Curbanoia
 

I've always been paranoid about curbs and have never rashed a rim.

My personal rides have ranged in size from an '85 CRX, to an '05 Ram, and my work vehicles have typically included full size vans and large straight trucks.

Here's my problem, and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced this:

I cannot get close to a curb with my 86.

It goes beyond the paranoia of damaging a rim - I've always had nice wheels and could judge the whereabouts of the curb to my satisfaction, but in the 86, one of the smallest vehicles I've owned, I constantly find that I've parked at least a foot away from any curb I pull up to.

Your counsel is appreciated, and I confess in advance that I did not search this subject.

Well, I hear that fer sure.........:sigh:

I can't seem to judge either side all that well. I have difficulty judging the drivers side when pulling up to a bank ATM or a drive through fast food places, by being too conservative.

As far as the passenger side, I'm also way usually way too conservative.

Where I miss the mark sometimes is turning into drives. For example, we were driving in an unfamiliar town a couple weeks ago looking for a restaurant, when my wife said "turn here", so I did. Where I turned was NOT a driveway ...... BAM ... I lucked out, no busted tires or rims ..... :bonk:

NO, @Ultramaroon, it was not at night, it was not raining and I was not drunk .........:cry:


humfrz

My doors sit about 7 inches off the ground. Many curbs are 10 inches high. If I want to open the doors I have to be at least 18 inches away. Since I never know when I may want to open the doors I always park at least 18 inches away from a curb.
My front is about 4 inches off the ground. Needless to say I don't get even close to curbs or stop logs.

Ouch!

I have no problem getting close. My issue is with backing straight into a parking spot. I can't seem to get it right.

Apparently, at least middle-aged dogs can learn new tricks. This is my first car with electric mirrors. I've discovered it's easy to see the curb in the passenger side mirror by adjusting it accordingly; temporarily, of course.

Yuh, curbanoia is a issue with me as well. I was at the drive thru ATM last month and the insert card was so F'n high I had to reverse and move a lil closer. Plus I'm short asian & I have a shoulder issue at the moment so F'meh! Holding my car door and reaching to use ATM was a nightmare. LOL! Whoever viewed that bank video had a ROTFLMFAO moment if you get my drift.

I had a parking curb moment so I'm sure I got scrapes under front end. Lil curb rash on one rear tire cause I was in a rush. So yuh you're not alone in curbanoia, it's alive and well in most of us with a 86! ;)

Well, Ultramaroon ...... you can't go straight in ..... ya gotta cut the wheels ...... :rolleyes:


humfrz

That's what she said....

I usually just sit up straighter when parking and don't seem to have any problems. The front fender hump tells you where your front wheel is, and I use the passenger side mirror to judge the back.

I don't know if dodging cones at AutoX helps one better learn the dimensions of the car too. Taking turns too wide hurts your time, so I always work to keep it tight.

^

Oh, I can parallel park with my eyes closed but I can't back into a straight one. You know, like parking at a union shop.

http://www.audiofkingston.com/wp-con...rkingspace.jpg

Same boat as you...ive never curbed a wheel before (knock on wood).

I always reverse into the spot and use my side mirrors as guides...the problem is that the fenders are wide but wheels are flushed into it so it kind of throws off the perspective that it's close. The front is also wide and the wheels are flushed in too.

Funny you mention that, I can back my work truck (Silverado with the extra big cab and regular box) straight as an arrow. The FRS? Always off kilter. I think it's the paranoia of backing into the curb. The one time I pulled into a spot (that isn't the garage) was the day after I installed my splitter, I got out of the car, and there was maybe half an inch between the curb and my splitter. What a lucky day that was.

Yep this car is hard to judge by looking. Pull up to a gas pump, you're further away than you thought. The worse is backing up (no back up camera) I don't even try to back this car up in between two cars. It has a lot of blind spots

After you catch the front lip or one of the wheels once (or twice) you give up worrying about it :) Parallel parking this car is a piece of cake, one of the easiest I've ever owned but a backup camera would make it the best. Backing into a parking spot, even a super tight one, is extraordinarily easy with this car. If it has a parking log/stop I just keep going until my tow hitch hits it so I know I'm all the way in :bonk: The thing hangs so low it hits everything anyway...

I want to install cameras front and rear though because I think the really would make life easier but I'm cheap.