Walking and Parking

[kybearfuzz]

Over the weekend, as I was running errands to put together the final touches on my Halloween costume, I went to one of the "Halloween Express" shops. It was packed, everyone buying last minute things or get things on big discount. I went down one lane and found no parking spots, then up one farther away and pulled into an available space. I didn't go closer because I figured they were full, but that's not really what I think about these days.

In the past, I have seen people circle parking lots, passing up available spaces, in the hope of getting one two or three spaces closer to the door of whatever business they are heading to. I've even seen this at the gym, people going round and round to get one space closer to the door, so they can walk three miles on a treadmill.

Now I park where the space is available and it's proximity to the door doesn't really matter. A couple of years back, I had a horrible gout episode in both of my feet, following the medication I was put on for blood clots. The pain in my feet was staggering and couldn't bear my weight at all. At 40, I never thought there would be a time I couldn't walk and the effect was deeply humbling. My doctor got me gout meds and I could walk again in hours. It sounds sappy, but I am thankful every morning I get out of bed and can take a step.

So, now I see people circling over and over, wasting time and gas, when there was a spot available and they could have just parked and walked a little further. I am not sure where this mentality comes from, and I admit that I used to feel that way too, but it makes no sense.

And side bar, I'm happily off the blood thinning meds for over a year now.

Comments

[mrdreamjeans.livejournal.com]

So, what was your costume? I try to use parking away from the building as exercise:) I walked over six miles today with my nephew!

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

Good for you! Walking is good exercise.

[changeling72.livejournal.com]

I always think along similar lines when I see people take a lift for one or two floors. Unless they're elderly, disabled or heavily pregnant - take the stairs, you lazy fecker!

[kybearfuzz.livejournal.com]

I hear you. I've made an effort to take the stairs when I can.

[mort-83.livejournal.com]

I tend to park far away as well. What kills me at work is that someone always pulls into the spot next to me, on the driver's side, just as I'm getting out of the car. This happens even though there may be 25 spots open all around me. I get it that they might need another car as a parking aid, but man, why not pull on the other side?? Sheesh.

[dendren.livejournal.com]

I hate hate hate circling looking for a spot. My grandma used to do that... circle circle circle. "there's a spot Gram", "there's another" nope, not close enough. I tend to automatically go towards the back of a parking lot right away when I am going to park, I don't even bother looking up close.

[furr-a-bruin.livejournal.com]

I realized some time back that it was a complete waste of time trying to get a close-in parking spot; I could be parked, walk across the lot and be in the store while the vultures were still circling for a "prime" parking spot.

My habits in that regard are so strong that when Mom was still alive, she'd have to remind me she had a handicapped placard (legally blind due to macular degeneration) and we could park in those spots.