You know what really frosts my flakes?
Stores that reserve the best parking spaces for people who aren’t even going into the store.
My daughter and I visited Target today. Right up front was a bank of parking spaces reserved for people with disabilities.
Perfect. That’s exactly where those spaces belong.
But, right next to them was another bank of about a dozen prime parking spaces reserved for people picking up online orders.
Wait a minute.
These people aren’t even getting out of their cars!
They pull into a space, tap a button on their phone and wait for some poor employee to bring their purchases directly to the trunk.
Meanwhile, the people who actually go inside the store, wander the aisles, fill up a cart and spend money the old-fashioned way get to park somewhere near the county line.
Then, after shopping, they push a cart loaded with groceries, cases of water, dog food and everything else across the parking lot while passing a dozen empty pickup spaces right next to the front door.
How does THAT make sense?
Shouldn’t the closest regular parking spaces go to the people who actually have to WALK from their cars to the store?
I’m thinking about seasoned citizens, as well as parents trying to herd three kids through a parking lot without losing one along the way.
I’m thinking about people pushing overloaded carts across hot pavement in 115-degree Arizona sunshine.
The pickup customers? THEY DON’T EVEN GET OUT OF THE CAR!
Why can’t those pickup spaces be off to the side of the building?
Better yet, put them near the entrance or exit to the parking lot. The customer can pull in, get the order tossed into the trunk and be on the way without clogging up the busiest part of the parking lot.
I know what somebody is going to say.
“But Grandpa, putting those spaces near the door saves steps for the employees.”
Oh, heavens! We certainly wouldn’t want employees whose job is to bring orders outside to have to walk OUTSIDE.
Besides, aren’t they bringing those orders out on carts and dollies?
And if 10 of those 12 reserved spaces are sitting empty most of the day, are we really designing the entire parking lot around saving an employee another 50 feet of walking?
We’ve somehow created a system where the person who never leaves the driver’s seat gets the premium parking spot, while the 75-year-old who actually walks through the store gets to hike across the asphalt carrying two bags and a gallon of milk.
That’s not convenience. That’s backwards.
I’m Grandpa Grumpy, and if you’re not even getting out of your car, you don’t need a parking space close enough to read the store’s return policy from the driver’s seat.