[doma]

Snapped this pic out the office window. I'm paranoid about parking and getting door dinged but sheeze ... look at these bozos. :huh:

Not just one is leaning in on me but both? I watched the guy on the right pull in ... he was on his cell at the time. Oh well. I can't wait till the 'new car paranoia' wears off and I can just relax.

-doma

 

[_JD_]

It wears off?

 

[raggedy1]

can i assume by the pic that you parked right in front of your building's entrance? look at all the open spots!

i would be a little ticked off too. did you ask your officemates why they parked that way?

 

[MattG]

Why did you park so close to the building? Looks like there are some nice, lonely spots in the back!

 

[doma]

>can i assume by the pic that you parked right
>in front of your building's entrance?

Nah - side of building sorta ... just so I could keep an eye on it.

>Why did you park so close to the building? Looks
> like there are some nice, lonely spots in the back!

Yeah but see the trees? Bird poop!

There's a guy who drives his ferrari and parks it in a distant back lot where there are no trees. Can't see it but nobody tends to go back there to park so I'll probably start parking back there too.

-doma

 

[SMYLGR8]

Bro, the Elise is so damn narrow, those guys would have to kick their doors open to ding you. My Boxster is still ding-free after two years, most spots are wide enough to allow for bozos like your peers with a narrow car. And hey, there's always Dent Wizard!

 

[shay2nak]

park in a curb spot. That way only one car can park next to you. On top of that you can park as close as possible to the curb, thereby increasing the space between you and the adjacent spot even further.

park like this. check out all the space i have to the next spot.

 

[jml1952]

The more room you try to give some bozos, the more they will drift into your space. I agree with the curb space strategy, but it's not always an option and still doesn't prevent a bozo from crowding you, just limits potential damage to one side.

Face it. Many people just aren't very good drivers (or parkers) and/or just don't care.

 

[JonOrangeElise]

I agree -- there is no reason for them to park so close. That said: By going in at that angle, they actually make it less likely for them to ding you. In this respect, the nicest thing they could do would be to park far away and at that angle.

Yes?

 

[shay2nak]

Not just one is leaning in on me but both? I watched the guy on the right pull in ... he was on his cell at the time.

i watch these idiots all the time. They just throw the car into the spot without straightening the car out. It doesn't matter what they're doing. For me, I will back out again to straighten the car out because I don't want someone to hit my car. I guess they don't give a **** if someone dings they're car. In that pic it looks like you'd only have to worry about the Integra. But the way he's angled away from you it doesn't look like he'd hit you. I'm sure they're all non-carpool cars.

 

[shay2nak]

I agree -- there is no reason for them to park so close. That said: By going in at that angle, they actually make it less likely for them to ding you. In this respect, the nicest thing they could do would be to park far away and at that angle.

Yes?

yeah i agree with that. when I can only park in tight spots, i'll angle my car to compensate. If i park in a way to form a "V" with the other car, as the open the door they'd have more room then if I had parked straight in. So, it all depends on the environment. But I always try to get those curb spots.

 

[atyclb]

those spaces are all ridiculously narrow. try fitting a Tahoe or Suburban in there!

 

[Allan Gibbs]

Actually, the Integra parked really well. That angle gives his door more distance that if he had parked in straight. The VW, on the other hand, look like he "justed parked." If you parked at an angle opposite of the Integra you would create the max amount of space between both doors on each side of you. IE: if you parked at an angle like this: /

Also, I'd usually find a corner space and move closer to the corner.
But I don't think anyone's out to ding you. I'd worry about someone on the other end backing up into you.

 

[James A]

Park way out in the "south 40" the bozos will always use up the space you try to put between you and them. Park so far out the lazy SOBs will leave you alone.

 

[ajp33]

Not sure about the dinging, but you're car really makes all the others look incredibly boring !!

That yellow is growing on me !!!

 

[Vantage]

I wouldn't worry about it THAT much. Just fine the best parking space you can and then try to be relatively calm about it. You don't need the car to be a source of stress!

When I first got my current black beauty, I was fairly paranoid about it and would stop at nothing to avoid a ding. Now I'm still careful, avoiding obvious pitfalls, but sometimes people park next to you. Once you get over it, you can start enjoying it a little more.

I avoid going to the movie theaters in it and park away from shopping cart collection points at the grocer. Minimal fuss, but no dings thus far.

 

[doma]

>That angle gives his door more distance that if
>he had parked in straight

Hmm - that's true. His door can open more for him.

Good advice all - I'm gonna look around for an 'end' spot from now on to limit exposure to just one side.

-doma

 

[ex-M3]

According to my kids I always park in Timbuk4 - it's twice as far away as Timbuk2!

 

[Racer X]

An end spot can be triky. if the driver side is on the curb. It is hard enough to get out, with a curb your feet are now at seat level instead of below you.

I should be fine at work and home, but will need to go back to my Corvette parking habits for other places, instead of my Trailblazer habits.


Greg

 

[smoseley]

park like this.

LOL !!! Dude, that used to be me. Having scratch-free, dent-free plastic cladding half-way up the side of your car makes you a lot less paranoid. Believe it or not, I got a ding DESPITE it, though!