Leaving the store today and couldn't remember where I parked

[captain queeg]

I was standing there with my shopping cart and looking around. A woman came up and asked if she could help. Told her I was looking for my car and described it and she pointed it out. I was thinking I must have looked like a confused oldster. Then I thought, yeah because I am.

In my defense I have a very common looking car. Seems like all the cars a few years ago were grey and a Honda Civic looks a lot like a Toyota Corolla and Hyundai, etc. I’ve even tried getting into someone else car in a parking lot in the past. But I guess I need to start taking note of where I park when I’m in a big crowded lot.

[jimfields33]

1. I ALWAYS park in front of the store sign even if there are a hundred

Free spots closer. It’s saved me numerous times and I’m still relatively young.

[Chainfire]

11. And I thought I was the only one. ;)

I drive a sub-compact car, it gets lost among all of the pickup trucks. As long as I can get into hearing distance of the horn, I am fine. But when I walk into the store, I go, "OK, self, you are on the row of the M in Home Depot! I am getting old, but my short term memory has never been anything to write home about.

[Ohiogal]

18. My little Corolla is red

But how many times it has gotten completely obliterated by a mammoth pickup truck parked on either side.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. This is exactly the reason I bought a turquoise car.

Everybody has black, white or gray cars these days. Mine stands out in that sea of non-colors and I hardly ever misplace it in a parking lot.

[blueinredohio]

21. I have an orange equinox. I've seen a few but not many.

[happybird]

3. They do all look alike!

I bought a silver/grey Corolla a year ago and still have problems locating it in parking lots.

[mahina]

4. I feel you

Park in the same place every time I go to Costco because it’s the farthest from the door so there’s always a spot and it’s the closest to the exit so I don’t have to fuss around with all the people parked in the middle of the lane and dangerous situations. Also I always know where my car is because I have been there too.

[MuseRider]

5. Understand.

We got lost in a huge parking garage when we were at Disney World long ago when our kids were small. They were whinny and we were bone tired but I bet we walked for miles up and down looking for our white rental among many white rentals.

Today I make sure my car has a key fob that will honk the horn or start the car, that helps some. Even with that I try to photograph what I can see standing beside the car when in a big lot.

Sucks doesn't it?

[Bev54]

6. I have done that many times, just never admitted it

I use the car lock (not the alarm) to hear the horn honk once.

[luvs2sing]

7. I started driving when I was 18.

I’m 63 now. And I’ve lost my car in parking lots for every year I’ve driven. When I got a phone, I started taking pictures of where I’m parked. It’s nuts. I have an amazing sense of direction but, if I’m not parked directly in front of the door, I’m likely to be lost.

[Clearly fogged in]

19. Isn't that the truth!

An innate sense of direction along with organized thinking allows you to travel the world effortlessly. But those damned parking lots...

[gblady]

8. Oh, yes,

My favorite grocery store used to have banners of farm animals at the end of the parking rows, and I would make a mental note which one I was parked in, the cow row, the pig row etc. Then they got rid of them. I was lost a good number of times right after that. Now I look towards the building and remember where I am in relation to it, but the banners were much easier.

[Phoenix61]

9. Neat trick I heard on a radio show.

The reason it’s so easy to loose your car in a parking lot is because you don’t know where it’s parked in relation to anything else. You’re looking at the entrance on your way in. So before you walk in, turn around and find your car and make note of where it is in relation to other fixed objects, like light poles. When you get done shopping and walk out the parking lot will look familiar and you’ll have an easier time finding your car. Use this when I can’t park in my”usual” spots and hasn’t failed me yet.

[Dave in VA]

10. I forget which vehicle

I drove to the store. I'll walk around pushing a cart for half an hour looking for my jeep when I drove the wife's sedan to the store.

Gettin' old ain't for whimps!

[drray23]

12. if you have a remote keyfob just walk around clicking.

when you get close your car will honk.

