Supermarket car park, absolutely petrified

[Ron240]

Newarch said:

Ron240 said:

Sounds like you are not that particular about your car...it is simply a means of getting from A to B.

Any vehicle I have is there to be used as intended, not wrapped up in cotton wool so as to slightly increase its secondhand value.

Thank you for answering my question and confirming what I suspected.

[Timberwolf]

Some cars seem to do better than others. After a few years of public car parks my Omega looked like my typical parking spot was in the middle of an open access golf driving range. The two Volvos I had were almost unblemished in exactly the same conditions: the only time I spotted a dent on my S60 it was a tiny dint on the front wing, when I looked at the car next to it the trailing edge of their front door was completely stoved in, at which point I went with the view that it was a cheap car with far bigger problems than the occasional ding and someone might have learnt a lesson about flinging doors open with wild abandon.

Also IME the worst car parks by far are office car parks, with the next worst being residents parking areas that aren't sufficiently protected against people dumping cars there to do their shopping; there's obviously a strong correlation between "I don't care this isn't a public car park" and "so what if I damage someone else's car?". Supermarkets have been generally fine for me, although I do tend to park out of the way on the other side to the entrance. Ideally finding a car to park next to that's there every time, on the assumption it's owned by a member of staff and won't move until long after I'm gone.

Another thing from my experience is ratty-looking 15 year old hatchbacks parked next to the "nice" car are usually some teenager's pride and joy that they are going out of their way to avoid scratching, despite the festival of dents already littered over the car by previous owners. It's getting back to the car and finding a 1-3 year old mock-SUV parked next to it that has me worrying.

[anonymous-user]

Ron240 said:

Newarch said:

Ron240 said:

Sounds like you are not that particular about your car...it is simply a means of getting from A to B.

Any vehicle I have is there to be used as intended, not wrapped up in cotton wool so as to slightly increase its secondhand value.

Thank you for answering my question and confirming what I suspected.

Thanks for butchering my reply in order to make it look like I’m agreeing with you.

[Jaguar steve]

Newarch said:

But not actually visible then?

And can we please knock it off with this idea that car enthusiasts only drive cars in mint condition or polished to within an inch of their lives. Because it’s bks. Any vehicle I have is there to be used as intended, not wrapped up in cotton wool so as to slightly increase its secondhand value.

Only the spectacularly hard of thinking or those who can never be wrong about anything ever are incapable of comprehending car enthusiasts come in more varieties then Heinz soup.

You don't have to spend all weekend alone in the garage polishing £50 grands worth of fashion wagon with £500 quids worth of detailing kit or spunk next months mortgage payment on proving what a driving god you are round a windy airfield so you can brag about it afterward on some motoring forum or have your friends wanting to go and top themselves in your bathroom 'cos you've talked about nothing all bloody evening except how their cars will handle so much better with upgraded wishbone bushes to be one.

[nickfrog]

Jaguar steve said:

Only the spectacularly hard of thinking or those who can never be wrong about anything ever are incapable of comprehending car enthusiasts come in more varieties then Heinz soup.

Some sense at last Steve, good news.

Good that you now accept that some car enthusiasts like sheds and that some prefer cars that are not shed.

Glad to also hear that you can understand that some car enthusiasts enjoy track days because they're good fun and can still polish their car afterwards.

Some really good open mindedness from you, it's refreshing. Keep it up.

[SidewaysSi]

Jaguar steve said:

Newarch said:

But not actually visible then?

And can we please knock it off with this idea that car enthusiasts only drive cars in mint condition or polished to within an inch of their lives. Because it’s bks. Any vehicle I have is there to be used as intended, not wrapped up in cotton wool so as to slightly increase its secondhand value.

Only the spectacularly hard of thinking or those who can never be wrong about anything ever are incapable of comprehending car enthusiasts come in more varieties then Heinz soup.

