Cars are getting bigger, Dutch parking spaces are too small

Should the parking spaces in the Netherlands be larger or is it going the other way?

Big bigger Biggest. Modern cars have really become whoppers. Especially if you place a current model next to an older generation. In a country like the United States, such a mastodon makes little difference. Plenty of space and you can park anywhere. This is slightly different in tight Europe, and it is also noticeable in the Netherlands.

I recently saw the new BMW i5 in a parking garage. The nose extended beyond the parking space and the butt seriously stuck out. To such an extent that motorists driving through the garage really had to pay attention to avoid the i5’s gigantic ass. The parking space was a lot more compact than the i5. We are talking about a BMW 5 Series, the 7 Series is even longer.

Crossovers and SUVs

Modern cars have become gigantic. There are several reasons for this. They must be increasingly safer to pass strict tests. A larger car is safer than a smaller one. In addition, there are all kinds of assistance systems in the car that have to be stuffed somewhere. Larger cars also offer more space for the occupants. The fourth point is the general trend. Larger cars, especially crossovers and SUVs, are doing just fine. So car manufacturers will continue to grow for the time being instead of shrinking.

Parking sizes

The question is: should the government in the Netherlands look at the general dimensions of the parking spaces? In the past, parking spaces of 2 by 4.8 meters were normal. This means that you stand out with the Nio EL8 presented yesterday, because this car is 5.09 meters long. Some parking spaces are now being constructed with a size of 2.5 by 6 meters, but not everywhere people are bowing to car growth.

This has to do with the general area, for example. In a city, a parking space cannot simply grow. Moreover, cities would rather see cars disappear than welcome them.

CROW, a knowledge platform that advises the government on road widths and traffic lights, told NOS that developments in society are in principle followed. This means that roads, curves and parking spaces are adjusted as cars grow in size.

Yet municipalities are having difficulty with the developments. Larger parking spaces can also have an attractive effect on larger cars, because they fit anyway. So maybe just keep the compact parking spaces in the Netherlands as they are. Are we all going to drive small cars, like the new Fiat Grande Panda! Because, fortunately, compact cars are still being made.

Photo: a neatly parked Mercedes-Maybach S500 via @toyotafortuner on Car Whiz Spots

Comments

1. DeWitteCondor say

   We have an RX450h. Not a small boy, but overall I can accommodate him just fine. Abroad, especially Italy, it is often much tighter. This is mainly due to people who simply cannot properly get their car straight into a space. Neat parking should receive more attention. And if you are standing on a corner, move it to the outside as much as possible.

2. Dutchdriftking say

   And then you find yourself with your modest Alfa among all those enormous crossovers. Constantly hitting doors…

3. Jelmer S say

   I think that concrete beam in the photo is more of a problem, as are curbs that are too high, etc. An SUV is almost obliged to avoid these types of obstacles so as not to get parking damage under your car. And you don’t even need a lowering kit for that these days…

   • mommy say

     That concrete beam as you call it is to prevent part of the car from protruding over the sidewalk.

4. car62 say

   This is because the European government requires cars to have more and more safety zones built into them. This automatically means that the cars will become longer and wider. Because this is a government rule, the government must also ensure that the parking spaces are wider.