How to Find a Parking Space in a City

Patience and fighting the herd mentality are what it takes.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Maps

1. Decide how far you are willing to walk.
2. Determine how valuable your car is to you.
3. Park in a garage and pay the money if your car is valuable.
4. Park near a place that is well-lit but that many people avoid, such as an adult theater, if your car is not particularly valuable.
5. Look for a loading zone. You can park there at night.
6. Seek out high-traffic businesses, like a takeout restaurant or a video rental store. Wait. Someone will leave eventually.
7. Drive away from your destination and prepare to walk some distance if all else fails. You may get there faster that way than by continuing to drive around.

Tips & Warnings

• Taking public transit whenever possible eliminates the need for parking.
• Keep a stash of quarters in your car for parking meters.
• Read stickers on parking meters to see if there are time limits or other rules.
• Do not park somewhere dark or dangerous, such as an alley, just because there is a space. There may be a good reason why no one else has taken it.