Parking Lot Roulette

Friday night found me circling the parking lot off of Dobbin trying to find a spot near QDoba. For a while there, it didn’t look like it was going to happen, largely because of patrons of the Ale House. It reminded me of the time someone suggested to me that no one actually cooks in Columbia because they are too busy eating out. Certainly many of us are out on Friday night, circling for parking spaces

That particular shopping center is oddly shaped and far from level. In the evening it’s drawing to Pei Wei, QDoba, and Ale House. Earlier it also includes Roggenart and First Watch, plus retail establishments. Is it “Columbia proper” or an outparcel? I don’t know. Across the road is Dobbin Center. I’m not a particular fan of that parking lot either, although it is certainly regularly shaped and graded.

I saw this on Twitter and wondered:

4/11/19 - - What in the fresh hell is happening today?! It took me over 45 minutes to get out of Dobbin Center! People were cutting others off, driving down the wrong side, etc. It was a mess! Stay away! #HoCoMD

I feel like I wrote a post a while back about the parking lot on Snowden where Home Slyce/ Chutney etc are located, but I’m not finding it at the moment. Update: I found this post on Facebook from six years ago:

I was amazed at how crowded that whole shopping center was this evening, because of the restaurants. Every space filled, plus many extras "created". Plenty of young folks, plus young couples with babies, people of varying ethnic backgrounds...it is what a downtown should look like. Minus the enormous parking lot.

There are pockets of restaurants tucked in around town that continue to attract despite less than stellar parking set ups.

Of course, my experience doesn’t match everyone else’s. While I was circling looking for a spot, friends of ours were having a civilized meal at Facci at Turf Valley. I wonder what that parking lot is like on a Friday night?

Share your parking lot roulette stories here.