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You decide to take your girlfriend, boyfriend, wife, etc…out for the evening. You arrive at your destination and find the parking to be limited and crowded with only a few middle parking spots.
I generally park towards the middle of most lots, Not up front where people carelessly rush in and out of spots in big hurrys, but not ouy in the boonies either... lol
I like the spots that have curbs next to them, with bushes or grass or whatever in them, that way i can park pretty close to the one side with the curb leaving room for the other side to have cars next to it. But if i am in a hurry in the slightest bit, i'll park close. Been doin it on various cars for a while and haven't had any problems yet... At least MOST people notice corvettes when they park, and odds are they'll be gauking at your car while they're getting out of theirs.
(Unless they're in 10ft tall POS $80k Cadillac Escalades rollin on DUBS throwin their 900 lb Tank door wide open while yakin on a cell phone sitting in the stratospehere unaware of your corvette down on earth until their door smashes into it... )
I try to avoid driving the c5 if I'm going to a place where I'll have to park it in a busy lot. If I absolutely can't get out of driving it, I'll always shoot for a perimeter spot and I'll park the car as close to the opposite line as possible to leave an adjacent car as much room as possible on their side.
When I was in college I had a 2000 Saleen mustang. HATED parking that thing on campus, but I had to, and I had to take whatever spot I could get. Amazingly, in 3 years, I only got like 3-4 dings.
My brother is in college now, and has a Mystic Cobra. That thing has 8-10 dings, at least, from the lot on campus
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I normally park a moderate distance from the store and if possible, in an end spot so no one can get on one side of me. Been lucky so far. And my wife has come to expect a walk when we get somewhere.
... At least MOST people notice corvettes... Unless they're in 10ft tall POS $80k Cadillac Escalades rollin on DUBS throwin their 900 lb Tank door wide open while yakin on a cell phone sitting in the stratospehere unaware of your corvette down on earth until their door smashes into it... ) -Dan
Even worse are obese women in 15-year-old rusty compact cars who put more muscle into throwing that dented door open than Hulk Hogan! If they don't slam ya goin in, then they nail you with the overloaded shopping cart coming out.
I generally park towards the back of parking lots...depending on how crowded it is. I dont exactly take the space the farthest back in the lot, but Im usually one a few spaces away from anyone else. Heck, I frequently do this in others cars I drive because I dont feel like having to worry about opening my door on someone's car or having to dodge them backing out. I dont see what the problem is with people parking in the back of lots...it doesn't hurt anyone, they are legally parking, taking up only 1 space, and they save the up close spaces for people who have a hard time getting around or are too lazy to get thier fat butts some exorcise.
I generally park it as I would any other car. I don't purposely park at the back of lots, and I don't take up 2 spaces.
If I have the easy choice, I obviously will take a spot at the end of a row, but if that can't happen I don't sweat it.
40k miles on the car, no bsm's, and not a mark on the doors. I have no reason to be paranoid about it now.
Same here.... I just park smart and don't take the Vette to some specific places like the Theater.
parking smart to me means: Dont stand out, try to blend in, get an end spot, dont park next to two door cars.. dont park on a hill, park close not way out where no one is watching... I haven't had a door ding on any of my cars in many years.
Even worse are obese women in 15-year-old rusty compact cars who put more muscle into throwing that dented door open than Hulk Hogan! If they don't slam ya goin in, then they nail you with the overloaded shopping cart coming out.
ROFL How very true!!!
Usually those people will drive around the lot for five minutes looking for a spot 5 feet closer than what was available.
I'm with the "park next to an island; not in the front, but not out in the boonie" crowd.
Many years ago, I had a friend with a new Vette. We went to Dadeland Mall - a pretty big shopping center. He HAD to park, like "miles" away...the end of the lot. Not another car for probably 300 ft.
When we were finished shopping, I was hysterical. There were still no cars for the same 300 ft, but several cars were parked either side of my friends Vette! Don't sweat it, it does not matter where you park.
On campus last week I saw this girl, not only get out and smack the car next to her, but rested her door on the other car until she got out of the car and closed it. I'll stick to parking in BFE. Some people have absolutely no respect for other people's property. I would not leave my car in a parking lot if I had to park next to other people. The ONLY exception to this rule is if I know the people parking on both sides of me.
I try not to park my Corvette in any parking lot. When I have to it's in the Boonies in an end spot.
I have a '95 Caprice that I use as a DD, I was parked at a store a couple of weeks ago, still in the car making a phone call. A pair of Ladies pull up next to me. I wasn't even paying them any attention, (my Caprice is a Huge,former NYS Police LT1, they were in a 2005 Passat) my phone almost fell from my hands as the passenger door opened and smashed the side of the Caprice. I got out and looked at the dent and damage they did to the door of the Passat, as I was standing talking to the driver who denied it, the passenger door opens again and smashes the Caprice. The one I'm talking to says the "door opener" has a Bad Hip?
No use going any further, only satisfaction was the damage to the Passat was at least $200. The Caprice just one more ding among many.
Good thing it wasn't the Corvette!
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It never fails. Everytime I park away from other cars out in BFE, when I return there is a car parked near mine. I do this with all my cars not just the vette.
The last time I parked up close I was in the mall sitting in the car killing some time when this kid comes by my car & flicks the gum that he had in his mouth on to my wind shield. Apparently he didnt see me in the car because my windows were dark but I jumped out the car and choked the hell out of him & ask why he did it. His response was sorry I didnt see you in there. The dummy still didn't get it. Respect other people's property.