The bad, the worse, and the straight up crazies
 

I always think twice before I park or drive somewhere. Not sure if I'm just paranoid because the FRS is my first major purchase or if I'm just over exaggerating the stories I hear on here in my head. Regardless, it seems like if I park in the furthest spot in parking lot, I always walk out to at least one rusted old mini van parked right on top of me. Cops tailgating me has become a daily routine and mini vans trying to run of the road happen on occasion (for real).

My question for you guys...and ladies is, have you seen people damage other vehicles (FRS) or have road rage towards you?

I don't think it is FR-S specific, it is just that most people are oblivious to their surroundings and have placed themselves and their wants and needs above common sense and courtesy.

I have road rage towards everyone and I park on the closest available spot... no issues here.

Yes.

most people just don't care as much about there cars as some people do

id rather park in the furthest spot possible to avoid door dings and what not.
people don't care for property that isn't there


in my Previous car, i parked in no mans land, there were tons of parking spots around for people to park in, soccer mom van pulled in next to me while i was in the car, and the woman opened her door and banged into my car, i freaked out at her, she told me it was just a minor dent, cant even see it,



i actually parked the FRS the other day in Town on a busy street to go to a concert venue, i was worried the entire time thinking i was going to come outside and find scratches or dents on the car, i dont have faith in humanity at all


i also find the weirdest cars trying to race me or mess around with me on the street,

I don't know and it's a hard subject but do feel your pain. I had to stay in NC for a few months where I received the most damage to my car. I came out of a movie during matinee hours to find a door dig so deep it has to be repaired or l risk the paint flaking. (when I seen it I honestly thought it was intentional or someone was out for me. . . But wait a minute, I didn't know anybody there.)

I suffer from this level of paranoia as well. The FR-S is my DD, so I have to accept the fact that eventually, something will happen. However, I still do my best to park in spots that are less likely to leave me with dings (I think). I'd be lying if I said I haven't said to myself "Fuck this, I'm getting a Prius."

Can it be the more paranoid you are, the more crap just seems to happen to your car? Just relax and park next to whatever (except where you return shopping carts).

It's because these cars get dinged so easily. The metal is so flimsy, that even a light tap from a more solid car can cause a ding. I never had these worries in my last car (BMW E46). That thing felt like a tank compared to the BRZ.

I've had people try to run me off the road and do dumb shit like that. It's always driving through parts of town where this relatively average car becomes a high profile car, and rednecks in 80's mini trucks and mini vans try to ride me, race me, come over into my lane and do that kind of stuff. Other than that I work in Tampa so I don't have to worry about parking, not many reckless thoughtless people swinging their doors open or parking like assholes. I've had zero issues with cops.

I park my beatup pickup next to people like you on purpose.

No damage, just a little fun.

:cheers:

Can't tell you how many dings and scrapes I've gotten after a year and a half and it still manages makes me smile, and I'm smiling most when I can't be bothered to check out the paint.

You'll calm down eventually. I did a after a year and a half now. However you still avoid the really obvious stuff. I'll put all the shopping carts near me away if I have no choice. No wild shopping carts around me!

Honestly I often just take my Carolla if I am uncertain about an area I'm going to, or if I don't know if I'd be able to find parking that is suitable (too much criteria to meet for me to feel that my car is truly 'safe' there, but I at least try to find a spot that meets most of them - I like walking, so that is never the concern to me). I'm lucky that I at least have that option, but even given that, it is often stressful when I take out my FR-S. I also feel like I get stuck in the most BS situation while driving my FR-S - eg some lifted truck with huge wheel poke, or a bunch of garbage thrown in the back of the bed cuts me off and I'm stuck behind them unable to merge, or waiting to take my exit and I can't get away from them. The worst rock chip that I had touched up (but it still shows) happened to me just as I was exiting the freeway intentionally to get off of the freeway and take the back roads even though it was less gas efficient...so I could avoid rock chips. That was devastating (and left a dent that I had to get removed).

The only door ding I have on my car right now is from the single time I ever parked normally in a parking lot (usually I go for street parking, or I hunt down an edge spot and put my car right up near the curb so that there is an extra three or four feet between my car and the white line) was in a vacant lot except for one other car when I ran into a small restaurant to pick up a to-go order that I had called in. I think I was literally there for maybe a minute and a half, and when I came out I saw a teenaged Asian girl walking away from her car that she had parked right next to me (on my passenger side no less - if she at least had parked on the other side she wouldn't have had to open her door into my car). I think I was staring at her with my mouth slightly opened completely befuddled that she had parked next to me (and even on that side of my car) in a completely vacant lot in the time it took me to dash inside and back out. She just glared at me, and I couldn't see the ding at the time in the lighting, but I later noticed it in direct lighting and now it just sticks out like a sore thumb to me :(

I go out of my way to avoid touching, or damaging cars - even really gross ones that park really terribly next to me (in my Carolla) eg over the line and partly in my spot, etc. I don't understand how people can blatantly open their door fully into another car - especially when there is no reason to open the door that wide. It really is amazing to me how completely careless and stupid so much of the population is; it's down-right depressing.

I think it gets a bit easier the longer you've owned the car - you'll relax a bit, and be more rational about parking it (I still am extremely selective about where I park, but when I first got the car I would literally turn around and start walking back to the car (sometimes two or three times) if I saw someone approaching it that was just passing by).

But anyway, to make a long story short - yes, the struggle is real.

Had to spend a day at the Chrysler minivan plant in Windsor this week. Pulled up and asked security where visitors park. He pointed across the street and said "there with the employees". Was 1/2 hour to shift change and there were already cars lining up all over waiting for spaces (the parking lot is about 5 blocks long and 2 wide). After driving around the lot about 20 minutes I spotted a pickup truck backing out of a spot. When I looked down the lane there were about 6 cars floored in reverse trying to get there first (looked all the world like somebody just waved the green flag at a demolition derby). I managed to slip around the truck and pull in before they could get there as they kept cutting each other off. Sooooo... here I am parked in a sea of Ram trucks,300s, Dodge minivans, Challengers, Chargers, Darts and one lonely 1990s Honda and there are at least 6 people that are REALY pissed at this little import that got the spot they wanted. I avoided eye contact and went to my meeting where I sat and sweated for 6 hours.


PARANOID HELL YA!!!!!