I read through some of the comments, and hey you guys, no one DESERVES to have their property vandalized, that's called a CRIME for good reason!!

My area had a local city police dept embarrassed on TV because they had been telling people who called to report a theft of something from a vehicle, that if it was unlocked it wasn't theft it was negligence -!, and they wouldn't take a report! Not true.. theft is theft, and vandalism is vandalism.

 

This is kind of parallel to the jack-heiney (usually) guy that you see weaving, darting and speeding through traffic on the highway. When I see this person, am I speeding? Probably. Am I acting like a doofus? No. What do I want more than to drive freely past aforementioned knucklehead pulled to the shoulder by at least 2 smokies? Absolutely nothing in the world.

I won't say you deserve to be keyed, Zen. But I will say that it would be in the best interest of your ego to avoid, at all costs, the inevitable "rant" thread when and if you are.

I suspect you won't get much sympathy, and knowing the background, I daresay that I'll be able to laugh at you without guilt.

 

1. when i lived in the city (my entire life before a year and a half ago) i locked up everything, took out my valuables, and was scared to sleep NEAR a window. Atleast, after my new neighbors moved in and built a deck that extends to about 5 feet from my bedroom window. They had parties all night, threw beer bottles at our house, cigarette butts, shoes, you name it.

And then there's the "Lakeside Murder Squad" who SOMEHOW made friends with all the cops before they went public with their stupid little gang. So now, the cops feel BAD about getting them in trouble, because they were "good" little kids. They T-P houses, and cut EVERY TIRE on EVERY CAR for two blocks, on the street right behind my house one night. I moved out as fast as i could. Even still, i hate parking my mini at my moms over night. I have the newest car on the whole street, bright yellow, and begging for a beating :(

2. Handicap spaces? I can't tell you how many people park in the Handicap spaces with NO decal or anything. And then those expected parents spots? Dudes with riceburners. And agreed on the handicaps taking that WONDERFUL NONhandicap spot with the extra big space right next to the building.

3. I thought it over last night, and remembered at the walmart near my b/f, someone that works there double parks his truck every day. And then you see the whole back line double parked, all facing a little diagonal. I go grab the corner spots in the back row... and i learned my demensions there very well... every time i'm about an inch off the curb. But since i'm all the way in the middle of no where, in the HOLIDAY parking lot, no one bothers me. Although, there have been times where i've parked there, no ones around except that truck, i'm in walmart for 15-20 mins tops, come out, and there's a cart near my car. what the heck? But i can't go without walmart. 12 pack of coke for 2.50? if i'm already over there visiting the b/f, why not

 

You and Ryan have a point there. I always felt that situating your car in an empty field will only attract punks with idle hands

 

Funny pic of Sideway parking...
(It's a shame so few can find some humor in all this)

 

Same here...or some of the end spaces in the parking garage at work are next to corner areas that aren't actually parking spaces, so I park slightly diagonally over the line into the non-space to angle myself away from whoever might park next to me.

 

Yep, I do exactly the same thing.

Mark

 

Simple solution. People who take 2 spaces should have their car booted or towed. It should count as a parking violation just like parking in an illegal spot. There is NO excuse for it.

And if you get your car dinged, hello, IT'S A CAR! If your worried about you precious car getting some wear and tear on it, build a garage for it and never drive it.

- John

 

that's right.


when it happens to me, i just call the local police department and they happilly scoot over to leave a nice 45$ ticket.

It makes my day every time!

sometimes, I even stay there and watch the A$$ act all surprised when he walkes out the store and sees the ticket... priceless!

 

Just checking in on this "Park It Like You Stole It" thread. To me, whether it's cloddy parking, taking two spaces, shopping cart ineptness, etcetera, it all boils down to simple courtesy to our fellow man (and manette). MINI owners generally have an image of being fun-loving people, and being courteous and friendly just reinforces this. Corvette and Porsche drivers are sometimes perceived as jerks because more than a few of 'em sometimes act like jerks and do jerk things. The broad brush paints them all. As far as myself, I try to park the MINI at the end of the row, close to the curb, or at the far end of the parking lot, where the walk will do me some good. Another benefit to parking out in the open away from everything else, is that if someone does want to be near your car doing evill vile things, a lot of people can see them, unlike when it is parked with the masses. Anywayz, let's try to be fun-loving, courteous MINI owners/drivers, have fun, and drive the wheels off 'em (Literally).


