Parking Reserved For Fuel Efficient Vehicles

I was out shopping yesterday. Parked the truck and was heading in and noticed the closest 2 parking spots in each row (except for the Handicapped) had signs that said "Parking reserved for fuel efficient vehicles" (or something like that).

Well, I wasn't going to let that stand without discussing it with store personnel so off to the Service Desk I go.
Paraphrased
Me: Who's idea it was to put up the signs and why?

Them: The owners of this strip mall put them up in an effort to promote "green" initiatives.

Me: How about those of us that need a truck? Do we get reserved parking at the far-away section of the parking lot?

Them: No, that would be discrimination.

Me: You don't think it's discrimination that these fuel-efficient vehicles get reserved parking up front and the rest of have to park farther away?

Them: Dumbfounded... pause. Ummm, I guess you're right.

Me: What law is there that says I can't park there?

Them: I don't know.

Me: There isn't one and anyone can park there.

Them: I guess you're right. I've never seen anyone get ticketed.

The conversation continued in a friendly, good mannered nature. I thanked them for their time, checked-out of the store and moved on to our next destinations (in the same plaza). I did make it a point to park my truck in every one of these spots along the way.

So, how would you have handled it? If I had the time to dig for and find the owner of the strip mall, I'd probably contact them and give them my thoughts. We don't go to this mall much, but now I know I can find close parking as it appears everyone else that doesn't drive a hybrid won't park there.

I believe that the strip mall owners are free to designate their parking lot usage as they see fit. Just as you are fit to not shop at the stores that are there because of their flawed policies.

Of course, you could park in the spots and see what they do. If they ticketed you then you could try and take them to court on the basis that they didn't define "fuel efficient" - I suspect your truck is more fuel efficient than my old F350.

I really like your idea about discrimination. I am sorry to say that I think it will go as far as complaining about a speed trap at the edge of town.

Zoom is just jealous of those Prius hybrids!

PLEASE, can someone define "fuel efficient vehicles" for me?

A pick-up truck getting 9mpg may not be efficient, but a pick up truck getting 15mpg may be the class leader in fuel efficiency so I would presume that the 15mpg truck qualifies as fuel efficient.

Still, I tend to agree that it is simple discrimination and probably could be challenged by someone with a lot of time on his hands and too much money to worry about.

Is it more fuel efficient to make 1 trip carrying a ton or more of building supplies in a F350, or making 15 trips with a Prius? And in the process, ruining the Prius, while utilizing the pick up for what it was designed for?

muleman said:

Zoom is just jealous of those Prius hybrids!

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Not.

By the end of the day yesterday, The truck bed was full (but tonneau cover still down) and the back seat (crew cab) was stuffed between the kids. How's that going to fit in a Prius or equivalent?

bczoom said:

Not.

By the end of the day yesterday, The truck bed was full (but tonneau cover still down) and the back seat (crew cab) was stuffed between the kids. How's that going to fit in a Prius or equivalent?

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If you broke it down into 20 trips then you could do it. Might not save much fuel but you could do it.

PBinWA said:

If you broke it down into 20 trips then you could do it. Might not save much fuel but you could do it.

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Exactly! I'm more efficient by doing in 1 trip what would take a Prius 20 trips.

Round trip = 50 miles.

In my truck, that's a splash over 3 gallons and I'm in-and-out in 1 load.

If a Prius takes 3 trips at 50 mpg, that's still 3 gallons + an extra 4 hours on the road.

I'll stick with my truck while still enjoying their upfront parking.

bczoom said:

Exactly! I'm more efficient by doing in 1 trip what would take a Prius 20 trips.

Round trip = 50 miles.

In my truck, that's a splash over 3 gallons and I'm in-and-out in 1 load.

If a Prius takes 3 trips at 50 mpg, that's still 3 gallons + an extra 4 hours on the road.

I'll stick with my truck while still enjoying their upfront parking.

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The special "up close parking" makes no sense to me , if there all that much for going green their more then likelly healthnuts as well ( Problly vegitarians to boot ).

Make them park at the furthest away spot so they can get plenty of exercise walking to the front door and save on fuel not trying to find a closer spot .

