Amen sister.

The 1996 Civic EX that I sold when I bought the S2K was five years old with 62,000 trouble free miles. The only blemishes on her poor soul were from a-holes in parking lots that thought it would be ok to slam their doors into mine.

These frustrating experiences have made me a bit coo coo when it comes to parking my S2K or my fiancee's CRV. We usually drive the CRV back and forth to work, so my stook gets to stay cozy in the garage. However, even when I drive the CRV, I park up on the 4th floor (5 floor parking garage with the 5th floor open to the elements) in one of the obsucre, slightly larger spots that allow me to pull very close to the wall. I try and park with the wall on the passenger side, by the way. This gives me a theoretical larger cushion in case someone does park next to me. (I don't know for sure, but I am willing to bet that there are far fewer passengers than drivers in an office parking structure).

I repeat the same crazy routine whenever we go out. Our S is used primarily as a weekend, special event and/or date car. It always gets parked next to a curb in the safest spot I can find.

As far as parking next to the window, I have a funny story.

Obviously, my fiancee understood that I was a little nuts about cars, motorcycles, etc. before we bought the stook. However, one of the first nights we had the stook we went to a local Islands for dinner. I parked next to a handicapped spot (on the driver's side) and a curb on the right. Best spot open at the time, I thought as there were about a dozen open handicapped spots closer to the door and I figured nobody would park next to me. Boy was I wrong. I asked the hostess to seat us next to a window so I could see the car. What happen's next??? A huge, old land yacht Caddy steams right into the spot next to me. The lady that got out of the passenger side (to her great credit) was very careful not to ding me, but I could tell that it was work for her as the heavy door was a lot for her to handle.

Ding dong me decides not to tempt fate and I move the car inbetween drink and dinner orders.

My next spot is a few rows back, under a light and on a curb. As soon, and I mean the second I sit bac down this riced out Civic with stickers, the paint job, the whole shebang pulls up right next to me. There must be two dozen other spots open, but they want to check out the car.

These morons didn't dent the car either, but didn't think that I would mind them putting their hands all over the car and poking and prodding the inside. I run out the door and politely ask them not to touch. I didn't want to piss them off (out of a completely irrational fear of reprisal on my car) so I was nice and humored them by letting one guy sit in the passenger side and answering a bunch of questions.

They finally left, and yes I moved the car again. This time a little farther away still and perpindicular to the window.

I get back into the restaurant and my fiancee is just laughing at me. I parked the car three times and moved it twice all before we even got dinner served.

Oh well... I know it's just a car, but I worked hard for her and I want to keep her as shiny and new as possible for as long as possible all while enjoying her.

 

Well, I have a private executive parking space at work with security guards standing by so I'm not worried. And most of the time, I don't drive it to work, I have an Acura TL for my daily driver, errand running car. However I do park somewhat close to curbs, end spaces or in only wide spaces. But I'm not too worried about leaving the car for an extent amount of time somewhere where I have to constantly see it. That's what insurance is for!

 

My S2k...




Got TWO, yes Two door dings on it in one day at the mall. I park in the last spot on a row that didn't have any cars parked around me. And when I came out, this white POS was parked less than 6 inches from the passenger side!!! The dent lined up with there door.... Can you say AS*HOLE!!!

P

 

At work, I always park closer to my friend's car because if there's a ding on my door on his side, I'll destroy him. Other than that, I normally would take 1 1/2 lane to park.

 

parking in more than one stall, at least here in S. CA is a sure way to get your car keyed. I don't recommend it out here.

av8tor-

did you get that SOB's lic. plate # and report it to the cops or mall security? I'm not a cop or a lawyer but that sure seems to be a minor version of a hit and run to me.

I don't know how you didn't give into the temptation to wait for that guy to come out to his car and proceed to beat him to death with is own arm.

 

Unfortunately, the parking lot at my work is filled with tight spaces and with cars that only seem to have those heavy, widely swinging doors. But there is one sweet spot; out on the far end of the lot, there is one parking space surrounded by three grassy medians and shaded by two trees. For some time, there seemed to be a little competition between me and another guy (who drives a Jag) for that spot (each morning, I would try to leave just a couple of minutes earlier than the previous day to beat him to the spot). He finally gave up and I now get that spot every day.

 

Same here, I don't drive my car to work ... Got a company Accord V6 anyway. It's mainly on the weekends or something for the S2K so it's got little usage, good for the engine, good for protecting it against idiots on the road that don't care what the damn you're driving.

I usually ride in my buddy's STi out to city for meals or for fun but if I'm cruising, then I'll head back his place and swap cars. That's my kinda style, I hate public parking, I hate valet, and I wish there was a private garage for me at my frequent places but of course that is impossible.

 

Me too. I use the nearby mall's carpark when I drive to work and always park in the same spot in the far rear corner with walls on both sides. I bit further to walk, but with about 10 dings in my WRX after less than a year of ownership, I'm not taking any chances. I even park the Subaru in that spot now.

 

I'm downright picky about where I park my car.

My #1 golden rule....

NEVER park between other cars.

I parallel park instead but not in tight spots (too easy for them to reverse back into the low front end of the stook).

On top of that I often try to park close to where I am going. Preferably where I can see my car if possible.

I also don't park it at known car theft 'hotspots' like the casino etc.

Am I anal about my car? ... You betcha!

 

I heartily agree on the principle of parking on an end space with the car next to you on your left. The chances of someone using the passenger-side door to sully your S2000 are less than from the driver side...this of course is opposite in right-hand drive nations.