This is one of the reasons why people hate camper vans now

[Vannautical engineer]

Saw this Sprinter parked at a local park yesterday. Can't guarantee it was a camper since there weren't any outward signs of a conversion. It had out of state plates though. Regardless, it really made me angry because it's such a clear example of people in their vans being completely careless. It's this kind of thing that makes more and more places clamp down with restrictions on parking.

If you want the space and luxury of a modern extended van, you have to accept that you don't fit in a normal parking space any more, and act accordingly. Despite the fact that this van was pulled as far into the space as it could be, the back end of was still hanging well into one of the lanes on this heavily traveled road in the park. Several cars came up on it, realized they could not drive past it safely, and had to slow down or stop completely until they could safely merge into the other lane and go around it. It was definitely causing a hazard the whole time it was parked there, and there were many other areas in this huge park that it could have parked in and not been in the way of traffic. I like to think most of the people in this community are more considerate than this, (and probably most have more modest vehicles than this to begin with) so I don't really know who this is directed to. I just had to vent for a minute I guess. :dodgy:

 

[hugemoth]

We had the same issue here in Bend. The city passed a law that long vehicles could not park in that kind of parking space. After a few dozen parking tickets the problem is solved

 

[Vannautical engineer]

Yeah unfortunately this is in an area where the police have a lot better things to do than worry about things like this, so I doubt they would have cared too much unless it actually caused an accident, but it was about to.

 

[user 423]

From what I see it doesn't look like it's that big of a deal. There looks to be plenty of room for a normal size vehicle to travel thru but would maybe need to slow down a bit. If it's in a park, that should be the case anyway.

The street is one-way and the available space in the lane on the right seems to be just as much or more than the space in the left lane.

Besides, the Mercedes emblem entitles the driver to park that way

 

[tx2sturgis]

I see this a bit differently.

I think the parking slots are not long enough..blame this on the city, contractor, or whoever designed the entire road, concrete pad and markings. 

Normal 2 axle vehicles up to the length of around 25 feet, including dualie pickups and vans, should be given equal and fair access in public parking lots...they may in fact be handicap or special needs vehicles...and in my mind if the little compact cars all fit with minimal room at the back, adjacent to the 'road', then someone has severely underestimated what some Americans want (or need) to drive.

Think about people, and children especially, walking out around the backs of cars or vans to access the trunk or cargo area in a minivan...the hatch or lid might be poking out into the traffic lane...bad design. 

Blame the powers that be. Or so it seems to me.

 

[Vannautical engineer]

From what I see it doesn't look like it's that big of a deal.  There looks to be plenty of room for a normal size vehicle to travel thru but would maybe need to slow down a bit. If it's in a park, that should be the case anyway.

The street is one-way and the available space in the lane on the right seems to be just as much or more than the space in the left lane.

Besides, the Mercedes emblem entitles the driver to park that way

All I can tell you is that in the minute or two I was standing there, I watched multiple vehicles come up on the van and come to a near standstill in the lane because they didn't feel that they could get past it, and they had to wait for the other lane to clear before they could move over to get past. It is a hard thing to really show in the photo because the perceived space changes depending on what angle the photo is taken from, but I can assure you that the van being parked there was causing traffic to not be able to use that lane. Was there *technically* enough room for a vehicle to get past? Maybe. But not with any margin for error.

 

[lab_nomad]

I’ve noticed that some places are generous with parking and some not. When I paid for parking at one of my jobs, they crammed so many spaces in there, that even when I had a compact car, you couldn’t really open your doors all the way, or you’d hit the other person.

I don’t notice the length too often, but sometimes, even in my minivan, I’ll stick out past the official line, even when I’m pulled all the way up.

My pet peeve are RV’s or campers parked horizontally across multiple spaces. I get that they kinda hafta do that, but in an already crowded parking lot, where are the rest of us supposed to park? And you never know how long they’re going to be there.

I remember listening to Thomas Sowell on a podcast and he said, “You’ll never have perfection. There are always trade-offs.” I’m sure he’s not the first to have figured that out, but ever since I heard that, I’ve realized that he’s right.