[flor-de-jasmim]

13. On trips, I've occasionally looked for my own car instead of the rental!

My worst experience was parking a rental car in a shopping center in Minneapolis - the parking lot was one big ramp. I couldn't remember where it was, and after a while, I couldn't even remember what it looked like. Luckily it only took me 20 minutes to remember that the license plate number was printed on the key!

[Croney]

16. When I rent a car, I take a picture of it, and the license plate, with my phone.

Now I always know what the car looks like. I wish I'd thought of it years before I did.

[True Dough]

14. I've never once had difficulty finding my car

It's because I'm always in the Dole position.

[Wicked Blue]

15. Years ago people used to tie things to car antennas

Artificial flowers, pompoms, ribbons, etc.

Unfortunately cars no longer have radio antennas.

[blueinredohio]

22. I was thinking the same thing.

[Liberty Belle]

17. I was with a driver once who did that at Disneyland, worst possible place!

Somewhere around 1 in the morning, after everyone else had left, we finally found it.

I used to occasionally have trouble finding my silver Toyota Camry, the most common color of the most common car in America at the time -- often there would be several in the same row at stores. When it got totaled in a wreck, I bought the same model but in robin's egg blue. Nobody has that color, it seems,so I've had no more troubles spotting it.

[dem4decades]

20. Back in the day I would go to Costco so often sometimes it was hard to remember where I parked

from one day to the next. Car alarms on the key are friends at times.

[KatyaR]

23. I don't go many places these days, but where I do go

I always park in the same place or close to. I also have a remote horn and unusual bumper stickers on the car. My anxiety can't handle even thinking I've lost my car.

[CentralMass]

24. If you have a smart phone and use Google maps you can have it save your parking location.

https://www.blog.google/products/maps/remember-where-you-parked-google-maps/

[2naSalit]

25. I've done that most of my adult life.

And when I used to drive semis more than cars, I would leave the store looking first for my truck in the back of the lot. If there isn't one that I recognize, if I'm with someone, I try to recall which of us drove there. Then it comes down to what did I get here in? and where the hell is that? Lately it is the same issue you had. Don't get too down about it, happens more than you might think.

[marigold20]

26. I hear ya!

I have a little different story. I left a big box store and for once knew where I parked. I followed a woman out into the parking lot which was filled with dirty black sedans similar to my Civic. She proceeded to my car, got in (wasn't locked), got back out, and took off in search of her own dirty black car. Now I have a silver Civic, just like most cars are today!

[DeeDeeNY]

27. I've been "directionally challenged" my whole life

There are some good apps to help with parking:
Dude Where Is My Car and Find My Car.

[Joinfortmill]

28. Or hanging a daisy on your car somewhere!

[DavidDvorkin]

29. There are actually times when I do remember.

[CountAllVotes]

30. I lost my car while at a Led Zeppelin concert at Kezar stadium

I had no idea where I had parked MY FATHER'S VW!

I was walking around in San Francisco looking for it after the concert was over.

I couldn't find it and I was crying!

Luckily, the SFPD spotted me and they drove me around the area and found my father's car.

Ye gads that was embarrassing and I was only 16 years old at the time so I couldn't blame it on age/memory!

[captain queeg]

31. I had my car stolen at a concert in Pittsburg when I was a teen.

I couldn’t believe it was stolen. Kept thinking I’d just forgotten where I parked it. Finally accepted reality and talked to a cop I saw doing traffic duty. He remembered seeing me the night before with a couple ner-do-well locals and told me their names. I tracked the name down in the phone book and called his mom. After the concert cleared out we found my car in the parking lot, kind of trashed, but we made it home before it gave up the ghost. It was actually quite an adventure all in all. We found some other guys from our home town in the parking lot and they escorted me home (the perps had ruined my brakes). Can’t remember for sure who we went to see, it was one of those stadium concerts with multiple bands. I think BTO was headlining.

[DeeDeeNY]

32. Install the Find My Car app

Once you're parked, open the app and set the car location. When you look for the car, the app will lead you to it.