Event Parking etiquette- Free like the birds or sardines for slaughter?

**NavyDiver** · 7th March 2011, 06:57 PM

Trying to leave a large function can be slow at the best of times. After the Airshow at Avalon with 4 kids in tow I joined the main line of cars exiting the car park. About 50 more odd rows of parked cars or 300 metres now separated me from the exit. Moving about 10 metres in the next half an hour now saw lots of new cars in each of the 49 odd rows trying to enter the queue. I let the car just in front of me in and each car in front of me did the same. Now each of the 49 new cars in front of me did this as well and it might have made more sense to try and reverse? After 2 hours and five new cars directly in front of me with about 20 metres gained a person trying to force his way in got angry and felt my not allowing him to push in was not a “fair go mate”. He drove back and around and successfully pushed in the front of the exit queue. I imagined him laughing manically as he did so. About 2.5 hours I made it the 300 metres and escaped to the next line on the road outside. Binoculars still on my neck allowed me to see the car which had been nice enough to let me in the queue still stationary with 150 metres to the exit.

IF you do the maths about of everyone letting one car in at each new row they get to and I guess roughly 200 cars plus 48 less one escapee. Now 248 less one plus 48 giving 295- plus 48 less one escapee giving 342 pushing the cue backwards with me back with a very impressive 300 million dollar raptor?
The parking attendants whom were very efficient in squishing us in like sardines in a fishing net were happily sitting near the exit gate giving no indication they cared about the parking show they subjected everyone too.
My UHF radio request asking how the freeway was, This indicated the Westgate freeway was a car park all the way to the Westgate Bridge 30 km away by several VERY enthusiastic responders. I was able to explain the bad language as staic and the word freeway being shouted to the 4 year old.. A nice trip on country roads to the Ballarat freeway had us home about 5 hours later. Free like the birds or sardines for slaughter? I considered a new career selling water, chips and lolly pops to the poor sardines exiting events such as this. I think I would be a millionaire assuming I charged the exorbitant prices charges inside such events.

**jc109** · 7th March 2011, 10:45 PM

Originally Posted by weakestlink

IF you do the maths about of everyone letting one car in at each new row they get to and I guess roughly 200 cars plus 48 less one escapee. Now 248 less one plus 48 giving 295- plus 48 less one escapee giving 342 pushing the cue backwards with me back with a very impressive 300 million dollar raptor?

My brain hurts.

**blackbuttdisco** · 8th March 2011, 08:22 AM

Next time take extra food. Then you can sit and eat it while everyone else gets out. Once they have all gone, driving out is easy. Saves fuel too.

**Homestar** · 8th March 2011, 10:32 AM

As mentioned by Blackbuttdisco - it is heaps easier and less stressful to wait it out. Sitting around for a couple of hours may seem like a waste of time, but I bet your trip home would be no longer had you done it this way.

I like your maths on this though - I would never have bothered to working this out, but it must of past the time...

**NavyDiver** · 8th March 2011, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by bacicat2000

As mentioned by Blackbuttdisco - it is heaps easier and less stressful to wait it out. Sitting around for a couple of hours may seem like a waste of time, but I bet your trip home would be no longer had you done it this way.

I like your maths on this though - I would never have bothered to working this out, but it must of past the time...

yep - the maths I am an escaped Computer Forensic Accountaing specalist.

you got was a short version MS access is currently calcualting my trucks possition at about behind Saturn

Will be ingnoring the kids demands to get going and enjoying the show but probebly by train if I ever got the urge again. Lots of other Disco in the crowd. Were you guys there? One who was beside me might still be there saddly

Just in the supermarket before. Orderly queue with new people jumping on the back of the line. Compared to my pointless ongoing maths equation for event car parks they look well organised

**d2dave** · 8th March 2011, 03:44 PM

I would like to go to this show but have never been for the above reasons.
I hear the same stories every time this show is on.

However as my son is due to get his pilots licence in a couple of weeks I am hoping to go one year, and taking the easy way in and out.

Dave.

**Camo** · 8th March 2011, 03:55 PM

The way to go.. years ago I flew my little cessna to amberley, caboolture and avalon air shows. Best way to go

Never went to the birdsville races though

Should have kept that little 172.. would have been a great little investment

**pfillery** · 9th March 2011, 08:24 AM

I have the perfect solution for you - Park near the exit gate, carry a reflective orange safety vest in the car. One person drives while the other person dons the safety vest, gets out and stops the traffic, and yes the cars will stop because you look all official like a traffic controller, they jump back in once you're out and off you go breezing away into the sunset.

Trust me, it works!

**cartm58** · 9th March 2011, 09:37 AM

l am surprised that no one has solved the parking park lot problem it happens at every Airshow event they have held at Avalon and clearly the organisers don't care about the problems.

I never bother going to these sort of events due to the problems with transport and crowds

**waynep** · 9th March 2011, 10:35 AM

ARGGGGGG I couldn't stand it - I'm not a queue or crowd person.
That's why I don't go to these sort of things.

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