Weird Parking "phenomenon"

[Sensi Star]

So long ago I've noticed that when I visit a large store with a large parking lot, mainly Walmart (parking lot is huge), more often than not:

When I leave, as I get in my car and prepare to start it and pull out, more often than not one of the cars directly to either side of me has it's owner get in and also leave (or prepare to). Most of the time it is me who enters the car first. Then when I'm briefly getting organized I see someone walk up to and enter their car right next to me.

This was actually happening so much that I found it bizarre, and began keeping track of how often it happened. The results are:

Out of 20 visits so far, this happened 14 times (14/20 = 70%) !!

Now it's not like I'm spending an hour in my car before I leave such that it's bound to happen. I spend no more than 2-3 minutes then I pull out. How could it be that when 2 people enter the store at different times, spend different amount of time in the store, not only leave at the same time but also happen to be parked right next to each other?? It's theoretically very unlikely to happen (right?), yet it happens more than HALF the time.

Is there any mathematical or logical explanation for this (doubt it), and has this been happening to anyone else?

 

[SpaceYeti]

No matter how unlikely something is, it happens the way it happens. Simply because two separate things have shown to be likely to coincide, it doesn't mean there's a causal relationship. However, it also doesn't mean there isn't one. In this case, I'd say chance has simply favored something unlikely. However, in the future, maybe note other similarities in the situations. Is it the same person, are you parking in a good place or where people are likely to park if they're in a hurry, same kind of car, or anything else at all similar? Maybe time how long it takes you to get to your car and to leave, sit down and take note of the rate people park in that lot, etc. This one variable tells us nothing.

 

[pjoa09]

Try being more generous and skip some spots.

Imagine every other individual.

They would find the closest possible spot put their car in it. Get in the supermarket as quickly as they can,get what they want, and get out.

It is likely you have done the same all these 20 times.

I am just hypothesizing that all the spots that you park into are near the entrance and you are among the people who are on a quick stop. You are probably even showing up and predetermined times because they are more convenient.So are they and you see each other getting into cars at the same time.

In this guess, the factors that are increasing the likelihood of you finding someone next to you getting their car out is increased by the fact that you are in the 'quick stop'(that's my made up word) area of the parking lot and you are going there at a routinely time. Maybe you don't realize it yet.

Many others have probably parked much further from the entrance and aren't leaving for some time.

I am just guessing.

 

[redbaron]

Same thing happened to me today actually.

It's the Illuminati for sure.

 

[Sensi Star]

I am just hypothesizing that all the spots that you park into are near the entrance and you are among the people who are on a quick stop. You are probably even showing up and predetermined times because they are more convenient.So are they and you see each other getting into cars at the same time.

Actually, I usually park very far from the entrance, as these are the only spots that are open long enough for one to pull into it.

Also, since I have the crazy INTP non-scheduled way of doing things, every time I go to Walmart is a different time in the day.

I guess the only factor that increases the odds of this happening is the high availability of spots far from the entrance. I'd assume employees would be parked near the entrance (or do they have a different lot?), and they work long shifts so for most of the day the only spots available are far from the entrance, thus putting most customers in those spots and increasing the odds?