Sunday, June 21, 2009

Perpendicular Parking!


I'm sure you know what parallel parking is all about, but have you ever heard of mixed parallel/perpendicular parking?! Well, in Paris, we have and here is an example! Smart Cars are so small that some of their owners think they can park either way. Hence, this example that I took near my home. A Smart Car is 2,50 meters long, whereas an average car is 2 meters wide, so it's not that bad... I'm not sure that the Police agree with that though. That is all I just wanted to show you a bit of Parisian life on this Father's Day (for us).

27 comments:

  1. I like Smart cars, but when I was in Paris I saw people folding in their side view mirrors for clearance. I would think this persons about to have a bad day. I'd be terrified to park in Paris

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  2. Funny! When it comes to parking in NYC, I'm just glad I don't have a car to have to find a spot for. If I did, it would be a small one—but I wouldn't try this! Does anyone know if it's legal?

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  3. Yes we have a couple in Tewkesbury who park like this in the High Street. It still sticks out a bit though doesn't it? They're sweet cars to look at, but unless you are a family of one, with no friends, no bags and surely no life, what use are they?

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  4. Well... I think the owner of this car was desperate! Maybe he was late for work or just wanted to go to the bathroom! Who knows...

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  5. Some people don’t need a lot of room to park.

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  6. Perfect!!! After all, a Smart car is barely bigger than a motorcycle, and since you can't park on the sidewalks anymore ... ;)

    I know it's hard to imagine for most people living in the US where the roads (and the cars) are generally so big, but parking places in Paris are few and far between and can be VERY TIGHT INDEED, and yes, it is always a good ideas to fold your side mirrors in just in case. Some of the streets are not very wide, enuff said. ;)

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  7. And yes, Lynn. I meet all your criteria.

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  9. i want this "petite bagnole" and i must say that i would probably park the same way if i had to gooooo...

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  10. Oh dear - when parking is tight, getting in and out of the spots sometimes involves a little 'bumping' of the bumpers. The cars in front of and behind that smart car would be bumping the sides of the smart car, not its bumpers. Cute car though.

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  11. This is really funny, Eric. 'Hope your having a really nice, relaxing vacation.

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  12. Eric, please tell us you weren't crouching on the road to take this one! {Those buildings in the background are gorgeous.}

    USElaine, LOL!

    Has anyone invented the car that turns its wheels 90 degrees so you can drive into a park sideways? That would be handy...

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  13. Shell I think you're onto something. Write to the patent office quick! You know how quickly news travels at PDP.
    Petrea I'm not sure they're dumb? It's a selling point of the Smart I think? I've certainly seen and heard it lots of times before anyway.
    Tall Gary your lead in to your links is great! lol

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  14. Oh, I get it, Lynn. I thought maybe it wasn't legal to park this way. Wow, that comes in handy.

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  15. I saw cars parked that way and motorcycles being driven on the sidewalks. My favorite is the "Parisian touch" where when parallel parking you know you have gone too far when you bump the car in front of and behind you! Actually I was with some friends and they backed into the car behind them - nothing serious, but unlike here in the States both drivers just went about their business and didn't stop to survey damage or exchange insurance info. Quite refreshing and startling at the same time!

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  16. Well I'm not entirely sure, Petrea, but think so :s

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  17. They are cute but a right pain when parked in front of you in a tight space. The other day I had one in front of me and it took me ages to be able to get out of my parking space :(
    Also I agree with Lynn they are great if you haven't got passangers.

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  18. J & I just got back from seeing Truffaut's "The 400 Blows." It's playing on the big screen in Pasadena this weekend. I love seeing late 1950's Paris and the French countryside.

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  19. My favorite is when the Smart cars are all "logoed up!" Took a picture of a fun Planet Sushi one (fins and all) - however the picture has since been lifted used all over the web. Crazy internet!

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  20. I think the Metro will be my friend in Paris!! I hate driving in large cities--too much to look at to concentrate on having to drive. (Although somehow driving a scooter seems okay to me.....curious.)

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  21. I park on the driveway; drive on the parkway. ROFL!!

    Keats

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  23. P.S. I will soon be posting many pictures from my trip to Paris in my new blog {photo du jour} at kellycraven.blogspot.com. Visit anytime!

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  24. When we were in Paris in 2007, we saw Smart Cars for the first time and thought they were so cute and even saw some parked that way. Thought it was very funny. They now sell them and we see quite a few of them here in Texas. But I would never venture to drive one on our freeways here. Too many big rigs and SUVs for those tiny cars to contend with.

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