150 cars too big for modern parking spaces
Discussion
LunarOne said:
According to these UN figures from 2021, the UK is the 51st most densely populated country in the world, and the 3rd most densely populated in Europe after the Netherlands and Belgium, both of which are about 1/10th the size of the UK in area. Here's a list of European countries with a sprinkling of other large or developed countries for comparison. The world average is 60 people per km²
||217||Russian Federation||8.91||145,912,022||Europe||a.a
Lets look at where the vast majority of people actually live and travel shall we, not the Scottish Highlands and Islands etc, England.| World Ranking | Country/Territory | Persons per km² | Population (2021) | Continent |
| 25 | Republic of Korea | 527.7 | 51,305,184 | Asia |
| 26 | Netherlands | 509.3 | 17,173,094 | Europe |
| 34 | Belgium | 384.2 | 11,632,334 | Europe |
| 39 | Japan | 345.8 | 126,050,796 | Asia |
| 51 | United Kingdom | 281.9 | 68,207,114 | Europe |
| 61 | Germany | 240.7 | 83,900,471 | Europe |
| 68 | Switzerland | 220.6 | 8,715,494 | Europe |
| 74 | Italy | 205.2 | 60,367,471 | Europe |
| 81 | China | 153.8 | 1,444,216,102 | Asia |
| 88 | Czechia | 138.8 | 10,724,553 | Europe |
| 89 | Denmark | 137 | 5,813,302 | Europe |
| 90 | Thailand | 136.9 | 69,950,844 | Asia |
| 95 | Poland | 123.4 | 37,797,000 | Europe |
| 98 | France | 119.5 | 65,426,177 | Europe |
| 103 | Portugal | 111 | 10,167,923 | Europe |
| 106 | Austria | 109.7 | 9,043,072 | Europe |
| 108 | Cuba | 106.3 | 11,317,498 | North America |
| 121 | Spain | 93.72 | 46,745,211 | Europe |
| 129 | Romania | 83.1 | 19,127,772 | Europe |
| 138 | Ukraine | 75.03 | 43,466,822 | Europe |
| 140 | Croatia | 72.94 | 4,081,657 | Europe |
| 141 | Ireland | 72.33 | 4,982,904 | Europe |
| 149 | Mexico | 67.01 | 130,262,220 | North America |
| 163 | South Africa | 49.5 | 60,041,996 | Africa |
| 177 | United States of America | 36.39 | 332,915,074 | North America |
| 183 | Estonia | 31.26 | 1,325,188 | Europe |
| 188 | Chile | 25.84 | 19,212,362 | South America |
| 190 | Brazil | 25.6 | 213,993,441 | South America |
| 195 | Sweden | 24.76 | 10,160,159 | Europe |
| 203 | Finland | 18.26 | 5,548,361 | Europe |
| 208 | Argentina | 16.66 | 45,605,823 | South America |
| 213 | Norway | 14.96 | 5,465,629 | Europe |
||217||Russian Federation||8.91||145,912,022||Europe||a.a
| 229 | Iceland | 3.425 | 343,360 | Europe |
| World | 60.53 | 7,874,965,732 |
Edited by LunarOne on Tuesday 29th August 14:38
Population density was 434 per square kilometre in 2021. (will be higher now).
Your list includes all the tiny states Monaco, Malta, Bahrain etc.
For countries with more than 15 million people, England ranks fifth behind Bangladesh, Taiwan, South Korea and India.
captain_cynic said:
Jawls said:
This is one of the things I really like about my shed i10 (the first generation, so it’s tiny!). One of the few really quite small cars.
Yep. I love a small car for this. Also a small hatch is usually pretty chuckable.
Our mk1 XC90 on the other hand is 30 cm longer than a standard 4.5m parking space, and that was before we put a towbar on it. Fortunately, it rarely ventures into town.
LimaDelta said:
Surely all the PBDs with large cars/SUVs can simply use a second smaller car when venturing into the cities, or anywhere else which requires bay-parking?
I couldn’t think of anything worse than living anywhere near a city. You’ve only got to read some of the comedy comments on here from city dwellers who seem to live in some kind of alternate reality. You have to bay park in a garden centre, or B&Q. So that “logic” (distain intended) is pretty flawed. I can’t get 10 bags of self levelling compound and a load of timber in my MX5, so will stick with the Defender, and abide by Rule one:
“Don’t be a c***”.
Sad times that we now live in a society where people are trying to shame people for owning 4x4’s or large vehicles. Contrary to popular opinion, you can also be a total c*** and walk everywhere. Just spend a day in London!
philrs03 said:
I couldn’t think of anything worse than living anywhere near a city. You’ve only got to read some of the comedy comments on here from city dwellers who seem to live in some kind of alternate reality.
You have to bay park in a garden centre, or B&Q. So that “logic” (distain intended) is pretty flawed. I can’t get 10 bags of self levelling compound and a load of timber in my MX5, so will stick with the Defender, and abide by Rule one:
“Don’t be a c***”.
Sad times that we now live in a society where people are trying to shame people for owning 4x4’s or large vehicles. Contrary to popular opinion, you can also be a total c*** and walk everywhere. Just spend a day in London!
