Parking the FGT...a mild rant


skyrex

skyrex

FORD GT OWNER
Mark II Lifetime
Apr 11, 2008
2,115
Lake Las Vegas, Henderson, NV
I am a new owner so I am sure this issue has been dealt with numerous times before but I figure this is the best place to vent to people who understand my plight.

When I first got the car I realized parking and having enough room to enter and exit the car would present a challenge due to the unique nature of the doors. I am 6'3 but even my waif of a wife needs the door almost fully open. To this point, most of my driving has encompassed the romp around my favorite roads then straight back to the garage. I was out on a little blow off steam rip around this morning when my wife called asking me to pick up something at the grocery store on the way home. No problem I figure....

Now let me state that I hate take up two spaces guy (I somewhat understand when it is a sports car, but whats up stock pick-up guy). Drives me nuts, but as long as it is done in a remote area of the parking lot I could care less. However today I have to be that guy. I park at the far end of the lot, no one within ten spaces of me going towards the store and one space open on the other side. I walk into the store, pick up my item, pay and walk out. In that five minutes someone in a Jeep Liberty squezzes into the one spot to my left. In a irritated/paranoid state I look over the car and thankfully still perfect. I barely have enough room to open the door and slide in to my seat.

I feel that I am a pretty decent, rational guy but I wanted to take a sledgehammer to this guy's Jeep followed up by a few blows to his obviously undersized cranium. I mean, what should I do? Have a sign created for the window that says "I HAVE TO PARK THIS WAY TO GET OUT OF THE CAR, I AM NOT TRYING TO BE A D$&@!!!"

Okay, got that off my chest. But I would like to start taking the car more places and the moron world around us makes me concerned for the health and welfare of my girl.
 
PM me I have a card that you can have printed that would get your point across very very "politely".

Unfortunately due to forum rules I can not post them in public as this is a "family oriented forum" :biggrin
 
DPGT said:
PM me I have a card that you can have printed that would get your point across very very "politely".

Unfortunately due to forum rules I can not post them in public as this is a "family oriented forum" :biggrin
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PM sent....that guy parked next to me was lucky your avatar was not with me! :rofl
 
Aaaaaaaaaaah, Grasshopper, you have just illustrated one of the reasons I very reluctantly decided to part with mine. (I'M NOT SUGGESTING YOU FOLLOW SUIT. I'm just sayin'.........) The stress I experienced when the GT was out in public just seemed to GROW everytime the car left the garage.( I kept hoping it would either go away or at least deminish. It didn't.) There ALWAYS seemed to be some loon - or LOONS - around the car whether it was in motion or parked...and, depending on the specifics, either situation became EXTREEMLY irritating for me.

MOST people respected the car and kept a courteous distance. But, OTHERS??? :mad There were more than enough of THOSE.

What you reported, sadly, is a pretty common place occurance. Many members of the "unclean" among us (and I'm NOT referring to social/financial status) will actually GO OUTTA THEIR WAY to mess with a car like the GT and/or it's owner. You'll need to find a way to deal with that in your head. (I didn't.)
 
PM me there is a solution!
 
I also take the two remote spaces, but I never pull in straight - park it at an angle and you'll always be able to open your doors.

Ralphie
 
What the hell are you guys talking about?:biggrin




P5030408.jpg



I'm running for cover
 
RALPHIE said:
I also take the two remote spaces, but I never pull in straight - park it at an angle and you'll always be able to open your doors.

Ralphie
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Not ALWAYS, sir. But that will increase your odds.

More than once I've parked a car that way (c-l-e-a-r back in a far off corner)only to come out & find some jackass had PURPOSELY parked his Ol' junker car as close as he could get AT THE SAME ANGLE. ('Darn near ended up in an actual brawl over this with one obnoxious jackass many years ago.)

I'm reminded of the proverb stenciled on a "T"-shirt of mine: "Some people are alive only because it's against the law to kill 'em."
 
