Coronavirus: Are we breaking the two metre rule in car parks?

https://www.stuff.co.nz/business/120700833/coronavirus-are-we-breaking-the-two-metre-rule-in-carparks

As Covid-19 brings strict social distancing rules, some are choosing to park within door-hitting distances at the supermarket.

A user on social media site Neighbourly expressed her concerns about how people were choosing to park close to one another. 

"Could we also observe some etiquette in the car park too? Park a space apart, not next to another car? Especially not driver door next to driver doors.... just a thought!!" the comment read. 

The Neighbourly user said she had to leave her house each day because she was an essential service worker.

On the first day of lockdown, people did a good job of keeping their distance from one another and the supermarket was not as busy, 

However, further into lockdown, more people were going to the supermarket, and they were not keeping their distance, she said.

"There's plenty of car parks to ensure you're keeping your distance; unless of course you're needing a disabled park."

Stuff visited Blenheim's Pak'nSave to see how everyone was sticking to their "bubbles". 

​The line to get inside the supermarket stretched around the corner.

People were practising social distancing as they queued, but a number of cars were parked beside each other, despite plenty of empty spaces. 

Nadine Johnson, who had empty spaces on either side of her car, said she consciously parked away from others when she arrived at the supermarket. 

"I definitely thought about it when I got here," Johnson said. 

"When you're packing everything into your car you want to be sure that you're keeping your distance. 

"There's times in the supermarket where it gets a bit congested when people want the same things though, so you have to be quite careful about staying two metres away from others." 

Hayden Macgregor said he tended to park further away from everyone at the supermarket anyway, otherwise he risked having his car scratched. 

"In saying that, someone has parked beside us since we arrived," Macgregor said. 

He said everyone kept their distance in the supermarket but "occasionally" you would have to get closer then two metres. 

Dillon Maurice, who was waiting in the car, said he had not considered where he parked when he got to the supermarket, but was staying in the car with his children anyway.

Emila Vaelua said he made sure to park further away from others. 

He managed to get to the supermarket early enough to beat the queue that had developed. 

"Everyone is making sure to keep their distance," he said.