Motorists are finding it increasingly hard to give other cars enough room when they park due to modern cars getting wider by a foot on average despite car park spaces remaining the same size as the 1980’s. This leads to frustration among drivers and can result in angry notes being left on windscreens, as well as many bumps and scrapes in tight car park spaces.
However, if parking spaces were made bigger there would be less available car park spaces for drivers to use, which would also cause an inconvenience as there are more cars on the road than ever before, all battling for somewhere to park.
Parking rage in Hertfordshire
The size of parking spaces has been brought into the spotlight recently as an angry motorist took to Facebook to complain about the fact that a note had been left on their car, which described their parking as being “disrespectful”.
The owner of the offending car wrote a response back on Facebook to defend their parking. They went on to say that the reason they had parked off centre was to compensate for the parking of the cars either side of them and suggested that the spaces were too narrow for their Volkswagen Tiguan SUV.
The individual who left the note stated that they had ended up having to access their Volkswagen Golf via the passenger door with great difficulty, as they were unable to get into the vehicle through the driver’s door due to how close the Tiguan was parked to them (see image below). This is one example of parking rage, but it is on the rise. In a recent survey by Yourparkingspace.co.uk, 1 in 10 people admit they have had the threat of physical violence because of their parking.
Parking rage generating high emotions
The RAC Foundation has said that it is unsurprising that motorists are finding it increasingly common that people are parking too close as spaces are getting smaller while cars are getting bigger.
For example, in 1988 a Ford Escort was 5-foot-wide, and the latest model is 6-foot-wide, so drivers of this vehicle will be taking up an extra foot which will make the parking space seem very narrow compared to those driving the slimmer model.
This issue is generating high emotions among drivers which is why notes such as the one left in Hertfordshire are being found by drivers more often than they were before. However, wider car parking spaces would mean there would be less available, which would also cause frustration.
In 2016, car park firm National Car Parks (NCP) widened some parking spaces in London, Manchester and Bournemouth to make them more suitable for larger vehicles, but admitted that it is difficult to strike a balance between having wider bays and maximising the number of available spaces to cope with demand.
Parking spaces in the UK tend to be 15.7ft (4.8m) in length, by 7.8ft (2.4m) in width on average, but many larger cars, such as SUVs now exceed these measurements which make them very difficult to park and an inconvenience to other cars that are parked next to such large vehicles.
Tips for protecting your car in car parks
Unfortunately, smaller spaces and larger cars can result in more accidents occurring in car parks, but there are ways that you can minimise this risk.
• Try parking so that you have a car on one side and a wall or barrier on the other, and then park closest to that wall or barrier and you know that will not cause your car damage, whereas being knocked by a car door will.
• Don’t attempt to park in a space that is too small for your car; you only risk one of the cars on either side of you dinging yours if they are not careful when accessing their vehicle on their return.
• Try to find spaces further away from the entrance of the supermarket, shopping mall, or wherever it is that you are visiting, as people are more likely to park closer for the convenience so you may find that it is quieter further away.
• Don’t park next to a large vehicle because they may have difficulty trying to get out of their space due to their size. If you are a driver of a larger vehicle, consider carefully where you park and try to be considerate about the spacing where possible.
It seems there are no clear answers to the issue; increasing parking space sizes will only mean fewer spaces available. Perhaps the Government needs to consider and investigate ways in which this could be resolved by regulating car parking spaces further while seeking ways to clamp down on parking rage incidents.
Do you drive a larger car and find it a struggle to park? Have you ever been left a note about your parking, or left one for someone else? Let us know in the comments below.
Motorists are finding it increasingly hard to give other cars enough room when they park due to modern cars getting wider by a foot on average despite car park spaces remaining the same size as the 1980’s. This leads to frustration among drivers and can result in angry notes being left on windscreens, as well as many bumps and scrapes in tight car park spaces.
However, if parking spaces were made bigger there would be less available car park spaces for drivers to use, which would also cause an inconvenience as there are more cars on the road than ever before, all battling for somewhere to park.
Parking rage in Hertfordshire
The size of parking spaces has been brought into the spotlight recently as an angry motorist took to Facebook to complain about the fact that a note had been left on their car, which described their parking as being “disrespectful”.
The owner of the offending car wrote a response back on Facebook to defend their parking. They went on to say that the reason they had parked off centre was to compensate for the parking of the cars either side of them and suggested that the spaces were too narrow for their Volkswagen Tiguan SUV.
