Category Archives: Safety

December Parking Advice in Chicago

Published By Chicago Towing

With the Christmas season fully in effect, Chicago traffic can be a bit overwhelming. Between a swelling influx of tourists and Chicagoans coming home to visit family, and the hectic crowds embarking on holiday shopping expeditions, being a driver in the Windy Season can be somewhat more difficult around this time of year. Malls and parking lots are full of people; and although most people don’t know this, parking lots are actually very common settings of traffic accidents – from rear enders, to even hit and runs. Additionally, crowded distracting parking lots are perfect environments for trouble makers like pickpockets, carjackers, thieves, and other vandals. In order to keep yourself, your vehicle, and the people you love safe – follow Towing Chicago‘s official Chicago parking safety tips.

 

  • Avoid shopping (and parking) at the most busy times of day. This is usually at weekday nights and weekends.
  • Consider using valet parking – this way you don’t have to search for a space, and you won’t have to worry about whether your car is staying safe.
  • Drive slowly in parking lots, and always use your turn signal.
  • Never park in tight parking lots – this way you can avoid scrapes and bumps.
  • Park farther away from buildings to avoid the chances that shopping carts or cars backing up might dent or smack your vehicle.
  • While walking to your car or backing out, make sure to be aware of other cars that are backing out or in at the same time.
  • Always park in a highly visible area that’s brightly lit.
  • Roll up your car’s windows and make sure all doors are locked.
  • Always keep the number of a reliable service like Chicago Towing on hand.
  • Always have your keys on hand while you’re walking to your car – as well as your phone, just in case you need to quickly dial 911.
  • Never leave valuable possessions like expensive clothes or electronics in a visible area of your parked car while you’re away from it.
  • When you’re walking to your car, look around for any suspicious people lingering inside the area.
  • If you feel unsafe, ask a security guard or nearby person to escort you to your car.
  • Put all of your shopping bags inside the trunk, rather than conspicuously in the back seat of the car.
  • Lock the car doors as soon as you enter the vehicle.
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Unofficial Traffic Crimes

Published By Chicago Towing

There’s traffic crimes – the type that can get one arrested or ticketed – and there’s traffic infractions, that break the collective ‘rules of the road’ and can potentially create dangerous, or minimally, annoying situations for other drivers. Here are some of Towing Chicago‘s choices for the worst offenders.

 

Refusing to use blinkers

There’s nothing more annoying than sitting in traffic and have somebody quickly pull in front of you, causing you to surprisingly slam on your breaks. If they used their turn signal, it wouldn’t be nearly as startling and dangerous.

 

Parking Spot Thievery

If someone is obviously waiting for someone to pull out so they can take their parking spot, don’t swoop in and take it – it’s straight up rude and completely inconsiderate.

 

Following people walking to their cars

Sometimes it’s hard to find a parking spot – we can all identify with the maddening search for an empty spot when all you want to do is get home and take your shoes off. However, it’s flat out creepy to stalk someone leaving a store carrying bags to their car, because not only is it vaguely threatening, but it rudely passively asks the person to walk faster – just circle around the block and drive slowly to look for an available spot.

 

Switching between bike and road rules

If you’re riding a bike, make sure to follow all the other collective rules that would apply to an automobile driver. Stop at all stop signs and lights, face the correct way, and obey all right of way laws. Just because you’re on a bike doesn’t mean you’re diplomatically immune from all the rules of the road. This goes the same to motorized wheelchairs – which should be operated on the sidewalk, where it’s much safer.

 

Waving Thank you

Being stuck in traffic can be aggravating. Which is why it’s such a  sigh of relief when somebody finally courteously allows you to pass to get into your needed lane. If you’re being allowed to pass into a lane, be a person and wave thank you to the driver interrupting their schedule to slow down enough to allow you to merge – it will show them that their kindness and courtesy is appreciated, and will encourage them to demonstrate similar kindness to other strangers. Good deeds beget other good deeds – especially on the road.

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