Colorado Real Estate Journal - March 16, 2016
Have you ever driven around the block or through a parking lot looking for a parking spot? Of course you have! Have you ever finally found a parking spot, only to find it too small or the wrong type of parking spot? Of course you have! Parking a vehicle, presents us with options: angle, perpendicular, parallel and valet. Each parking option has characteristics and not all options are always available. When I plan an event, consider where to go for dinner or spend the day shopping I think about the parking and it influences my decision. In the end, I need to find a parking space and it may not be my preference, but I have to park it! What are the options and what is our preference, and how does that preference influence our personal choices and in the bigger picture what are the choices and the opportunities found in each. Let’s look for a parking spot . . . ho hum. Angle parking, you just make a right or left turn and drive right in stopping at the curb or stopping when you bump the curb. No curb, set your parking brake and you are on your way. Oh, maybe you feed the meter, swipe your credit card or retrieve your parking ticket so you can claim your vehicle when you are ready to leave. Ahh, leaving, that is where angle parking needs more of your attention. Backing out of an angle parking spot. Careful, back out slowly making sure that there are no pedestrians, cyclists or cars. Easy, use your mirrors and look with your own eyes before you back out. Piece of cake, on my way. Perpendicular parking is where you park at a 90 degree angle to the wall or the curb. You drive in and you drive out. No backing up. Not a lot of these spots around town. When by chance you come upon a such a parking spot you celebrate and smile like you’ve found favor with the gods. Pulling out you have to use a bit of caution especially if you are entering traffic. Not that difficult, perhaps the greatest challenge is finding your patience as you wait for an opening in traffic to be on your way. Perpendicular parking is fine and dandy unless the open space has cars parked at the head and the rear of the open space. Yes, then you must decide whether to parallel park. Can you do this? Should you risk the potential of having to make a second or third attempt and having other motorists become impatient, honk their horns, shoot disgusted glares or extend a gesture that lets you know that perhaps you should have considered another parking space. Parallel parking, parking parallel to the wall or curb. Pulling forward, backing up, turning the steering wheel at just the right time, positioning the angle of the car so that you are not too close or too far from the curb. Or worse, your approach resembles something akin to angle parking. It is fair to say that parallel parking has its challenges and is the least favorite among motorists. Successfully parallel parking your auto on the first attempt is, well there is just no better sense of accomplishment. Have you noticed there are more opportunities to valet park and more and more are complimentary?! I don’t know if there are more opportunities to valet park or if I’m just looking for them. Either way, dinner, a movie, shopping I choose valet every time. Complimentary is great, it gives me the option to be more generous in tipping the valet. But, I’ll pay to valet park because I pay to park more often than not anyway. Oh, valet parking is when someone else parks your car for you and how they park it is entirely up to them. I take a few precautions when valet parking but they are more than manageable when I’m presented with the option to valet park. Let’s talk about parking technology. There are sensors, cameras, assisted, autonomous and automated parking all designed to provide the driver with the ability to be less involved in parking their auto to letting the auto park itself, times they are a changing. In the meantime, what is your preference? If you drive a car you must park it at least twice every time you leave your driveway and probably far more times in a given day. Parking your auto and your preference of parking spots is not so different in how you approach choices you make every day. The important point is options and how and why you choose among the options. Sometimes there are plenty of choices and at other times there are no choices at all. In the instances where you have no choice, are you prepared? Have you been proactive and considered every eventuality so that you are not prevented from reaching your goal? When I think about parking I should not only think about what parking option I prefer but rather be skilled in all options so that I am prepared. How do you key laughter, hahaha, hee hee. I have more important things to consider, grander plans to develop and so much more to learn that I’m going to forego all the effort, energy and cost of owning, maintaining and parking a vehicle. I’m going to take a shuttle, a taxi, the rail, RTD or just Uber it. I’m going to outsource this whole transportation gig and choose to go with the transportation pros. ASAC delivers the resources so that you can be prepared to meet your business challenges and make informed business decisions. ASAC puts the business owner in the driver’s seat, delivering advocacy, education and networking so the choice is yours. You have all the information, weighed your options and decided to outsource, uber it. ASAC has professional and associate members that are well vetted in their area of expertise and demonstrated support of ASAC and its members. Think of uber as an option in every aspect of your business operations and management. What doors will open, what new opportunities are now in play? Consider where uber is an option and seek out an ASAC Associate or Supplier member and move forward, park it once and for all.