Public parking.......not good...

I

imported_Luster1

New member
My BIGGEST pet peeve of all time......parking lots.



I'm just blowing off some steam here.



I posted something similar regarding door-dings, but this is really about what can happen in parking lots.



I love to see my car, perfectly detailed, sitting all alone at the very back of a parking lot, a quarter-mile away from any other car!



IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!



People with the "Jerry-Springer-Mentality" are constantly on the prowl for isolated gorgeous cars.



In those cases, here's what happens:



The offender spies the car, in all of its magnificent glory and does one or more of the following offensive acts:



a) Parks his dented, rusted-thru, salt-infested RAG within inches of your spectacular beauty.

b) Dumps a milk-shake on the ground right at your driver door.

c) Says with a gutteral Ozark accent, "He thinks he's so cool.........Well, Ah'll show HIM!"......then spits tobacco juice on you hood!

d) Possible key-ing

e) Probable door-ding

f) Boot kicks are very popular

g) The possiblities are endless for the jealous-at-heart! (vandalism abounds!)



Tips for avoiding such Low-Rent acts in BUSY parking lots:



1. If at all possible, never park at Wal-Mart or any grocery store.

2. If you have an alternate car, drive it to the store.

3. NEVER angle park over 2 spaces (draws attention to your car)

4. If you back in, your asking for trouble. (draws attention to your car)

5. Find some other nice cars in the parking lot and park near them. (rarely happens!)

6. Park near street lights.

7. Here's a good one.......(a tip from another thread).....park on the "up-hill" side of all parking lots (carts)!

8. Some buildings have side parking lots.......less traffic........pretty good bet for parking.

9. Under trees......not good. (sap and bird-bombs)

10. Keep a couple of MF towels and a bottle of QD in your car at all times! Birds have special training in locating detailed cars.

11. Although car covers are nice, in my opinion, you're asking for trouble if you use it in a public parking lot. I know a lady who found 2 smashed eggs under her car cover when she came out from the grocery store (she works there).

12. Never leave the sun-roof open or any window cracked.......cigarette butts and fast-food-trash always find their way to those spots.





Anything else?
 
I'm sure glad I live in the 'burbs of Montreal. I don't much like the 'burbs, but parking is usually not a big problem. People here are usually quite considerate about not giving door dings, etc. I guess the majority of people here care about their cars (not like Autopians, but some). I hope I haven't jinxed myself by typing this. :eek:
 
Taxlady said:
I'm sure glad I live in the 'burbs of Montreal. I don't much like the 'burbs, but parking is usually not a big problem. People here are usually quite considerate about not giving door dings, etc. I guess the majority of people here care about their cars (not like Autopians, but some). I hope I haven't jinxed myself by typing this. :eek:
Click to expand...



Can't say I've had the same luck with parking in Montreal. In fact I recall no less than 7 incidents in 2 years where my cars, and cars of my family and friends got hit/scratched/keyed while parked.



All of this in and around West-Island, Laval and downtown.





:(
 
I got a door ding during the Christmas shopping season at the Mall. There were no empty areas to park, the lot was full. I took my chances and bam, door ding and some scratches.



I absolutely hate it when people park right next to you when you park very far away in an empty area. I'll be in the store looking out the window cursing like a madman when I notice it and people will look at me strange.
 
I park as far away from other cars as possible. :xyxthumbs



My wife always laughs at me and asks, "can we park any closer, I can't even see the store!" It is the only way I know to stay dent & scratch free as possible.



Cheers,

My Black 7 Series
 
AMP99 said:
I park as far away from other cars as possible. :xyxthumbs



My wife always laughs at me and asks, "can we park any closer, I can't even see the store!" It is the only way I know to stay dent & scratch free as possible.



Cheers,

My Black 7 Series
Click to expand...



Same here, my wife thinks I'm nuts. I always try to park between expensive cars. I steer clear of Suburbans, Expeditions, minivans, etc. becasue I know some soccer mom or her kids are going to take out one of my mirrors with those doors. Whenever I take my younger brother or cousins somewhere, I always open the door for them.
 
Parking beside expensive cars is not always the answer. Around here, the people who can afford the S-Class Mercedes, and the 7 series Bimmers don't seem to care about door dings. They just kick their door open, set the grocery bags on top of the trunk after after they set them on the ground etc. I try to park close to well taken care of cars, while still giving them lots of space.
 
I try to park next to a van what has a sliding rear door- no dings. Those cargo vans usually only have one person in them, so parking on the passenger side is safe.
 
I can identify with this post completely, seeing as how I live at the bottom end of the Ozarks..."c" from above really hit close to home- seen it happen a few times.



