Answers
As far as the parking ... in large cities, especially, some stores contract with parking structures so if a customer buys something at the store, they are not charged for their time in the parking garage (we're still a quite car-centered society, if you couldn't tell). When you park in the structure, you are given a receipt or ticket, which you don't pay until you leave (the charge is usually based on how many hours you're parked). So if you buy something, the store "validates your parking." Why the word "validate" came to be used, I don't know.
As far as the bus, I think that's probably more of a film-making shortcut, although some cities do have certain zones where bus travel is free.
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