Parking
- Thread starter alexman
- Start date
I'm going to add my 2 cents to this thread and then as a Mod I am going to expect the discussion to remain on topic which is a request for good parking tips.
Some year ago when I had my 1st really nice car (Porsche 911) I was transferred to St. Louis, MO for about 6 months. I stayed at a large hotel near the airport that also rented suites by the month. It was not uncommon on weekends for there to be 2 or even 3 weddings to be held at this hotel. The parking lot would fill up with wedding drunks making me very nervous about where to park my 911. I found a place next to a wall and taking up 2 parking spaces that I believed would be safe. Well, I was and I was never damaged from another car but someone got pissed because I was taking up 2 parking spaces and left a note under my wiper blade telling me what a inconsiderate SOB I was. Did I mention they also keyed my car....a lot. I was not breaking any law by taking up 2 spaces on private property but the police were not real sympathetic. They made out the police report for my insurance company and suggested I try parking in a single space. I have since found ways to park safe without pissing anyone off and I think that is especially important when you drive cars like we drive.
Some year ago when I had my 1st really nice car (Porsche 911) I was transferred to St. Louis, MO for about 6 months. I stayed at a large hotel near the airport that also rented suites by the month. It was not uncommon on weekends for there to be 2 or even 3 weddings to be held at this hotel. The parking lot would fill up with wedding drunks making me very nervous about where to park my 911. I found a place next to a wall and taking up 2 parking spaces that I believed would be safe. Well, I was and I was never damaged from another car but someone got pissed because I was taking up 2 parking spaces and left a note under my wiper blade telling me what a inconsiderate SOB I was. Did I mention they also keyed my car....a lot. I was not breaking any law by taking up 2 spaces on private property but the police were not real sympathetic. They made out the police report for my insurance company and suggested I try parking in a single space. I have since found ways to park safe without pissing anyone off and I think that is especially important when you drive cars like we drive.
I think that the best is to park at the end of a row or next to a curb, on a little bit of an angle. It gives the car a bigger footprint and you're only accessible for damage on one side. If you are out in the back 40 doing this, the paint might last just a little longer. :crapparking:
Z4coupebeaver
Member
I think I want on of those alarms as featured in an episode of Pheonix Nights - you know the Peter Kay series. One of the bouncers had got an alarm fitted to his car and if anyone went near it, the car would shout in a threatening Bolton accent "get back you ba$$tards" 
I've suffered the wrath of another driver when I've taken up 2 spaces. This was in a car park with 200+ spaces with about 30 cars in it. I've since then gone to using just one space as I realise using 2 spaces draws attention to my car which may increase the chances of getting keyed etc.
Do you think I could get away with using mother and child spaces by dropping a child seat in the passenger seat and wearing crap womens clothing together with too much make up to try to convince others that having kids hasn't ruined my looks.
Mind you, I think the beard might give the game away.
I've suffered the wrath of another driver when I've taken up 2 spaces. This was in a car park with 200+ spaces with about 30 cars in it. I've since then gone to using just one space as I realise using 2 spaces draws attention to my car which may increase the chances of getting keyed etc.
Do you think I could get away with using mother and child spaces by dropping a child seat in the passenger seat and wearing crap womens clothing together with too much make up to try to convince others that having kids hasn't ruined my looks.
Mind you, I think the beard might give the game away.
sammyz said:
Look mate, I'm not trying to start a fight here. As others has pointed out it does upset other people when they think you can bend the rules because you think your car is more important then theirs.
And yes I have driven above speed limit and got done for it - but I dont make excuse for it, accept I was wrong and dont expect others to be sympathetic with points on the license. In fact I had to pay way over the odds on the insurance for good few years and hence my holier than thou attitude of what goes around comes around....
Boys - keep it friendly as Mod WLH has already commented and requested. We all have different ideas and opinions which is great, but let's not stray into getting too excited or personal.
Hate to end on a bad note, so here's my tactics...
1. If the car park has enough space I park miles from anywhere and take a couple spots - but I try and make it look like bad parking rather than deliberate.
2. Park next to cars so I am next to passenger doors - with a bit of luck people won't be using them.
3. Go for 4 door cars - as mentioned about the TT, 2+2 coupes and hatchbacks have longer doors.
4. Disabled and child parking is strictly off limits for me! Besides... it's at the other end of the car park to where I usually park!
5. Avoid any space near the bosses wife!
1. If the car park has enough space I park miles from anywhere and take a couple spots - but I try and make it look like bad parking rather than deliberate.
2. Park next to cars so I am next to passenger doors - with a bit of luck people won't be using them.
3. Go for 4 door cars - as mentioned about the TT, 2+2 coupes and hatchbacks have longer doors.
4. Disabled and child parking is strictly off limits for me! Besides... it's at the other end of the car park to where I usually park!
5. Avoid any space near the bosses wife!
jontysafe said:
You're just asking for trouble!!! It's bad enough most people think we're rich so and so's with no care for social responsibility - don't make them right!! :x
I would scream if my car was damaged with no note left, but we should at least aim to be doing the "right" thing ourselves..
