I'm with everyone...Park at a end space next to the curb or far away from everyone...I've parked in the middle of no where once, only to come out to have some PS parked next to me! REALLY!?!?

 

Never valet unless they let me park it myself and take the key with me. Usually will tip the valet guy for letting me do that. Otherwise, along an end spot, preferably not below a tree or where there are sprinklers. Never take up 2 spots because that is an invitation to get keyed or worse.

This may be a little off topic, but relates to maintaining the quality of our cars:

When bringing my car in for service, I use the blue painters tape all along the edging of the doors and cover the entire door sills to avoid heel scrapes, etc. I also cover the center console with the tape to protect the GT Silver paint. The service guys know that I am real serious about the condition of the car and when they see the blue tape, it sends the message I also tell them not to wash the car after any service. This helps avoid unwanted scratches, dings, etc. I do all my own cleaning and detailing.

 

Funny how that works out. I have that happen all the time. The other day I parked a good 30 spaces from the nearest car for 10min. tops. When I came back out, there was a POS Tercel next to me and a 70's Ford PU in front of me and still 28 spots open. Its like I'm a beater magnet.

 

Almost forgot...Farris Buller made me fear valet forever.

 

Never 2 places, but always as far from everybody as possible and usually at the end of the row. That decreases your chances of getting someone beside you by 50%. Usually someone still finds the one possible space.

Have you also noticed that the rusted old cars and Smarts take the best and widest parking places usually??!!

 

Yes, and you get that F350 4X4 truck that has to park righ by you and block your vantage point to your car that you have been keeping an eye on from the restaurant.

 

I think I am in the minority here.. buuuut. If in the suburbs and there are a lot of open spots, I will park in the middle of no where and in 2 spots. I am more worried about someone accidently dinging the car ( a lot higher probability in my opinion), kids, families.. etc, people not thinking, losing their shopping cart on a windy day. Than some jerk going out of there way to damage it.

I figure if I am in the middle of no where, you have to go out of your way to get there and let's face it, most people are lazy. The walk is a deterent. If they drive there.. then it's probably also a lot of work, you would have to stop your car, pull the keys out. key the car, then get back in plus many lots have cameras so I would have slight chance of getting their plates then.

However let me stress I NEVER take up 2 spots if there isn't ample parking for other people.

Would be nice if i could install some sort of lightweight camera system in the car to track down would be ding and runs.

-John

 

You'd be surprised at how far people go out of their way. The only scratch I ever got on my 911 was from some dingus parking next to it so he could look at it and hitting it with his door as he got out. I came F-in unglued. The car was 50-60ft from the nearest thing.

 

That is exactly why I park in two spaces.. same thing w/ my Gallardo.. for some reason that car is an idiot magnet. I parked in a single space once in the middle of no where and when I came out people who wanted to look at it were parked right next to it on each side (very close), the lot was empty when I pulled in. I found that if i park in 2 spaces .. the people who come to look at it will park inside the normal space lines, leaving me w/ a half space buffer on each side.

I guess you can never prevent some jerk from intentially doing something to your car, but atleast it helps w/ the accidental dings and scratches.

 

I've found that nicely and quietly pointing out to the guy parking the car (valet or parking deck in NYC) that the car has no dings along with slipping him a 5 to park somewhere out of the way results in no problems. I'm not up to insisting on parking my car myself.

I've noticed that parking remotely attracts POS cars like nothing else. It's like a dope attractant. I like those right side end spots too.

 

To the OP - these are the ONLY spots I will park in ;-)

(wish this was always an option ...)

 

I'll be honest, I'm usually that guy that goes out of my way to park next to someone in the back of the lot. Unless it's raining or something.

 

In Afghanistan?
-Getz

 

I'll park my donkey next to you and hope he poops behind your tire...

 

Why???