As ParkingCarma's lead on wireless sensor installations I
spend a lot of my time in parking lots, so I was intrigued when CEO Rick Warner
sent a note about P2: The Movie, opening November 9. I secretly
wonder what Rick was watching when he saw the "P2" trailer. I've never seen Rick turn on a TV. I didn't know he owned a TV. But it doesn't AT ALL surprise me that a
movie featuring a parking garage caught his attention.
My time for TV is almost nonexistent, and from November to
April, any TV time I have is dedicated to college basketball. It's safe to say that the marketers of
"P2" aren't targeting college basketball fans, because I hadn't seen
the trailer.
Here's the synopsis of the P2 Movie:
It's Christmas Eve and Angela is the last one at the
office, finishing work before the holiday. When leaving, she gets to the parking garage and her car won't start.
She's late for Christmas dinner, the garage is deserted and her cell phone
doesn't get a signal. Before she knows
it, she's knocked unconscious and wakes up tied to a chair in the security
guard's office. If Angela wants to live to see Christmas, she must escape from
level P2 of the parking garage.
While we can lightheartedly debate the cinematic merits
of "P2", the reality is that parking lots have a reputation (many
deservedly so) of being dark, scary places where shady things happen and
people, especially women, fear for their safety. Not that we needed it, but "P2"
gives us a great excuse to highlight some areas of the ParkingCarma service
that address safety, security and SmartParking.
One of the great features of our website is that users are
able to view or add their own reviews of parking lots that are listed in the
ParkingCarma SmartParking Information Network. We are also working on a quantitative rating system for all the garages
and lots in our network, giving the user a convenient way to compare and seek
out garages that meet the criteria that are most important to them.
In addition to reading reviews from other users and a
"Parking Profile" written by ParkingCarma staff, you will be able to view the ratings for
garages and lots based on many criteria such as: Lighting, Video Surveillance,
Onsite Security, Neighborhood, Overall Lot Size, Distance to Destination, and
many other factors. If you think of
criteria we haven't considered, please let us know!
I have seen some bizarre things in parking lots--enough
to make me wish for a website I could go to for parking lot reviews--but
luckily I've never been witness to a crime like "Parking Rage". Local, on-the-ground knowledge and experience is essential, especially
when safety depends on knowing when and where you should and shouldn't be. That
is part of the uniqueness and greatness of the ParkingCarma service: You tell us where you're going, we'll lead
you to the best places to park near your destination. And you can choose your final parking
destination based on factors that are important to you and based on reviews
submitted by others in the community.
Park safely!