Just a thought..
I never park next to 4x4's, and especially not people carriers. But whenever i get back to my car there's always a bloody people carrier next to it leaving me 2 inches to get in my car!! 
I always look for the biggest space possible, or an end space. The Z4 is quite a strange shaped car, you notice when you park in between 2 'normal' cars. So if i'm parked between 2 I always end up parked with my back end sticking out a bit so that my wing mirrors don't get damaged if the doors are opened on the other cars.
But even doing all of this doesn't stop your car getting damaged. I went to Asda on Thursday lunchtime, was in for about 15 minutes and i came back out to find massive scratches all down my rear bumper on the driver side, a few dents and the bumper doesn't sit straight anymore they've deformed it! At first i thought some inconsiderate bastard had rammed a trolley into it, but when i saw the full extent of the damage i knew someone had drove into it. So it's getting repaired this week (hopefully i can get away with not buying a new bumper) and now i am going to s**t myself every time i leave my car in a car park.
I was having a conversation with my Mum last week, and we said they have spaces for disabled, spaces for people with screaming kids, why can't they have spaces for people that actually give a s**t about their cars and don't want to fork out hundreds of pounds to fix their car after doing the weekly shop??!
I always look for the biggest space possible, or an end space. The Z4 is quite a strange shaped car, you notice when you park in between 2 'normal' cars. So if i'm parked between 2 I always end up parked with my back end sticking out a bit so that my wing mirrors don't get damaged if the doors are opened on the other cars.
But even doing all of this doesn't stop your car getting damaged. I went to Asda on Thursday lunchtime, was in for about 15 minutes and i came back out to find massive scratches all down my rear bumper on the driver side, a few dents and the bumper doesn't sit straight anymore they've deformed it! At first i thought some inconsiderate bastard had rammed a trolley into it, but when i saw the full extent of the damage i knew someone had drove into it. So it's getting repaired this week (hopefully i can get away with not buying a new bumper) and now i am going to s**t myself every time i leave my car in a car park.
I was having a conversation with my Mum last week, and we said they have spaces for disabled, spaces for people with screaming kids, why can't they have spaces for people that actually give a s**t about their cars and don't want to fork out hundreds of pounds to fix their car after doing the weekly shop??!
Agreed - happily pay a premium for priority space to park next to likeminded people. Problem is I bet some little sh**s would come and key the line of nice cars. Hope the car's back to prior glory without to much £££ Lucy.
I went to uni in Derby and when I visit I love parking at the Bold Lane carpark. Supposedly it's one of the 10 most secure places in the world. There are sensors under every space - if the car moves without you entering the fully locked car park with your ticket alarms go off. CCTV can see every space and a 24/7 guard keeps an eye on things. Best of all are padded barriers between each space to prevent door damage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/2004/02/bold_lane/index.shtml
I went to uni in Derby and when I visit I love parking at the Bold Lane carpark. Supposedly it's one of the 10 most secure places in the world. There are sensors under every space - if the car moves without you entering the fully locked car park with your ticket alarms go off. CCTV can see every space and a 24/7 guard keeps an eye on things. Best of all are padded barriers between each space to prevent door damage.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/derby/features/2004/02/bold_lane/index.shtml
doesn; matter where you park... back end of an empty car park.... you can guarantee when you come back a ratty fiesta and a cavalier with matt paintwork and no wing mirror will be in both bays either side... with the rest of the car park still empty........... :thumbsdown:
yep, the end bay trick at least minimises the risk!
yep, the end bay trick at least minimises the risk!
I bought a little buzzbox car for this reason (amongst other z4 preservation issues) Too paranoid about parking anywhere.
If I have to park it somewhere public and I'm with my partner, I wait in the car. The buzzbox car already has some scratch marks on the door from being door savaged in a car park - if it was the zed, I'd probably cry.
Funny how one can become so emotionally attached to a car.
I have wanted to take the zed on many outings but have declined due to the parking being substandard (usually on-street parking)
If I have to park it somewhere public and I'm with my partner, I wait in the car. The buzzbox car already has some scratch marks on the door from being door savaged in a car park - if it was the zed, I'd probably cry.
Funny how one can become so emotionally attached to a car.
I have wanted to take the zed on many outings but have declined due to the parking being substandard (usually on-street parking)
I very rarely take up two spaces but I'm pretty anal and will walk a good distance much to the annoyance of my gf.
Butt.. over 3 years later I've not got a single parking ding on mine, which I still think is more down to luck than judgement.
My previous Spider was very susceptible to this, no door strips and a bulbous shape... if you farted near it it looked like it had been hit by a trolly.
Butt.. over 3 years later I've not got a single parking ding on mine, which I still think is more down to luck than judgement.
My previous Spider was very susceptible to this, no door strips and a bulbous shape... if you farted near it it looked like it had been hit by a trolly.
