Parking Lot Strategies...

[LucidMomentum]

If I have to park near someone, like in compact spaces, I always take a photo of both of our license plates. That way if the worst should happen, I have something to go off of. Granted this only works for short trips in and out of stores.

[Wise]

Originally Posted by Jake360

i try to park next to the nicest cars in the lot, hoping that they dont want to hurt their car either.

M.A.D. doctrine.

Mutually Assured Denting

[billyk]

Originally Posted by mav1178

Just remember:

You can go out and plan your daily routine all you want, but life will always throw curveballs with you.

If you give up after the first curveball, perhaps a loveable car like the FRS isn't the right car for you.

I thought a bit the same way with all my previous cars, used or new. Even with my BRZ, everything was new and how I liked it.

I went to Streets of Willow on Saturday and one of the cars in front of me dropped two wheels and sandblasted the front of my car. One of the stamped lines in the hood now has a sizeable dent & paint chip in it...

Am I sad that it happened? Sure. But it's not going to be the end of me nor my car, and I shaved 3 seconds off my best time at the track with the BRZ on that day.

-alex

Good to hear about your track time!

And no, I am not giving up, was just annoyed for a few minutes. But thanks for the advice.

-bk

[billyk]

Originally Posted by LucidMomentum

If I have to park near someone, like in compact spaces, I always take a photo of both of our license plates. That way if the worst should happen, I have something to go off of. Granted this only works for short trips in and out of stores.

Wow - you've really got this covered.
Never thought of this!

[billyk]

Originally Posted by strat61caster

I regularly park my POS truck next to nice cars.

It's handily so narrow that I can fit into spaces most people with big fat wide expensive cars think they are safe from neighbors in.

Nice!

If your avatar is a give-away, I doubt you'd want someone to park a truck too closely to your '61 Strat.

Tell me you own one...

[beatgenie]

I normally try to reverse in at the very end of the parking lot, that way to the LEFT of me, there is nothing but grass/curb/bushes and to the right of me, there is a parking spot. I do this because MOST people tend to just park frontwards, which means they won't have the chance to door ding me as long as they don't have any passengers. Of course this won't work if the person decides to reverse in......it always pisses me off when someone reverses in. And yes, its always the damn trucks.

[billyk]

Originally Posted by beatgenie

And yes, its always the damn trucks.

Amen.

[Phantobe]

I try to park near nice cars or just away from everyone. Never park next to minivans or family size SUVs.

[jblmr2]

Originally Posted by mav1178

1) this is just a car
-alex

Couldn't agree more. I park mine closest to the door of shop I'm going in. For me it's a driver not a garage queen. It's almost better if it gets it's first ding early then I stop worrying about it.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Jake360

i try to park next to the nicest cars in the lot, hoping that they dont want to hurt their car either.

Can backfire horribly as I parked beside a Benz one time and came out to find the guy pretty much sitting on my hood talking to somebody!
Keep in mind the "nicer" the car the higher the probability of the driver being a major douche. To these guys our cars are cheap junk.


This is my strategy. It is too complicated to put in words:

[beatgenie]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

Can backfire horribly as I parked beside a Benz one time and came out to find the guy pretty much sitting on my hood talking to somebody!
Keep in mind the "nicer" the car the higher the probability of the driver being a major douche. To these guys our cars are cheap junk.


This is my strategy. It is too complicated to put in words:

Nice. I do a rendition of that strategy at whenever I go to walmart. Except I do the loopity loop more towards the southeast corner of the lot, whereas you do the northeast.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by beatgenie

Nice. I do a rendition of that strategy at whenever I go to walmart. Except I do the loopity loop more towards the southeast corner of the lot, whereas you do the northeast.

In reality I park at the closest open spot I can find. With the crap I keep getting hit by on the highway door dings are the least of my worries.

[Decay107]

To prevent assholes from doing this I always drive my beater car and double park next to an end space. Then I take the bus home, get the FR-S, and re-park the beater and FR-S together to allow for 1 car-width buffer zone. If I'm going to be there for more than 10 minutes I always put a car cover on the FR-S. Then when I'm ready to leave I just do it all in the reverse order (minus the double parked beater step, wouldn't want to waste time!)

[shiumai]

Originally Posted by Jake360

i try to park next to the nicest cars in the lot, hoping that they dont want to hurt their car either.

That's what other people are thinking as well. "That FR-S/BRZ looks nice and well taken care of. I'll park right next to it and protect my car from one side!"