Rather than simply looking for empty spaces, I should have been watching the people, in particular those walking away from the shopping centre. You won't find a better leading (literally) indicator of future parking opportunities, and while it's no panacea, it may just give you that "edge".
Obsessed trader that I am, I immediately drew parallels to the investment universe, where it is equally important to keep an eye on other market participants. Knowing their position and anticipating their next move is important in a zero sum (ex commission) game like forex, where your success depends on outwitting your opponent. Understanding where they will be weak, and positioning yourself to benefit from their failure, is just as important as knowing yourself and the general market conditions.
"Know the other, know yourself, and the victory will not be at risk;
Know the ground, know the natural conditions, and the victory can be total."
Sun Tsu
Just one thing. You want to ignore Mothers with strollers in the car park, they take forever to leave.
And incidentally, I actually think the guy in the picture is doing it RIGHT, but that's a topic for another day.