Shelby#18 said:
PM me there is a solution!
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Are doors available? Total miles for cars on site: 130K (including MCs) Parking can be a hassle. Jim
 
Empty Pockets said:
More than once I've parked a car that way (c-l-e-a-r back in a far off corner)only to come out & find some jackass had PURPOSELY parked his Ol' junker car as close as he could get AT THE SAME ANGLE. ('Darn near ended up in an actual brawl over this with one obnoxious jackass many years ago.)
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Sorry ...... I didn't realize that was you.:willy
 
GTNJ said:
Sorry ...... I didn't realize that was you.:willy
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Please see the above mentioned "T"-shirt quote!!!!! :rofl:rofl:rofl
 
I always go for an island where I can park against the curb. Most places don't have bushes on them anymore to avoid maintaining them...works great and I can park it really close to the curb and back from the lines :)

If all else fails and I still have some jackwad park too close I just pull the valve stems out of their tires..makes me feel better and air is free right so they can replace that
 
427Aggie said:
If all else fails and I still have some jackwad park too close I just pull the valve stems out of their tires..makes me feel better and air is free right so they can replace that
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Good to know I'm not the only one who carries a valve stem remover with me! :rofl
 
427Aggie said:
I always go for an island where I can park against the curb. Most places don't have bushes on them anymore to avoid maintaining them...works great and I can park it really close to the curb and back from the lines :)

If all else fails and I still have some jackwad park too close I just pull the valve stems out of their tires..makes me feel better and air is free right so they can replace that
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:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl:rofl


You can always take their tag off and turn it over. Thats always good for a cop - stop on the way home from the club.
 
If you go back through some of the very old posts, you might want to carry a piece of round, tube-like foam rubber that is slit down the center. You can put this on the edge or your door when opening in odd places or angles to avoid damage. I forget who thought this one up, but I always carry a piece just in case. Parking at a slant is always good.
 
Bring 2 small orange cones
 
I feel the same way I love driving my car and taking it to different places, but because of instances such as described above I find myself hesitating to take the car out depending on where im going. for example for certain resturant its an absolute no no due to their parking lot or lack of valet, or worse yet the valet who want to drive your car and wont let you park it yourself, ofcourse i never let the valet drive mine, he would have to pay me:biggrin so I find that I almost have to be at a place once or twice before so I can scope the place out for proper parking spots,


here is a dilema I would like to get everyones opinion on this.

if youre in a parking lot and there are no spaces available that are safe and you have to squeeze in between two other cars, but there are perfect spaces available in the handicap spot, now before you start giving me a lesson on how it is improper to park in the handicap, let me say that i dont do that, but i cant help feel that if there are more than enough hadicap spots availble( which is usually the case), would you guy risk getting a door ding or worse, or a ticket, knowing and being comfortable that the car is perfectly safe if parked in handicap. I have to say i rather pay the 250 than to have to deal with repainting my door, this has never happened to me but i think thats what i would do. Im not sure:frown Ihope i never have to make that decision.
 
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ditto everything empty pockets told you plus !!!!
it got to the point with mine(before i sold her), that i was a ball of nerves everyplace i took it.
not sure where you live, but trust me, new jersey is no-place for such a car as the gt for more reasons than i have time to explain !!!!

last week went to a car show, one of my prowler club members stopped at a coffee shop(wawa) with his prowler on the way to the show. he parked in the far back lot and took up two spots. when he came out of the store and got to his car, someone had keyed the "entire" passenger side. he claims this occured in less than 10 minutes)
had that been my gt(or any of my cars), i'd probably be in intensive care right now !

good luck to you

sam
 
I did pull in at an angle but apparently not an aggressive enough one. Love the tire valve stem idea. The doors in the picture above look absolutely stunning. The plate idea is great too especially if I could watch the cop stop. Orange cones I am afraid would encourage the morons.

One thing I want to be clear about. It is cool to look at the car, peek in the windows and get as close as you want without touching it. It is a sight to behold and when I see a great car in a lot I will go in for a closer look....but I do so with respect :wink. That should not be too much to ask.
 
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valve stem idea? whats that?:confused
 
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