Modern Vespa

So, I needed to run to Target today just to pick up one more thing my son needed for school, a green binder. That would fit easily enough in the storage of the scoot, so I considered hopping on and taking it to Target. Thing is, I have never had to park in a parking lot before. I am always riding the road and really only stop when I need gas.
Here is my question, do you park in the "lower 40" of the parking lot and pull through so that you can just go forward when it is time to go? I thought that might be what I needed to do, but then I recall seeing people cut across this area instead of using the driving lane and this made me fear that someone would just run into it.
So, my next thought was to park where everyone else parks, again trying to find a place to pull through, but was afraid someone would not see it and pull into that spot or knock it over.
I wound up just taking the truck to Target. I know where to park that. When I got there, I saw a 150cc scoot parked on Targets sidewalk! I didn't think that would be acceptable by any means.
So, the question remains - where do I park?

I park in a spot but make sure my backend is visble from around the vehicle next to it so nobody tries whipping into the spot thinking it's empty.

While I'm no expert in the parking arena here is what I do. I park anywhere I want I just use the first half of the parking spot instead of the last half. In other words I don't go all the way in, I leave it out enough so people can see it as they cruise down the lanes looking for a parking space. So far it has worked!

+1 on this idea. I like to be seen not squished!

I park in the cross hatch triangle at the end of the row closest to the store. Has to be an advantage for doing my part to save the earth and having fun doing it.

We call the cross hatching at the end motorcycle parking. Target and Walmart have lovely deep sidewalks that are also incredibly convenient motorcycle parking . I'm sure that is what the store designers had in mind.

this is where I park also. I have also parked up on the side walk area, normally away from the main door areas . Some times at wallyworld I will park back at the auto service door. Theres always a great spot there and no one bothers anything there.

Knowing my luck, just as soon as I park on the sidewalk, someone would give me a ticket! Our walmart does have a really big concrete area at one of it's entrances though, and I have seen motorcycles park there. That might not be a bad idea. But most stores simply have the narrow sidewalk. The cross hatched spots sound tempting. Good advice on sticking the tail end out a bit in regular parking spots so it can be seen. Maybe I will start carrying some bright orange cones with me to place around the scoot when I park!

Crosshatching is first choice at the mall. Second is to just squeeze in somewhere. In town on a busy shopping day is also squeeze in time. I have not parked "on" the sidewalk. If I have to use a regular slot, I don't worry about pulling through. My MP3 can stand up by it's self, so I put my gear on and just push it back out of the slot. It's good for the mystique.

I don't mind walking, so I park out in the boonies where I can get wide-open areas with the corner spot, sharing only one open spot next to it. NJ = paranoid. Also tends to keep me from having to answer questions as I get on and off the trike.

I take mine to the supermarket all the time.. today was a good example.. I cruise (and am careful.. looking for anyone that may be backing out).. and find a spot I can get into from the back forward.. tonight. I went in from the rear of one car and had room to get into a spot opposite the car.. I park with the front facing out and like others, pull my MP3 all the way to the front of the space so folks will know it is taken.. I always park facing out to avoid having to back out.. I did that once.. never again..

Parking scoots on the sidewalk is a battle that is yet to be fought in the US. There's going to be some major adjustments about that. Won't be easy. I think we just have to sneak up on them.

+1. When the mall cops jump me I tell the "the other guy said I could".

While there's no guarantee that you won't find the three-wheeler all squashed up after you're done shopping, this would be the method that I will follow as well.

Having been the victim of parking lot push over last month I have one thing to add. USE THE CENTERSTAND. It makes it harder to tip the scoot over.

Depends on the store and sidewalks available. Big stores never seem to mind when parking on the sidewalk, as long as it is not effecting the busy entrance area. Parking in any yellow painted zone, is now like thumbing your nose up to the locals! You never know if they had a bad day. Extremely busy malls, will likely have a contract to tow everything away!

I tend to do what other bikers do. California is pretty lax because a lot of people have bikes out here.

I park next to the store and door as if i own the building, I do have a vespa, after all.

I do too when I go to Tesco or Adsa on mine. The back of the pavement away from cars, trolleys and people.

Watch where other bikes and scooters park in your area. If they get in trouble for parking on side walks, cross hatch etc then people wouldn't be parking there.

Yeah, well I have seen people park a little bit everywhere where I live, but I don't hang around to see if they get ticketed. I just wanted somewhere safe and legal to park. I have gotten a lot of good responses, so now I won't feel so lost when I get to the parking lot!

Thanks for the help guys!

"Big stores never seem to mind when parking on the sidewalk, ... "

I actually worry more about some customer who's irate because I'm getting a benny they are not getting. They might talk to the store people about this sacrilege, but they might just turn their kids loose on my MP3.

I parked in a perfectly legal parking space during perfectly legal hours. That makes no difference to some people. I came back out and saw on the roadside a squashed plastic take-out bowl of salad and squashed plastic take-out cup of dressing. I thought it was weird and shrugged, only to turn and find SALAD AND DRESSING smeared on the "horn"/front of my seat! I was too confused to be as angry as I could've been. It had rained earlier so I took a napkin I had in my topcase, wiped some of the rainwater off the body onto it, then scrubbed the salad/dressing off of my poor bike. It had even drooled down onto the fuel door. I was <i>not</i> happy. What, someone decided to enjoy a salad on the comfort of my bike, then accidentally slipped and dropped it? There was a food fight on the road that I missed but my bike did not? I have <i>no idea</i>.

Maxi-Rose~
Be glad the little (bad-word-here) didn't have a sharp knife.

Oh, that is just awful! Some people are just a**es. I went out with a guy, back in my teenage days, and he would take his junky car and park it next to really nice cars and then bang the heck out of their door with his door. He had taken me out to dinner and a movie and did this at both spots. needless to say, that was our only date.

Was his name Steve? A buddy of mine used to do this, in his teen years as well.
I wonder if he (now in his 40's) still does that?

sorry to hear about that Maxi. The asswipe how did this needs to be strung up by their big toes and have salad smeared all in their face and left out in the sun to bake for 4-5 hours. Then the nats will swarm around them and drive them crazy. Hope fully a few bees as well will get them.

Bingo! Me too, no one has ever so much as given me an ugly glance for that. I figure it's reserved parking for scooters and bikes alike and you don't have to worry about getting slammed.

LL75

Orange cones would be over kill, you're worrying way too much. Just park the beastie and go do your shopping, it will be fine.

LL75

I usually park next to the buggy rack and pull through so it's just get on and go. Well In 3 plus years i have never been able to just get on and go. Someone always stops me for information on your funny looking motorcycle.
I'm am still the only MP3 in town and somehow not everybody has seen it yet. I always set aside time to include talking.

In my recent experience with a Texas police officer, if the hash area connects to the hash area of a handicap space, then it is illegal for us to park there. Yet, if there is some free space where the bike is not in the way and not on a sidewalk, then all is cool.

Our local wallyworld has a bike rack by the front doors. I have parked there many times.

90% of the time, I park in a regular space with my exit tire in line with the rear bumpers of other cars.

When I first bought the MP3 in 2007, I worried about where to park in malls, etc. I then spoke to a motorcyclist who had pulled up beside the bicycle rack at a grocery store. I asked him if he ever got hassled for parking there. He said, "No, I'm riding a bike and I get Rock Star Parking, don't you know!" Since then I have always parked as close to the doors or on hash marks or wide sidewalks at malls - as long as I don't have to drive over a curb to get there and back. I have never been bothered. We have to have some perks not available to cars!
Dave

Ah ha... ex CIA are we?