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Guest column

Holiday shopping brings out the parking space vultures

By DR. DELAY
Published November 27, 2005

Traffic in and around area malls is increasing daily. I recently noticed that the parking lot at Tyrone Mall looked to be almost at capacity in the middle of a week day. It got me to thinking about how much I loathe driving in mall parking lots, especially during the holidays.

What is it about parking lots that make us forget basic driving rules, not to mention civility? Folks ignore the directional arrows on the pavement, enter through areas marked as exits, cut huge diagonal swaths the length of football fields across lots and drive at ridiculous speeds in order to beat all the other trolling vehicles to the parking space that just opened up.

I also hate it when drivers stalk me as I leave a store and follow me to my vehicle. What if I need to make a call on my cell phone, or what if I can't find my keys right away? Maybe I just need a five-minute quiet time-out to make some calls and get organized before I go back in for Round 2 of shopping fun? Don't I own that spot until I pull out?

Here is the Doc Delay challenge for everyone going to the mall in the next few weeks:

--Enter the parking lot as if you are driving through a school zone because you may as well be.

--Follow the directional signs; they are there for a reason.

--A stop sign means stop, even in a parking lot.

--Park as far away from the building as you reasonably can. Walking is not a terrible chore to be avoided at all costs, so enjoy the stroll. Getting the prime spot closest to the door is great, but I am not usually blessed with good parking karma during the holidays, so I accept this reality and move on. But if you happen to score a good spot, good for you. Just be prepared to be stalked by the parking space vultures. Is it really worth it? I think not.

Speeding school bus drivers are on the radar of residents of Lakewood Estates, some of whom are noting bus numbers and complaining to the school system's transportation department. A resident e-mailed me to say that she recently observed a bus driver speeding and traveling on the wrong side of the road in Lakewood Estates. She sent the same e-mail to Jack Pisecco, the customer service coordinator for the school's transportation department. Pisecco responded via e-mail that the driver's supervisor had been contacted.

"Please be assured that this matter will be looked at. All appropriate actions will be handled in accordance with School Board Policy. On behalf of the School Board, I do apologize for any inconvenience you may have had with this incident," Pisecco wrote.

The reader shared Pisecco's e-mail with me and wondered about the word "inconvenience." She views speeding school bus drivers as a very serious safety issue, not an "inconvenience," she said.

The Doc would have to agree with her.

I have had several e-mails lately regarding speeding, stop sign running and other concerns related to Pasadena Avenue around First Avenue N.

One reader wrote: "I have been noticing that cars eastbound from Pasadena Avenue onto First Avenue N are not even hesitating at stop signs, they just go. And speeds can be in excess of 60 mph. If that is not bad enough, from First Avenue S turning north on 58th Street, drivers are going at least 60 mph or more and being very aggressive. This is still a neighborhood and the speed limit is 35 mph."

The reader also wonders why law enforcement officers do not seem to be ticketing the speeders.

Another reader is concerned about the increasing traffic and congestion on Central Avenue and First Avenue N at 58th Street. Stewart Payne wrote that those intersections are "in much need of left turn signals," and noted that some accidents have occurred there.

I took a ride through the intersections Mr. Payne mentioned and I agree that protected turn signals may help vehicles navigate more safely.

My neighbor stopped by the other day to ask if I knew what the deal was with the "big hole" the Florida Department of Transportation recently dug under the new Drew Street /U.S. 19 overpass. He commutes from south to north county every day and has been watching the mammoth project with interest. He wondered if something were wrong that required digging. The answer, dear neighbor, is no, nothing is wrong. The big hole is actually a pond. The overpass project created a need for some place for water to go. The new drainage pond will serve that purpose.

Ken Jacobs of Pinellas County's public works department told me that large projects often require accommodations for drainage, but buying land for that purpose can be costly. This new pond is actually a re-design of the original plan, one that ought to work very well, Jacobs said.

The big guy is coming to town soon and he will tie up traffic for a little while next weekend, but this time of year, we don't mind so much, especially when we may get a candy cane out of the deal. The annual Santa Parade in downtown St. Petersburg will start rolling down Central Avenue at about 10 a.m. Saturday. St. Petersburg's finest will begin clearing the parade route as early as 6 a.m., according to police Sgt. Charlie Burnette.

Burnette said streets along the route will be closed by 9:30 a.m. and the assembly area between First Avenue N and Third Avenue S from Eighth Street to Fourth Street will close about 7:30 a.m.

The parade route is east on Central Avenue from Fourth Street, then north on Bayshore, ending at North Shore Park. Road closures should last until about noon.

Until next week, happy and safe motoring.

--Please share your traffic concerns, comments and questions with Dr. Delay via e-mail at docdelay@yahoo.com

[Last modified November 27, 2005, 01:18:21]