Parking habits: Another example of enthusiast vs. non-enthusiast thinking.

"Noah - Now with more boost." (antriebverliebt)
03/30/2016 at 11:21 • Filed to: None

It’s easy to forget that at times, us car nuts live in a completely different universe. Parking is a great example of this, as I am routinely reminded at work. When I go out to lunch with my colleagues, they will give each other shit for parking far away from the entrance to our building. Granted, the parking lot is pretty large, and Americans HATE walking.

That said, I’m always amused when someone complains about how far away from the car we’re taking is parked. Because my car is inevitably even farther away, at the end of the lot, hopefully hiding from door dings and shitty parkers. It’s amusing to me that the goal for normal people is to park as close to the entrance as they can, whereas for us, it’s often all about parking as far away from everyone else as we can.

This is yet another example of the phenomenon where I totally forget that what I consider to be “normal” in terms of cars makes no sense to non enthusiasts. Like cleaning my own car or staying on top of !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! A long walk to the car is a given for me, even in the rain. Just found that interesting...

DISCUSSION (28)

yamahog > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:25

Yuuuup. I park my beater car as close as I can in the winter, zero ducks given, then once I bring out the Camaro/bike for springtime I back them in to the furthest spots possible. Sometimes next to their yellow “friends.”

Urambo Tauro > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:33

I find it ridiculous how DESPERATE people will get just to avoid walking a few more steps.

I sometimes see a car waiting in the aisle while another driver unloads their shopping cart, just so they can claim that space. I like to pass them, park, and walk by while they’re STILL WAITING.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Urambo Tauro
03/30/2016 at 11:34

THANK YOU. Some people are just SO LAZY. It’s mind blowing.

Noah - Now with more boost. > yamahog
03/30/2016 at 11:36

Parking next to “friends” is the best game.

functionoverfashion > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:37

I actually think about who I’m parking next to, probably more than I should. Like, “oh I know she always works late” or “that guy has a trailer ball on, he never has one... I better not park behind him...” or even, “that guy just got a new car I’m sure I can be safe next to him.” All in the name of avoiding door dings, etc.

Noah - Now with more boost. > functionoverfashion
03/30/2016 at 11:40

I do this too. Is the car expensive? Or new? An enthusiast’s ride? I’m parking next to it. Is it damaged? Scuffed even? FUCK THAT. Also I get irrationally angry when I’m parked in the middle of nowhere with zero cars around me and someone pulls in right next to me. WTF?!

Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:42

I always gun for spots that are easiest to get out of. Pull through spots are a best case scenario. Back when I was younger I remember my Dad canvasing lots for like 5 minutes to find a better spot, its like “we would have already been inside at this point, but okay...”

Noah - Now with more boost. > Dwhite - Powered by Caffeine, Daft Punk, and Corgis
03/30/2016 at 11:44

Yes. Pull through spots are the best.

Urambo Tauro > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:44

True story: There was this one time when I just had to run in for one quick item (a soda or something) that was close to the checkout, and one of these desperados was waiting for someone to unload their (rather heavy-laden) cart. And I kid you not- the car still hadn’t moved by the time I came back outside.

I really wanted to come up with something clever to say, some way to gloat about it. Alas, I can only hope that they noticed the same guy walking by them twice...

Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again. > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:46

My two dream imports...

Flavien Vidal > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:48

I never think of that... i throw my car where there is space... if it’s close good but I won’t try to get as close as possible from the entrance like my wife does which is really fucking annoying! “Why do you park so far???” “The entrance is 100ft away it’s NOT far!!” “Yeah but but this spot is closer”, pointing to a tiny space 6 rows closer from where I parked... Rhaaaa so annoying lol

Noah - Now with more boost. > Urambo Tauro
03/30/2016 at 11:52

It’s just like saving money when you’re shopping. Great in theory, but the savings are often outweighed by the energy expended to save that 30 cents. Like this dude screaming at the poor deli worker for giving him a little over the half pound of ham he requested. Like seriously? Is it really worth it? People are crazy man

Noah - Now with more boost. > Sir_Stig: and toxic masculinity ruins the party again.
03/30/2016 at 11:53

lol yeah I was very happy with the pic I found

Slant6 > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 11:53

I don’t give a damn about my Ranger. It’s a shitty truck that is meant to take abuse.