You don't have to spend all weekend alone in the garage polishing £50 grands worth of fashion wagon with £500 quids worth of detailing kit or spunk next months mortgage payment on proving what a driving god you are round a windy airfield so you can brag about it afterward on some motoring forum or have your friends wanting to go and top themselves in your bathroom 'cos you've talked about nothing all bloody evening except how their cars will handle so much better with upgraded wishbone bushes to be one.

But those that do are enthusiasts too, no?

As are those who don't shower to save a few quid, drive a heap of junk, purposely damage their cars and have then have a good chuckle about it. Then come on a motoring forum and tell everyone it's the only way to live.

[anonymous-user]

SidewaysSi said:

But those that do are enthusiasts too, no?

As are those who don't shower to save a few quid, drive a heap of junk, purposely damage their cars and have then have a good chuckle about it. Then come on a motoring forum and tell everyone it's the only way to live.

FFS it's like pulling teeth. In a normal non autistic world where things can be nuanced, it is possible to be a car enthusiast without worrying about every last scratch or mark, or without owning a disreputable old shed. I know someone who owns a lovely late plate Maserati, it is never clean, and has loads of muddy footprints in it from them letting their dogs sit on the back seat when they they take them for a walk.

[nickfrog]

Newarch said:

FFS it's like pulling teeth. In a normal non autistic world where things can be nuanced, it is possible to be a car enthusiast without worrying about every last scratch or mark, or without owning a disreputable old shed. I know someone who owns a lovely late plate Maserati, it is never clean, and has loads of muddy footprints in it from them letting their dogs sit on the back seat when they they take them for a walk.

And can we please knock it off with this idea that car enthusiasts never drive cars in mint condition or polished to within an inch of their lives. Because it’s bks.

[SidewaysSi]

Newarch said:

SidewaysSi said:

But those that do are enthusiasts too, no?

As are those who don't shower to save a few quid, drive a heap of junk, purposely damage their cars and have then have a good chuckle about it. Then come on a motoring forum and tell everyone it's the only way to live.

FFS it's like pulling teeth. In a normal non autistic world where things can be nuanced, it is possible to be a car enthusiast without worrying about every last scratch or mark, or without owning a disreputable old shed. I know someone who owns a lovely late plate Maserati, it is never clean, and has loads of muddy footprints in it from them letting their dogs sit on the back seat when they they take them for a walk.

Hence the words "as are those"...

[Ron240]

Newarch said:

Thanks for butchering my reply in order to make it look like I’m agreeing with you.

It is called editing the quotes so that only the relevant parts remain.
Nothing has been changed in respect of what you or I said.

[Red9zero]

nickfrog said:

And can we please knock it off with this idea that car enthusiasts never drive cars in mint condition or polished to within an inch of their lives. Because it’s bks.

I like a clean car, in fact I used to do concours occasionally. However, nothing looks better than a car that has just finished Le Mans, covered in flies, brake dust, oil etc.

[nickfrog]

Red9zero said:

nickfrog said:

And can we please knock it off with this idea that car enthusiasts never drive cars in mint condition or polished to within an inch of their lives. Because it’s bks.

I like a clean car, in fact I used to do concours occasionally. However, nothing looks better than a car that has just finished Le Mans, covered in flies, brake dust, oil etc.

I couldn't agree more. I really like the car after a track day, covered with rubber pick up and the wheels caked in brake dust.

[Jaguar steve]

nickfrog said:

Jaguar steve said:

Only the spectacularly hard of thinking or those who can never be wrong about anything ever are incapable of comprehending car enthusiasts come in more varieties then Heinz soup.

Some sense at last Steve, good news.

Good that you now accept that some car enthusiasts like sheds and that some prefer cars that are not shed.

Glad to also hear that you can understand that some car enthusiasts enjoy track days because they're good fun and can still polish their car afterwards.

Some really good open mindedness from you, it's refreshing. Keep it up.

