The parking spaces are scarce in a nearby town from my house. I had to pick up something and could not find a single parking space in the strip mall where the store was. Right next to the strip mall, there was a Safeway (a chain grocery store) with a huge parking lot, and there were only a few cars parked. Even though the "Customer Only Parking. Towing Enforced" signs were posted everywhere, I decided to take a chance. After all, I thought, I was only going to park there for 5 minutes when I walked over to pick up my stuff in the adjacent strip mall. I even chose a remote space that was away from the grocery store (so the "good spots" were reserved for the real customers).
Right after I got out of the car, the security guard approached me. He asked if I were a customer of Safeway. In order to avoid being towed, I said yes. (I did not lie because I did shop there.) I told him that I also needed to pick up something from the store in the strip mall. I asked if I had to move my car in between. He said no and left me alone. So I picked up my stuff in the strip mall, and then came back to Safeway, and bought some bananas. I needed bananas anyway.
I am just wondering what you guys think about this. I can understand the "Customer Only" parking policy (and I will follow the rules) if the store was busy and the parking lot was nearly full. Of course their customers should have the priority. I have no problem with that. But the parking lot was only less than 10% full that day. Was it really necessary for them to behave like that? I know I had a bad taste in my mouth for that store ever since. I would rather go to a different Safeway from now on.
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Comments: 8
The dollar store has customer parking only, but the bingo players can care less,so basically this cuts out on the business for the family dollar store.
In another way, I see your position as well, our downtown area has limited parking as well and some stores have spots for their stores only, which is a pain.
I have been there, done that on both sides of this fence.
My husband is a truck driver and he stopped at a K-Mart somewhere and they raised cain at him for parking there. And he was shopping in the store to buy some things that he needed! Needless to say, we don't do business with K-Mart any more than we absolutely have too. Which for me is never.
As far as insurance liability, I thought they weren't responsible for anything happens in the lot. I don't know though.