Parking lot islands are troubling hazards

I figure the following groups had a hand in designing our late model, curb infested parking lots:
1 - Tire manufacturers
2 - Wheel manufacturers
3 - Wheel cover maufacturers
4 - Front end alignment machine manufacturers
5 - Front end alighment service shops
6 - Body shops
7 - After market ground effect shops
The above all seem to benefit from these "car catching" designs.

Islands are used to slow traffic. And they do slow you dumb a$$es that strike them. Ah, the engineers/architects are not so stupid afterall. After your 5th wheel alignment, you may catch on; doubt it. Evidently, you folks are driving way to fast. Slow down, use your head; possibly retesting you would be the proper move. I would imagine you do not appreciate speed bumps either. Tough!

Read the Zoning Ordinances !
Each municipality...all 2565 in Pennsylvania have their own zoning ordinance. These ordinances often prescribe the requirement for the planting within parking areas. Some ordinances go as far to list the acceptable plant materials, number of plants etc.

I don't mind the "islands" at all. It keeps the clueless idiots from speeding and cutting across the lots like many do at the Galleria.

Christina, while they may be an eyesore and perceived "inconvenience" to some, they do in fact reduce hazardous driving in the lots to a degree.

Christina-- While I appreciate the well intentioned purpose of the islands--to slow and direct traffic--I really enjoyed your story. The East York Target parking lot has to be one of the worst around. It's like trying to navigate a rat maze. I usually use the rear entrance for that reason. The Lowes parking lot is just ridiculous because the spaces and driving lanes are just too small (ever try to navigate that lot in a full sized truck? How about with a trailer?--much like the Borders parking lot--am I seeing a pattern, East York?

My compassion certainly lies with the snowplow drivers. I can only imagine how much easier their lives would be without these little concrete suprises lurking beneath the snow.

We pretty well need to go back to the beginning when it comes to designing parking areas and flow patterns. All there issues arise because America started worshipping the automobile rather than any deity that provides real redemption.
much of our "modern" economic and commercial landscape is as useful and as attractive as a leper in a sandstorm.
There are now far too many parking spaces required than are reasonable. One can count on two hands the number of times ANY mall parking lot is actually filled to capacity. the same with strip malls, office areas, etc.
These vast seas of asphalt are environmentally detremental. cause infrastructure problems and esthetic problems that are amazing, and trap heat like crazy.
If the landscaping "islands, etc. were actually of a realistic size, they could regulate traffic flow far better than they do currently, as most are just versions of rats' mazes, with the good little American consumers as the rats.
The Springettsbury "town center" is just the latest "joke" sprung on the public, being about as appealing as a lined section of salt flat.
It is again evident that the car is the first concern and the human being comes in avery distant second. Anyone designing a set-up like this one sould be ashamed of themselves!
the real problem is that all over the country, there are designers who have awakened and made spaces like these attractive and much more clear to use. That means we can expect to see them show up in York County in about 40 years!

Dave wrote:

Islands are used to slow traffic. And they do slow you dumb a$$es that strike them. Ah, the engineers/architects are not so stupid afterall. After your 5th wheel alignment, you may catch on; doubt it. Evidently, you folks are driving way to fast. Slow down, use your head; possibly retesting you would be the proper move. I would imagine you do not appreciate speed bumps either. Tough!

Very well said. And when they hit the high ones, may they tear that plastic bumper off the front of their cars!

Yes, thank the environmentalists for the "islands of green". Specifically, the parking lot at the East York Lowes is horrible. The lanes are curved and when you try to pull out into the lane, you're vision is blocked by the angle of the island and the bushes and trees growing in the island. It is darn near impossible to make a right turn around one of those blockades without going into the opposite lane of traffic. A parking lot should be for parking and negotiating your car through the lot safely.

You still don't get it, do you. They are designed to force you to slow down. They are doing that. You must be very cautious when there are obstructions. Again, slowing you down. Wake up. Keep up the good work architects. JC himself could design the best parking lot in the kingdom and you folks would bitch.

I fully understand the concept of parking lots being designed to slow traffic--but the point of slowing traffic is to reduce the risk of accidents. I think the fundamental issue is that the designs confuse people and likely increase the frequency of accidents. That's just a thought--it would be interesting to see some statistics ont it.

I have always said "Whoever designed the galleria mall parking lot, was either drunk, on drugs or both". Try turning left from the Mt. Zion Rd, North traffic light. Even driving slowly you can not make the necessary curves and turns without going over the lines. AT ANY SPEED. It's even worse at the north part of the parking lot coming in and going out at the 3 stop sign triangle. No one knows who should go first and invariably every one is polite and sits there, then they all try to proceed at one time. I totaly avoid this area as it is a no win situation no matter how careful and slow you go.

You are all just stupid... It is a freaking parking lot.. not a world crisis to have all this debate about

The Islands are great, I can let my little "FiFi" out and crap while I part my Beamer!!

You are right Kevin, why argue for a "real" cause when in fact most drivers can't pass a parking lot test, how they get past the real driver's test is beyond me?? I guess it goes to show, if you want something bad enough you can fake it long enough to get by and then from there who cares?? It's the Get in, Sit down, Shut up and Hold on mentality "cause dis here SUV has dem new airbags in it".