The individual who left the note stated that they had ended up having to access their Volkswagen Golf via the passenger door with great difficulty, as they were unable to get into the vehicle through the driver’s door due to how close the Tiguan was parked to them (see image below). This is one example of parking rage, but it is on the rise. In a recent survey by Yourparkingspace.co.uk, 1 in 10 people admit they have had the threat of physical violence because of their parking.
Parking rage generating high emotions
The RAC Foundation has said that it is unsurprising that motorists are finding it increasingly common that people are parking too close as spaces are getting smaller while cars are getting bigger.
For example, in 1988 a Ford Escort was 5-foot-wide, and the latest model is 6-foot-wide, so drivers of this vehicle will be taking up an extra foot which will make the parking space seem very narrow compared to those driving the slimmer model.
This issue is generating high emotions among drivers which is why notes such as the one left in Hertfordshire are being found by drivers more often than they were before. However, wider car parking spaces would mean there would be less available, which would also cause frustration.
In 2016, car park firm National Car Parks (NCP) widened some parking spaces in London, Manchester and Bournemouth to make them more suitable for larger vehicles, but admitted that it is difficult to strike a balance between having wider bays and maximising the number of available spaces to cope with demand.
Parking spaces in the UK tend to be 15.7ft (4.8m) in length, by 7.8ft (2.4m) in width on average, but many larger cars, such as SUVs now exceed these measurements which make them very difficult to park and an inconvenience to other cars that are parked next to such large vehicles.
Tips for protecting your car in car parks
Unfortunately, smaller spaces and larger cars can result in more accidents occurring in car parks, but there are ways that you can minimise this risk.
• Try parking so that you have a car on one side and a wall or barrier on the other, and then park closest to that wall or barrier and you know that will not cause your car damage, whereas being knocked by a car door will.
• Don’t attempt to park in a space that is too small for your car; you only risk one of the cars on either side of you dinging yours if they are not careful when accessing their vehicle on their return.
• Try to find spaces further away from the entrance of the supermarket, shopping mall, or wherever it is that you are visiting, as people are more likely to park closer for the convenience so you may find that it is quieter further away.
• Don’t park next to a large vehicle because they may have difficulty trying to get out of their space due to their size. If you are a driver of a larger vehicle, consider carefully where you park and try to be considerate about the spacing where possible.
It seems there are no clear answers to the issue; increasing parking space sizes will only mean fewer spaces available. Perhaps the Government needs to consider and investigate ways in which this could be resolved by regulating car parking spaces further while seeking ways to clamp down on parking rage incidents.
Do you drive a larger car and find it a struggle to park? Have you ever been left a note about your parking, or left one for someone else? Let us know in the comments below.
Could it be that if parking spaces were wider less cars means less MONEY ?????
Ford Focus in 1988? Think you mean Escort!
Buy a big car, pay the price of squeezing into spaces.
or 1998 which is when the focus was launched.
Hi Simon, thank you for bringing this to our attention we have now updated the article accordingly.
Perhaps we don’t really need cars as big as today’s?
Are you talking about SUV’s, 4 x4s and people carriers or just mondeos, passats and the like, it more of drive the car you need but lots of people don’t need 4x4s and suvs but Mondeos and the like do have boots for luggage and shopping
Cars have got fatter as people have. They also have to accommodate side intrusion crash bars in the doors; meaning thicker doors. It is not confined to ‘big’ cars. The Mini replacement, named MINI is original VW Golf-sized. The Austrian-built MAXI versions are actually longer and wider than the original Maxis, yet with less interior space.
Having a big car means you have a ‘right’ to squeeze others out, doesn’t it?
What is annoying though is when some have a big car and they struggle to park it. If its too big to park don’t bloody buy it! Muppet.
Never mind the parking spaces, the roads are too small for these stupid tanks. Absolutely no reason for anyone to drive a large car on UK roads other than conceit or stupidity. They are not safer, use far more fuel, heavier on the already damaged roads, and the people who drive them seem to be the biggest bullies out there. I have no sympathy for people who drive these at all. “It seems there are no clear answers to the issue”. Rubbish, just don’t buy the stupid things.
But Dave, how would mothers get their little darlings to school? They need tyres the width of a Formula One car or they’ll tip over and remember they are also going off – road , (well, parking 2 wheels on the pavement )
Most modern car designs are bigger than the previous generations just look at the BMW Mini compared to its previous now classic incarnation! Same goes for Fiestas Escort to Focus, Sierra to Mondeo! Etc etc Spaces are small in particular resident only parking bays not just car parking spaces. Can’t see any quick fixes to this issue a problem that will persist I think.
