Why oh Why!!?? (air conditioning, Audi, replacement, Ford)

[Ziggy100]

Originally Posted by phlinak

That's just so petty and smacks of jealousy.

That’s like saying “you robbing me at gun point is just so wrong!”. It is, but you’re still getting jacked.

Know your surroundings. If you’re in an neighborhood where Maseratis and Bentleys are the norm, then your BMW 4 Series parked a mile away from everybody else will probably be fine. If it’s a blue collar neighborhood, don’t push it.

[Flamingo13]

I beg to differ (what a sexist remark!) - I park far to try to help w/some exercise (not that it helps that much - but I have parked very far away and had a piece of junk car parked right next to me when I came out and saw my rear bumper bashed in w/white paint on it......... obviously couldn't prove it but the car I have (not a pricey car by any means, it's a Corolla) - but I have all kinds of dings and dents that are obviously from others as I don't do it. I just can't understand why people can't figure out how to park and get out of their cars w/o hitting the car next to them (and btw, if we are "bashing" I generally see "large" people making an effort to park close

[Ziggy100]

Originally Posted by Flamingo13

I beg to differ (what a sexist remark!) - I park far to try to help w/some exercise (not that it helps that much - but I have parked very far away and had a piece of junk car parked right next to me when I came out and saw my rear bumper bashed in w/white paint on it......... obviously couldn't prove it but the car I have (not a pricey car by any means, it's a Corolla) - but I have all kinds of dings and dents that are obviously from others as I don't do it. I just can't understand why people can't figure out how to park and get out of their cars w/o hitting the car next to them (and btw, if we are "bashing" I generally see "large" people making an effort to park close

Good point. Further out it’s probably skinnier people who don’t need so much room to get out. At work I’ve seen the “larger” types idle in their car for almost half an hour trying to get a close spot.

Me personally, I try to park between two cars that have their drivers side doors facing away from the spot (one parked nose in the other backed in). I always stay away from 2 door coupes with their 6 foot long doors, Wranglers have short doors but no door latches to prevent the door from swinging. Large trucks take up the whole spot so their doors have to open into your spot. Parking too close to a light pole is a guaranteed way to get a bird to take a dump on your car. Stay away from handicap spots unless they have a huge cross hatched space next to them, then these become choice spots. Busted and damaged vehicles are always a bad idea. They didn’t get that way because the driver was cautious. Oh and never park next to a shopping cart return spot. I never try and park too far away from other cars, because then it looks like I’m being pretentious and I’m inviting someone to mess with my car.

[ocnjgirl]

Originally Posted by txfriend

Why?

Because your post comes off as if you are perfectly capable of walking, yet take a handicapped spot when it's convenient for you.

[ocnjgirl]

Originally Posted by Ziggy100

That’s like saying “you robbing me at gun point is just so wrong!”. It is, but you’re still getting jacked.

Know your surroundings. If you’re in an neighborhood where Maseratis and Bentleys are the norm, then your BMW 4 Series parked a mile away from everybody else will probably be fine. If it’s a blue collar neighborhood, don’t push it.

That's not normal behavior regardless how you try to justify it. I've lived in blue collar areas and my entire family is blue collar, and I dispute that blue collar folks are a**holes who damage cars for no reason. This is just being a jerk, not being blue collar. The people I know are decent people.

[urbex]

Originally Posted by ocnjgirl

That's not normal behavior regardless how you try to justify it. I've lived in blue collar areas and my entire family is blue collar, and I dispute that blue collar folks are a**holes who damage cars for no reason. This is just being a jerk, not being blue collar. The people I know are decent people.

The vast majority of blue collar people I've known, and growing up in the Detroit area, I've met a LOT of them, are decent people that have zero desire to screw with other people's stuff. They know what it's like to bust your backside for what you have. Sure, they may get intensely jealous of people with better standing than they have, but they're not going to go screw with those people just for the sake of making their lives difficult.

The problem child-adults are typically the ones that have lived off of mommy and daddy's dime their entire lives, or are the ones that do the absolute bare minimum to get by, and don't even respect their own things. If their car gets screwed up...whatever, they're out $300. They're not the ones religiously saving every month for years to get a nice car for once in their lives.

[RogueMom]

Originally Posted by wamer27

I honestly thinks it’s mental thing, have to be in a pack. Women are the worst with it. Some people are afraid to be by themselves. I park far away next to a curb so only one idiot can choose to park next to me. Someone already hit me in my back bumper, it’s really not noticeable unless I point it out. Price to fix is anywhere from $150-$3k+ as bodyshop friend told me.

This IS what it is. I have two "beater" cars with scratches, dings, you name it. I could care less about another ding in my door. BUT, sometimes when I pull into a parking lot, I want some "space", just because maybe I am going to make a phone call or collect my thoughts or something. Invariably, no matter how far away I park, or how many open parking spaces there are up close to the store or destination, some dimwit moron will come and park right next to me.

I am SO glad I am not the only person who finds this disturbing and nonsensical. It's that same person that sits directly in front of you and your family at the movie theater when it's not crowded, big freaking head in your way talking too loud and smackin' their popcorn, when you have purposely chosen a far off obscure seat somewhere to AVOID having someone in front of you. "Oh look Harold, there's some people, let's go sit in front of them" Ugh.

I believe as the above poster said, some people have to be a part of a "pack". They are total Sheeple with no independent thoughts of their own. They are oblivious. I have at times almost asked the person "Hey, there are so many open spaces closer in, why in the **** are you parking out here RIGHT the freak next to me?" I haven't yet. Probably would get some dumbfounded look and answer.

[urbex]

Originally Posted by RogueMom

I have at times almost asked the person "Hey, there are so many open spaces closer in, why in the **** are you parking out here RIGHT the freak next to me?" I haven't yet. Probably would get some dumbfounded look and answer.

I have, and you would. Or the few people that said something to the effect of "I'm completely inside the space...I don't know WTF your problem is..." Oh, I don't know...perhaps the fact that my doors are 4 feet long, and your mirror is damn near kissing mine?!?!"

[kokonutty]

Originally Posted by NewYorkiforniainHouston

This, I always try to find an "end piece", a parking spot with a raised curb or some other structure or lines next to it so i'm only exposed to one car parking next to me. I have a Mini Cooper so I have to also be sure I don't park too far into the parking space, as that will give (usually hyoooge truck owners) license to swing in too close to park next to me (they usually end up at an angle), which ends up blocking my driver side door.

I feel your pain OP. Even though I try to park farther away, I almost always end up with some beater car or minivan with 81 million kiddie fingerprints on their side/back windows (which to me indicates much activity/door slamming/setting up stroller/kids playing while waiting for the adults to exit the vehicle, etc). I just try to get in the middle with some kind of solid end piece on my passenger side, and a decent looking car on my driver side (and keep my fingers crossed lol).

Think about this for a second...if you park where one side of the car is next to a curb, why not put the driver's side by the curb? Whether you pull straight in or back in you can determine which side of your car is exposed and which is open to the curb.

[phantompilot]

My theory is these are the same people who as children thought it was fun to step on other kids' brand new shoes.

And apparently its illegal to shoot them.

But one can dream.