Newbie (sort of) Parking Question - Smart Car of America Forums : Smart Car Forum

pdxplm · 01-19-2009, 12:20 PM

Just a question to fellow smarties... When parking in a parking lot, do you pull all the way in or do you pull in just enough to be in the Parking spot? I was thinking if I pull all the way in, some idiot will think there's no one parked there and slam right into me...

**JPaul** · 01-19-2009, 12:29 PM

Not that it did work all the times (I got some green paint on a door once) but I try to park in such a way that the next vehicle's doors wont hit mine. Of course, that works only if I keep the same neighbors for the duration.
Mostly, I try to avoid having the puddle of oil just above the rear of the car, so I don't have to stand on it if I have to load. And that means all the way either end of the space. I'm not too concerned about having the space look empty: the smart is, after all, rather tall.
Again, the chances of being hit by an inattentive driver are less than by the door of a long coupe, you know, those doors wider than the whole smart is.

smartHHO · 01-19-2009, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pdxplm

Just a question to fellow smarties... When parking in a parking lot, do you pull all the way in or do you pull in just enough to be in the Parking spot? I was thinking if I pull all the way in, some idiot will think there's no one parked there and slam right into me...

Just got mine, but I have been seeing ppl pull in just enough so as to not get slammed by some knucklehead.

wrumbarger · 01-19-2009, 12:29 PM

We tell all our customers to NEVER pull all the way into a space (especially if between 2 SUV/VAN/HUMMER (s).

I can almost guarantee that someone won't be paying attention and start to pull in before they notice that YOU are parked there.

Pull (head first) in until the back of your car is about a foot into the space?

UNLESS, you are parking 2 smarts in the same space? That works nicely, and really gets people's attention?

headless · 01-19-2009, 12:29 PM

I like the way you think, and having had my smart for over 4 years it is a valid question, if you park all the way in, the space looks empty, so I always just go in enough so that my back bumper is the same distance out as the other cars, so you have a large space in front of the car.
Some idiot in a huge 4x4 is going to ride up the arse of your smart and snigger that he did'nt see the little toy car, as he thought space was empty otherwise.
El

forestacademy · 01-19-2009, 12:36 PM

Take the space with the shopping cart in it and leave pleanty of room between you and the cart. This way you should be visible to the idiot who aren't paying attention.

And when you pull out you can watch the next person freek out because they won't fit into the space. 1/2 spaces with snow banks work too

smark · 01-19-2009, 01:18 PM

I don't park next to anyone. Door Dings.

forestacademy · 01-19-2009, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by smark

I don't park next to anyone. Door Dings.

OK I know I live in the middle of nowhere but I do have to shop where other people are, so Not parking next to anyone is not realy an option unless I want to walk 100 yards in sub zerro temps.

The Question is do you park all the way into a parking spot so you don't get rearended by someone thinking the spot is empty. I have also found that the cars width is so small that others can not Ding my car with their doors. They don't reach. Also If you line up the back of your car with the SUV's and pick ups, their front doors can't even hit your front bumper.

One last thing. Plastic Body panels.

It's not like those dings I can't see will turn into a rust spot. I have bigger things in my life to wory about than a ding in plastic.
My cars are more at risk in my Garage from my kids bikes than other cars doors.

SubSlr88 · 01-19-2009, 02:59 PM

I pull about half way into the parking space - just in case~!
This leaves the rear slightly ahead of the other vehicles, but sticking out enough to be seen by someone pulling in - before they get very far into the space. . . seems to work.

SuperGeek · 01-19-2009, 07:51 PM

I usually park dead center. A fast-moving, slow-thinking driver will see the back of my car and not think the spot's empty. The full size truck that needs four spots can have the one and a third in front of me. I'm in Alabama. Full size trucks here are very common. If I park next to a truck or SUV, the extra 3 feet behind me give them room to turn out of the spot - avoids fender benders on all sides.

Or, if someone's parked just over the line in a busy lot, I sometimes squeeze right next to them, as long as I can get doors open. Usually gets people shaking their heads.