I HATE parking anywhere here in Arkansas. No matter where I park, whenever I come out there's either:



a) A jacked-up Chevrolet (or Dodge) pick-up truck, 2 shocks per wheel, 14 KC Highlighters on the front bumper and "roll bar", tinted windows, windshield visor with more lights, and at least half-a-pound of original mud from every single off roading expedition ever sitting somewhere on the truck. If the bed is "open", it's guaranteed there's a 30-pack of Coors Light sitting in it, with some empties strewn about the bed.



b) A ratty, beat-to-crap S10 pick-up truck, lowered and primered, with some swap meet wheels and 10-foot CB whip antenna.



c) A mid 70's "beast" with bungee-corded bumper (which is often a 2x6 board), trunk that won't stay closed, ripped-up faux-fabric top, 1 hubcap, and every single worldly possession that the driver has stuffed in the back seat/front seat/open trunk.



I hate it, I hate it, I hate it. Never fails that one of those three cars parks next to me when I'm at Wally World or Best Buy, or anywhere. My BMW was keyed about 3 weeks after I moved to AR (after 1+ years in WI without a problem), and my 337 has had soda dumped on it on more than one occasion (thank God that's all).



Time to move to a place where people don't brag about havin' indoor plumbin', and people don't make a family event out of going to the weekly dog auctions.
 
Got a 2 inch scratch/ding in passenger side door last weekend.



My biggest problems are parking at the stadiums [stadia?](Pittsburgh). I can't recount the times over the years that I've had scratches, baked in spilled stuff and other things.



Even though I usually drive my Suburban to games, parking at stadiums still bothers me...:mad:
 
Like NY and Boston, Pittsburgh has a lot of narrow streets w/ on-street parallel parking meters. Right now, my truck has a cracked side mirror from just such a "close encounter."



I don't even want to go into what a garbage truck did to my legally parked (on street) S500 a few years ago.... Driver just drove off, tried to report it, but driver denied even being there....Oh well, guess that's why we have insurance... :nixweiss
 
I had just washed and waxed the car and then my GF and I decieded to go out to an early dinner. I parked the car in front of the resturant and we ended up getting a table near the window right in front of my car. Dinner and I get to admire my work - what a great night.



Anyway, for most of the time while we were having dinner, the parking space next to my car was empty, but then a Caddilc coupe parked next to my ride. I already felt pain.



Anyway, the driver door swings open and taps my passenger side door. I sat there staring at the guy somehow hoping my evil thoughts would casue him to spontaneously combust. My GF could tell I was upset, but I couldn't go out there to yell at some older man and leave her at the table alone.



Luckily, when we go outside, I checked the door and there was no scratch or ding. They guy had some rubber protector on the edge of his door which just left a small black mark that was easily buffed out the next day. If there was damage, I'm not quite sure what I would have done.
 
You all are making me paranoid! :eek: I've yet to be hit, spit or chipped a bit, else I'd have a fit. I will try to park more carefully now...:o
 
A couple weeks ago, I parked in this lot near a restaurant I went to. I parked next to the last parking space because there was a pile of snow in it and I said, I am safe!!



Well, I come out of the restaurant, low and behold, there is a mustang parked in that spot, driver's door about 14-16 inches from my passenger door. I was with someone so I just walked in between the cars and looked....HARD....the car was dirty so didn't see much. I looked in the sun light the next day after some rain had washed off the dirt......just above the passenger door handle.....just at the right angle....a small indention of the metal.....no scratch, can't see it straight on, but when clean and from an angle, you can definitely tell that something dinged it. Oh well, it took almost 6 months, but it's my daily driver and it was just a matter of time.



I have come to one conclusion from all of this.....people really don't give two sh#$%, or a flying f@#$, or a rats A$$ about other people's property, and it is a crying shame.



I saw a guys nice new olive green 745i in the hospital parking lot, and I carefully inspected the doors....bunch of dings visible!! I would crap my pants if I came out with those.....it's great to be able to buy nice cars, but it has unfortunately stressed me out to no end.....and lord knows we all don't need anymore stress in our lives. Just my .02:xyxthumbs
 
Anyone suggest any DIY dent poppers for just such occasions? I'm not the trusting type when it comes to television informercials, besides, asking on the Detailing HEADQUARTERS of the Internet, I would find a much better answer here anyway. :)
 
best suggesttion: Ask your most trusted mechanic for the name of a good PDR (Paintless Dent Removal) establishment. They'll usually charge $50 per panel and they use long flexible rods to move behind the body panels and pop out the dings. The work they did on my Accord was unreal.





And the award for worst ding/dent of all time:



1996, My father and I walked out of a local Target to find a golf ball sitting on the hood of my car. When he picked it up he noticed the crater the ball had been sitting in. Somehow, an errant golf ball from the driving range accross the freeway landed on his sparkly obsessively clean Civic. For the rest of it's life time, the car had that golf-ball sized dimple that ruined it's looks.
 
This past weekend I am driving out to Phoenix for a visit and a little baseball from ABQ. on I-40.

Between Holbrook and Flagstaff I am zippin' along as I aproach a big Ford king cab pick-up hauling a long flat bed trailer.

