lost car in supermarket carpark

We are lucky enough that there is usually a parking slot in the same place at our local supermarket. I aim to park there, as it's right next to the trolleys. I do my shopping, find the car and put the trolley away - simples!

DH, of course, parks any old where. If he's parked too far away from the trolley station, I jump in the car once we've stowed the shopping, so he has to trudge right across the carpark to bring the trolley back.

He still hasn't got the message!

Buy a car in an unusual colour, might make it easier to find!

Stress and/or depression can fog the memory and make it harder to find. When I go to a supermarket I try and park near the trolley bay so if I use a trolley it's quicker to put it back. I hate those people that just abandon the trolley in any old space. Our local Tesco is bad for that. Doesn't happen in Waitrose!

PS Isn't food shopping boring?!

Bathsheba brilliant! I don't drive and never know where DH has - running joke. Highlight was when sister, nephew and I couldn't find the car for 1 hr on a French hypermarket park - it was HUGE. Her husband had plenty to say when we did - we then drove to another one to pick up the charcuterie and (with Mr know it all this time , as we couldn't be trusted on our own ) we all got lost it and wandered around for another hour!

Tie something recognisable to the top of the aerial (I use this technique so I can recognise my suitcase on the carousel belt too at the airport) or park at the extreme edge of the car park then, at least, you will only have to walk round the perimeter to find your car!

Marvellous thread this one. I have great difficulty keeping track of my grey car in any car park - beach front, shop, multi story. At last a kind person has mentioned an app for my phone. There seem to be plenty to choose from.
www.findmycarsmarter.com/

itunes.apple.com/gb/app/find-my-car/id349510601?mt=8

uk.pcmag.com/software/88858/news/how-to-use-a-smartphone-app-to-find-your-car

play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.elibera.android.findmycar&hl=en_GB

freeappsforme.com/find-my-car-apps/

Georgiekay Adverse to silver grey even if it was an offer you couldn't refuse? like mine was.It could have had polka dots on it for all I cared when the seller of the car I bought it from wanted to sell as husband was being sent abroad with his work for a minimum ? of three years and she could go with him. It was on the small side and I prefer hatch backs to cram all my bits and pieces in , but served its purpose for what at the time I wanted.When I eventually sold it brought me not far off what it cost me in the first place.
Beggars can't always be choosers.

Camelotclub..Or M&S.

My last car was gold coloured. Rather too flash for me, but the best option, at the time, when my previous car failed it’s MOT. What a joy it was. A quick glance around the car park was all it took to spot it.
When it, in turn, finally failed the test, the best option I could find was black. What a pain it is. I have mislaid it numerous times in car parks. I will definitely look for an unusual colour for my next car.

When I was driving regularly I parked in the same area of the car park every time, preferably the exact spot. I deliberately chose one that wasn't near to the entrance so that it would usually be available. Although several times a have tried to open someone else's similar car because it was parked near mine.
My problem now is as a passenger I try to remember where the car is parked, but The Wonderful Man knows he has to get out of the car and wave at me madly as I can rarely remember where to look. We have a silver/grey Ford identical to about 70% of other cars in the car park so I'm always happy when we have a windsurfer/kayak on the roof to help me out.

There is a lot of guidance here but don’t do what a friend of mine did - there were two multi storey car parks built next to each other and when she couldn’t find her car, she called the police. You’ve guessed, hers was on the other park!

My cousin's car was 'stolen' at the mall. She was sure because she had parked it in an easy spot near the entrance. After she called security and made a big fuss, she was embarrassed to learn that her car had been located in a different, (but identical) parking lot, on the opposite side of the mall.

Some large stores also have multiple entrances and multiple parking areas that may look the same. Make a mental note of the particular entrance you entered and the what's behind it (i.e. menswear vs home goods etc.)

If your (misplaced) car is not too far away from you and has a remote key, press it and look for the car that lights up and beeps once (especially useful after dark). Similarly, the 'panic' button on the remote key will set off repeated beeping and lights flashing.

