A&Q about Lotus
Q:
Originally Posted by PhoneBoy
Obsidian, I think you handled the original situation very well... and this is coming from a "NRA-card-carrying-low-life"
It shouldn't be a big deal to take up 2 spaces in the back of an open parking lot. But, on the other hand, IMHO there is no reason to park like this in the back of an open parking lot. Parking in 2 spaces seems to be enough to push some people over the edge that are already having "issues."
...
Thank you for the comment about the situation. Like you, I’m a bit hesitant to leave it in a parking lot when I know I won’t be able to get to it within 30 minutes and/or hear the alarm. I don’t take the vehicle to the grocery store or the movie theater as a result.
I’d like to make some things clear even if I’m now repeating myself and they’re not directed at PhoneBoy who I’m positive is a decent person based on the opinion of other Lotus owners I’ve met that have spoken highly of him. (I'm sorry you couldn't make it to the last get together.)
I OWN GUNS. I enjoy firing them at a range. I don't have any issue with weapons. I agree with the philosophy that more guns in citizens' hands equates to a safer society. Historically when a population was disarmed we can see atrocities committed by those left with guns (usually by governments or militias) against the unarmed population.
The super-hyphenated statement wasn't meant to specify anyone here and that’s why it’s so extreme in nature. I mean how could there possibly be a mouth-breather who actually carries an NRA card? ..Sarcasm there, to assure you I do have a healthy, if odd, sense of humor.
Here's a hypothetical to mull over ... When there's snow on the ground here (Minnesota) you can't even SEE the lines on a parking lot! Do they matter then? What if the snow melts after you've parked? What then? Does the better half of a parking lot deserve to be keyed and/or glared at? PhoneBoy could probably attest to the snow situation. The argument is circumstantial as is the advice.
The assumption that I'm taking up 2 spots to be an arse, or when it's not necessary is a bit disturbing. I don't believe I've shown I deserve that kind of judgement. Perhaps my view of Elisetalk'ers is higher than it should be...
A:
No offence taken
Originally Posted by Obsidian
... not directed at PhoneBoy who I’m positive is a decent person based on the opinion of other Lotus owners I’ve met that have spoken highly of him
Now I’m questioning the judgment of the people you’ve been hanging around.
A:
Originally Posted by PhoneBoy
...
Now I’m questioning the judgment of the people you’ve been hanging around.
Wait ... now I'm questioning it too!
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
... When there's snow on the ground here (Minnesota) you can't even SEE the lines on a parking lot! Do they matter then? What if the snow melts after you've parked? What then? Does the better half of a parking lot deserve to be keyed and/or glared at? PhoneBoy could probably attest to the snow situation.
What do you mean? Can't you clearly see that the SUV is parked over the line?
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
I see new cars of all types parked in the back of parking lots, or in two spaces, Dodge Neons, Escalades, BMWs. It doesn't make me want to key them. It doesn't make me think that that person is taunting me with their self importance or showing off their hot ride. UNLESS they are parked at the front of the lot and taking up two spaces on purpose. Then I perceive it as arrogant and/or inconsiderate, but still wouldn't wish harm on the vehicle. I just reserve judgment for the individual who put the inanimate object in that position.
I agree with you 100% on the above statement. If you are in the back, and there is plenty of space, then I don't think anybody would care, other than a bad person who would key a car anyway out of spite, jealousy, hatred, anger, etc... However, I still think you should stop taking up 2 parking spaces, it is a bad idea. I know you didn't ask for my advice, but I feel strongly about this and I am trying to help you out. Please, just do it for me, do it for your Elise; for the love of God, do it for your country!
Is the Elise long enough to take up 3 spaces? If it is, you might want to try that, maybe if it is an odd number of spots taken then it will be OK with the Karma Gods. Just a thought.
What is this thread about anyway; is it for the holster mod???
A:
Originally Posted by PhoneBoy
... pic posted of snowed vehicles ...
THAT is the perfect visual for my point. Also, it's depressing to look at and funny at the same time. I think perhaps the owner of the SUV is taking up 4 spaces and should be assailed upon brushing off the truck How dare they support terrorism by parking like that!
A:
Originally Posted by 05EliseNM
... However, I still think you should stop taking up 2 parking spaces, it is a bad idea. I know you didn't ask for my advice, but I feel strongly about this and I am trying to help you out. Please, just do it for me, do it for your Elise; for the love of God, do it for your country!
