Movies and television shows have given us the impression that parking is always readily available right in front of a building, no matter where we go. This fantasy has caused much consternation when it comes to finding an actual spot at our destination – there’s nothing worse than cruising around for what feels like forever in search of one blessed open space! It also leads to some bizarre behavior; I’ve seen drivers double-park as if they believe another vehicle will magically appear out of thin air and allow them to back into the perfect spot just waiting for them.
Unfortunately, this situation often ends with angry honks from those stuck behind and a trail of frustrated pedestrians. On top of all that, sometimes people become so accustomed to having their car by their side that when forced to park further away (or even take public transportation!), they almost act offended – like Hollywood had lied to them about how easy it should be! I guess all we can do is laugh at ourselves every once in awhile while continuing our never ending hunt for parking gold…
Hollywood’s representation of parking has had a profound effect on how people view driving and transportation. For many viewers, it looks so easy to simply pull up in front of the building they need to be at, with never any thought given to where they can actually park their car. It seems like there is always magically an open spot right out front!
This can create some unrealistic expectations when viewing real-world parking situations. Take a night out downtown for example: We watch our favorite sitcom character simply drive up and snag a spot in seconds flat – while we circle the block four or five times looking for something that isn’t already taken! What sorcery is this?!
It even affects attitudes towards taking public transport as an alternative; why bother getting the bus if you can just waltz into town in your own car? Sure, there might not be any available spots within twenty blocks from your destination – but hey, maybe you’ll get lucky and one will miraculously appear once you get there? The power of Hollywood strikes again!
It’s like the creators of these movies and shows want us to believe that free, convenient parking spaces will always be available. They don’t take into account the reality of having to circle around for hours looking for a spot. It’s no wonder why car culture has grown exponentially over time; everyone wants to avoid being stuck in traffic searching for a place to park!
But hey, if you’re ever stuck without a spot there is still hope- just try driving up onto someone’s front lawn. After all, it worked in some movie or another so surely it should work in real life too? Just make sure not to do any donuts while you’re there though…
The media has really romanticized the idea of easy parking spots and this has had an undeniable effect on car culture over time. Even those who have never driven before seem convinced that finding a space is as simple as showing up! But unfortunately that isn’t quite how it works out IRL (in real life). We guess Hollywood doesn’t care about realism when it comes to parking spots because otherwise we wouldn’t get such amazing scenes with people gracefully gliding into their perfect spots every single time.