Do Public Car Parks put you off taking your "pride & joy"?

[Slartibartfast]

There are occasions when I'd like to drive my SL but am put off using it by the lack of decent parking in the vicinity of the destination (multi-story, pay and display with tight spaces/high speed bumps). I then just use my daily driver and lose out on the enjoyment of the drive.

Anyone else do this or is it just me?

Gratuitous pic

 

[CharlesM96]

I sort of agree. I have a Lotus Exige 420 final edition - one of just 34 in the country and one of 3 in yellow. So hardly discreet - also very wide at the rear. Not to mention how it scrapes easily at the front being so low. Does limit the use of it and can take some enjoyment away. Had it with the R107 SL too, left it in a retail park car park with the roof off in summer and saw people hovering around who looked a tad dodgy which made it the quickest in and out trip ever!

On the flip side...wife has a VW Polo - cheap and cheerful car. Can park it anywhere being small, no attention drawn to it. Love driving it and default to that car very often.

 

[CharlesM96]

Can’t beat fitting a small car in tight spaces!

 

[KennyN]

I do the same , never take the Porker into Glasgow City Centre as the parking bays are tiny and there are too many drivers and their passengers that care not one jot for anyone`s property so we take the wifes Nissan Joke or the boys Ford Fiasco both of which fly below the radar and can actually be left un-attended without a jealous tw@t having a go at it.

Locally i take it most places , Morrisons carpark is big enough to leave it well away from those that must park closest to the main entrance and i take up two places at the gym.

K

 

[DesireeE]

I don't take the motors into multistory car parks, because of the risk of catching the front ends on possible concrete slabs at the sharp turns, also the doors on the pillars/adjacent cars and probably the main reason being because I'm a scaredy cat and am afraid of who might be lurking about in there,

I don't mind taking the cars into town locally as a rule, but don't very often, as not much need to go in there, and bigger stores are just a wee bit outside.

The cars are certainly not small and neither is the LWB High-top Tranny, but I have no problem parking, although I confess, the parking spaces seem to be larger than normal and well spaced out - when you have a Blue Badge

I will admit to being a tad nervous about leaving them in town, well you do don't you if they are your pride and joy, and you have an un-nerving feeling someone is out to spoil them for you. Happened to my C-Class back in the day, when someone decided to play Os & Xs on the bonnet, bless them ... Grrrr!

Living by the sea, I never leave the top down on Dolores when parked up, just too many seagulls about for that. She is still taken out though, and as we are close to Dartmoor it is a lovely place to drive, feel the wind in your hair and blow the cobwebs away, although I would have to say it is not the most relaxing at times, What with the narrow and single track winding, twisty roads, high hedges and stone walls some not always clearly visible too. Oh and the glorious sound effects like you wouldn't believe, beepers going off front and back, sudden yelps of oowwwwws, aahhhhhs, watch out and stoooppp!!! from the seat next to me, never mind the legs and arms flailing about. Who ever was it that said a drive in the countryside was peaceful? Hmmm, I think I better think about that again. Absolutely no point in having a nice car if you can't enjoy her right?

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Yes, but for different reasons. I tend to use the smaller car for errands and the nicer to drive car for “trips.”

Car parks? They make me chuckle as everyone fights for the right places close to the entrance, while 20-50 metres away there’s loads of space and no need to park next to anyone. Motorway service areas, supermarkets, sports clubs, town centres: why waste time parking “close?”

 

[DesireeE]

I do the same , never take the Porker into Glasgow City Centre as the parking bays are tiny and there are too many drivers and their passengers that care not one jot for anyone`s property so we take the wifes Nissan Joke or the boys Ford Fiasco both of which fly below the radar and can actually be left un-attended without a jealous tw@t having a go at it.

Locally i take it most places , Morrisons carpark is big enough to leave it well away from those that must park closest to the main entrance and i take up two places at the gym.

K

Morrisons and parking at a distance from the front door, I tried that once with my new Audi, came back and some lovely person decided to revese into it with what looked like a towbar given the shape of the flat dent and crack in the bumper.

Then there are the mums on the rampage for such car enthusiasts as we, parking our motors with care, as these ladies are on the look out for cars parked at a distance, they proceed to park inches from the drivers door, take a photo and post their heroic feat on a website something like mumsnet or other, having a good laugh at our expense right? Then again I guess you can see the joke, given so many loose their fellas to 'The Automobile'.

So 2 spaces taken up at the Gym eh Kenny? I hope no one takes a fence, gate or piccy and you end up being famous or is that infamous? Just thought I would mention it in case you might like to know if you were not already aware of the Facebook site that is out there: an example ...

 

[DesireeE]

Yes, but for different reasons. I tend to use the smaller car for errands and the nicer to drive car for “trips.”

Car parks? They make me chuckle as everyone fights for the right places close to the entrance, while 20-50 metres away there’s loads of space and no need to park next to anyone. Motorway service areas, supermarkets, sports clubs, town centres: why waste time parking “close?”

Some of us need to park close, as it is just about all we can manage to get around the shop(s) or supermarket etc., and may conk out half way,

As I said before, I have a Blue Badge, which on the one hand is appreciated but on the other is, well I'm sure you can guess, even so, there are not always spaces available, and those taken are not always done so by those that have a said badge.

I was down on the seafront last week, pulled up next to an open top Mini, two young girls laughing and joking which was great, but no badge on display

 

[baxlin]

Mrs B says I can never find a space in a empty car park…

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

I’m not put off, I just find the right parking space in the right car park. If I know that’s going to be difficult - or I have no idea where I will end up parking - then I take a car which I can be less picky with where I park.

