Posted 2/21/2012 5:05 PM (GMT 0)
I had to go to the hospital today for a blood test. As ever, the drive there was fine but the parking was a nightmare from the 7th circle of Hell to a parking-phobe like me. The car park was so crowded that every legal and illegal place was taken. After going around in circles fruitlessly for 10-15 minutes, I finally spotted a woman standing next to a car and deduced she was about to leave. Except she wasn't because she was chatting on the ****ing phone for a good 10 minutes before finally clearing off. When she'd finally gone I realised the space would be a nightmare to get into, mainly because another car parked on the grass (illegally) was at an angle with its rear end poking slightly into the empty bay. It would have been a tight squeeze anyway, but this made it like getting a rich man through the eye of a needle. I started to try it then gave up and went forwards over the kerb onto the grass instead: I can't even remember what I had in mind at this point, but whatever it was I never got the chance to finish it. I heard an ominious scrunching noise. It turned out I had wrecked my left wing mirror on the fence to the left of me (I had hardly any space for maneouvre here).
Think the only reason I got parked at all was because another car very fortunately left, which gave me enough space to get into. I was so upset by the whole business, for five minutes I considered not even bothering with the blood test and leaving. But a cup of coffee and a packet of crisps (yeah, I know. I was in a rebellious don't-care mood and I haven't actually started the elemental diet yet!) sorted me out and I went and got the blood test done. Getting out of the car park was another horror. Again, I had almost no room for maneouvre because of the fence behind me. I'd have probably been shuffling back and forth for another 10 minutes if a kindly fellow hadn't obviously taken pity on me and gave me directions on getting out. I lived up to every bad stereotype of women drivers today and wrecked my wing mirror in the process - not bad going.
My apologies for the rant. I dunno what the hospital could do to make parking easier but it's hard to believe that there isn't something it could do if it really, really tried. My blood pressure must double every time I go to that place, just because of the parking facilities.