Petty annoyance #47: What is with this trend toward making parking lots more visually interesting than useful?

It’s called traffic pacification or calming or something like that. They want people to slow down so there will be fewer accidents as people are more careful. And those accidents that do occur will be less severe.

I assume the concrete curbs that are where the front of your car pulls in so you cannot drive through a space to the next space is for safety. More of a maze slows traffic in general. Adding trees and pretty things is probably something the city planning requires, trying to dress up the joint and bring better business and better clientelle.

I find that people feel that rules don’t apply when driving in parking lots, and like @wundayatta said, having curbs and islands are not only aesthetically pleasing, they slow people down and prevent kids from racing (this might save lives, when you think about it).

I also think that it is a response to 9/11. Concrete barriers to deter suicide bombers and trucks full of explosives.

I think marinelife has it here. You used to see this a lot in London a few years ago but we didn’t try to make it look pretty, we just dumped a load of tank traps in front of buildings that were deemed to be a taget.

Strange, I don’t think I’ve seen anything quite like this. I mean, sometimes there are concrete dividers, but they are in places that make sense.. where you would expect them to be. There are areas, usually close to the storefront, with mulch and trees and flowers.

Do you have a picture? Maybe I have seen it, and I just don’t realize it’s what you’re describing.

Some of the fancy shopping center parking lots where I live are like this. Another reason I’m glad I don’t drive.

I’m glad to see this is #47. Any higher and I would have assumed you were neurotic.

I hate that. They have done the same thing at our new airport and cut down on the signs because they were visually dull. It’s just plain crazy.

Something a bit like this @ANef_is_Enuf only larger, more random and oddly shaped curb structures. I guess I’ll have to take a picture of one near me to illustrate.

I understand the intention of slowing down traffic but what I’m referring to interferes with flow. In one instance, the decorative curbs make the entrance too narrow to accommodate incoming and outgoing traffic at the same time. It’s laid out with no foresight.

Oh come on, It’s as simple as a screwdriver for heavens sake.

From Chapter 5 of General parking lot design considerations

The parking lot is the first and the last part of a building complex to be viewed by the
user. It is the gateway through which all customers, visitors, and employees pass. This
first impression is very important to the overall feeling and atmosphere conveyed to
the user. Developers want their new facilities to be attractive, well designed, and functional. Though many hours are spent on producing aesthetically pleasing building designs, the same design consideration for the parking area is often overlooked. Pavements in parking areas that are initially under designed can experience excessive maintenance problems and a shortened service life. When properly designed and constructed, parking areas can be an attractive part of the facility that is also safe, and most important, usable to the maximum degree. In addition, parking areas should be designed for low maintenance costs and easy modification for changes in use patterns.

@Blueroses I hate those diamond shaped thingies. Those I cannot explain away they are awful.

@JLeslie a porkchop is the technical name for those diamond or triangle thingies

Thank you Google Maps. This parking lot is hell on a busy day.

Note how the attractively landscaped main entrance (1) conveniently funnels traffic away from the stores and directly into the inexplicable large, raised concrete block (2).

Once you’ve passed that obstacle, you’ll find it nearly impossible to turn into the diagonal parking strips thanks to the placement of these bumpers at the end of each row (3).

We’re not sure why we put this here (4), but it’s pretty, no? We find it keeps the riff-raff out of our gas station.

We love being able to get our espresso to go from a drive-through kiosk, don’t you? You’ll find it located in this fortress (5).

We’ve made sure that it’s just as difficult to get into the parking lanes from the other side (6) and although you won’t be able to walk on the asphalt toward the stores due to the inevitable traffic jams blocking the narrow entrances, We have filled the islands with loose, sharp lava rocks for you to cross. Pretend you’re on the beach!

Also note that the 2 lanes circumnavigating the parking area tapers down to an eight foot wide cattle chute where it meets the main street on the west. One car may come in OR one car may exit. Not both.

Wow, that does seem a tad excessive. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a parking lot with that many barriers.

LOL @augustlan They certainly do seem to resent shoppers don’t they?

Weird. I don’t really remember seeing anything quite like that around here. Maybe I’m just not paying close enough attention.

I think it’s time for me to start paying more attention, too. When I opened this at first, I was imagining cute little signs on the ground in parking spaces I’ve seen around here.