MIKE PREDINA, sunny Chagrin Falls, Ohio
'05 MC, Astro Black, CVT, Premium, Leather, etc. Love it!
'57 Chevy Nomad Pro Street Nomad, "Peachy Keen", Love it, too!

 

Party and autocross at Lotsie's house!

Well, until he gets home, at least.

 

Great, now he's going to lock his car, and put the ebrake up.

 

Or leave the gas tank full

 

You're begging for trouble. I'd find the manager of that place and track you down to move your car. Or park behind you.

Park at an end spot and position the car diagonally so that somebody won't pull in on the very edge of the next spot.

And fake showing a little respect for others instead of being so self centered.

 

i didnt see any yellow lines.....

 

I don't think I could ever vandalize someone's car, no matter how many spaces they take. I just chalk it off to them being overly paranoid, or just an a--. I have never taken more than one spot with my mini and for almost two and a half years and I don't have a single ding yet. And I don't always park in the very furthest spot either. If the parking lot slopes at all then park at the top of the slope so the shopping carts dont get ya. (One time parking my 1 ton crew cab dually I did take alittle more than one spot , sorry) Actually the dually is the one that parks in the back of the lot, cause its to damn big to try an park close to any store .

I'm with Lot on the car locking, at least at my house. We don't lock our cars, or the house, I don't think anyone in my town actually does. When I was in high school I always left the keys in the ignition, never even thought twice. The biggest problem I had was when I left for college, I kept locking my keys in the damm car . Alot of the old timers in town used to always leave the keys in the car, and of course there would be the joy riders who woud "borrow" the car for the evening. The old timers would only be upset if they didn't fill the tank when they "borrowed" it . Small towns are great.

Nik

 

I dont get it. ALmost all of you guys are posting along the lines of "You need to show some respect for fellow mankind, I hope your car gets keyed you ignorant selfish self centered bastard."

Whats the point of telling someone to show respect, then being disrepectful to the person you are trying to teach respect to????

I call retard on this thread.

 

Retard?

Check my back WINDOW

 

I'm with Camelpilot on this one. Use some common sense.
A. It just a car.
B. Not to say that you can't love your car(s) because I do - all of them.
C. Cars, like life are not forever, so enjoy them, warts, door dings, and last years model. Unlike wives, kids and myself you can always send it to the body shop for a quick repair and look new as the day you bought it.
D. They were meant to be driven, not put under a bubble.

The thing I love most about vintage racing is just that, you see priceless cars doing what they were meant to do, driving the wheels off of them w/o regard to the paint chips or dings they pick up along the experience.

My $0.02 worth.

 

Boy, don't log on for a day and miss all the fun!

My solution, take my wifes car to the store.

 

<un-PC alert!>

Take no offense, Samantha - Camel was refering to the OTHER retards on this thread.

</un-PC alert>

 

Yeah, what he said! I been meaning to share this observation for some time, about the minivans with the sliding doors. It's especially effective with angle parking spaces, if you can finagle an end spot on one side, and a minivan on the other you're golden.

Of course, the young'uns who are the passengers in the minivan (scout for booster seats, empty juiceboxes strewn about, etc before you depart ) will be interested in your MINI when they get back, but a smudge or 3 cleans up easier than a dent any day...

My only "ding" (is very, very teeny and) was a gift from my spouse, in my very own (very wide) driveway! Hon, I love you but GRRRR!

My permit lets me park virtually ANYwhere, as long as it's technically in BFE (or Bumpa$$ VA ),

Tatt

 

Man, you people are a barrel of laughs.

 

For some time now I've been wanting to print up some labels (about name tag size) that would express my opinion on peoples ability to park. The idea is to keep them in the car and to use them by sticking it onto the offending vehicles windshield. No damage done and easily removed, but maybe "they" will eventually get the message. Just been too lazy to do it.

I've also noticed that different areas of the country have different ideas of how big a parking spot should be. I recall reading a story couple of months ago, where retailers were re-evaluating their aproach to smaller parking spaces due to overabundance of the mighty SUV. Not going to hear me complaint. Let them make the parking spaces bigger. For a while my local Trader Joe's parking lot was marked so narrow that I had a problem getting the Mini between the lines.

 

Short Bus, my pathetic attempts at levity are just to camouflage how much this suburb-dweller covets your lovely surroundings.

It seems you can take the boy out of the country, but you can't take the "country" out of the boy...

Peace (and clean air to breathe, and yummy rivers to kayak in, and vast quantities of birds and other wildlife to keep you company),

Tatt