I do understand your reasoning though, it’s just that I can’t justify it with my truck. I keep it clean and maintained, but dents are dents and don’t really affect the value of the truck at this point.

If I ever paint my Dart I’ll probably park it far away too.

Noah - Now with more boost. > Flavien Vidal
03/30/2016 at 11:54

yeah this thread proves that parking is just a psychological game lol

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 12:03

I always wonder if the other drivers get it though. Sometimes in my Miata I will park next to another Mazda if given the option. Even if it’s just a CX5 or a Mazda 6 or something. I know that I would notice, but then again most “normal” people out there aren’t canvasing every lot to check out what cars are parked around lol.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 12:06

I generally try to park near other cars so that I don't get called out as "that guy" who parks away from everybody. More importantly, I do this because there are people who intentionally park next to "that guy" just to piss him off or to mess with them. Also, I feel like in a pack I am less likely to be hit by stray shopping carts. But in the end, I also do not care enough since I have enough scratches and crap so it can't get worse lol.

functionoverfashion > Urambo Tauro
03/30/2016 at 12:12

My favorite thing is going to a place with a drive through, where there is a giagantic line. I park, go inside, get stuff and leave, long before some people have completed the line. Sometimes long before they have even ordered. I like to wave to the people still waiting, but they are always - I mean ALWAYS - on their phones.

Urambo Tauro > functionoverfashion
03/30/2016 at 12:16

YES! I love doing that too. I’m trying to remember the last time I actually used a drive-thru... it’s been years.

Rico > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%)
03/30/2016 at 12:19

I park sooooo far away that no one has tried that with me. And if they did

Kinja'd!!!

BLCKSTRM > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 12:27

I’m with you.

Back, and corner.

Always corners, or at least some kind of non-car spot, usually chosen so that the one exposed side is their (likely unoccupied) passenger side.

That's gonna leave a mark! > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 12:31

Probably a lot of the complainers have a gym membership where they pay to exercise. I see it at my gym. Everyone crowds around the entrance so they are closer and then goes in and spends hours on the treadmill.

DutchieDC2R > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 12:34

I think you can view this in two ways. Door dings and/or other damage can happen if you park far away too. I really am not that selective when it comes to parking my car. The thing with parking closeby is, they (the building/company youre parking at) usually have cameras and if something does happen, I can easily ask for the CCTV footage.

On the other hand, like you mentioned, those lazyasses parking up close usually dont give a rats ass about how they park their car, increasing the chances of damaging mine.

I think its just a matter of luck whether someone who cares parks next to you, or someoen who doesnt.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 13:19

Only if it isn’t angled parking with narrow lanes. I watched someone in a big truck do a pull-through in this situation. He ended up going back and forth five or six times in order to make the turn on the other side.

Kinja'd!!!

Meatcoma > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 13:24

Odd you mention that, I park my wife’s car(Juke) as close as I can and my camaro as far away as feasible.

Mind you, her car is so tiny it takes up like half a spot and mine is so wide, not to mention nuclear yellow it takes up the whole spot and I can say with certainty draws more attention than hers. It’s not that I don’t worry about dings/dents etc with hers, it’s the fact that even my mammoth doors wouldn’t hit her car if it’s parked in the center of her spot and I’m within my lines.

TheHondaBro > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 13:27

This is the truth. I always see the coolest cars parked all the way in the back of the Costco lot.

John > Noah - Now with more boost.
03/30/2016 at 15:55

Im currently parked about 400 feet from the furthest, last, open spot....if that makes sense....nowheresville.....Totally agree with you.

Eggplant > Flavien Vidal
03/31/2016 at 00:15

That is a very Japanese thing to do. Whenever I go out to the shopping center to get groceries or whatever, all I have to do is park on the other side of the ‘road’ dividng the parking lot in two. One side is practically empty, while the other side has people circling around like vultures or something.