Is Your Car Too Big or Parking Bay Too Small?
Many motorists are complaining that car parking spaces aren’t big enough. Is this really a problem or is the issue due to the size of cars that people are driving these days?
The largest operator of public car parks in the United Kingdom, Park Rite, say that the dimensions of parking spaces need to relate to the vehicles that the space is intended for. The current standard calls for bays that are 2.4m wide by 4.8m long. But many of todays popular vehicles will only just fit into this space leaving no room for doors to be opened easily.
Some car park operators have been accused of puposely making their parking spaces narrower in order to squeeze more cars into their lots and make more money. Some of the worst offenders are reported to be certain hospital car parks, some supermarkets and some long-stay airport parking lots. There have been reports, from some long stay airport car parks , of people unable to open their doors due to adjacent vehicles being parked too close.
So, is the problem due to the standard dimensions of parking bays or is it due to the increase in vehicle dimensions? A common and popular 4 wheel drive vehicle is the Toyota Rav4. This common four wheel drive car has a width of 1.815m, without its mirrors. If we allow around 35cm for the wing mirrors this brings the width up to 1.85m. In a parking space of 2.4m width this would leave only 0.55m or as little as 0.275m on each side. Clearly a bit of squeeze when opening the doors and getting in and out of the car.
Narrow parking spaces present a particular problem for many vehicles that have long side doors, as do many 3 door models. The popular Renault Clio 3 Door, with its mirrors, is 2.025m. In a standard 2.4m parking space this would leave only 0.375m or only around 0.19m each side in which to open the side doors and get into our out of the car.
It looks like the problem is really down to the size of the cars that people are driving so perhaps car park operators need to take this into account when marking out their parking bays.
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Top Tip: Make the most of your trip by spending a night in an airport hotel before your flight. And why not enjoy the hospitality of an airport lounge before you fly.
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