It’s not easy finding parking in most big cities. As more and more drivers take to the roads, there are fewer and fewer spaces available, according to a 2011 IBM Global Parking Survey. IBM concluded that worldwide it can take about twenty minutes to find a parking space. 30% of traffic in big cities is estimated to come solely from drivers looking for a space. To make matters worse, IBM’s survey concluded that one in four drivers had gotten into an argument with another over a parking space.
As difficult as it is to find a parking space, here are some ways we at DCH Toyota of Oxnard think you can make life a little easier when planning a trip to the city.
Consult shops and/or businesses that you know you will be visiting. If you need to collect something or drop something off, they should be able to tell you where the nearest available parking is likely to be. If you are very lucky, they may even have their own spaces that you can use for a short time or will be able to offer you a discount on the cost of a parking space. They can also warn you about parking that has limited room or is very expensive.
If you are making a more general trip, then harness the power of technology before you go and search online for the best parking spaces. Sites such as BestParking.Com are a great source of information for most big cities, and you can normally search for the best rates on a daily or monthly basis. Many of these sites also offer a mobile app for smartphone users, which means that you can do your research even without a computer, or ask one of your passengers to check for you if you are driving.
More and more satellite navigation systems are now starting to offer more advanced search capabilities, which can allow you to get directions to facilities, including car parks. The great thing about searching this way is that you will already be on the move, and the satellite navigation will be able to give you directions to quickly and efficiently find the parking lot. The only downside, of course, is that they will not be able to tell you if there are any spaces free. The same goes for the traditional paper map, which is normally clearly marked to show public car parks in major cities.
If all else fails, then speculative searching may take longer but is likely to bear fruit in the end. Most major car parks are signposted around cities, and if you pick streets that are a little further out of the very center, you are more likely to find spaces. Be careful when choosing street parking spaces, as regulations may strictly control the times of day and/or maximum duration for which you can park. You don’t really want to get a parking ticket, after all.
If you’re visiting a big city, then it pays to check out the parking BEFORE you travel. Use all available resources to identify two or three possibilities, and reduce the amount of time wasted searching alongside all the other drivers.