Not all residential spaces are correct sizes. More to the point people with work vans that take them home should not be alloeed to park in a bay as these are wider than cars especially tansits so maybe they should stay at work but like everything its money.
Cars getting wider people getting wider . Car parks need to move with the times. But of course the evil money prevails again. As for anyone to say a large car is for ego then maybe they don’t have a dissability. Councils make you jump through hoops for disability badges and there are not enough spaces.
Evil lust for money not evil money Buddy !
Easy cure for poor parking facilities.
If the car parks insist on parking withing lines that are too small for a modern vehicle, and issue penalty notices if you fail to comply. They are by default accepting responsibility for ANY damage caused by doors knocking into your vehicle. In this day and age of health and safety, risk reduction and all that … Lets start a class action against the owners of these inadequate facilities. We have to pay to use the facilities, they should be “fit for purpose”
There are some good companies out there, Costco for one, every parking place is wider and has a walking/door opening area between spaces.
Seems to me from the picture that the Golf is closer to the line than the VW. Just another case of the royal family out shopping in disguise, Sorry I didn’t see you there your majesty. Funny to read all the comments. people so happy to judge EVERYONE else based on their own prejudice. There’s room for everyone you know, unless you would like to put some in camps.Oh I forgot you already do #Brook House.Show a little tolerance for goodness sake.
Well said Sambo.
I always try not to park next to a big car or SUV. However when I parked my Peugeot 208 in Morriston car park last month next to a Fiests both of us were within the lines. On my return a huge SUV had squeezed into the small space left next to me & I couldn’t get into my car, fortunately there was just enough room on my passenger side to get in sideways,not an eady thing for a 76 yr old to have to do. Our local Sainsburys have redone their parking bays with space to open doorsno matter what size cars are, so Sainsburys gain is now Morristons loss.
Bottom line is that no car – either ‘normal’ size or large – should park so close to a driver’s door that they can’t get in. That’s just really stupid and selfish – no excuses.
Car makers need to make cars smaller again as there is no answer short of creating hundreds more carparks, not likely given land values. Our old town centre roads are also fartoo small.and the number of vehicles on our already overcrowded roads will continue to grow. Personally none of this will effect me, l’ve come to my senses, moving to the peace of the countryside in June 2018.
I really notice how ridiculously big cars have become these days when I park my 1985 Lancia Beta in a car park. My car is dwarfed by everything else. I think it could probably fit inside one of these SUVs! People seem to have forgotten the size of an average car back in the ‘60s, ‘70s, ‘’80s etc
And yes, the parking spaces are more than adequate for a car this size……why are vehicles getting increasingly larger?
Parking spaces are actually smaller than they used to be. The quoted size is currently correct, 2.4m wide by 4.8m long. However this used to be 2.5m wide x 5.0m long. But as people have mentioned, if you have a smaller space, you can squeeze in an extra couple of spaces in a car park.
As for cars getting bigger, that’s down to all the safety features like impact bars, airbags, crumple zones that are a requirement in new cars. That’s not going to change.
Take as an example, a Ford Sierra from the 80’s has a width of 1.727m.
A new Ford Fiesta has a width of 1.734m.
So in this example, a compact car is actually wider than an old car 2 size classes ‘larger’.
For direct comparison, an 80’s Fiesta is 1.567m, 167mm narrower (6.5 in in old money).
Of course, it would also help if people could actually park properly in the centre of a space, not hanging over or on the line!
Cars getting wider is not all down to the safety features. My car hasn’t increased much in width for over 3 versions (Astra). It’s the 4 x 4’s and people wagons and vans with windows that have caused this issue.
If you find a car has parked so close to yours either by accident, because it is too large to fit in the bay or by carelessless, then let their tyres down………..all of them. You are not committing an offence by letting air out of their tyres!
Not so sure about that Alan. If they didn’t notice before moving off you’d be responsible for criminal damage. And making a Car unsafe must be a criminal offence I would have thought. If I caught someone letting my Tyres down I’d call the Police shortly after punching their lights out.
Be sure to tell the families of the dead and injured that when you actions result in an accident.
i parked my Toyota Yaris in a car park in Perth awhile back. I took a picture on getting out when I discovered that the car overhung the car space at both front and rear.. Accountants squeezing blood out of a stone, possibly?
Cars may be getting wider, but parking bays are also being narrowed, presumably by local authorities and car park owners eager to increase revenue. You can see it in the repositioned white lines.
