Parking Magnet Syndrome

[Tomej]

Hi All,

Just wanted to see if anybody else suffers from the parking magnet syndrome?

On the few occasions I have to take the car (Cerb) and actually leave it anywhere, I try to park as far away as possible from any other car. Normally because the doors are big and I need a lot of room to get in/out.

Well, I took the car out Saturday and parked in Tesco, massive car park so i parked where there were no cars at all. This part of the car park doesn't really get busy so thought I'm safe to leave it there.

I return an hour or so later to find that someone has parked next to me, the rest of this section of car park is empty, and they have to park in the space right next to me!
WHY?

Anyone else have this problem?

[gavgavgav]

Maybe he wanted to make sure that someone would not ding his car, so parked next to a car that is least likely to have that happen?

To be honest this is how I park any car, if there is a choice between a roughed up st box or a brand new shiny/ flash car I would park next to the shiny one.

[phillpot]

Yep, I've only got a little S3 but like you I parked well away from everyone when I pulled into the services the other day only to return just as a rather large lady was squeezing out of her car that her husband had decided to park rediculously close to mine when there were empty bays either side!

[Manks]

Tomej said:

Hi All,

Just wanted to see if anybody else suffers from the parking magnet syndrome?

On the few occasions I have to take the car (Cerb) and actually leave it anywhere, I try to park as far away as possible from any other car. Normally because the doors are big and I need a lot of room to get in/out.

Well, I took the car out Saturday and parked in Tesco, massive car park so i parked where there were no cars at all. This part of the car park doesn't really get busy so thought I'm safe to leave it there.

I return an hour or so later to find that someone has parked next to me, the rest of this section of car park is empty, and they have to park in the space right next to me!
WHY?

Anyone else have this problem?

It's a well-known phenomenon and discussed at length elsewhere on PH - do a search.

Theories include an inability to line up between painted white lines without a car on at least one side and sheep behaviour.

[Jurgen Schmidt]

I adopt the same strategy, especially at supermarkets, to avoid accidents with trolleys etc, but get the same results.

They are unusual cars and attract folk who are curious and want to get a closer look.

[tvrtimt350c]

I had the same bloke I think big carpark at my local supermarket drove right to the bottom end well away from any other cars went in for 3 minutes on returning to my car there's some T*+T parked about four inches from my drivers door with not another car anywhere near. So went around to knock on his window to ask him to move. He said sorry I didn't think that I was parked that close MATE with a (Hills have eyes look on is face.)

[Tomej]

Manks said:

It's a well-known phenomenon and discussed at length elsewhere on PH - do a search.
Theories include an inability to line up between painted white lines without a car on at least one side and sheep behaviour.

Yes, I found the parking thread but after a quick read it seemed more about the inability to park, rather than people just wanting to park next to a car in an otherwise empty car park.

[Manks]

Tomej said:

Manks said:

It's a well-known phenomenon and discussed at length elsewhere on PH - do a search.
Theories include an inability to line up between painted white lines without a car on at least one side and sheep behaviour.

Yes, I found the parking thread but after a quick read it seemed more about the inability to park, rather than people just wanting to park next to a car in an otherwise empty car park.

Not sure that was the one Tomej. However, having advised you to do a search I have just done one and cannot find it!

[EGB]

To date, have attracted MX5, BMW M5, Aston and 2CV. No problems. They all like parking next to TVRs.

[Soovy]

Tomej said:

Hi All,

Just wanted to see if anybody else suffers from the parking magnet syndrome?

On the few occasions I have to take the car (Cerb) and actually leave it anywhere, I try to park as far away as possible from any other car. Normally because the doors are big and I need a lot of room to get in/out.

Well, I took the car out Saturday and parked in Tesco, massive car park so i parked where there were no cars at all. This part of the car park doesn't really get busy so thought I'm safe to leave it there.

I return an hour or so later to find that someone has parked next to me, the rest of this section of car park is empty, and they have to park in the space right next to me!
WHY?

