Hate to admit it but...

[Spudz27]

I kissed a pillar and I didn't like it lol.

Today my awesome parking skills came to an end. I was in the fairmont and I always like to park as close to the pillar in underground carparks as possible. This way if the moron next to me can't park, there is still usually enough room to not have to squeeze the kids in, nor worry about their doors hitting my car. I usually park so close my side mirror is just mm away. I have always been one of those people who jokes how great my parking skills are because of how close I park to the pillar without incident, but alas I can no longer claim this.

Today I pulled into the bay as normal, watching as there was a 4WD in the centre bay, I knew the front end was too close and was going to scrape, so I backed out, straightened a little and proceeded to start going into the bay whilst turning towards the pillar. I looked and it all seemed good, then there was no noise but some resistance, as I had the wheels turned opposite lock to begin straightening out I figured one of the tyres was rubbing the curb, so I continued not being phased about a scuff mark on the tyre (not the rim). I got out and went to go around to let my kids out and I was shocked to see a nice big concrete coloured scrape on the corner of the front bumper. Gave it a quick spit polish whilst there and it came up alright, except there is a gouge, but barely noticeable. One of those it'll buff out jobs lol. So there goes my perfect record lol. Definitely no one else to blame but myself.

Anybody else got parking stories to share?

[SEZ213]

Ummm...yes...

When I first moved to Queensland, I stopped into a shopping centre before my night shift started to pick up some dinner. I was doing the dutiful thing, going the right way up a one way section of the car park when another woman came along (heading the wrong way). With no room for other cars (and being in a slightly bad mood, the boyfriend at the time had really p'd me off), I decided stuff it, I'll pull into this car park...well...silly me, I didn't leave enough swinging room and ended up caving in my back door on the front bumper of a ute (rodeo type thing grey bumper). I sat in the car swearing my head off at myself, before realising that the car I had just bumped, had it's driver sitting inside it - and much to my embarrassment, was laughing at me (I have a 'colourful' vocabulary sometimes). I got out of the car, apologising all the while, looking at my back door and nearly crying in the end.

The guy took it quite well, there was a little bit of my paint on his bumper, and nothing else...the pulsars back door had caved in about 2 1/2 inches. He told me not to bother about swapping details as there was no damage to his car, and wouldn't pursue me for any 'damages'.

I went to work a very grumpy person that night, I think it's part of the reason I park at the end of the shopping centre and walk now...

[mrghia]

yeah many years ago when the missus got her first car XE Fairmont had it parked in a shopping center car park she when inside for around 15mins and buy the time she got back to the car some one thought she needed speed holes and ended up ripping her rear 1/4 panel open she was absolutely gutted.
I also used to work in a car yard so i could fit any car anywhere and i was reversing a VS commo in to a really tight spot and forgot there was pole near 2 other cars got it nearly in there then i heard a crunch and i ended smacking the front guard on the pole it ended up needing the guard and front bar replaced but on the up side it was a commodore

[casabonka]

ahh my shocker... My problem was I didnt get far enough to park...

I was turning into a shopping centre car park with a tight uphill driveway, I must've been in dream land as I heard this horrible grinding noise and came to a halt... I had beached myself on the medium strip in the middle (same colour as the road). I had ended up on the tail shaft.

Long story short, after lots of swearing from my end, and laughing from others, thankfully there was a guy with a forklift across the road who sorted me out.

Havn't been a brighter shade of red since!!

[Ben73]

In Gold Coast i was in an underground car park reversing as close as possible to the pillar on the passengers side. I Heard a scrap. I was angry at my self so I got out to find out it was just the mud flap that had scrapped the pillar, luckly.
I learnt from that and no longer push it to the limit trying to park my car as close as possible next to poles.

