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The next time you're hunting for a parking spot, mathematics could help you identify the most efficient strategy, according to a recent paper in the Journal of Statistical Mechanics. It's basically an optimization problem: weighing different variables and crunching the numbers to find the optimal combination of those factors. In the case of where to put your car, the goal is to strike the optimal balance of parking close to the target—a building entrance, for example—without having to waste too much time circling the lot hunting for the closest space.
Paul Krapivsky of Boston University and Sidney Redner of the Santa Fe Institute decided to build their analysis around an idealized parking lot with a single row (a semi-infinite line), and they focused on three basic parking strategies. A driver who employs a "meek" strategy will take the first available spot, preferring to park as quickly as possible even if there might be open spots closer to the entrance. A driver employing an "optimistic" strategy will go right to the entrance and then backtrack to find the closest possible spot.
Finally, drivers implementing a "prudent" strategy will split the difference. They might not grab the first available spot, figuring there will be at least one more open spot a bit closer to the entrance. If there isn't, they will backtrack to the space a meek driver would have claimed immediately.
[...] Based on their model, the scientists concluded that the meek strategy is the least effective of the three, calling it "risibly inefficient" because "many good parking spots are unfilled and most cars are parked far from the target."
[...] "On average, the prudent strategy is less costly," the authors concluded. "Thus, even though the prudent strategy does not allow the driver to take advantage of the presence of many prime parking spots close to the target, the backtracking that must always occur in the optimistic strategy outweighs the benefit." Plenty of people might indeed decide that walking a bit farther is an acceptable tradeoff to avoid endlessly circling a crowded lot hunting for an elusive closer space. Or maybe they just want to rack up a few extra steps on their FitBit.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/science/2019/09/to-find-the-best-parking-spot-do-the-math/
(Score: 3, Insightful) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday September 27 2019, @01:10PM (13 children)
I use the "look across the lot as you're pulling in to it" strategy. Works like a boss.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by Gaaark on Friday September 27 2019, @01:30PM (5 children)
I use the park far away but its under a tree in the shade method.
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 27 2019, @02:24PM (2 children)
I use the "park far away from the idiots" strategy. No door dents.
My wife parks between two Mack trucks and wonders why she can't open the doors.
(Score: 5, Interesting) by Nuke on Friday September 27 2019, @06:25PM
I use the "park far away as possible from the front door" stategy.
I don't want, or at least I want to minimise :
1) Crowds around me
2) Door dents
3) Cars parked next to me obstructing my door opening and loading
4) Shopping trolleys scraping past my car
5) People watching me eat my sandwiches in the car
6) People seeing what I have got in my car
7) Security guys around the building doorway noticing I'm just parking, not actually going into their shop
8) To act like an academic study assumes I act.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday September 28 2019, @01:05AM
I use the "park in the handicapped spot with my legal permit and then get yelled half the time at because I don't use crutches" strategy.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Snow on Friday September 27 2019, @03:12PM (1 child)
I avoid trees.
Bird shit, stickies from leaves in the spring, leaves in the fall. All hazards of parking under a tree. Plus, in the winter (AKA 75% of the time), the sun will help warm the car.
I'm not sure what part of Canada you are in, Gaaark, but I am envious that you had a warm enough summer to require shade for your car.
(Score: 2) by Gaaark on Friday September 27 2019, @04:10PM
Somewhere lost in Southern/Eastern Ontario.
Maybe.
I could be lying.
But I'm not.
But can you be sure.
:)
--- Please remind me if I haven't been civil to you: I'm channeling MDC. ---Gaaark 2.0 ---
(Score: 2) by krishnoid on Friday September 27 2019, @01:37PM
Or maybe sometimes the math is right, but the solution won't work [slashdot.org].
(Score: 5, Funny) by Pslytely Psycho on Friday September 27 2019, @03:21PM (4 children)
I tried that method.
Unfortunately I can't see over the top of the large trucks.
Unfortunately I can't see over the top of the SUV's.
Unfortunately I can't see over the top of the full size cars.
Unfortunately I can't see over the top of the compact cars.
Thank (insert sky daddy of choice here) I can see through the shopping carts. Well the metal ones anyway.
Finding my car is the reverse .
Fortunately it's bright red so I do eventually find it.
Dammit. I high centered on a pack of cigarettes again.....
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Friday September 27 2019, @04:03PM (2 children)
Mid-life-crisis-mobile, eh? What flavor?
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 2) by Pslytely Psycho on Saturday September 28 2019, @08:34AM (1 child)
Exactly. It's a '95 Vette. Now if I could just get my wife to go along with the 20 year old girlfriend aspect, life would be perfect....(:
Alex Jones lawyer inspires new TV series: CSI Moron Division.
(Score: 2) by The Mighty Buzzard on Saturday September 28 2019, @07:11PM
She's just being narrow minded. Trade her in on a 95 model too.
My rights don't end where your fear begins.
(Score: 1, Funny) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 27 2019, @04:36PM
You drive a Barbie car Ken?
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday September 27 2019, @06:12PM
Hear! Hear!
Amazing how much smoother life is when you pay a little attention to your surroundings.