Multistorey Car Parks - what do you do?

We rarely use a multistory car park. I do find parking easy- key is we both drive big 4x4 - good sight-lines and height.

Don't often go to one but the nearest has an entrance into the shopping centre so that's where I try to park but not really bothered as I can trot up and down the stairs if needed

maw reminded me of a similar incident. Very pleased with myself because I’d driven into a city where the traffic has always scared me, parked easily in a multi storey, remembered to make a note of the floor number and enjoyed a training day. Feeling confident off I went to collect the car. You guessed it, no car. Panic? Oh yes. I had no idea where the station was and Mr C was too far away to summon for rescue. Common sense kicked in and I took myself to the car park office where I was greeted with roars of laughter and asked which entrance I had used. Err, is there more than one ? Indeed there was. One car park. Two entrances with a wall across the middle. Why? No idea! How was I to know? Red faced I slunk away, retrieved the car and to this day can’t remember how I got out. Mr C was lucky he survived when I got home and gabbled out my story. Everyone knows that says he. Huh!

Multi storey car parks are a bother to me and I hate paying. I only use them for necessary hospital visits and usually end up at the top as they are so busy.
I remember reading about a dreadful accident in America where work was taking place in one of them and a woman made a wrong turn and died when her car tumbled down the shaft😨 Wish I had never read it!

I tend to keep driving until there’s a few more spaces, I’d rather walk a bit further than try squeezing in a tight space in any car park. I have bumped into the pillars on a couple of occasions. I always drive in front first & reverse out, I find that easier.

Kitty you’ve made me chuckle again!! You are right, luckily it’s locked at night, no access to that lift shaft, or the precinct,that’s why it’s clean!

Totally depends on car park and what exit I intend to use as to what floor I park on. Some have exits directly into stores, I am not a fan of lifts, use stairs if I am on my own.

Always reverse park, even when I had a pushchair in the boot, the family car is a large 4 X 4 which I find as easy to park as my sporty soft top.

The one in the shoppkng centre here is tight and I have a wider car so I'll go up for hioefully a bit more room and a space not close to pillars. If I can get a space where I can drive in forwards and go through to the space in front so I can then drive out forwards then that's a bonus! But there are decent lifts and escalators to each floor so going uo doesn't worry me.

Now I’ve changed my car from a 4x4 to a much smaller town runabout it’s a joy to be able to grab the first available space rather than wondering if I’ll be able to get out of the door once I’ve squeezed in.

I prefer not to reverse park because I like easy access to the boot

Hear hear kitty.

Just sticking up for our multistorey - the lifts are usually spotless and the staff are helpful and 'around'. And, the view from the top is good.

I actually more secure on lower levels where there are more people around.Plus hate the lifts as they often smell and are grubby. But then maybe I've watched too many crime dramas Especially one's with people pushed off the top of buildings !

I’ve never thought about it until now . I park in the first spot I find , and I reverse into it . Eons ago my driveing instructor told me reversing into a space is much safer than driving straight in. Luckily I have a smallish car and im quite competent in parking . When I lived in south london I got very good at parallel parking and this was way before parking sensors came about .
As for making people wait 🤷‍♀️. It’s doesn’t bother me if I have to wait for someone. Life’s too short to get irritated by small things . It’s interesting that the people who get impatient are often older retired people .

I think that as drivers we should all practice more patience.
I hate it when I’m trying to reverse park and drivers will not give way to me.
If there is a space near the entrance then it should be taken not ignored because of an impatient driver.

Always park higher up and use lift
Not annoyed by others taking their time, but just prefer more choice of spaces. Usually reverse in

MawtheMerrier

I still remember the time I was at an exam board meeting in the middle of Nottingham and parked in the NCP beside the hotel where we were meeting.
Came out at the end of the day, trotted up to the right level etc etc -and NO CAR. Looked everywhere, panicked a bit, on the point of ringing the police when I went back downstairs to the hotel desk for sympathy and support.
That was when I spotted that there were 2 identical NCPs either side of the building , effectively a mirror image of each other -and yes, I had gone up the wrong one!

I've been in that car park too Maw.

When I drove….I went straight to the top …not only empty BUT you get an excellent view across your town …surely worth the effort …and by-the-way , I don’t do lifts!!! Claustrophobia.

dragonfly
Yes there is a proposal to change the centre to include student flats and some shops. At the moment there are so many empty units the owners are looking at different options.

Not only multi story car parks. I'm baffled why people in supermarket car parks will hold up other drivers by struggling to park between two cars, when if they went couple rows down there are almost
empty rows.

"There is a lift"....... I laughed out loud.

Full of urine, rubbish, and frequently breaking down, no doub.
Woe betide if you have claustrophobia.

Well I would never ever use them at night.creepy places really creepy.

Are you saying the car park in the centre is to be turned into student flats Millie? That is news to me.

I never park in them. I hate them.

First available that fits my car width.

I go straight to the top level.
Exercise for the day is my thinking.
Can`t do lifts far too small,and claustrophobic.