Anyone else have this problem?

It harks back to primitive times, when we all had tails and threw sh t at each other.

You car is a sign that you are successful and powerful. A good head of the pack, so to speak.

The weaker in the pack (with tails, throwing mud) park their sh t boxes next to your TVR because their primitive brains feel secure through in some way being close to you.

[Tomej]

thanks Soovy, that did make me larf.

[macdeb]

Very annoying. I'm afraid I usually park ON the white line and take up two spaces in the hope of leaving room between others. My other 'arf says I shouldn't then I point out that she has quite a few dinks in the side of her car from other car doors/shopping trolleys. I know that public car parks will fine you for taking up two spaces but wonder what they would do if you were to buy two tickets? Besides, the car park places they line off are for very small cars and not massive 4x4's etc that don't seem to give a st. [or cerberas with long doors]

[haircutmike]

+1 Mac, much to the embaressment of my wife but hey, my shoulders are broad .

Probably come back one day and find a couple of GWhizzs parked in the gaps on each side!

[Manks]

Tomej said:

Hi All,

Just wanted to see if anybody else suffers from the parking magnet syndrome?

On the few occasions I have to take the car (Cerb) and actually leave it anywhere, I try to park as far away as possible from any other car. Normally because the doors are big and I need a lot of room to get in/out.

Well, I took the car out Saturday and parked in Tesco, massive car park so i parked where there were no cars at all. This part of the car park doesn't really get busy so thought I'm safe to leave it there.

I return an hour or so later to find that someone has parked next to me, the rest of this section of car park is empty, and they have to park in the space right next to me!
WHY?

Anyone else have this problem?

Got it. It's because if you park immediately next to a TVR it cannot roll into your car when the handbrake fails.

[collingbroon]

This happens to me all the time, I park on my own in a part of the empty car park about the size of a football pitch and yes on my return there is some raft sitting a couple of inches from my car. I have never managed to get my head round it as it makes no sense except maybe if it's just to annoy that person. There's nowt stranger than folk

[shep1001]

Yes & I ended up with damage on the car where some tt opened the door on it.

[Debaser]

Went to the local Sainsbury's just as it opened, the (very large) car park was almost completely empty so I parked about ten spaces away from the doors and went in. Two minutes later I came out and there were probably seven other cars in the car park all spread out.

However, in the space next to my car was a three door hatchback of some sort. As I got closer I saw that she'd parked with her driver's door very close to my passenger side and was struggling to get a baby out the back. As she struggled with the baby her fat arse was pressing her door into the side of my car.

I was split between being angry that she'd parked next to me and was damaging my car, and amazed that she'd made her life so awkward for herself by her incredibly dumb choice of parking space.

[macdeb]

haircutmike said:

+1 Mac, much to the embaressment of my wife but hey, my shoulders are broad .

Probably come back one day and find a couple of GWhizzs parked in the gaps on each side!

Cool, I remember a bloke at work once some time back rolled into an empty car park but for one car, he decided to park next to it,, but hit it in his attempt
He did leave his details on the windscreen. That wouldn't happen now would it?

[Tomej]

Debaser said:

Went to the local Sainsbury's just as it opened, the (very large) car park was almost completely empty so I parked about ten spaces away from the doors and went in. Two minutes later I came out and there were probably seven other cars in the car park all spread out.

However, in the space next to my car was a three door hatchback of some sort. As I got closer I saw that she'd parked with her driver's door very close to my passenger side and was struggling to get a baby out the back. As she struggled with the baby her fat arse was pressing her door into the side of my car.

I was split between being angry that she'd parked next to me and was damaging my car, and amazed that she'd made her life so awkward for herself by her incredibly dumb choice of parking space.

Please tell me you weren't parked in a Parent and Toddler space...

[GadgeS3C]

Try it in a different car. It happens regardless of what you drive - my theory involves sheep