Shopping centre parking blunder goes viral—and it's making everyone furious

The countdown to Christmas shopping madness has well and truly begun, and with it comes the annual battle for car park spaces. But one Melbourne driver has taken parking desperation to jaw-dropping new levels, sparking outrage across social media and leaving fellow shoppers absolutely bewildered.

When parking goes completely wrong

Victoria Gardens Shopping Centre, with its impressive 2,100 car spaces across six levels, should theoretically have enough room for everyone.

Yet somehow, one driver managed to park their car not in any of these thousands of available spots, but smack bang in the middle of a driving lane.

The incident, captured on social media by user @bjj_run_up, shows a car positioned exactly where you'd never expect to see one parked—right in a traffic lane, with a directional arrow painted on the ground behind it pointing the way forward.

The footage has since gone viral, with viewers expressing everything from disbelief to righteous indignation.

'Somebody thought that was a parking spot,' the social media influencer says in the clip, his bewilderment palpable. 'How is that a parking spot? That's not a parking spot.'

The shopping centre where it all went wrong

Victoria Gardens in Richmond isn't just any shopping centre—it's one of Melbourne's major retail destinations, serving as Richmond and inner-east Melbourne's premier retail and lifestyle destination for over 20 years.

The centre offers 4 hours of free parking with validation, making this parking blunder even more inexplicable.

Located conveniently near Richmond's transport hub, the car park has entries from Victoria Street, Burnley Street and Vickers Drive, with discounts available at night.

With such accessibility and generous free parking, there's really no excuse for the kind of parking chaos that unfolded.

What the law says about lane blocking

While private companies run car parks attached to shopping centres, that doesn't mean anything goes. Parking fines in Australia can vary depending on the severity of the offence and the location, with common penalties for parking violations being enforced even on private property when safety is compromised.

Blocking a driving lane, as seen in this Victoria Gardens incident, creates a safety hazard for other drivers and pedestrians.

While shopping centre management typically handles enforcement on private property, such blatant disregard for basic traffic flow could potentially result in more serious consequences.

This isn't a one-off incident

The social media comments reveal this type of parking behaviour is depressingly common. 'It happens a lot and you hear centre management calling it out over the PA system in malls,' shared one commenter, while another noted: 'It happens a LOT in shopping centres. I've seen it so many times.'

The timing couldn't be more telling. As one astute observer commented: 'It's only October! It's going to be even madder closer to Christmas!!' This prediction rings true for anyone who's ever braved the shopping centre car parks during the festive season rush.

Some commenters speculated the driver simply gave up after circling endlessly: 'They didn't 'think' it was a parking spot. They drove around for ages and gave up and said, 'F it! I'm just going to park right here.''

Smart shopping strategies for busy periods

For those of us who've felt the frustration of hunting for parking spaces during peak times, there are smarter approaches than blocking traffic lanes:

The verdict from fellow drivers

The response to this parking fail has been swift and unforgiving. Comments ranged from the diplomatic ('My guess probably an old person') to the cutting ('They thought the painted arrow was pointing to the parking spot') to the exasperated ('Ain't nooo wayyyy').

The incident highlights a broader issue about courtesy and common sense in shared spaces. Shopping centres are community hubs where a bit of patience and consideration goes a long way—especially during the busy festive season ahead.