Avoid Christmas Car Park Bingles
Christmas is the holiday for giving gifts to the ones you love and care for, eating delicious meals and generally sharing your time with friends and family. But before all that joy and happiness, comes the preparation — which for some people can be far from the most enjoyable of occasions. Navigating the Christmas rush through shopping centre car parks can be one of the most stressful experiences of the season, but rest assured, here are some great tips for avoiding scratches, dents and frustrations when shopping for gifts!
Slow Down!
Everyone seems to be in a mad rush to get in and out of a shopping centre at lightning speed. Let’s face it, at Christmas time that is just not going to happen. Give yourself plenty of time to get around the car park and be patient. If someone takes the spot that you’ve been waiting for, there is nothing to be gained by getting stressed. If you drive at the nominated car park speed limit and keep your eyes peeled, it’s likely that you’ll see someone leaving a car space much easier than if you were rushing around each section in haste.
Be Strategic!
Try to park as far away from the actual entrance to the shopping centre as you can — while it might seem like a 10 kilometre hike to and from your car, it will no doubt take twice as long to find a park close to the front door. Sure if you’ve got heavy things to carry, it could be a bit inconvenient, but isn’t that what shopping trolleys are for? Also, if you’re parking further away from the entrance, there are likely to be fewer cars, which essentially means less opportunity for dents and scratches to occur.
Be Clear About Your Intentions
So, you’ve finally found a space that’s about to be freed up, but the family who is parked in the space is taking their time loading everything into the car… What is the right etiquette whilst waiting? Well firstly, use your indicator – show that you are intending to take the space after it is vacated. Next, be aware of the traffic around you — try to pull over as far to your left as possible to let other cars move around you and also so the person pulling out of the car space can actually get out! Finally, make sure you pull into the space slowly and cautiously to not hit the cars either side of you. After all, at Christmas time, it’s not uncommon to have an audience while you’re parking your car and having a prang is quite embarrassing.
And just to be on the extra safe side, here are some other really simple tips to keeping your car in tip top condition throughout the Christmas shopping season:
Obey the parking rules and traffic directions and be alert for other drivers who don’t;
When reversing in or out of a car space, go slow and don’t just rely on your mirrors — look over your shoulder too;
Reversing cameras and sensors can help, but drivers still need to be aware of what is around them;
Where possible, reverse into a car space, so it’s easier to see in both directions when pulling out;
Do your bit by returning shopping trolleys to their bay;
Don’t pull out around cars that are waiting to drive into a parking space — be patient and give them room to move;
If you hit a parked car, do the right thing and leave a note with your details;
If you witness a collision, pass on any information you have to the innocent party;
Make sure your car insurance is up to date! No one needs the added expense of car repairs at Christmas time.
Amy Vale provides regular insurance related articles focusing on <a href="http://www.nrma.com.au/home-insurance/index.shtml">home insurance</a>, <a href="http://www.nrma.com.au/car-insurance/index.shtml">car insurance</a> and <a href="http://www.nrma.com.au/travel-insurance/index.shtml">travel insurance</a>.
