ANTIBES, France--Given that many parking lots in apartment buildings or cities were built in an era of smaller cars, squeezing in a new car is often problematic. Certainly not advisable after a few glasses of wine. . . .
If you look at the dimensions of popular models from the 1970s, you’ll understand. The 2 CV (12.6 feet long x 4.8 feet wide) and the Renault 5 (11.5 feet long x 5 feet wide) look like toys when compared to a medium-sized car today such as the VW Eos (14.4 feet long x 5.8 feet wide). In terms of luxury cars, today’s Mercedes class S runs 17 feet long x 6 feet wide.
It’s no surprise that parking lots with the “penny drop” entrances cause problems for these larger cars.
We experienced the problem recently with a mid-size car. We had been parking on the street, where cars were routinely scratched or bumped. With the purchase of a newer car, we needed to rent a garage.
Small cars and spaces in Antibes, on the ramparts.
One neighbor, with two available garages, insisted you could park a Range Rover. We did get parked but could barely exit, and we could not close the garage. Another location has been tight—but the car is in an underground lot, not an individual garage. It takes careful maneuvering. But we squeeze in, happy to have a place off the street for now.
In retrospect, maybe we should have gone with the Smart for Two (8.2 feet long x 5 feet wide).
No comments:
Post a Comment