Is the Elise long enough to take up 3 spaces? If it is, you might want to try that, maybe if it is an odd number of spots taken then it will be OK with the Karma Gods. Just a thought.
...
In a parking lot with spaces facing each other it’s technically possible to take up 4 spaces with any vehicle.
I’ll keep in mind that you’re 100% right under every circumstance and I bow to your impressive grasp on what is just and right in every situation. I’ll stop supporting the axis of evil by parking my car in broken glass or so close to an SUV that I’m forced to wait until they leave JUST so that I can feel like less of a sinner for parking between two poorly painted lines on the ground. I forgot how baby Jesus weeps every time I park my car over a line. I totally understand now how I should scrape my car along a light pole just so I can maintain perfect parking accuracy in that spot in the Best Buy parking lot in Roseville. Or how I MUST park so close to the delivery truck in the CompUSA lot that my mirror gets taken off when I pull in next to it. Hey, they might be over a little bit but that doesn’t mean I can’t make the sacrifice of a little lost paint/mirror to make the parking situation line up perfectly.
I hope you feel better. You’re soooooo right that I’m embarrassed that I even suggested that it’s ever fine to park in 2 spots.
I’m a sinner; I’m going to hell … all because I think it's OK that under a handful of times in my entire life I’ve parked in two spaces. 15,000 miles on my Elise since I got it, drive it every day I can … those few incidents that I objectively admitted to entirely justify the amount of unsolicited advice. Thank you SO MUCH. Gawd I'm a total tool.
You all should feel much better, I see the light, you’re totally right. Please give me the Kool-Aid.
(To 05EliseNM who didn't deserve all that sarcasm, your own sarcasm wasn't lost on me ... thanks for using that to lighten your advice if even a little bit. Wait, you WERE being sarcastic weren't you?)
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
THAT is the perfect visual for my point. Also, it's depressing to look at and funny at the same time. I think perhaps the owner of the SUV is taking up 4 spaces and should be assailed upon brushing off the truck How dare they support terrorism by parking like that!
This guy didn't actually take up 2 spots but I think his front left tire was touching the line.
A:
Originally Posted by PhoneBoy
This guy didn't actually take up 2 spots but I think his front left tire was touching the line.
HAHAHA ... I think I saw that car on Autotrader.com it's description included... recently cleaned using patented cryogenic technique to insure any and all bacteria is eliminated from the interior.
That's just terrible, and terribly funny, all that snow had to have been packed into the car. You can see the door impressions in the snow.
For parking on a line in that instance I think maybe the driver should be drawn and quartered. That’s still allowed in some states isn’t it?
A:
Back when I was a teenager, there were some other teenagers that used to like to park all around the "two space guys" so that they couldn't leave.
This most likely led to a few "road rage"-type incidents.
I never managed to see the Final Confrontation in these incidents, though I did chuckle a time or two when I saw a cluster of cars parked strangely and figured out what precipitated it.
Others may not have fortunate enough to grow up in a region that was, ahem, quite so devoid of other amusements.
On a related note, I've been waiting for years to see someone just go for it, come in sideways, and take up 6 or 8 spaces.
And I've yet to see it, except in limos with the engine running and the driver still inside.
I guess no one does it because the risk of being parked in or otherwise being messed with is just too great -- either that or no one else has thought of it until now!
Edit: fixed typo
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
(To 05EliseNM who didn't deserve all that sarcasm, your own sarcasm wasn't lost on me ... thanks for using that to lighten your advice if even a little bit. Wait, you WERE being sarcastic weren't you?)
Yes, of course I was. You are correct, you could technically take up 4 spaces; I didn't even think about that; I feel pretty dumb now.
I am going to try this tomorrow...................hold on, I just had another thought............look out everybody..................here comes the smoke.................
By combining your 4 parking space idea with my 3 space idea, one could actually take up 6 spaces!!! I'm going to be a hero at my company's parking lot tomorrow; I can't wait.
I will also bring a gun tomorrow; just in case. I once caught a guy giving my car a funny look; and as we all know, it is better to have a gun and not need one, than to need a gun and not have one.
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
The assumption that I'm taking up 2 spots to be an arse, or when it's not necessary is a bit disturbing. I don't believe I've shown I deserve that kind of judgement. Perhaps my view of Elisetalk'ers is higher than it should be...
