As a relatively new driver, it’s been difficult to manage parking my car in busy, hectic parking lots, where most drivers don’t know what they’re doing. So, as a way to help the young drivers of Fairfield, I thought I would make a list of parking lots to avoid.
#1: ShopRite on Black Rock Turnpike
I pretty much have free reign on where I can drive in Fairfield, but one store that is strictly forbidden in my house is ShopRite. A mix of stray carts, 20 mph cars, and tight spaces put this parking lot high on my list. Some spots are also at a strange angle, so it’s best to avoid it entirely if your blood pressure rises with difficult parking. ShopRite might have great deals, but should you put your life on the line for a free ham?
#2: Trader Joe’s on Black Rock Tpke
I love a close parking spot as much as the next girl, but the parking spots directly in front of Trader Joe’s are ones that I actively avoid. Whether I choose to reverse park into the spot, or am forced to front in and then reverse out, it’s never a pleasurable experience. Instead, I choose to park near the right side of the store, over by the hair salon. Much safer. I love their Peanut Butter-filled pretzels, but I don’t want to eat them while waiting for the cops to come.
#3: The Downtown Library
The Woods Branch Library in Fairfield has a great selection of parking spots, but the same cannot be said for its post rd. counterpart. This library is clearly larger, but oddly, the parking lot appears to be smaller. I am always an advocate for the consumption of literature, but why do I have to park half a mile away to safely do so?
#4: Just Salad
I thoroughly enjoy a nice salad and perusing around the Paper Store, I’ll even admit that there was once a time where my knuckles didn’t go white at the thought of it But it’s flaws(including it being a one-way) have been exacerbated by the added traffic of Crumbl Cookie consumers. According to a Warde student, their father often shouts “my kingdom for a spot!” while circling this specific lot.
#5: Warde Student Parking at 2:10 pm
A shared Warde-student experience is almost getting into an accident under the solar panels. Do you even go here if you haven’t had a near-death encounter in the parking lot? Nothing is scarier than a paved lot filled with new drivers who don’t have a fully-developed prefrontal cortex. What might seem mellow during the school day rapidly becomes a traffic-filled mess of drivers without impulse control. Yikes.
If you take anything from this article it’s to simply avoid shopping in Black Rock.