Take a picture on your mobile of where you are parked - they usually have the car park parked into sections. Don’t worry Ive done this too - and its not nice

my friend went to work in Dublin for a couple of months ,he was invited for drinks with his new workmates and left his car in the car park(he thought) the next day he couldn't find it and assumed it had been stolen so he called the Guard and reported it .It was found outside his house ...he had got a lift into work the day before and had forgotten.Because it was a renatl car he'd walked past it without realising it was his .Has he ever lived it down? I dont think so .

Camelotclub Your advice to buy a car in an unusual colour is really something to think about. The silver Honda Jazz seems to be a very popular car and recently in Morrisons car park, I couldn't understand why my key wouldn't "work". Fortunately my husband spotted our Jazz nearby!

When I was a student (a very long time ago) one of our lecturers drove to town at lunchtime. He did some shopping and then walked back to the university. At the end of the day he was convinced his car had been stolen from the university car park!
My previous car was red and although I've occasionally tried to get in the wrong one - an identical one owned by someone in the same village - I rarely lost it. I now have a similar model in dark blue. It is much more difficult to find, even when in familiar car parks. The only plus is that walking up and down the rows looking, feeds my fitbit nicely.
My DS and DiL used to live in Leeds. I once went out shopping alone near their home and parked, noting the name of the road. It was the name of a former boss, so easy to remember. What I didn't realise was there was a Haddon Road, a Haddon Avenue and a Haddon Place all parallel to each other off the main road! Needless to say I had a few minutes of complete panic!

My car is red as are quite a few others in large car parks so when on a seaside holiday I bought a small rubber yellow welly boot with a logo which fits on the top of the aerial from the RNLI shop. When out shopping with friends we go on a `find the yellow welly ` hunt which usually doesn`t take very long. Also I feel I`ve contributed to the RNLI - a very worthy cause.

I am reminded of a story on the wireless: the woman said she came out of the store, unlocked the car, put her shopping in, and drove away. After about a mile she realised that it was similar to her own car but it wasn't exactly right - it wasn't her car!

She drove it back but the space she had come from wasn't empty any more so she had to park it nearby. She said she wondered what the real owner would have thought about their car driving itself round the car park!

grannypauline - did that really happen or was it a funny story? Would an ignition key from one car work on another one? Perhaps they are interchangeable sometimes with the same make of car and I've just not realised this.

If it really did happen, the poor woman must have been horrorstruck and worried she'd be arrested for theft.

How lovely to read the word "wireless". My parents always used this word for the radio.

When I worked at Saintsbury's I always parked in the same place. One day when I went too get my car it had gone! I got the store's security men to start looking for it while I rang the police and called SiL for a lift home. When SiL arrived the first thing he saw was my car sitting in a corner of the carpark. I had comp!etely forgotten that when I drove in at 6am someone had taken my space and I'd had to find another one! This was a long time ago and I've never been allowed to forget it.

Yes, way back when any key might fit several cars of the same make.

Shortly after I moved from Birmingham to London I saw a Mini just like mine parked up with its headlights on. Without thinking I unlocked the driver's side and turned them off - a gesture that would have been much appreciated in the Midlands.

The owner came racing up; "What are you doing getting into my car1". I explained but she wasn't having it at all and was very indignent. Luckily she didn't call the Police!! I could see where she was coming from - it was a culture thing really!

Doesn't the car park have sections marked e.g. A, B, C etc. If not you should find some landmark say, parked in line with the first letter of the store on the front or wherever it shows. Good hunting.

If you have a smart phone there’s an app called where’s my car which brings you back to your car eveytime

Many years ago my husband took me and a friend to a concert at an arena. He said he'd pick us up at the end so we came out of the doors to be greeted by hundreds of cars in the car park. I just set off and walked straight to him parked in the middle which amazed my friend - till she saw the big orange flashing light he'd stuck on the roof!

I tend to claim other folks cars as ours, so long as it is kind of the right shape and more importantly (to me) the right colour I head towards it.

Have attempted to get in the wrong car on several occasions and once (several years ago) when I was being collected somewhere I actually jumped into the wrong car, fitted my seat belt and chatted to the driver before looking and realising it was not my partner!! The poor man looked shocked.