Worst. Parking garage. Ever.
A warning to anyone who might be parking in downtown Austin in the near future: avoid at all costs the $5 garage on Colorado between 5th and 6th. It's across from a $10 garage, so you may be tempted, but trust me - there is a significant reason for the price difference.
So here's my experience. Last night I drove into Austin to see my friend Aren for her birthday, and unable to find a meter spot, I went for the cheaper of the two close garages. It was one of those with the narrow circular ramps up and down, which I hate, and for the first few levels there were just a few impossibly tight spots in between those ramps. Finally on the fourth level I found a bigger lot off the side, where I parked. Of course, the stairs were locked. So I look for the elevator, and find it, but it's out of order. And there are bits of building stuff everywhere, and bad lighting, so it all has a very spooky horror movie vibe. At this point there are two other guys looking for a way down, so we find a set of stairs next to the elevator, and at the bottom, find a long, dark hallway with no end in sight. To the other side, we finally find a short staircase into the lobby. But all of the doors out of the lobby are locked, except one, which has a trashcan pushed up against the outside. We push our way out that way and I head off to meet my friends, already not looking forward to walking back to my car by myself.
At about 11, I leave Aren and her friends and head back to my car. I decide to ask the parking lot attendant what the best way to get back to my car is, but, of course, she doesn't speak a word of English. Not just she doesn't speak English well - she doesn't speak ANY English. So I go back to the door with the trash can, open it up, notice a homeless man lying on the steps staring at me, and immediately turn back around. I walk around for several minutes trying to find another way in, and the parking lot lady seems to understand what I'm doing and motions me over, and proceeds to lead me back to the door I just came from and point. I try to explain to her, no, there's a man sleeping on the steps, I can't go in that way, because there's no way in hell I'm walking alone up several flights of stairs with this creepy man in my way and easily able to follow and attack me. He just stares and lights a cigarette as I keep trying to explain the situation to the attendant, who finally is just like, "No comprende," and rushes back to check in another car. Well, there's no way in hell I'm going in with the creepy homeless man, so I decide just to walk up the circular ramp to my car (in heels no less). Luckily Emily woke up when I called her and talked to me until I got into my car and locked the doors, because she is awesome.
It was seriously creepy and I really want to report that garage somehow, but I'm not sure how to do that.
Conclusion: Going downtown alone is never a good idea, and they should really teach you how to say "There's a homeless man sleeping on the stairs and I really don't feel like being raped and murdered" in high school Spanish class.
So here's my experience. Last night I drove into Austin to see my friend Aren for her birthday, and unable to find a meter spot, I went for the cheaper of the two close garages. It was one of those with the narrow circular ramps up and down, which I hate, and for the first few levels there were just a few impossibly tight spots in between those ramps. Finally on the fourth level I found a bigger lot off the side, where I parked. Of course, the stairs were locked. So I look for the elevator, and find it, but it's out of order. And there are bits of building stuff everywhere, and bad lighting, so it all has a very spooky horror movie vibe. At this point there are two other guys looking for a way down, so we find a set of stairs next to the elevator, and at the bottom, find a long, dark hallway with no end in sight. To the other side, we finally find a short staircase into the lobby. But all of the doors out of the lobby are locked, except one, which has a trashcan pushed up against the outside. We push our way out that way and I head off to meet my friends, already not looking forward to walking back to my car by myself.
At about 11, I leave Aren and her friends and head back to my car. I decide to ask the parking lot attendant what the best way to get back to my car is, but, of course, she doesn't speak a word of English. Not just she doesn't speak English well - she doesn't speak ANY English. So I go back to the door with the trash can, open it up, notice a homeless man lying on the steps staring at me, and immediately turn back around. I walk around for several minutes trying to find another way in, and the parking lot lady seems to understand what I'm doing and motions me over, and proceeds to lead me back to the door I just came from and point. I try to explain to her, no, there's a man sleeping on the steps, I can't go in that way, because there's no way in hell I'm walking alone up several flights of stairs with this creepy man in my way and easily able to follow and attack me. He just stares and lights a cigarette as I keep trying to explain the situation to the attendant, who finally is just like, "No comprende," and rushes back to check in another car. Well, there's no way in hell I'm going in with the creepy homeless man, so I decide just to walk up the circular ramp to my car (in heels no less). Luckily Emily woke up when I called her and talked to me until I got into my car and locked the doors, because she is awesome.
It was seriously creepy and I really want to report that garage somehow, but I'm not sure how to do that.
Conclusion: Going downtown alone is never a good idea, and they should really teach you how to say "There's a homeless man sleeping on the stairs and I really don't feel like being raped and murdered" in high school Spanish class.