[330XDave]

Originally Posted by McBeemer

I found a possible solution tonight visiting Tesco!

Tight squeeze in, but would even survive a ram raid

Parking in a non-designated space is just asking for someone to key your car!

I just look for the biggest spaces possible. Whete I work there's a single space at the end of a run of disabled spots. Kerb one side and hatched disable area the other. Perfect.

[McBeemer]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

Parking in a non-designated space is just asking for someone to key your car!

I just look for the biggest spaces possible. Whete I work there's a single space at the end of a run of disabled spots. Kerb one side and hatched disable area the other. Perfect.

I just did it for a chuckle … I know the manager of the branch, so he didn't mind … some people actually saw the funny side … how strange!

[McBeemer]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

Parking in a non-designated space is just asking for someone to key your car!

I just look for the biggest spaces possible. Whete I work there's a single space at the end of a run of disabled spots. Kerb one side and hatched disable area the other. Perfect.

Actually yours does sound like a good plan!

[goodbyalfa]

Originally Posted by McBeemer

Actually yours does sound like a good plan!

I concur

[TiredGeek]

^^ Nope, wheelchairs. Almost as bad as pushchairs.
I bought some very cheap plastic strips for the sides, they're meant to fasten on with permanent tape but I bought magnetic tape on eBay and use that to hold them in place. Worked a treat on my last car....

Never park on the end of a row unless it's a dead end.
Never park near boy racers.
Never park near child seat cars.
Never park behind a reversed in car, as said above, will scratch yours loading there's.
Never park next to blue badge holders.
Never park next to cars with a fish on the boot.
Drop wife off outside doors and find a safe parking area, stops her moaning so much.
Pay £250 for scratch and dent insurance and don't worry where you park

[330XDave]

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

^^ Nope, wheelchairs. Almost as bad as pushchairs.
I bought some very cheap plastic strips for the sides, they're meant to fasten on with permanent tape but I bought magnetic tape on eBay and use that to hold them in place. Worked a treat on my last car....

Never park on the end of a row unless it's a dead end.
Never park near boy racers.
Never park near child seat cars.
Never park behind a reversed in car, as said above, will scratch yours loading there's.
Never park next to blue badge holders.
Never park next to cars with a fish on the boot.
Drop wife off outside doors and find a safe parking area, stops her moaning so much.
Pay £250 for scratch and dent insurance and don't worry where you park

If I were you I wouldn't bother taking your car to a car park mate

[TiredGeek]

Originally Posted by 330XDave

If I were you I wouldn't bother taking your car to a car park mate

[Quantox]

I always try to park away from the masses, especially the tractors and often find like minded folk with decent cars parked next to mine as they think/hope that I'll be as careful as they are.

Q

[hilift]

I'm plus 1 with 1 to 5 in the opening post .
Also never park next to 4x4,s vans liveried or not , pickups , old knackers , chavs n boy racers or certainly not the type of car the geriatrics are likely to drive ( if that's the correct term for their style of perambulation ) there easy to spot as all 4 corners are scuffed and scratched to buggery !

[hilift]

It also really irritates my wife as she is not the slightest bit interred in cars , in her view they're there to do a job !!!

[alpinafan]

All points relevant to me, very understanding wife always gets out and makes sure I don't kerb my precious alloys
Although I got too close to an italian toll booth a couple of weeks ago and made a right mess of my N/S/front

[Rich9600]

I'm certainly a parking OCDer!

Just to add:

Avoid other cars where possible, a bit of a hike is fine.
If you have to park next to another car, choose a 'nice' and preferably cared for one. Think desirable, damage free, clean and preferably shinny.
Avoid any signs of kids or 2/3 door cars. Long doors are bad, especially if somebody is getting out if the back seats.
Avoid old people's cars, those who may struggle to get in and out. More difficult, as the car may be good, clean and shinny. Just old people spec... Never park beside a Honda Jazz!
Even with my son in the car, I'll sometimes not use the parent and child parking. If there is a better end space in a distant corner. Parent and child spaces are in high traffic areas and have 'helpful' children pushing trolleys and distracted parents.
Avoid trees, lights, overhead wires. Anywhere birds will perch.
Be handful of the wind strength and direction. I often park near the coast and the wind can take a door.
Spaces on a curve are great with 'dead space' wedges between them are great.
Putting the back window south in summer is also useful for keeping cool.

Maybe over analytical. But, good to know I'm not alone....

I have a favourite space at work that fits all of these. My parking buddies are usually an M3 and a Merc C class. So, not just me...

[goodbyalfa]

Originally Posted by Rich9600

I'm certainly a parking OCDer!

Just to add:

Avoid other cars where possible, a bit of a hike is fine.
If you have to park next to another car, choose a 'nice' and preferably cared for one. Think desirable, damage free, clean and preferably shinny.
Avoid any signs of kids or 2/3 door cars. Long doors are bad, especially if somebody is getting out if the back seats.
Avoid old people's cars, those who may struggle to get in and out. More difficult, as the car may be good, clean and shinny. Just old people spec... Never park beside a Honda Jazz!
Even with my son in the car, I'll sometimes not use the parent and child parking. If there is a better end space in a distant corner. Parent and child spaces are in high traffic areas and have 'helpful' children pushing trolleys and distracted parents.
Avoid trees, lights, overhead wires. Anywhere birds will perch.
Be handful of the wind strength and direction. I often park near the coast and the wind can take a door.
Spaces on a curve are great with 'dead space' wedges between them are great.
Putting the back window south in summer is also useful for keeping cool.