And that’s the kind of thing Bob talks about in his old posts and book and whatnot. One vehicle is stealthier, but smaller. Another vehicle gives you more room, but that comes at a cost.

Life sucks that way.

 

[user 423]

"It is a hard thing to really show in the photo because the perceived space changes depending on what angle the photo is taken from,"

Yeah, the viewing angle could make a difference.

Actually, I often see many regular size vehicles parked this way,too.  You will see cars parked 3,4 or even 6 feet short of the curb with the rear sticking out. Not as bad as that van but you have to wonder why drivers are so bad at judging distances or knowing what space their car takes up.

 

[user 423]

My pet peeve are RV’s or campers parked horizontally across multiple spaces. I get that they kinda hafta do that, but in an already crowded parking lot, where are the rest of us supposed to park?

LOL. I think the record that I've seen was the 8 spaces taken up by a large motorhome towing a large toyhauler at a Walmart.

NOT parked at the far reaches of the lot like semis or other MHs usually do but parked right up near the store!

It wasn't busy at all, so not a big deal that day but still...

 

[Vannautical engineer]

I see this a bit differently.

I think the parking slots are not long enough..blame this on the city, contractor, or whoever designed the entire road, concrete pad and markings. 

Normal 2 axle vehicles up to the length of around 25 feet, including dualie pickups and vans, should be given equal and fair access in public parking lots...they may in fact be handicap or special needs vehicles...and in my mind if the little compact cars all fit with minimal room at the back, adjacent to the 'road', then someone has severely underestimated what some Americans want (or need) to drive.

Think about people, and children especially, walking out around the backs of cars or vans to access the trunk or cargo area in a minivan...the hatch or lid might be poking out into the traffic lane...bad design. 

Blame the powers that be. Or so it seems to me.

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]I don't agree with this view of it at all. That's like saying if a tall truck drives under a bridge and smashes the top of the box/trailer on it, it's the bridge builder's fault for not making the bridge taller.[/font]

To say that you should be able to do whatever you want wherever you want with an oversized vehicle is just a total lack of personal responsibility and accountability to me. You chose to have a van far larger than a normal vehicle. The standard parking space dimension in the US is about 9ft wide and 18ft long. If you buy an extended van that's 25ft long, that's on you, not on city planners for not making spaces longer than the widely accepted standard. As for handicapped vehicles, the ADA specifies spaces need to be wider than normal, not longer.

https://blog.asphaltkingdom.com/standard-parking-space-dimensions

[font=Tahoma, Verdana, Arial, sans-serif]Not only that, but this particular park predates the invention of the automobile itself. I'm not exactly sure when this pathway was originally defined or originally paved and marked, but regardless it is pretty much restricted to this width by the trees on the right, and an embankment and pond on the left. [/font]And I know I didn't include this info in the earlier posts, but yeah, it's a very old park. Personal vehicles this long were probably unheard of when this layout was made.

And besides, there was a parking area that would have accommodated this van within 100 or 200 feet of where they parked. It's not like they couldn't have parked it somewhere reasonable closeby, they just chose to park right there where they clearly didn't fit well.

 

[Vannautical engineer]

Actually, I often see many regular size vehicles parked this way,too.  You will see cars parked 3,4 or even 6 feet short of the curb with the rear sticking out. Not as bad as that van but you have to wonder why drivers are so bad at judging distances or knowing what space their car takes up.

Yeah this van had its front tire pushed right up against the curb. And I'm not sure if that makes this whole thing better or worse.   It's almost like the driver just said "well, I did my best" and just left it there despite the fact that it was still hanging out into traffic.

 

[CrowsWingTeardrop]

My pet peeve are RV’s or campers parked horizontally across multiple spaces. I get that they kinda hafta do that, but in an already crowded parking lot, where are the rest of us supposed to park? And you never know how long they’re going to be there.

