Valet parking
Many of us focus on safe driving from two principal angles; the ability to operate a vehicle in motion on one hand, and also the ability to bring it to a complete stop on the other.
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Scarcely do we consider the third and fourth legs of the process, that is maintaining the vehicle and parking safely when it is not in motion.
The process of parking is “the act of stopping and disengaging a vehicle and leaving it unoccupied”. More often than not, it involves packing the vehicle in such a way that it is no longer in the way of oncoming pedestrian or vehicular traffic.
It may also involve a series of back and forth steering, forward and reverse movements, especially if one is carrying out a parallel parking reflexes, a good perception of space and distance, a strong mental perception of symmetry.
It is this latter skills - that gives you the ability to steer in one direction with the intent to have the vehicle move backwards in the opposite direction - that leaves many (usually inexperienced) drivers with the need for parking assistance, especially in tight spaces or in unfamiliar terrain.
In some countries, learner-drivers must demonstrate an ability to understand parking signs as a prerequisite for passing the driving test. Also, some drivers are not quite able to master the art of parking safely in a specific or clearly-marked space. This is where valet parking comes in.
Valet parking is defined broadly as “a parking service offered by restaurants, theatres, stores and other hospitality businesses in which customers' vehicles are parked for them by a person called a valet, in contrast to self-parking, where customers find a parking space on their own”.
In our environment, one may occasionally depend on a friend, close relative or acquaintance such as the office driver to park one’s car in an appropriate place, often as a one-off favour.
A valet may be an employee of the facility or an employee of a third party valet service. Valet parking may require a fee to be paid by the customer or it is offered free of charge by the establishment.
Valet parking is most useful in densely-populated urban areas, where parking is scarce or in extremely high demand. In large cities, land is expensive and parking space therefore, comes at a premium.
For instances, space in the city of Boston in Massachusetts is such a rare commodity in 2009, a single parking space in one upscale neighbourhood was sold for $300,000.
In such areas, one would see motor vehicles parked, where the driver leaves the keys to the vehicle with an attendant who arranges vehicles, so as to maximise the number that can be parked in the lot.
Compared to self-parking, valet parking adds a touch of luxury to the driving and arrival experience.
Many locations and events that provide valet parking provide extra touches such as bringing the car up front, having the doors opened for the guest, and in some rare cases cleaning and detailing of the vehicle.
The main advantage of valet parking is the sheer convenience. Customers do not have to walk from a distant parking spot carrying heavy loads or spend long periods searching for an empty slot.
Many handicapped drivers rely on valet parking when they cannot walk to a distant parking and vice vesta. Valet parking is convenient in a bad weather. With valet parking, it is possible to pack more cars in a given space, in what is generally known as "stack parking."
The valet holds all the keys and can park the cars two or more deep, as he can move cars out of the way to free a blocked-in car.
Another type of stacking is lane stacking, which is useful for events where guests happen to arrive at the same time, in cases such as wedding reception or press cocktail.
The reason for this procedure is to keep the lane of incoming traffic flowing, so that guests are spared waiting for valet service.
Another advantage of valet parking is that valets can park cars closer and straighter than some customers may do.
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This will save them space in the parking garage as well as prevent the waste of space normally associated with inexperienced self-parking drivers.
In recent times, there has been huge emphasis on the restriction of on-street parking facilities and maximising the income from parking charges and fines as major income sources for local government authorities in big cities here and abroad.
Deterrents to wrongful or overdue parking can take physical forms such as vehicle immobilisation, exemplified by the wheel clamp, as well as non-physical forms such as issuing parking tickets to the registered vehicle owners. The latter is not seen as effective in this country as tracing such defaulters is fraught with identity challenges.
By Chief Driver/ The Mirror / Ghana
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