stuck in a parking lot

[paloftoon]

I was picking up a group of people through Lyft in Philly. The app showed that the group was waiting inside the parking lot. I went into the parking lot and put my flashers on. I stayed in my car. There were two women and a child. They left the vicinity soon afterward and closed the garage door and I was locked inside for an hour.

The group of people I was trying to pick up showed up and tried to help me get out within the first 5 minutes, but then they had to leave in another Lyft.


During this hour after, I flagged down a few passerbys to try to help me out. I tried yelling sporadically and no one came out of the building. I then had to call the police and the policewoman was unable to help me find a person. Finally, when the policewoman was about to leave I flagged down another resident walking and she had a buzzer let me and my vehicle out.


I probably would've called local news to help me out if the policewoman had to leave me there to wait it off by myself.

 

[Martha Ferris]

Wow. I would not have dealt with it as well as you seem to.

 

[watersprite]

I was picking up a group of people through Lyft in Philly. The app showed that the group was waiting inside the parking lot. I went into the parking lot and put my flashers on. I stayed in my car. There were two women and a child. They left the vicinity soon afterward and closed the garage door and I was locked inside for an hour.

The group of people I was trying to pick up showed up and tried to help me get out within the first 5 minutes, but then they had to leave in another Lyft.


During this hour after, I flagged down a few passerbys to try to help me out. I tried yelling sporadically and no one came out of the building. I then had to call the police and the policewoman was unable to help me find a person. Finally, when the policewoman was about to leave I flagged down another resident walking and she had a buzzer let me and my vehicle out.


I probably would've called local news to help me out if the policewoman had to leave me there to wait it off by myself.

That is so similar to nightmares I used to have omg glad you’ve escaped. I never liked parking garages. Especially those underground types underneath Hotels which you have to have a code to get the barrier arm to lift for your exit. {{noeh}}

 

[Aspychata]

Maybe you can have another game plan next time in place so this doesn't happen?

At least you know now. Only pick up outside of garage perhaps?

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

You should know better than to pick up people inside of a garage or any dark and lonely place. A lot worse could have happened than just being locked inside. Keep this in mind for your own safety next time.

 

[Au Naturel]

I was picking up a group of people through Lyft in Philly. The app showed that the group was waiting inside the parking lot. I went into the parking lot and put my flashers on. I stayed in my car. There were two women and a child. They left the vicinity soon afterward and closed the garage door and I was locked inside for an hour.

The group of people I was trying to pick up showed up and tried to help me get out within the first 5 minutes, but then they had to leave in another Lyft.


During this hour after, I flagged down a few passerbys to try to help me out. I tried yelling sporadically and no one came out of the building. I then had to call the police and the policewoman was unable to help me find a person. Finally, when the policewoman was about to leave I flagged down another resident walking and she had a buzzer let me and my vehicle out.


I probably would've called local news to help me out if the policewoman had to leave me there to wait it off by myself.

That sounds vaguely illegal. Security systems are generally designed to keep unauthorized people out. If you are already in a structure there is supposed to be a way for you to get out in an emergency or a blackout. The fire department would have been a better bet than the police since they can override most entrance security systems.

 

[Suzette]

What a sucky day! But, tomorrow or next week, it will be a good story.

 

[paloftoon]

That sounds vaguely illegal. Security systems are generally designed to keep unauthorized people out. If you are already in a structure there is supposed to be a way for you to get out in an emergency or a blackout. The fire department would have been a better bet than the police since they can override most entrance security systems.

I agree that this would normally be illegal. However, there was more context leaning for me to be in this lot because the app I was using told me to pick people up in the private lot. (I drove to the lot because I was working as a ride share driver during this time.) Yes, definitely, I will avoid going in such a lot unless I have an explicit text telling me to do so otherwise from the passenger I am picking up himself/herself/themselves.