[MR.BA.GT.332]

Not my parking story, but a few yrs ago, my mum, sister and i were in an undercover parking area and mum had pulled her old magna wagon into a spot with a concrete pillar on the drivers side.
i was in the front passenger seat and my sister was in the drivers side rear. Anyway, mum swings into the spot and puts the car into "park", my sister climbs out and then mum says shes too far forward and without looking or saying anything to my sister, reverses the car, sisters door still open and my sister almost gets collected between the door and pillar, instead only getting knocked down by the door and lucky not to be run over in the process of the door being ripped off.

End result was one lucky sister and one hell of an angry old man!

[vibe_xr6]

my mrs was on her L's in her first car, parked infront of a pillar, went to reverse but was in 1st. Yous can guess the rest

[Giant Cranium]

i just ran into a shoping trolley whilst telling my girlfriend how i have no car park marks on the car after 1 year parking every day in shoping centres for work.

still being reminded of this as im writhing.

in my defence there is only two scratches about 10mm long on the bumper.

meh its only a company car

[Spudz27]

Originally Posted by captain awesome

i just ran into a shoping trolley whilst telling my girlfriend how i have no car park marks on the car after 1 year parking every day in shoping centres for work.

still being reminded of this as im writhing.

in my defence there is only two scratches about 10mm long on the bumper.

meh its only a company car

Yes for the last two days the fiance has been laughing everytime she see's it and says "so your not that good after all", so it will be some time before I live it down, although in my defense it is the first parking incident in 9yrs of driving.

[Iggypoppin']

My brother got his licence, bought a laser, hit an Audi 15minutes after his P's test. Luckily the owner didn't care, there was barely a mark on it.

[ryanstev]

A few years ago, I got a job as a car groomer, I took the manager in my car down to the compound, where I could park my car and be shown where I'd be parking the cars I cleaned and picking up new cars for customers.

I reversed into a spot in my car, keeping my eye on the concrete wall as I got closer and bang, I backed right into it.
The wall was at an angle and was closer on my drivers side than the passenger side I was looking at.
No damage, but a nice impression on my first day.

[Paxton]

Yup. I killed a Corolla in my youth. I was driving too fast, with average tyres, and lost control of the car. It went spiralling into a tree. No real loss to me, but my folks had other ideas. I was paying for that car's replacement until I was 21.

As for kissing a pole - I did that about a month ago in the EF. I misjudged the distance behind the car - the BF has reverse sensors, and hit, just behind the fuel filler cap. Still kicking myself about it, mainly because the car was perfectly straight before the incident. I managed to polish the small scratches out, but there is a dent, and missing paint. I just have to think about how much it will cost to get it repaired. Bloody metallic paint.

[JC]

I reversed the in laws car into a brick pillar that forms the fencework next to mu driveway - been here 13 years, and have always parked near that pillar, but on this occasion, for some reason, I forgot it was there - 3 foot long by 12" scratches up the side of the camry - it ended up being fixed as part of a later claim where some idiot in a car park reversed into the car which required that rear panel to be straightened and painted anyway - the inlaws had already got the quotes for my damage, but it didn't cost me a cent in the end. Mucho embarrassment on my part though!

[GasoLane]

Originally Posted by Spudz27

Anybody else got parking stories to share?

I have a bugger of a time parallel parking a car. But no problem's parking a Semi the same way.

[In Focus]

After somehow not seeing a huge pole, I've now got reversing sensors...

[Riksta]

Yeah, two cars in the work carpark within a month. Damn parks are too small even for a Focus, they've tried to cram way too many in (and there's still not enough).

[nstg8a]

when i was still living in dunedin i was working in an engineering workshop, managed to get grinding sparks in my eyes, so after a trip to a&e the doc had me patched up, but says, 'you cant drive, your distance judgement will be well out' me being young and bulletproof figured he was just covering his *** so i drove home. well, tried to.
i had parked in an underground carpark, pulled out fine, got to the end of the building where it was a 90 degree right turn to exit, i turned where i thought i was right and bang, straight into the wall. i hadnt even made it past 45 degrees when i collected the wall.
sheepishly backed it into the nearest park (successfully lol) and got a taxi home.