I recently got a wedding invite. As of now I'm still deciding if I should go or not b/c of the parking situation

According to the invite, the ceremony is being held at a church the suburbs. For you NY metro people it's out in Pt. Washington Long Island. So I figured it's in a nice residential area with a parking lot. I checked google earth and the church it located right next to a golf course with a decent sized parking lot. My Mini should be fine. I just have to get there extra early and get a spot far far away.

But it's the reception that I'm concerned about. It's being held at a resturant/catering hall in Flushing. The establishment's lot is small considering the size of the establishment. And during peak hours, it turns into a valet lot . So cross that idea off. The surrounding area isn't much better. Parking in the area is pretty tough and even if you managed to get a spot, you can count on some a** to park by Braille and damage your bumper. A half mile or so north of the resturant isn't that bad though. It's mostly residential. But two of my cousins' cars were vandalized while parked a mile or so from the resturant.

Anybody else give this much thought before going anywhere since they got their Mini?

Oh BTW, the invite didn't specify where the couple registered for their gifts . I had many friends who registered and it made things a lot easy for me. Just go to their website, see what they want, order it and have it sent to their house. Easy as pie. But I'm assuming they want cash instead.

 

save yourself the worry, rent a car for the day.

 

When it comes to one's MINI, is there such a thing as too obsessive?

 

A valet would have to pry the keys from my cold dead hands before they ever got near my car.

Definitely rent a car, or fake a stroke or something and dont go. The mini always comes first

 

Que dices? No entiendo.

Get a date. Take her car.

 

 

In a word...





Yes.

Are you joking? You're joking, aren't you? tell me you're joking.


I love my car. My car is far more than a mere form of transportation; it is My Car. That said, generally the first indication of unhealthy psychological behavior is interference in one's daily/normal/social operations. Googling the locations of a wedding and reception to determine whether or not it will have "safe" parking is -- well, quite frankly, it's weird. If you have another car, it's a non-issue; if you don't have another car, your period of MINI curatorship is going to be very long and difficult indeed.

Theoretically, you bought the car because you like to drive it, so uh... drive it.

And of course the final litmus test is your level of concern for the people getting married and how YOU would feel if your friends/family ducked out of your nuptuals at the last minute because the parking was substandard.

Go to the wedding. In your MINI. And enjoy usurping just a bit of the days attention as people nag you about it and beg for rides.

 

If you are missing major life events for friends and family because you are worried about something that MIGHT happen, it's definately gone too far.

There is always touch-up paint, PDR, rubbing compound and body shops for little car dings. With any luck for the bride and groom, this will be the only wedding they will ever invite you to. Go, take what precautions you can, have fun at the wedding and share the day w/ your friends.

 

could not have said it better...... and OM did not charge you $135 for "couch time" which I think you needed

 

It didn't seem like driving was really the question.

I agree with the others; rent or take the date's car.

 

Priceless.

Ignor the sermonizing, Eric has it figured out!

 

Should he get a date every time he needs to go to the grocery store?

Into every daily driver's life, a little parking must fall.

 

This could get to be way "over the top fun" ...... what is it when one changes "normal" behavior for avoidance of a "non real" threat or something that has a very low chance of occurance......?

maybe the beginnings of OCD or the like.....?

 

Only if he's able!

 

 

A wife works just as well.

 

Am I being too obsessive???

I think this is the wrong forum. Kinda like one bear asking another bear, am I hairy?

 

Checking on Google earth...why didn't I think of THAT...mind you I already know I have a touch of OCD.

Get a second car you don't care about. It is totally liberating

 

You could probably also ask to park the car yourself in the lot at the reception. My Dad drives a Prowler and no one is allowed to drive it (I think my Mom got to drive it around the block ONCE). He declines valet all the time and they still let him park it in the lot. Usually throws the valet a few bucks so they don't get ticked for not being able to park the car. Plus they will keep an eye on it for you. Personally I would let someone else park my MINI and just watch to make sure no damage has been done.

 

I think taking the MINI is the way to go.

It's just material. Eventually it is going to rust or break or die or blow up into a billion pieces. Uncertainty is around every corner, why you've decided to focus on this ONE event of uncertainty is beyond me.

Ponder this: What if you decided not to go because of the parking situation. Instead you decide to go on a little motoring trip around town and, God forbid, at an intersection... WHAM! you get t-boned. Well now you have a hurt wedding couple AND a destroyed MINI. When it could have been lots safer in a small parking lot.

It could happen... you don't know. Just like some little scratch could mysteriously appear on your MINI in the teeny parking lot... you just don't know.

Sounds like a control thing. I have the same issue. If I'm not in control of the situation (read: valet) then things are more likely to go wrong, and more then likely will.
It's taken me a lot to realize that sometimes NOT being in control of the world is better.

Dare I quote Garth Brooks, "Life is not tried, it is merely survived when your standing outside the fire."

Go to the wedding. Have fun. Take your MINI. MOTOR ON!

 

I share your disease brotha

 

Regarding the registering thing, I actually like when the couple hasn't registered. To me, picking gifts off of a registry list is just as impersonal as giving them cash. There's very little thought or emotion behind it. It's fine if it's distant relations or whatever, but it just feels wrong for close friends/family. Friends of mine are getting married next weekend, no registry - I got them a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride!

 

Who has let your MINI change ones normal operations?..... I have never heard of such a thing

 

OK, I think this is one of the more humorous threads I've read in my relatively short time on NAM.

 

Why fret? Yankee Stadium, Newark Airport "economy" (long term) parking, and valet parking at Columbia Presbyterian Hospital parking hasn't deterred me yet and my MINI is fine.
I'd be embarrassed to show up at the wedding in anything BUT a MINI.