Parking Pains

Finding a place to park is a pain.

Hospitals in major centres are easy to get to from every direction. The major hospitals are generally big; very big.
Staffing a big hospital needs the population of a large town. And staff need a place to park. So the car parks are big too.

The first shift of the day starts at around 7.00 am and staff start to arrive as early as 6.00. By the time I turn up, the sun is well above the yard arm and the car parks are full. So begins the spiral ascent. Level 1, not a hope. Level 2, about the same and so on up.

Reaching the seventh level, all hope of finding a space (all I need is one) is extinct. Your neck aches from swivelling back and forth looking for that elusive piece of bare concrete between two lines. Meanwhile, the customer has rung your office demanding to know why the engineer is late.

Consider that my expertise is not the only thing needed on site. The job needs tools, test equipment and parts as well. The prospect of descending those stairs in the tight stair wells, weighed down with the extra bits is enough to spoil lunch. Oh! That's right. You forgot lunch today. There's another load on the mind.

Forget about the lifts. They're so slow, you need to shave again before facing the customer! Besides, walking stairs is better for the cardiovascular system if you believe the experts.

There are rules in a car park, unwritten rules. For example, there are six other people looking for the only space in the whole complex. You spot the space at the same time as the other parker. So the first to indicate their intention, gets the space. I once almost broke my indicator switch in the rush to flick it on.
Don't you hate it when you see reversing lights in the rear view mirror? Someone's coming out just as you drive past.
Another rule; if you're turning into a space, smile and wave to the parker who missed out. Make sure not to look smug. You're likely to attract a finger salute.

And who pays the parking fee? Customer or company? Great relationships can be destroyed over who will pay for parking. In some city car parks though, it's cheaper to pay bail than pay for parking.

So if you know a better way of providing service to places with monster car parks, let me know. I'm sure there's a fortune to be made.

Next . . . Hospital hospitality.