I say less picky because I will always hunt out the right parking space in the right car park no matter what I’m driving. I even did the same last week when driving a hired van - I just like to look after stuff the best I can.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

So 2 spaces taken up at the Gym eh Kenny? I hope no one takes a fence, gate or piccy and you end up being famous or is that infamous? Just thought I would mention it in case you might like to know if you were not already aware of the Facebook site that is out there: an example ...

View attachment 171787

I have appeared on this or a similar Facebook group too, for parking in two spaces, but only ever on car parks with plenty of spaces and only away from the high footfall areas.

Long post alert

I suspect that I may have featured on such Facebook groups on at least one other occasion and it reminds me of quite a bizarre story.

Mrs D needed something from a shop like B&M or Home Bargains, with a car park shared with the likes of Wickes and B&Q. As we we were in a car I wouldn’t want to risk parking next to someone squeezing big trolleys between cars to get “big” things into their car.

So I dropped her off at the entrance, and parked on the far side of the car park where it was empty, positioned so that the exit of the shop was dead ahead so that I could drive over and pick her up as soon as I as I spotted her.

As I was sat there I noticed someone taking photos of the car on their phone, which does happen so I gave him a thumbs up. He then started saying something loudly but he was quite a way away and I had no idea what it was, assuming it to be the usual “rev it up”.

At that moment I spotted Mrs D, so I started driving towards her and he got into a car. I intercepted Mrs D right in front of his car, so I pulled up just before his space so he could drive out and turned and gave him a thumbs up and a smile.

I hopped out to help Mrs D put stuff in the boot and he went absolutely nuts, shouting things like “get away”, “leave me alone”, “I’m filming this”, and “I’m sending this to the Police”. He then reversed away at speed almost hitting other cars. All very strange.

Mrs D wasn’t able to get something she we for so we went to the “other” B&M or Home Bargains across the other side of town. I dropped Mrs D off at the entrance and parked in a large end space with a view of the door. Perfect.

Whilst waiting the car next to me left leaving an empty space. I carried on doing what I was doing and looked up when I heard shouting. It was the same bloke, and he was parked on the other side of the empty parking space!

This time he started shouting “this is harassment”, “I’ve called the Police” and my favourite was “leave me alone, you’re bigger than me”, and again drove away so fast that it was really dangerous for everyone else in the car park.

I’ll never know but I’m guessing that he takes photos and posts them on these Facebook groups, and someone didn’t appreciate it in the past so he just assumed that I wasn’t going to like it either. Had he not behaved the way he did I would have assumed he was just another car spotter!

 

[Londonscottish]

Depends. I certainly prefer taking my wife's Fiat 500 to somewhere like Sainsburys as I'd rather hers picked the dents and the odd bumper scuff from other peoples lack of care/lack of ability to do basic things.

I also prefer it when on-street parking is involved as there are way more spots available for a short car like that.

 

[SpikyMikey]

Irrespective of the car, hers or mine, I hate car parks (or more accurately, the unskilled, uncaring individuals who occasionally use them).
OK, we all know that the spaces are sometimes stupidly small or awkward, but with a bit of respect for other people's property, it isn't that difficult to open your door without slamming it into the side of the vehicle in the next bay.
And don't get me started on people who put their handbags/shopping bags on the bonnet/roof of the car next to them to hunt for their keys...

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Some of us need to park close, as it is just about all we can manage to get around the shop(s) or supermarket etc., and may conk out half way,

For sure. My comment was about the 98% who don’t have a Blue Badge, and who shouldn’t be wasting their time trying to park 10 metres from the front door, because a two minute walk won’t kill them.

 

[chic0821]

What's wrong, he's between the bollards

 

[SmartAmg]

Totally agree. I'm ultra fussy where I park on public car parks. I'll park as far away as possible from the store, in my case Tesco. The very odd time, I go somewhere, where it's a busy car park, I try and get next to a new or decent motor, my theory being, they are less chance of banging your car. Definate no no's not to park next to are, Works van/pick-ups, really tatty cars and cars with baby seats. Might seem a bit OTT to some, but I really look after my car, and don't want it, dinging/denting etc.

This is my ideal parking.

 

[ALFAitalia]

Sounds much like me.....I may only own older cars these days....but I look after them and try to keep them damage free. I'm just as careful as I was when running brand new cars. The old 169,000 mile pickup?....not so much! I'll park that anywhere. No self respecting tea leave would even touch that....and if I came back and there was a dent in the door from some careless twonk I very much doubt I'd notice it amongst all the others!

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

Totally agree. I'm ultra fussy where I park on public car parks. I'll park as far away as possible from the store, in my case Tesco. The very odd time, I go somewhere, where it's a busy car park, I try and get next to a new or decent motor, my theory being, they are less chance of banging your car. Definate no no's not to park next to are, Works van/pick-ups, really tatty cars and cars with baby seats. Might seem a bit OTT to some, but I really look after my car, and don't want it, dinging/denting etc.

This is my ideal parking.

View attachment 171804

Is there a risk of losing yours,

in amongst a sea of other cars?

.

 

[chic0821]

Totally agree. I'm ultra fussy where I park on public car parks. I'll park as far away as possible from the store, in my case Tesco. The very odd time, I go somewhere, where it's a busy car park, I try and get next to a new or decent motor, my theory being, they are less chance of banging your car. Definate no no's not to park next to are, Works van/pick-ups, really tatty cars and cars with baby seats. Might seem a bit OTT to some, but I really look after my car, and don't want it, dinging/denting etc.

This is my ideal parking.

View attachment 171804

Way too crowded for me Probably same place as blue car but waaay over to the left, then get the bus to the front door of the shop

 

[Will]