My pet peeve is the opposite. We have been Traveling across the country towing a teardrop with our truck. There have been several occassions in different states that cars like to double park (two or three to a space) in the limited number of RV and trailer spots leaving no room for said rvs or trailers. I've seen this in city parks, county parks, state parks, roadside rest stops, etc. It's really really annoying to pull into a park for lunch towing your trailer and find all the big spots taken. Then you gotta wend your way back out and find another place to eat.

I also park a far back in the grocery store lots as i can since i take up more than one space there.

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[NctryBen]

All I can tell you is that in the minute or two I was standing there, I watched multiple vehicles come up on the van and come to a near standstill in the lane because they didn't feel that they could get past it, and they had to wait for the other lane to clear before they could move over to get past. It is a hard thing to really show in the photo because the perceived space changes depending on what angle the photo is taken from, but I can assure you that the van being parked there was causing traffic to not be able to use that lane. Was there *technically* enough room for a vehicle to get past? Maybe. But not with any margin for error.

I have about as long as a king cab long bed truck as you get. Very little excuse to park like that. Ya gotta know your limitations...
Many places I can’t park and you have to plan and park accordingly. Some places you just don’t stop. ( No matter how bad you gotta pee, haha).

 

[MrNoodly]

Camper vans? What about long-bed crew cab pickups? There are probably more of them out there than camper vans.

 

[john*thomas]

I didn't know people hate camper vans.

 

[flying kurbmaster]

They don’t, that is an assumption by the op. I think if this worries anybody they need a chill out pill, or time to make a gratitude list. My friend Buddy used to say there are two rules in life rule one don’t sweat the small stuff rule 2 there ain’t no big stuff.

 

[WanderingRose]

My pet peeve are RV’s or campers parked horizontally across multiple spaces. I get that they kinda hafta do that, but in an already crowded parking lot, where are the rest of us supposed to park? And you never know how long they’re going to be there.

I am 22’ long and admit to doing this in WalMart or other shopping parking lots, as it seems a much better alternative to sticking way out into the driving lane.

Sticking out would not only hinder foot and vehicle traffic, but increase my risk of being backed into.

Seems the lesser of two evils, to me.

 

[RoamerRV428]

to me the pic looks fine but if that angle in the pic is deceiving as mentioned, there is a 'limit' one should go 'out into traffic' from a parking space. poor judgement if it really angled out too far.......for us being a mega cab truck, we have these issues all the time on short damn 'car spots' that don't fit our truck and we have to drive and drive til we find a safe way to park the darn thing sometimes. We don't fit just anywhere as many bigger vehicles can't.

we are over 60 something feet when towing and yea we do the 'take 8 parking lanes long ways' to park....what the hell else can one do? Do we do it alot, nope cause we don't like doing it either but big rigs are out on the road and big rigs at some point have to stop sometimes...simple as that.

usually for us we go as far out in a parking lot, find that edge to some more isolated lot area and stay out of traffic/park patterns of course but sometimes, yea you gotta do the parking lot lane grab to make it work!

chill pills for some I think are needed here HAHA
don't let pet peeves drive ya insane, too much good out there in life to always see the oh so wrong all the time ya know.

 

[Matlock]

I see this a bit differently.

I think the parking slots are not long enough..blame this on the city, contractor, or whoever designed the entire road, concrete pad and markings. 

^^ I agreed.

Imho, the OP might want to take a breath and try to relax for a second.
And for a reference, you are the first person I've heard or read of that hated camper vans.
I mean, really?

 

[Vannautical engineer]

^^ I agreed.

Imho, the OP might want to take a breath and try to relax for a second.
And for a reference, you are the first person I've heard or read of that hated camper vans.
I mean, really?

Again, how is it everyone else's fault that you don't fit in a parking spot when you buy a van that's [font=Roboto, arial, sans-serif]~[/font]25ft long and the standard parking spot is defined as 18ft long?

I don't hate camper vans, but you have to not be paying attention if you haven't noticed the proliferation of no overnight parking signs and ordinances that have sprung up. Now a lot of that is just plain bias against people living in their vehicles. But doing things like this doesn't help the situation.