I bought a Mercedes A Class ten years ago and it was an amazing little car. Small in size, but huge in capacity. Sadly, it was getting too expensive to maintain, so last Autumn I looked around to see what would be a suitable replacement. Everything that had similar internal dimensions (boot wise) were significantly bigger, up to half a metre wider in some cases and similarly longer.
I ended up with a Golf SV, which is generally a good car and drives well, but I really notice those extra few cms when parking and turning, not to mention on narrower roads. OK, it gives me more room inside, but I didn’t find the A Class cramped.
Just how do we persuade manufacturers that it is not necessary to build ever larger cars?
Perhaps we should do what Americans do in there car parks have two places one for compact cars one for larger cars and woe anyone who parks in the wrong part even if there’s a disability sticker on the vehicle
I agree with most of your comment but to complain about disabled car drivers parking in wider spaces is wrong. Disabled people often need extra space the same as a stupid big thing
If parking in a tight space I will try to park close passenger side to passenger side, going in forwards or backwards as needed. Often that means me letting my passengers get out before I pull in to the space.
Exactly one of the reasons I don’t drive a ‘shed’…
What about that pregnant woman how left a nasty note on the car next to her when it was she who was parked on the white line. If everyone parked correctly there would be less hassle but don’t blame big cars take the Mini for instance that must be the biggest mini car about and you find that the smaller the car the more room the driver takes even driving down the road they are on the white line.
Angled parking spaces as in America, it’s much easier to enter and exit, simple but it works, access can be gained to either driver or passenger doors
The perpetrators of car parking damage quite frankly do not give toss about the hundreds of pound damage that they cause because they do not care about their own car or the car that they are driving and if it is mummies or daddies they will pass the buck and claim it was damaged by a third party.
The number of drivers that simply cannot judge the limitations of the cars that they are driving is absolutely astounding.The number of drivers that appear not to realise that driving in only makes for more difficult exiting.
I often wonder do they really have a a brain never mind a license and the appropriate insurance if taken to task.
I think the drivers of these stupid big things have a brain that’s inversely proportional to the size of their brains
The answer is simple, don’t buy a big stupid thing
Simple solution, car parks make designated areas for these monoliths with spaces of suitable size, then charge £10 for them to park. This would eventually work towards pricing them off the road. We look after our cars and park at tbe outer edges of car parks and yet we i nvariably return to find 4×4, van, SUV or people carrier parked right up tight to us. Do these people think their monstrosities will get lonely?
i do think that yes, as i see a lot of spaces but cars similar tend to park together, like pack mentality, even in that pic above, two vw’s together.
I drive a car that’s 6ft6 wide and just over 18 feet long. Most supermarket, shopping centres and car parks do not have bays large enough to accommodate it. When in these places I park where possible that won’t inconvenience others. Usually in end bay as close to wall or edge of parking area as possible. Usually means any passenger has to get out first but that’s fine.
Seems like fact that cars like everything are getting bigger these days. Look at mobile phones. All those running carparks need to address the issue and for sake of losing a few spaces make them larger.
cars are generally bigger, and also heavier than days gone by, for one reason really and its a good one, safety! not that if i had kids i’d be all about buying a cotton wool car, but they are thicker metal / anti crumple zones and what not. we have a sierra cosworth (whaletail) in the family, alongside a 2008 fiesta ST used daily which even though its small but newer, is taller (or appears it sat side by side), the sierra weighs 1215kg, and for that weight these days, youd be lucky to get a fiesta. granted, in the cossie you’d be dead in a crash, fiesta youd jump out fine. but they are bigger and heavier for good reasons, safety and other things such as comfort, AC, I.C.E etc. non of that in (even if it is top of the sierra tree), 1986 model lol.
It is the “Authorities ” fault . They should get out of their chairs and sort the problems . If they can not or will not let us get some one who can . We are too tolerant in this country and should always remember , we pay ’em and we outnumber ’em .
I think we should consider repainting the lines so the they are slanted, which is very common in the US where cars are larger. This makes it much easier to drive in and reverse out as you only need to turn about 40 degrees instead of 90.
It is not only cars that have become unnecessarily larger, but the girth of some people means that even with a decent gap between parked vehicles they still ding your door because of how wide they need to open theirs to squeeze in. If people all reversed into the parking spaces this would also mean easier manouverability for getting out and also better visibility for safety. The point about angled parking is also correct.