But we have all the extra information to go on. Somebody who just happens across your car taking up two spaces in the back of a parking lot is likely to jump directly to the conclusion that you are doing it to be an arse. One of those people might combine that conclusion with poor impulse control and do something stupid. That is what people are trying to warn you about. Please don't take it personally.
A:
Originally Posted by m3m750
But we have all the extra information to go on. Somebody who just happens across your car taking up two spaces in the back of a parking lot is likely to jump directly to the conclusion that you are doing it to be an arse. One of those people might combine that conclusion with poor impulse control and do something stupid. That is what people are trying to warn you about. Please don't take it personally.
I'm not talking any of this personally. Why would I take your inability to read or follow requests personally?
A:
i'm still just waiting for pictures. please?
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
I'm not talking any of this personally. Why would I take your inability to read or follow requests personally?
People aren't trying to jump on you for your choice or parking spaces. People are trying to warn you about how taking up 2 spaces might be perceived by some random person seeing that in the parking lot.
What amazes me is that you were nicer to the guy you found sitting in your car than you have been to the people here trying to offer you friendly advice.
A:
anyone seen the neverending story...
falkor was so cool
A:
Originally Posted by Obsidian
I'm not talking any of this personally. Why would I take your inability to read or follow requests personally?
Come on Obsidian, we care about you, we are only trying to help. Just start using one parking space and everything will be OK. I think you are in denial, I can help with that too.
Stephen
A:
Originally Posted by m3m750
People aren't trying to jump on you for your choice or parking spaces. People are trying to warn you about how taking up 2 spaces might be perceived by some random person seeing that in the parking lot.
What amazes me is that you were nicer to the guy you found sitting in your car than you have been to the people here trying to offer you friendly advice.
Fact: My Elise has 15,500 miles on it. I drive it a lot.
Fact: This thread was not about parking in 2 spaces. The incidents that were the fuel for the topic did NOT involve me taking up 2 spaces.
Fact: I can count on one hand the times I’ve ever parked in 2 spaces. If I had to guess (so this isn’t part of the fact here) I’d probably say that’s about 0.03% of the times I’ve parked the car.
Fact: I have only parked in 2 spaces when there has been an SUV over the line too far, a delivery truck over lines too far, glass in a parking space that I didn’t notice until I committed to the space and a concrete light poll that took up half of the parking spot I was in.
Fact: I’ve asked nicely that the posts remain on topic at least a little bit.
Fact: Advice still keeps coming despite my polite (and eventually sarcastic) requests.
Leading me to the conclusion that the individuals still beating that dead horse either, can’t read or are trolling in the thread. Or, perhaps more plausible is that many of you have the need to feel more right than me for some unknown reason. I don’t deal well with that, I don't know who would. It’s also advice that isn’t even empirically sound. I’m not going to say thank you for it, because unless there are extenuating circumstances I NEVER take up 2 spots. Yet me being an honest, objective and rational individual I must factually admit that I have parked the Elise over a line or 4 at some point in history.
That openness keeps getting abused in under the guise of “friendly advice”.
At the very least it’s frustrating. You’re not more right than I am. If you need to feel more right than I am please talk about MANY of the topics I have no idea about. Turbos, Racing, how a combustion engine works ... the list is almost limitless. But if you need to feel validated for your friendly advice please give different advice, or give it to someone who’s actually asking for advice.
People aren’t trying to jump on me. That might be true, and I never claimed they were. I think it’s pretty clear that I give people the benefit of the doubt perhaps more often than I should. But what ARE they doing? What made you post your “friendly advice” what’s the motivation for it? So you can feel a part of the conversation here? There are hundreds of threads here at Elisetalk which I’m sure you could have contributed to. What made you do it?
When parking in a parking lot that is otherwise normal I haven't once taken up two spots ... yet again and again and again the advice on that single thing keeps coming.
A:
Originally Posted by bluejae
anyone seen the neverending story...
falkor was so cool
I also liked the big rock guy (what was his name again?).
Atreau was kind of a wuss though. I do like the band Atreau. I may have been listening to them in my car that day these incidents happened. (Don't look now but I might have brought that hijack back on track!)
A:
Originally Posted by newman
i'm still just waiting for pictures. please?
You'll be waiting a long while .. I won't be posting them .. wait... ummm here it is: