Parking a car can prove to be an oddly difficult task for some. This isn't something that's specific to either sex, mind you. It's just that some folks out there have issues with spatial awareness, multi-tasking, and all of the other skills needed to be a good parker.
Officials in China feel that the women often find this task more difficult than their male counterparts (according to the LA Times, the manager of the service area said female drivers have required assistance from security guards to park their cars numerous times). That's why they've decided to create "Female-Only" parking spots in a highway service area lot.
The spots are framed with a pink border, depict a logo similar to the one found on a female restroom door, and are 1.5 times larger than a standard parking space. A town in Germany tried something similar a few years ago.
The Internet, as you would imagine, is extremely (virtually) vocal on this matter. As they should be, really, as one's gender has no real bearing on the ability to park a vehicle. Still, the website Weibo surveyed 1,700 folks and found that nearly 64 percent believe female-only parking spots are a good idea. The service area has only relegated eight of its nearly 400 spaces to this pink parking locations.
Our view on the matter? Rather than restrict who can park where, why not spend more money on better driving education? This isn't a remark left just for China, of course. We'd love to see more in-depth driver training and education here in the States as well. Pull into any shopping center and you'll see plenty of drivers—both male and female—who could use a few more lessons on just how to keep their car in between the lines on the ground.
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