Parking Lot Survival Guide – My Scariest Moment

My dad. Known (to his children) for having four or five pieces of advice that he VERY frequently reminds us of. “When you are at an intersection, and are first at a stoplight, and the light turns green, wait a minute before you just go. Make sure there isn’t a car that is going to run a red light and smash into you” (heard that one a million times). “Always expect the unexpected” (heard that one a million times). “Be very aware of your surroundings, when you are walking alone in a parking lot” (heard THAT one TWO million times.)

When I left home for college, my dad drilled into my brain, “do NOT be walking around campus at night by yourself. Never. Under any circumstances”. “Ok dad! I won’t!” (“I mean, not that often….I mean, only if it’s a short walk. I mean….maybe a long walk, but as long as it’s lit really well. Oh, ok, forget it. I’m now walking clear across campus in the pitch dark at 2 am.” ).

I’m giving my dad a bit of a hard time here I know, but as you will soon find out…..he was right, and I should have listened.

During Christmas break, my sophomore year of college, I got a job working at a restaurant here in town, and often times, after getting off work, we would all go hang out together somewhere. There was one place in particular that we liked to frequent.

In hindsight, the parking situation at this particular place was just kinda creepy. But,  I was 20…and “invincible”, so I give zero thought to the fact that that parking lot was surrounded by highway, woods, and hotels, and had very little lighting.

One night, 7 or 8 of us headed off to hang out. We parked in the very furthest corner of the very furthest parking lot, against a curb. On the other side of the curb was an expanse of grass, on the other side of THAT was an expanse of woods, and on the other side of THAT was a hotel. I would be returning to the car (I thought) with the other three girls I’d ridden with, so it didn’t really matter that it wasn’t the safest place to park…I would be in good company.

On this particular night, I was ready to get home, take a bath, read a book, and go to bed early. So, after confirming that the girls who had ridden with me could find alternate ways home, I left. Alone.

I left the crowded hangout spot, walked past the crowded patio area, walked past the crowds of people out front. Kept walking past the busy parking lot, where lots of people were coming and going. Walked down a not-so-crowded road, and eventually arrived at the completely DESOLATE parking lot we had parked in less than an hour before.

I remember walking through that parking lot, swinging my purse in one hand and a glass in the other (free refills). I literally remember saying to myself, “this is the perfect place to get attacked or robbed or something”. What an airhead, I was. I still wasn’t scared, because…it was the perfect place for someone ELSE to get attacked or robbed. Not ME, of course. I got to my car. Fumbled around, in the dark, for my keys. Found them. Dropped them. Fumbled some more. Airhead. While I’m fumbling, I hear footsteps, so I turn around. I see a guy running towards me. I still wasn’t scared. I was either the bravest chick alive, or the dumbest, I’m not sure. I remember just being curious. “What the heck does HE want? Did I leave my purse inside, and he’s bringing it out to me?” (remember, my purse is on my arm. I just dug my keys out of it. Did I mention I was an airhead?) So I just stand there, eyes squinted, trying to figure out who he is and wants he wants. He finally gets close enough that I should be able to see him…only…I can’t. Because he slaps one hand over my eyes, the other over my mouth, and tackles me to the grass in front of my car.

The next minute and a half or so is somewhat of a blur, but I do remember bits and pieces. I did NOT get raped, actually, which is a bloody miracle. I DID get groped. I did get roughly manhandled. I could not see anything, which was terrifying. The guy kept telling me to be quiet, and he wouldn’t hurt me. Um, no. Another piece of “dad advice” is that if someone ever tries to attack you, NEVER stop screaming. Scream and scream and scream no matter what. And I did. He kept nervously insisting I quiet down, but I never did. I was still holding that glass in my hand, and lamely attempting to hit him on the back with it, but he grabbed it and threw it into the woods behind us. After about a minute and a half…which seemed like a year and a half….he said, and I quote, “ok fine. I’ll leave you alone”. And he ran off. And I will never know why, other than God’s provision. I don’t know if my screams were making him nervous. I don’t know if he saw someone else coming. I don’t know if I was his “first”, and he decided at the last minute that MAYBE he didn’t want to be a rapist after all. I’m just not sure. I can only hope I wasn’t his “practice session”, and he later went on to do grander things. I do know that I picked myself up off the ground at lightning pace, got into my car, and backed out of there, tires squealing. I do know that I called my husband (boyfriend at the time), hysterical, and he jumped in his truck and hightailed it from College Station back to Austin that night. I know that he and my dad staked out that parking lot, hunched down in their car, with baseball bats, for the next week (they might have enjoyed that just a LITTLE too much). I know that despite my best attempts to give a description, and work up a composite drawing, they didn’t catch the guy. Mostly, I know that my dad was RIGHT, and that I should have taken his advice, and NOT been walking alone in that parking lot. Oh, and I know that now, I am OVERLY cautious..paranoid you might say..in parking lots.

So besides me just keeping you on the edge of your seat with a nail-biting story, what is the point of this article?

Well, I think that as moms…arms loaded down with kids, bags, strollers and cups….perpetually distracted…attention pulled fifty million different ways….car doors open, and backs turned, while we load kids up….we are EASY targets.  Stupidly easy.

I’m sure many of you have already read tips like the ones below, but I don’t think it hurts to be reminded of them again. That being said, here are some things you can do to keep yourself safe in parking lots and garages:

– Try your best to pay attention, be aware, and do NOT be distracted. I KNOW that is difficult with children, but give it your best shot. When you are all alone, do not talk on your phone, and do NOT have ear pods in your ears

– Already have your keys in hand, so you don’t have to fumble for them once you get to the car

– Carry pepper spray, and/or some sort of noisemaker

-If you find yourself in a parking garage (which I personally try really hard to avoid at all costs), don’t ever take the stairs or elevator. Instead, walk the ramps, and walk as much to the CENTER of the ramp as possible

– When loading a baby into a car, put the baby into their seat, then get INSIDE the car with them, and lock the doors, before going through the sometimes arduous process of buckling them

– After getting into your car, immediately lock the doors BEFORE you do things such as: check your phone, fiddle with the radio, dig through your purse, etc etc

– Try your absolute best to park in a spot that is close to the entrance, and well lit

– Don’t hesitate to ask someone to escort you to your car. This is something else my dad AND my husband always suggested I do, when I was waiting tables and getting off work late at night, and I RARELY ever did. It just felt goofy to have to be escorted to my car. Goofy or not though, a lot of trouble can be avoided that way.

Parking lot incidents tend to increase during the holiday season, so with Thanksgiving and Christmas right around the corner…let’s be safe, ladies!

Do you get nervous in parking lots or garages? What tips do YOU have that you could share with us?? Please comment below!!