Parking lots

I hate parking on this island. It is an evil necessity that cannot be avoided, but nevertheless it is something I loathe. Maybe it has to do with the fact that we are on a miniscule island, or perhaps it is because of spray painter error, but the parking spots here are made for Smart Cars, not real cars. They are so narrow and short that it is virtually unheard of to pull into a space in just one turn of the wheel. Generally it takes two or three reverses to finally get your car squeezed into the spot. I wouldn't get so annoyed if it weren't for the fact that I leave our flat at least 7-8 times a day, and 7-8 times a day I must back up three times just to get into our parking spot. It is a blessing that we own a car, because to park a truck into any of these spaces would be nearly impossible. In fact most trucks just circle the lot until they can find a double spot, and even then their end is in the middle of the road. This could also explain why there are so many vehicles parked along the side of the road, their owners just give up. Parking is really only half of the battle though. Once you have managed to manoeuvre your car into the rabbit hole you still have to get out. Unfortunately Blake and I own a two door car, which means that the doors are quite long, and once opened leave you about 6 inches of space to squeeze through. I sometimes feel like a Cirque du Soleil contortionist as I ooze myself out of the car. Another blessing is that our car is a beater, because nothing remains unscathed on this island. Most vehicles bear the scars of several doors that have been banged up against it, and dents on the bumper from the 5 point turns necessary to exit a parking spot. Aside from the actual parking space issue, there are parking lots issues as well. Canada evidently trusts us. When you have parked illegally you get a ticket, call someone to complain about it, and drive off. Here it is not so simple. They still have the archaic clamp system going on. So when you illegally park at the library, a wide open parking lot with a sea of empty stalls, your wheels are clamped by the time you get back. $85 CI and an hour later (if the clamper is quick about it) you are finally able to leave. If you don't have the $85 then add in a walk to the bank as well. Another parking lot problem is the spike guards. For a foreigner this is quite the surprise. I mean, how many times have you exited through the entry lane? It happens, especially when you are learning to drive on the opposite side of the car and road. Sadly that mistake could cost you thousands here, as you would be the recipient of four flat tires. The final blow is the meridians. There are so many, and most are only inches off the ground, that it is like an obstacle course in a parking lot. Last week at the bank I saw a Caymanian high centre her BMW on a parking lot meridian. If she has driven here her whole life what chance does that give me? I told Blake the other day that driving on this island will either drive me insane (no pun intended), or make me an excellent driver. Today I lean towards the former!
Pictured above: the only good lot in Cayman... with the best real-estate value in North America!