I you are regularly buying bulk building materials, then surely you'd be going to a builders merchant, not B&Q?You have to bay park in a garden centre, or B&Q. So that “logic” (distain intended) is pretty flawed. I can’t get 10 bags of self levelling compound and a load of timber in my MX5, so will stick with the Defender, and abide by Rule one:
“Don’t be a c***”.
Sad times that we now live in a society where people are trying to shame people for owning 4x4’s or large vehicles. Contrary to popular opinion, you can also be a total c*** and walk everywhere. Just spend a day in London!
There is no shame in owning a big 4x4, but it is the city dwellers owning them who complain about parking. I live rurally, and don't think I've ever parked my LC or HL in a city carpark. We have always had a smaller car for that. It is perfectly logical and sensible.
PastelNata said:
Yes and for this reason Private car ownership needs to ultimately be banned. It is inevitable that it has to happen one day in the future.
The road network and related infrastructure will eventually not cope - it is under severe stress already - and when that happens, people will be forced to give up their cars and move to Public and Shared transport. To make that 'fair', all Private will have to be banned.
Just as EV is now killing off ICE, infrastructure will eventually lead to Private ownership being killed off too.
Enjoy it all while you can.
That's a sure-fire vote winner. I'm sure all the political parties will be lining up to implement it.The road network and related infrastructure will eventually not cope - it is under severe stress already - and when that happens, people will be forced to give up their cars and move to Public and Shared transport. To make that 'fair', all Private will have to be banned.
Just as EV is now killing off ICE, infrastructure will eventually lead to Private ownership being killed off too.
Enjoy it all while you can.
Mr Tidy said:
Its Just Adz said:
We went into a small car park in St Ives a few weeks ago and found the last space. In the 2 spaces by the side were a Transit and a VW T5 camper. We were in a Range Rover Sport.
It was ridiculously tight.
Well it was a car park - no wonder vans didn't fit. It was ridiculously tight.
gazza285 said:
Mr Tidy said:
Its Just Adz said:
We went into a small car park in St Ives a few weeks ago and found the last space. In the 2 spaces by the side were a Transit and a VW T5 camper. We were in a Range Rover Sport.
It was ridiculously tight.
Well it was a car park - no wonder vans didn't fit. It was ridiculously tight.
gazza285 said:
LunarOne said:
It always boggles my mind how big cars actually are. When I think of a "small" car, say a Fiat 500…
This is the issue. Cars have bloated.
Returning to theme I wonder how peoole would pay a modest premium for an XL space, or a carpark where all spaces are generous? There are some multi stories that should surely come with a health warning, aka don't try parking anything wider than say a Fiesta here (Fiesta chosen as the last generation was wider than the Sierra!)
Chromegrill said:
Saw someone at traffic lights in the original version the other day. Didn't look a particularly big chap yet his knees were bunched up against the dashboard and it looked like he was sitting on the driver's seat and half rhe front passenger's too. Goodness it looked uncomfortable.
Returning to theme I wonder how peoole would pay a modest premium for an XL space, or a carpark where all spaces are generous? There are some multi stories that should surely come with a health warning, aka don't try parking anything wider than say a Fiesta here (Fiesta chosen as the last generation was wider than the Sierra!)
Crikey. The chap must have been a giant.Returning to theme I wonder how peoole would pay a modest premium for an XL space, or a carpark where all spaces are generous? There are some multi stories that should surely come with a health warning, aka don't try parking anything wider than say a Fiesta here (Fiesta chosen as the last generation was wider than the Sierra!)
We own a 1970 500L. I'm six foot tall and I can sit in and operate the car with no problem whatsoever.
gazza285 said:
1960's Fiat 500 dimensions:
Length 2,970 mm
Width 1,320 mm
Height 1,320 mm
2000's Fiat 500 dimensions:
Length 3,546 mm
Width 1,627 mm
Height 1,488 mm
So it's grown 12% taller and 23% wider.
That has definitely been shopped.
gazza285 said:
captain_cynic said:
I'm calling custard on that photo.
1960's Fiat 500 dimensions:
Length 2,970 mm
Width 1,320 mm
Height 1,320 mm
2000's Fiat 500 dimensions:
Length 3,546 mm
Width 1,627 mm
Height 1,488 mm
So it's grown 12% taller and 23% wider.
That has definitely been shopped.
Username checks out.1960's Fiat 500 dimensions:
Length 2,970 mm
Width 1,320 mm
Height 1,320 mm
2000's Fiat 500 dimensions:
Length 3,546 mm
Width 1,627 mm
Height 1,488 mm
So it's grown 12% taller and 23% wider.
That has definitely been shopped.
Edited by DirktheDaring on Saturday 2nd September 00:48
My pet hate is small car parking spaces, if a venue has particularly small spaces then they lose my business. Surely we need a standard and to fine businesses that do not comply?
In my humble opinion the standard should be something like if 3 current VW Golfs are parked together and positioned perfectly within their lines then the middle car should be able to open all doors fully without touching the other cars and have a couple of inches of additional allowance.
In my humble opinion the standard should be something like if 3 current VW Golfs are parked together and positioned perfectly within their lines then the middle car should be able to open all doors fully without touching the other cars and have a couple of inches of additional allowance.
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