Maybe over analytical. But, good to know I'm not alone....

I have a favourite space at work that fits all of these. My parking buddies are usually an M3 and a Merc C class. So, not just me...

all good points and I'm all in with these too...

[goodbyalfa]

Many of you have mentioned not parking next to an obviously "oldmobile"
One thing I saw recently really highlighted why this is a good idea. A slightly less steady elderly gent walked up to his car, stick in hand. His car was in a std supermarket bay, so not massive but both cars were well centred so reasonable space to get in if careful.
Well said old gent VERY gently opens the drivers side door until it's just touching the car next door, then in he gets. Funnily enough his car takes his weight causing his car to make what can only be described as a small sawing motion. I went and checked the other car after he left and sure enough, the tell tale mark on the other car was there...

The thing is, this old gent thought he was doing the right thing and was ever so gentle, just did not consider the actual action of getting in the car.
Great reason not to park next to Honda Jizwank's, old rover 200s, Nissan micras etc...

[goodbyalfa]

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

^^ Nope, wheelchairs. Almost as bad as pushchairs.
I bought some very cheap plastic strips for the sides, they're meant to fasten on with permanent tape but I bought magnetic tape on eBay and use that to hold them in place. Worked a treat on my last car....

Never park on the end of a row unless it's a dead end.
Never park near boy racers.
Never park near child seat cars.
Never park behind a reversed in car, as said above, will scratch yours loading there's.
Never park next to blue badge holders.
Never park next to cars with a fish on the boot.
Drop wife off outside doors and find a safe parking area, stops her moaning so much.
Pay £250 for scratch and dent insurance and don't worry where you park

Originally Posted by TiredGeek

^^.
Pay £250 for scratch and dent insurance and don't worry where you park

Not sure on this strategy. I've seen enough badly matched paint jobs that would drive my ocd crazy that I'd do just about anything to minimise the chances of requiring any sort of paint repair. Doors in particular would require the whole side of the car feathering in. No thanks.

[RobUK]

Parking is the same as urinal etiquette.

Never go next to someone if you can possibly help it.

[....,,,,..,,..]

What I do find 'humourus' is when I park up to let my wife pop to supermarket but I stop in the car.

The number of people that park next to the car, then notice you in the car, realise they can't actually get out of their car without touching mine and move to another parking bay.

The worst I have ever saw was a kid having a tantrum while out with his mum, he pushed the shopping trolley (with stuff in it) down the slope of car park and it hit a parked car at some speed / force.

About 5-6 people took her details and had her wait - she was going to just drive off.

[Ss66]

If we go anywhere now my wife often remarks "are we taking the princess or the focus ".

[Abzynthe]

Originally Posted by goodbyalfa

After returning from the maize maze to find a small number of v fine scratches on the corner my front bumper, it got me thinking about some of my ocd car parking antics, that on this one occasion I did not follow. Many of these drive the wife crazy, but she is most definitely not a car person so her opinion doesn't count.

1. Unless it's a child and baby spot with the extra wide bays, ALWAYS park on an end spot and park and right over on the outmost edge to minimise the chances of some muppet opening their door into your pride and joy with gay abandon..
2. Multi-storey car parks. Just no.. too tight, 1960s spaces with ramp turns that are just asking to destroy alloys.
3. Always reverse in. For two reasons. 1. You arrive, assess the area and can safely manoeuvre into the space looking all around you. If you try to reverse out into a busy car park, blind spots and other muppets leads to a much greater risk of an incident. And 2. If there is an impending nuclear war, I need to be able to get away fast for one last jump.
4. Don't park under trees. Bird shit and tree sap etc.
5. And this one if the the Liam Neilsons out there. Think about likely thoroughfares, and ensure you are not likely to be on one to minimise the likelihood of having people/morons drag their bags etc across your car. If necessary, park in the most distant part of the car park. Made this mistake at the maize maze, thinking with the ultra wide bays I could park right at the front.
Incidentally, if you do follow this one, some cretin in a battered old vectra will no doubt follow you and park right next to you, despite the vast space around. Herd mentality...


Any other out there? That is OCD Parkers or other considerations missed above...

I agree with and practice all of them. I've also, on a few occasions, moved the car if someone I don't like the look of parks next to me
One example was a couple of weeks ago, a car full of chavs parked next to me while I was getting my pay and display ticket, so when I got back to the car, I got in and moved to another space, while they were still there

[TW666]

Agree with original post but beware when you park at the remote end of a large car park as that is exactly where van drivers or hatchback chavs may go to eat their lunch and have a smoke. I avoid corkscrew ramps up to car parks, we have one nearby that is so tight that one moment of lost concentration and your against the massive kerb ! Also when it’s time for new tyres make sure you can trust the fitter and warn him of your wheel OCD, I get a mobile guy to come round and interrogate him before he starts the job.

[Steveo.G]

1 4 & 5 for me!
Also if I can I park in the furthest away part of the car park and occasionally position my car with one of the separation lines running directly under the middle of my car so I'm basically in 2 spaces if it's a wee bit busier (bet a few hate that lol)

[225]

Yep all of the above. I have to be extra picky now with sheer size of the v90.

I saw it the other day, bloke pulls into a space in a supermarket, opens his door banging the car next to him and couldn't care less. Just locked his car and walked off and it's not like he didn't realise either.