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  • dculberson

    May 9, 2011 1:23 p.m. dculberson Reader

    My cars collect dents like it's going out of style .. or coming into style, can't decide which. My LS has been hit a half dozen times, everything from a little ding to a "can't open the passenger door all the way" type hit, none of which had me in the car for it. So my strategy seems to be: give up and drive a horrible looking comfy car.

  • Cole_Trickle

    May 9, 2011 1:58 p.m. Cole_Trickle New Reader

    Mental wrote:

    Cole_Trickle wrote: ...I try to avoid parking downhill of a cart return. Ive seen too many have a mind of their own and roll down a hill. When I was 15, my job was at a Kroger that had a steepish hill going away from the store. Any cart that got lose would end up next to a car at the Taco Bell that was nearly a 1/4 mile away.

    That sounds like an awesome beer fueled race

    ...No never...

  • Rick

    May 9, 2011 3:58 p.m. Rick New Reader

    I've used all of the above strategies plus a few more. I park in a parking space where the front of my car is facing the wind. Chances are if a car parks next to me the door won't get caught by the wind and ding my door. I leave one car space between me and another car that is parked really far out, unless I can park even farther away, I find leaving a gap of 15 to 20 car space breaks the herding impulse. I walk my carts to the corral every time. If I have to park next to a car I prefer four door cars. Two door car doors are longer and have a better chance of causing a ding. I park far enough away for the door to easily open to the first stop but not to the second or full open position.

  • fast_eddie_72

    May 9, 2011 4:22 p.m. fast_eddie_72 Dork

    Well, I'm in the camp of not having a nice enough car to care, but all the same, I tend to park pretty well out into a parking lot. I'd much rather walk a little extra than spend time trying to get up close. I'm kind of in the habit now of whipping into the first spot I see. There's usually no one to ding me.

  • aussiesmg

    May 9, 2011 5:40 p.m. aussiesmg SuperDork

    I do not take nice cars to go shopping in, that is what tow vehicles are for.

  • corytate

    May 9, 2011 6:29 p.m. corytate Reader

    at work there are two very coveted spots in the employee lot: island on one side, cart corral on the other. If I go in at 8, I can usually snag one of them. Otherwise I always park by an island, no matter what.
    Too bad I work at walmart, and the idiots who shop there leave their carts in random places so they can just roll into parked cars. (even when they are NEXT TO the cart corral.) I'm going to start carrying a slingshot with some paintballs, and the next person I see leave a cart in the middle of the lot instead of putting it up is gonna get hit in the face with some blue paint. lol

  • N Sperlo

    May 10, 2011 9:57 a.m. N Sperlo Reader

    In reply to corytate:

    My second job is in a shopping center as opposed to the Gates, barbed wire secure site my full time job is at. Find a spot to park crooked in and no one will line up with you.

  • GameboyRMH

    May 10, 2011 10:05 a.m. GameboyRMH SuperDork

    dj06482 wrote:

    My personal favorite is when you're sitting in the car, they crash their door into your car, notice you're there and say "Sorry."

    They say sorry to you?

  • 92CelicaHalfTrac

    May 10, 2011 10:12 a.m. 92CelicaHalfTrac SuperDork

    Someone parked docked against the MX6 about two weeks ago at the grocery store.

    I was almost mad for a minute, then i looked closer. I have a piece of plate steel holding part of my front bumper up. They managed to hit my car in that EXACT spot, causing no damage beyond a half inch scuff on my plastic bumper (OH NO!!!!!), but their bumper was cracked and spiderwebbed at least 10" in every direction.

    I promptly LOL'd then left.

  • ditchdigger

    May 10, 2011 12:30 p.m. ditchdigger HalfDork

    My tactic is to drive a very narrow car and if neccesary park next to the sliding door side of minivans. Just don't pull far enough forward to let the front door hit your car.

  • May 10, 2011 12:39 p.m. z31maniac SuperDork

    Haven't read anything past the title.

    But if you have a car you care about, park farther out and add the 25 seconds of additional walking time to your cardio.

    There really isn't anything simpler or easier than this.

  • Rad_Capz

    May 10, 2011 1:03 p.m. Rad_Capz Reader

    I follow a lot of the stratagies listed already whether I'm driving nice cars or not. Additionally I try to schedule shopping at potentially hazardous places during off peak hours when lots are not as full. Just before closing time is good because most of the cars left are employees who have to stay till close. Late nights and Sundays are very good if the particular business is open then, because frequently there's a lot adjacent to the one for the business that is completely empty.

  • plance1

    May 10, 2011 5:44 p.m. plance1 Dork

    z31maniac wrote:

    Haven't read anything past the title.

    But if you have a car you care about, park farther out and add the 25 seconds of additional walking time to your cardio.

    There really isn't anything simpler or easier than this.

    In my original post I noted how this is guaranteed to get someone to park next to you.

  • ReverendDexter

    May 11, 2011 10:39 a.m. ReverendDexter SuperDork

    Count me in the "drive a beater" crowd.

  • noddaz

    May 11, 2011 10:46 a.m. noddaz New Reader

    In reply to plance1: Not that I have ever done this...

    But I don't ding other peoples doors...

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