As for the free lots ie:Safeway, what I do is walk in to the store, go check the price of one item, then leave and go to were you want to go. They are only checking to see if you go into the store. They are not keeping track of people leaving the store, and cross referencing with who went in the store. I do this in Whalley when I go to A&B Sound.
As for gImpark. The bastards. I got a ticket in the L shaped lot at Davie and Burrard, while parking for a pooning assignment. I didn't try to get away without paying, nor did the time expire. I tried to pay, but the damn machine was on the fritz, and wouldn't accept any money. They had a sign for you to pay by phone, but I was in a hurry. I got a ticket. I thought it was about $75, but only $40, if paid within a week. Simplest thing to do was just pay it, and not have any letters or phone calls broadcasting that I was at Burrard and Davie at 1:00AM.