When I park in a car park I always try to park well away from other cars.
Several reasons I do that is less chance of car doors hitting my car, easier to load the car up as I can open my doors fulling, less chance of being blocked in and walking another 50 plus meters is not going to hurt me. At times I could have 30 plus empty spaces around me.
My question is do some car owners think cars get lonely as there seems to always be a car parked beside my car when I get back from shopping.
You can park miles away and still find some idiot has opened their door on you. My car is a mess. I have given up. Each and every time I find someone has squeezed in beside me and must have gotten out from their sun roof
It’s a quirk of human psychology. The same thing applies when camping.
It’s a bit like FOMO. empty carpark? Must be a reason you’re parked there. 600 acres not a soul in sight? Well then, your spot is the only place I feel safe.
Are you OK?
You are absolutely cooked mate.
Murphy's Law often kicks in when trying to take extra care of your car. My car has a 'blankie'.
I always park near other cars. Not sure why :)
I miss the old days of Ozbargain.
do some car owners think cars get lonely
Nope.
It is the owners who feel insecure and scare to park in a different, isolated place.
Like farming animals they feel safe when being inside the pack.
Warm and cozy, surrounded by the protecting smell of their peers.
Remember: there are leaders who park alone and there are followers (cattle) who do it just next to where leaders did.
use online shopping and delivery and leave your car in the driveway
I always try to avoid parking next to other cars if possible, noticed a dent and paint scratch on my side door after 1 week picked up my new car, they must open the door by kicking.
Years ago there was a store called Masters, remember them- the Bunnings rival…hahaha.
The carparks were always empty, I was travelling, went to one on the Gold Coast.
A whole empty car park, but knowing what idiots are like, I parked in the furtherest corner of that car park I could find. Was inside the store for 20 minutes, came out and the only other customer who must have turned up had parked in the next bay to me. The world is full of idiots !
I thinks it's the thought of parking in the correct place
Silly question, but yeah I do wonder WTF some other drivers are thinking, I often intentionally park well away from other cars to avoid the scratches and dents of other useless drivers, only to come back and find some #@$$% has parked right beside me despite no discernible reason to do so, even worse when you see they can't even park straight. Worst one I had a few years ago was I came back to a car parked so close I could not open my drivers side door. No other car parked within 10 spaces on either side, cost me a tub of yoghurt for revenge.
Yes. They do. And yes, other car owners feel for their car's feelings and park them next to other cars that obviously share their loneliness.
Usually you'll find large vehicles on either side to protect your car from all vision to help any insecurity. You'll notice this when you try to exit the car park and you can't see any other vehicles that might be approaching from any direction.
It reduces the chance of interference with your car if you park safely beside another one.
It actually increases chance of interference from the pissed off driver that intentionally parked away from other cars and provides cover for others that may want to interfere with your car.
Yes you can't allow for weirdos who think no-one is allowed for park wherever they want
simply stating a fact. Cars are not people, they do not gain protection by moving in herds, it is the opposite, other cars provide opportunity and protection for would be thieves and opportunists. No thief wants to be in the middle of a parking garage at a car by itself where people from any direction can see them. You are absolutely free to park wherever you want, sometimes that comes with increased risk and consequences.
@gromit: I'd be interested in hearing more about that fact you state.
The natural assumption would be that a thief would be more likely to operate in an isolated area given more eyes are likely to be drawn to possessions and the focus on cars parked in a group would increase exponentially as opposed to in isolation.
Frankly this is all a ludicrous conversation. People can park where they want and this is such a niche event.
@helloworld2021: You are the one that claimed it is safer. So if you didn't want to have a ludicrous conversation why start it in the first place? FYI, my information comes from a friend who had a very misspent youth. The way he and his friends would target cars is either when a car was in a secluded spot or among many other cars, people don't notice alarms so much in large groups of cars, especially in shopping centres, but EVERYONE notices an alarm that goes off on a lone vehicle. He says they particularly liked vehicles parked near 4wd's as it provided perfect cover and even if alarm went off no one would see.
@gromit: Not really eager to get into an argument with you on this silly topic (it is one of the quirks you get here like people advising a poster that he should live in his car to save money etc) and you're the one stating that your opinion is fact and I can't compete with that. Enjoy your day
Yes they do mate very lonely never be a shock if spent a week plus away your car might end it life
This thread take lonely to a whole new level. This came to my mind first thing.
I'm so ronery
So ronery
So ronery and sadry arone
My gf does this. She is more comfortable accurately parking when parking next to another car
Wow gets popcorn out, and watches comments may have come late.