I do get it you know, but thanks for the encouragement

For the purposes of this thread at least I'm sticking absolutely with shed though as rather than Si suggested one isn't simply for the purpose of saving money or representing the automotive equivalent of a standard of personal hygiene even a teenage boy might occasionally wonder about, one really is the perfect solution for anybody petrified of supermarket car parks.

Edited by Jaguar steve on Friday 4th June 12:30

[nickfrog]

Jaguar steve said:

one really is the perfect solution for anybody petrified of supermarket car parks.

It's only a solution if you're happy with a shed.

A simpler solution might be to order food from Ocado and enjoy a nice car without being stuck with a shed. How truly liberating.

[juice]

I was at Hengrove retail park in Bristol about 45 mins ago and was getting ready to leave and saw this old geezer in a focus attempting to park. The car to his left moved as he was attempting to park nose in so I knew he'd hit it. He saw me looking, smiled in that awkward apologetic way then reversed out and parked the other side of the car he'd just hit. I was saying to him, I think you should leave a note on that car you just hit...he said no I didn't, the parking sensors never went off . So I showed him the scrape he'd just put down the side of the car!

I was quite prepared to wait but luckily the owner of the other car turned up so I left them to it....unbelievable that he didn't even realise (or was just trying to blag it)



Not sure if you can see the scrape on his front wing

[d_a_n1979]

Been reading this thread but haven't commented...

But have to now after this mornings escapade...

Nipped to Sainsburys for a Click & Collect shop; car park empty where you collect; great... Random text off the wife asking me to nip in for Fathers Day cards... Dammit...

Pulled into a space well away from everyone else; about 5, maybe 6 spaces each side empty....

Nipped in, took me all of 5mins, came out, 2 huge ttting SUVs either side of me... Are they fking retards and why did they need to park right next to me, either side?

Both got a gob full; both had no answer as to why they parked there when there were literally hundreds of other empty spaces! One of these retards was aiming to get out and do their shopping; I gave him a stern warning as to not get out of his 4x4 until I'd moved my touring... He would have caught my car if he'd have got out; daft midget couldn't even see of his steering wheel

Bag of dicks the lot of them

• rantdone

[Sheepshanks]

d_a_n1979 said:

Both got a gob full; both had no answer as to why they parked there when there were literally hundreds of other empty spaces!

Apparently they need the reference point of another car to park against.


I usually laugh at these stories as I don't use car parks much, but did when meeting daughter at Manchester Airport. I'd parked in short-stay T3 - the barrier is half-way in, so I went back on myself and that part was completely empty - there's maybe 50 spaces there.

Got back and a car had reversed parked drivers side to drivers side so close that I have no idea how the driver could have got out and, bearing in mind he was likely picking someone up with baggage, the back of the car was against the overhanging floor of the next level with no way of getting to the boot.

[Deranged Rover]

d_a_n1979 said:

Both got a gob full; both had no answer as to why they parked there when there were literally hundreds of other empty spaces!

Whilst I agree it's annoying and puzzling behaviour, the fact remains that they are perfectly entitled to park in any free space they like.

As a result, I'm afraid its you who comes out looking a bit of a bad-tempered and over-sensitive tit in the above story.

[PistonBroker]

We spotted a ding on our MINI's driver's door as we pulled off the drive this morning. Picked up in a car park somewhere.

It's signwritten and they've managed to ding it right in the middle of our company logo so it's dead obvious too. Great!

[Lester H]

I read and agreed with the OP when the thread began. Since then, I have had to do some school runs! Oh, dear me! The driving is sub supermarket standard, and seems underwritten by the entitlement of the drivers. I am not knocking large 4x4s, having had a Land Cruiser, but the size of so many school run vehicles is just inappropriate. I was in fear not only for door mirrors, but scuffs and scrapes which cost vast sums to rectify. There seems to be a mindset which confers importance on drivers who are picking up children. And don’t mention double parking!