MarkS2K

I look for an end spot and also park the car at an angle, just like tiberius. On the street, I look for a spot where I am the last car either in front of all the cars, or behind all of them. There are too many people that don't know how to parallel park and will bump into you. My Prelude used to get bumped a lot, until I put the front plate on. Now if anyone bumps me, they get some nice screw marks in their bumper.

rstark

I like to look for a spot that's wide if I have to park between two cars. Otherwise, I look for end spots, or those that have a pillar (some shopping centers) between the stalls and park really close to the pillar. I normally look for parking that's easily visible to me, or others that walk by and not one that way in the back where no one sees the car. The other side is, if I know I'm going to a crowded mall or a place that I do not trust parking the car, I'll take my wife's van!

meat

I do the "angle" thing in end spots. I also don't mind walking a bit further (the GF loves this!).

My '96 Teg (135000 miles) has been street parked for it's whole life and it has no door dings. Although, someone did hit the front , driver corner pulling in or out of the alley by my house (pissed me off).

Colin

My parking "rules" include many of the above and I've added a few thoughts.

1) Park in an end stall (next to a piller as Rick mentioned is just as good)
2) Park on the passenger side (50% chance there is no passenger, vs 100% chance there is a driver)
3) Avoid 2 door cars (they open too wide and are too heavy)
4) Park next to cars nicer than yours (clean is also important cause expensive and dirty is a bad sign)
5) Minivans with sliding doors are good (just watch out for the front doors)
6) Never park next to a car with a child seat in the back (mama does not car about your doors when the baby's crying)
7) Handicapped stalls are usually very wide and often unoccupied and in a pinch almost qualify as an "end stall" IMO
8) Angled stalls are better than straight stalls. (I usually park as far forward as possible knowing our cars are short)

mns2k

I just park the car. If someone is going to steel something, key the car, cut the top, etc. It doen't matter much were you park it. As much as I love the S2K it is still just a car.

walkabt

Rules of thumb:

1) Don't take the car to Costco - too many people
2) Park where your passenger side is protected (such as a curb) and park closer to the passenger side curb - leaving more space on the driver side.
3) NEVER, EVER park near a Suburban, Expedition or Minivan - even with the sliding doors a kid is bound to sit in the front and doesn't know how to open a door nicely. They are kids, they are learning, I just don't want them learning on my car...
4) Well lit area
5) Lock car
6) NEVER, EVER take up two spaces

TommyAmrani

[QUOTE]Originally posted by walkabt
[B]Rules of thumb:

mntony

I park away from other cars if possible, but in plain sight, near a light, etc. Never park in an unprotected spot at the end of a row - where there is no curb or other thing to keep turning cars from hitting mine. Stay away from large two-door cars which need more space. Around here, with the winds we get, even a thoughtful driver can ding your car when the 40 mph wind grabs the door. I've even done that. I will never use two spaces. Sense of fairness goes too deep.

One time, I saw a space next to a curb that was actually close to the building. Because of how others parked, it was much wider than normal. I though "what the heck" and backed in with passenger side close to the curb. When I came out, some jerk in a Suburban parked into a space I wouldn't have put my old Civic in. His/her driver's door was inches from my driver's door. No way the driver could have gotten out of there and no way for me to get into my car from that side. FYI, it *is* possible to enter the car, top up, from the passenger's door. But it's a PITA. I'm 5'8" - might not work for someone bigger unless you're really flexible.

So why is it the vehicles which park next to me are always trucks or SUVs? Hey, and how do they figure something like a Suburban is a SPORT utility vehicle? The UTILITY part I get.

yellow2001

i stay away for SUVs, coupes with loong doors.

Destiny2002