The trailer is empty expect for lots of dirt and small scattered piles of flat 2" to 3" rocks kinda just bouncing around and a few at a time, falling off the flatbed, hitting the blacktop, spinning and bouncing along as they hit the road.

Kind of like a fine spray of falling rocks at about 80mph. They looked like those spinning, humming fireworks you get on Fourth of July...except rocks.

I had no chance :mad:

I watched in horror as one bounced three of four times like a baseball hit to shortstop and doinked my hood about 2/3rds of the way up AND then bounced and chipped my windshield in TWO places! Left a small dent and a deep chip on the hood. (of course I had the full car bra thing going and the rock hit above the bra-line)

I gunned it to pass this moving disaster and shot the driver a dirty look-he was just a good ol' boy rancher with a big cowboy hat and a Wyant Earp mustache smiling away. He knew EXACTLY what he was doing and didn't give a damn. A-HOLE!

Pretty ugly chip. (I wish I wasn't hauling my wife and 17 month-old daugther w/me...hell, I probably would have done something I'd regret)

Called the insurance and they'll pay to have the chip on the windshield filled-then they surprised me when they asked if I got his license plate # - wish I would have - I could have wrote it down-not that it would have done any good.:nixweiss



Anyway, on the the chapter about chip repair...



DomZ
 
Luster said:
My BIGGEST pet peeve of all time......parking lots.



I'm just blowing off some steam here.



I posted something similar regarding door-dings, but this is really about what can happen in parking lots.



I love to see my car, perfectly detailed, sitting all alone at the very back of a parking lot, a quarter-mile away from any other car!



IT DOESN'T WORK THAT WAY!



People with the "Jerry-Springer-Mentality" are constantly on the prowl for isolated gorgeous cars.



In those cases, here's what happens:



The offender spies the car, in all of its magnificent glory and does one or more of the following offensive acts:



a) Parks his dented, rusted-thru, salt-infested RAG within inches of your spectacular beauty.

b) Dumps a milk-shake on the ground right at your driver door.

c) Says with a gutteral Ozark accent, "He thinks he's so cool.........Well, Ah'll show HIM!"......then spits tobacco juice on you hood!

d) Possible key-ing

e) Probable door-ding

f) Boot kicks are very popular

g) The possiblities are endless for the jealous-at-heart! (vandalism abounds!)



Tips for avoiding such Low-Rent acts in BUSY parking lots:



1. If at all possible, never park at Wal-Mart or any grocery store.

2. If you have an alternate car, drive it to the store.

3. NEVER angle park over 2 spaces (draws attention to your car)

4. If you back in, your asking for trouble. (draws attention to your car)

5. Find some other nice cars in the parking lot and park near them. (rarely happens!)

6. Park near street lights.

7. Here's a good one.......(a tip from another thread).....park on the "up-hill" side of all parking lots (carts)!

8. Some buildings have side parking lots.......less traffic........pretty good bet for parking.

9. Under trees......not good. (sap and bird-bombs)

10. Keep a couple of MF towels and a bottle of QD in your car at all times! Birds have special training in locating detailed cars.

11. Although car covers are nice, in my opinion, you're asking for trouble if you use it in a public parking lot. I know a lady who found 2 smashed eggs under her car cover when she came out from the grocery store (she works there).

12. Never leave the sun-roof open or any window cracked.......cigarette butts and fast-food-trash always find their way to those spots.





Anything else?
Click to expand...





WTF?! Trash and cigarette butts inside your windows! Chewing tobacco on your hood? Boot Kicking and keying?!! What kind of human garbage would do such a thing?! I get mad enough when I see people throw trash on the ground like the world is their dumpster, trash in my car? You better pray I am not around to see it.



Maybe it's just the area I live in but I have never even heard of crap like this let alone have it happen to me.



As far as avoiding door dings and other unfortunate accidents -



1. Always park where there are no other cars or at least one side of your car is facing an open area such as an island.

2. Never park next to a beater or rust bucket, SUV, or minivan.

3. The side lot is always a safe bet, usually less cars there

4. If parking is tight make your own spot where you will be out of the way.

5. I learned not to park under trees long ago, shade keeps the car nice and cool, but it's not worth the risk.

6. I always keep a bottle of QD and a MF in the trunk just in case.

7. Another thing to keep in mind when parking at a public place at night - automatic sprinklers near grassy areas.



Even with all this effort I still have people park right next to me even when there are NO other cars around and I am at the far end of the parking lot.



Bryn4ne
 
When I Do My Shopping...dry cleaning etc..I ALLWAYS take my two Very Large Rottweilers :shocked ..And Park where ever I want...Because NO ONE has Yet to stay parked next to my wagon...Sometimes I just stand By The Building (YES Im Sick)and wait for some Fool..to park next to my wagon...Well Mr G..My male Rott gives them a Howdy doo welcome with his big old block head..oh by the way the windows are down just enough for his big old head to stick out..And He does a very Good Job of Telling them I dont want you or your POS next to me! Works Every time!No Dents..Great entertainment!
 
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