Doris Day Parking

There are many elements to driving in the city that are irritating. Parking is one.

An advantage to riding your bike is that you don’t have to deal with the tedious search for parking spaces. Back when I used to drive a lot more than I now do, I remember often circling around blocks, looking for a spot that wouldn’t require me to walk half a kilometre just to get to where I was going.

The expression Doris Day parking is taken from the scenes in her movies in which Doris Day invariably finds the perfect spot, right in front of where she is going. Every day is a Doris Day parking day for cyclists. Occasionally I’ll have to search out a good spot for my bike, but it never takes me more than a moment. Parking is a time-wasting, sometimes stressful activity I can happily live without.

And I don’t have to pay to lock my bike, either. Living as I do in Toronto, a city somewhat infamous for its parking charges, I’m happy to not have this steady drain on my income. Nor do I have to worry about getting parking tickets. I can park almost anywhere I like free of charge.

Cycling in the city brings many challenges: it might be raining; it might be cold or windy; you might get hit by a car; your bike might get ripped off. But at least you can park like Doris Day.