You guys ain't never seen an old farmer go shopping with a Prius. I regularly haul 500lbs. of feed and other stuff in it. If I need room for bigger items I take the Suburban. I have taken the Amish to the pediatrician and come home where the Prius was stuffed and they had cases of jars stacked in their laps. They only wanted to stop for a few things since we were already in the big town. The fuel efficient vehicle don't really need priority parking but it is a lot cheaper to run when it is 50 miles one way to any decent shopping.

muleman said:

You guys ain't never seen an old farmer go shopping with a Prius.

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Hell I aint never known a farmer that would be caught dead driving one . Well until now . Yea well you had that comin .

45 mpg with the a/c running cold!

They can't ticket you, but they can ask you to leave or hit you with trespassing.

I would have parked there too

bczoom said:

Exactly!
I'll stick with my truck while still enjoying their upfront parking.

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SShepherd said:

They can't ticket you, but they can ask you to leave or hit you with trespassing.

I would have parked there too

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Yea well you's guys are just rebel rousers .

On a serious note though I wonder if they removed some handicap parking to make room for the "Obama green energy" parking spots . Personaly I'm surprised they didn't have a 10 thousand dollar sign above the sign saying " Your stimulus dollars at work " and put the handicapped parking out by the street .

isn't it required, by law, that stores open to the public have handicapped parking?

"green" parking isn't a law, but some assholes way of pushing his feelgood crap on everyone else.

I'm going to go outside and pee in the road. Take that greenies

You guys do realize I only drive a Prius cause I am a cheap SOB, not for the "green" part of it. Although I did get a white one this time around so I could comply with those California laws!

Burn the strip mall down - that will save some energy........

Coincidentally I was at a upper end strip mall in Baton Rouge this past weekend and noticed the same signs. I haven't ever seen them at the shady strip malls I normally visit .

bczoom said:

Exactly! I'm more efficient by doing in 1 trip what would take a Prius 20 trips.

Round trip = 50 miles.

In my truck, that's a splash over 3 gallons and I'm in-and-out in 1 load.

If a Prius takes 3 trips at 50 mpg, that's still 3 gallons + an extra 4 hours on the road.

I'll stick with my truck while still enjoying their upfront parking.

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WRITE A LETTER TO THE COMPANY and detail the stupidity of their parking signs.

What idiots. Since the green cars get better milage they can afford to drive to the further end of the parking lot. Make room for the Hummers and big trucks closer to save em gas. Geesh. Seems so obvious.

Yep, if you were to point out the fact that parking next to the stores for a truck would be in fact much more "Green", because the unit wouldn't need the extra gas to drive to the far reaches of the parking lot... Like the Hybrids could do, because they are much more efficient to drive that extra distance!

Depends on how you sell it I guess! Course common sense is pretty elusive for the tree huggers...

They want an electric car, but don't realize it takes a coal chucking power plant to make the electricity to power it up... they just see the plug outlet on the wall and that is where their reality ends....

Seems like around here everybody gets preferred parking except Bubba Jim and his Sierra pickup. We got your handicapped slots (first two rows), then the mothers in waiting (next row), then the parents with children (next row) and now the energy efficient cars. (fourth row). The only place I can park is at the strip bar across the street. Takes me several hours to work my way back to the mall.

jimbo said:

Seems like around here everybody gets preferred parking except Bubba Jim and his Sierra pickup. We got your handicapped slots (first two rows), then the mothers in waiting (next row), then the parents with children (next row) and now the energy efficient cars. (fourth row). The only place I can park is at the strip bar across the street. Takes me several hours to work my way back to the mall.

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yup, everyone gets a place closer to the store

EXCEPT FOR THE GUY WITH THE TRUCK WHO ACTUALLY BUYS ALOT

this world is turning upside down

Guess that would leave out the President's "Beast" the Secret Service drives him around in that only gets 8 miles per gallon. Would having several Secret Service agents in with him make it a "carpool" vehicle?

as a kid i remember that the reserved for o-6 and abofe parking at the bx used to be closer to the door than handicap parking but it's not that way now.I can only imagine what dod parking is going to look like in aa few years hndicap o 6 and above e-8 and above chaplin than green cars and expecting mothers us npormal people will just have to fight for a space in the back bu the way at 22 mpg for a full sized truck i think my old 89 dodge diesel does pretty good