Do cars get lonely:
🤷
meow
I always try and park my car next to the same as mine so we can one day start an army
My car always gets lonely. I park away from everyone and always end up with someone either side. Could be 20 spots free either side!
The idea is if you park next to a nice or well looked after car, the driver will generally take care getting in/out and no risk of hitting cars with their door.
I do the same, if I find a car better than mine I’ll park next to it, but leave reasonable gap to allow driver to safely get in.
I've noticed this a few times too. When the carpark is pretty empty, I find a spot that's away from other cars, and out of all the empty spots around me, this car just has to park right next to me.
maybe you get lonely
Cars do get lonely.
So now you know.
The amount of responses here clearly tell me they didn't read the OP.
Honestly ozbargain is more of a post first and don't even bother thinking about it
buy first, think second.
I purposely park a short distance (eg. 1-5 minute walk) away from a shopping centre or crowded public place away from other cars to avoid further damage to my car.
Over the years I have had 2 mirror break and small damage to the doors (likely from someone opening their door too wide).
Personally I find it funny when I'm walking through the main carport of a popular shopping centre during busy seasons (eg. Christmas) and see people fighting for car spots and likely spend 3x the amount of time it would take to simply park a little further and walk.
I giggle when a driver stalks me while I'm walking alongside cars in a shopping centre in the hopes that I have parked close-by and they can reserve my spot.
PSA. Loneliness, if you see a car off by itself, just (profanity) leave it alone. If you can't find a park, park anywhere, but please, stay the (profanity) away from those of us who don't want to swap paint.
This post would make sense when it’s the end of month #3 of hard Covid lockdown.
Bubble mentality !
Best thing I ever learned..
I seek out the puzzle with the missing spot to fill with the most expensive cars around me. This way my car has the law of attraction and can grow up!!!
buys new car, parks it far away from other cars in the lot, only to come back to see some other car park next to yours… what makes u think some other clown wont think like you to park further away
Weird blowback on this post, passive aggressive commentors: are you ok?
I'm with you 2esc, I believe cars have feelings, all the souls who have cut their fingers making my vehicle are forever trapped within. Strange I park my vehicle away from everyone, come back and it's surrounded, wtf?
Many people commenting here failed basic reading comprehension in primary school.
If a car can survive 70 years down a mine then I believe the answer is no.
Must include a letter from a Doc
Yes, have you seen the movie based on true story, Cars
They do. I asked my car after having returned from a long trip overseas. It cried with drops of petrol seeping from the petrol pump outlet connector. Had the pump replaced and promised it would never leave it alone that long again
If a car is out by himself then they are obviously going to care about their car and aren't going to bang your car.
So it makes sense to park next to them to avoid a scrape
cussy
I rotate my shoes cause I feel bad for the shoes that don't get worn that often
I always wonder is there a magnetic type of door protector I can stick to the side of the door panel?
I park away like you do for the same reasons OP, at least three times in my life I've come back to my car being hit in a car park. I have noticed the same thing, I think people use a car to square up if you will whilst they park. Annoying.
you are cooked mate. seek for help
Of course cars get lonely 😒
I don't get the negative comments about this post. Is it just the quirky title?
I knew where it was going before reading the content.
And it is a legit question to a real, relatable phenomena.
I agree with others' explanations.
a) Some people use it to line up their own park.
b) a comfort thing, following in someone elses foot steps.
B is the one that came to my mind first. How about another one to throw into the mix:
c) some people are OCD and need to group like things together to feel a sense of order.
Well, have you tried talking to it? Depending on what you ate, the car may talk back.
Totally agree with OP, and I've never understood why people intentionally want to park next to other vehicles when unnecessary. I'm leaning towards them being crap drivers who can't park within the outlines of a parking space, though often they seem equally incapable of parking correctly no matter the circumstances, so it may be something else entirely.
Yes, I don't understand this behaviour. I always park further away than I have to if I can find a lonely part of a carpark so I can avoid idiots opening their doors on my car or hitting it with trolleys. Like clockwork when I come back it will have found friends. The rest of that section of the carpark will be empty, except the spots immediately next to my car. Why???? More annoyingly, it's the people who do this who want to park super close, leading me to wonder how they could even have gotten out of their car without hitting mine.
Thanks guys for all your replies I was bit surprised at the negative ones from people not reading the entire question or not understanding the question.
Careful - Ozbargain has been infiltrated by these close car parking mouth breathers… ;)
I find SUVs the most intimate.
OP I think you subconsciously must be choosing to park in the best spot. The other car is forced to park next to you because the second best spot is right next to the best spot.
A photo of your car and the car park would help.
Cars don’t get lonely, but humans are weird