Minnesota, We Need To Talk About Parking Lot Rules Of The Road

I know I'm not alone in feeling this way.

While there are some bad drivers on Minnesota's roads, it seems like the overwhelming majority of drivers manage to follow the basic "rules of the road" we've all accepted as a society.

Sure, some people could probably do a better job with using their blinkers, cutting down on distractions, or learning how to properly zipper merge, most Minnesotans do well enough to not be a complete hazard on the roads.

Get into a parking lot? That's a whole different story.

On countless occasions, I've seen silly, egregious, and downright dangerous decisions made by drivers who seem to know better when they're on the road. I mean, thankfully everyone (should be) moving at significantly slower speeds in a parking lot than they would be on the highway, but that doesn't make the chaos inexcusable.

READ MORE: Hey Minnesotans! This Is How To Correctly Zipper Merge + Why It Works

Fun fact: In Minnesota, drivers are legally expected to follow the same general rules and laws that apply on roads apply in parking areas, even though it is generally private property. This includes following driving lanes and abiding by signs.

Despite that, a scary number of drivers seem to check out on those rules and driving etiquette when they enter a parking lot.

Which way am I supposed to drive?

One of the big ones that got my attention recently while at a mall in Duluth was nearly getting hit not once, not twice, not even three, but FOUR times during one visit by different drivers who seemed to have absolutely zero awareness of where they should be driving. I've had run-ins like this all over Minnesota, but as someone who lives in Duluth, they are the examples that stand out most in my mind.

One driver was just flying across parking lanes, paying no attention to drivers actually using the driving lanes painted on the pavement.

The other three drivers were going the wrong way down one-way driving lanes. I was driving around trying to find a parking spot, when I was encountered by three different people who paid no mind to the arrows on the pavement or the fact that all of the cars were all pointed in the same angled direction.

Then, it became a stare-down of who should back up, being the lane isn't wide enough to get past one another. In two of those instances, I ended up giving up and backing up, even though it was a longer distance for me to back up (and I was going the right direction).

Who has the right of way - People or cars?

On roads, there are certain areas like crosswalks where pedestrians have the right of way, where vehicles are supposed to yield. The same is true in parking lots where there are designated walking areas. These are often marked in some capacity on the pavement and/or with signs.

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In addition, parking lots are generally places where there will be a lot of people and vehicles intermingling. Everyone, whether pedestrian or driver, should exercise a heightened level of awareness of their surroundings. While we'd all like to hope everyone follows all of the rules and is always paying attention, that is unfortunately not always the case.

Can I park here? What about just anywhere?

This one really surfaces a lot during our long Minnesota winters. It's really a two-pronged issue.

The first is that of people who decide to stop driving, seemingly with no rhyme or reason, turn their vehicle off, and get out. Any attempt to interpret where parking lines might be seems like it is just abandoned, leading to very difficult-to-navigate parking lots with cars just scattered everywhere.

I get it, snow hides the lines, but at least try to line up with the other vehicles at least. Don't do what these people did.

The other issue is the people who park in the fire lane next to a store because it's cold out. I understand that there are legitimate reasons you might briefly stop your vehicle in these areas.

As someone who used to work in retail, I can recount way too many instances of people with no other reason than "because it's cold out" to park right in the driving lane in front of a store. Fire lane signs are there for a reason, and can create difficulties in the event of an emergency at the store. Plus, you're also blocking traffic driving through.

In the end, by keeping the same general rules of the road in mind while driving in a parking lot and staying aware of your surroundings, we can together make parking lots across Minnesota a place with a lot less chaos and frustration.