car parking coincidence

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understandinguncertainty.org was produced by the Winton programme for the public understanding of risk based in the Statistical Laboratory in the University of Cambridge. The aim was to help improve the way that uncertainty and risk are discussed in society, and show how probability and statistics can be both useful and entertaining.

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I was staying at the HF Holidays house in St Ives last week. The car park held 18 cars in 3 lines. Two lines were adjacent, so it was necessary to provide reception with your number plate in case your car was blocked in. Mine was, so on the free day I had ask the people blocking me in to let me out. They just happened to be sitting in their car as I made for their room. We exchanged a few words and they drove off. I set off for St Just, about 12 miles away and found the town car park. It held about 100 cars and was virtually full. I drove round until I found a space and backed into it. The car directly behind me was the same car as at the HF house, and the couple emerged from it at exactly the same moment as me. We stared at each other in total disbelief and said 'What are the chances of that happening?'
Total votes: 150
Date submitted:Wed, 14 Jul 2021 21:01:05 +0000Coincidence ID:11398