SINCE last year, she is accustomed to arriving at Plaza Singapura an hour before her movie starts so that there is ample time to park her car.
Miss Adeline Cheng, 26, a senior research executive, waits more than half an hour for a lot outside its six-storey car park on weekend nights.
She isn't the only car owner who is perpetually caught in the traffic jam at Handy Road.
The situation is particularly acute this month, with the ongoing Great Singapore Sale and the one-month school holidays.
There are also more cars on the road - 514,685 cars as of last year. It is a rise of more than 40,000 from the previous year.
A parking attendant at The Cathay told my paper that the car park via Handy Road is almost filled by the time she reports for work at noon this month.
She said: "We have only 214 lots. And when there are functions, we need to reserve lots for VIPs, so even fewer lots are available to the public."
Guests can wait up to 45 minutes for a parking lot on a busy night.
Plaza Singapura, with close to 700 lots, fares no better during peak periods.
Photographer Nat Koh, 28, said: "I find it common to wait at least 30 minutes to enter the Plaza Singapura car park on weekend nights. If I had a choice, I wouldn't park there."
On the other end of Orchard Road, Wheelock Place, which has only 266 lots, also gets drivers' votes for parking woes.
Part-time delivery man Mr Mohammad Khairil, 30, said: "I can spend up to 15 minutes finding a parking lot for my van there, because even the loading bay is full during lunch."
But not all motorists find parking a hassle in downtown areas.
Lecturer Mr Lim Seow Hock, 57, said: "You have to go during off-peak hours. I have had no problems at all though I drive to Orchard to do my shopping."
There are other ways to beat the crowd, say car owners.
Miss Cheng said: "I park at alternative areas like Cairnhill Place to avoid disappointment. If you insist on parking in the busiest malls on weekends, you?re likely to be very unhappy."
Mr Shahril Mohammed Salleh, 32, a supervisor of a public cleansing department, concurred.
"At Ngee Ann, I can make several rounds within the upstairs car park and not find a lot. These days I park at the Singapore Power Building instead."
In a straw poll with seasoned car owners, my paper tells you where and when not to park at four of Orchard's busiest shopping centre carparks.