I drive a Volvo V40… not a particular big car IMO. I got it 2 years ago, within 3weeks someone had scraped the bumper- presumably when leaving a parking space… now all corners on the bumpers have similar damage (I was quoted £400 to fix them), and it’s been hit by opening doors 3 times (luckily no dents, just had to buff out other car’s paint).
I think the problem is we’re looking bing in a culture where folk don’t give a toss unless it’s something that directly effects them! Add into the mix bigger cars which aren’t practical for the existing parking spaces dimensions and it’s a joke.
Why aren’t he government legislating about the dimensions of cars? They’re keen enough to legislate on what fuel we can/ can’t use…
My car and quite few other cars that I’ve seen have many small dents in the wings and doors that I believe to be caused by supermarket trolleys. I always park next to the central walkway at my local Tesco’s so it can’t be other car doors.
Why would you want to drive an SUV or 4×4 ‘shed’. They guzzle fuel, go like a slug and handle like cream cheese. Not to mention having zero style of any kind as well as advertising your blatant disrespect for other road users and the climate change problem.
Recently I started a small personal campaign, petty but it makes me feel better. After waiting at a junction to turn right for ages I saw a gap approaching. Next second a ‘shed’ (range rover) pulls up next to me to turn left and blocks my view so I miss my gap and have to carry on waiting. So, I have decided that from now on I do not let any sort of SUV out at a junction. I do not let them filter in when they queue jump (as they all do) or, much to the surprise of a driver yesterday, let them barge out into traffic. Revenge is sweet………
My car is not necessarily wide but the parking spaces are ridiculously small. It’s time supermarkets realised this and made them a bit wider. Our independent supermarket chain in Scarborough, Proudfoots, have done this by adding two lines about a 12″ apart each side of the parking space. Result is, it is easier to park without having someone bang your car when they get in, and it’s a great help for us older people who are less flexible than they used to be!! It all helps . Thanks Proudfoots. We will always use them rather than Sainsburys & Morrisons because of this.
The answer is to buy smaller cars and eschew these ridiculous trucks.
Critical to this problem is that the UK has NO standards for parking bay size. That means any car park providers, public or private, can provide spaces of any size. Other countries like the US have standard bay sizes, and layouts, which all developers must employ. You can even look these up on State (eg California) or City (eg LA) websites.
Hi all,
I own and drive a suv ,actually it’s a hummer h1 the original and I live in the heart of London.
I love it and park it anywhere ,weeny cars get out of my way,infact all cars get out of my way.
I have no problems parking be it verges 2 parking spaces on pathways in front of drives well anywhere.
Please be assured I do my very best to do what I do best ,is rule the road.
Thanks
I was really interested to read this article, as I experienced this very recently. I could not get into my car – parked in a multi storey car park, because a rather large range rover had clearly decided that I did not need to open my door. I have a 2-door convertible which means that I need additional space to open the door. I rarely have a passenger with me, so I parked my passenger side next to a concrete pillar as close as I could leaving ample space to get out. When I returned the muppet who had parked next to me had parked so close, he was over the dividing white line, that I had a clearance of around 6 inches (if that) when trying to open the door. Given that my car is an older model, I don’t have the luxury of moving the car out from the space remotely. I clearly could not use the passenger side as it was inches away from the concrete pillar. My roof does not open unless the key is in the ignition so that option was out. In the end my only option was to move the drivers seat as far forward as it would go, literally jam my drivers door into the side of the range rover (I did manage to do this without damaging their car…..god only knows how……..and squeeze myself head first into the back of my car and then move the seat back and climb into the front. What an absolute performance and I must say not without pain. Failing this I have no idea what options would be available to me. Can you call the police to tow their car out in this scenario? Would they even be interested? I now only ever park on the end of a row so that no one can park next to me!!!
Whilst I will never park in a disabled parking space I will continue to park in a mother and baby space until normal squares get wider.
Why
This is just another example of the nanny state. I used to be able to enjoy a nice date out by Egham. I would park comfortably and take my trusty companion,Ralph, dogging along the Thames path. But recently they have decreased the parking spaces it makes it hard for Ralph to get out. Taking the extra room basically ammounts to public Space Docking,and as a tax payer I feel that to allow Space Docking at the expense of general dogging and leisure facilities is taking from our civil liberties and tax payers rights
I own a narrowboat and I pay a license to have it on the canal
Ii also have to pay to have it on the marina
If my boat was a wide beam I would pay twice as much be on the canal and the marina. Maybe drivers of these monsters should simply pay double the parking fee and then they could take up two spaces at least other drivers wouldn’t be subsidising them