New Year's, whenever you encounter a contest for a spot in a crowded lot, where ‘two men enter, and one man leaves,' yield to the other car. You'll manage your stress with the deed, and hopefully rewarded with a bounty of spots.”

Protect Against Theft
The holiday season is very good to parking lot thieves. Many shoppers leave their belongings and purchases visible in their cars, increasing their chances of being victims. A classic holiday parking lot tip is that if you have more shopping to do, and you need to store some of your purchases in your car, move your car to a new location before returning to the store. This will hide your vulnerable behavior from stalking thieves. Also, it's good to lock your purchases in the trunk—out of sight from would-be thieves.

Be Aware and Protect Yourself
Unfortunately, some of the top places that people (women especially) are abducted or attacked are in shopping center parking lots or garages. Predators look for easy victims, so there are several things you can do to prevent yourself from becoming one. Be alert. Keep your head up at all times, and be aware of your surroundings. Always keep your distance when walking past strangers in a dark area. Attackers generally look for someone who is distracted, including women searching through their purses or talking on their cell phones. Before getting into your car, look on both sides, in the back seat, and even under the car. If there is a man sitting alone in a car on either side of you, think about going back into the store and returning later, or asking for an escort to your car such as a security guard or courtesy clerk. Once inside your car, lock the doors and drive away as soon as you get in. In the event you are grabbed (or are about to be), fight back, proceed to yell, scream, hit and kick with everything you have. Again, the attacker is looking for an easy victim, and will probably give up if you put up a fight.

 

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