Here are my thoughts on the topic of parking that helps prevent door dings. This subject has been brought up so many times, I feel I need to speak up. As they say: the sign of insanity is repeating something and expecting different results.
In other words: parking on the far side of the parking lot is the sign of insanity because it's not working is it?
So here are my parking tips that have so far worked for me:
1) Parking on the far side of the lot doesn't work fundamentally because it is uncontrolled. You're parking in a place that has empty spots around you, and the fact that you have a nice car shows that there is something very special about that place that obviously I don't seem to know about - so why not I park there as well? (same as line-ups - if everyone is lining up, it must be good). You can't control who parks around you, so therefore it's a bad strategy.
2) Therefore control the people who park next to you. Strategy 1 is to park next to a nice car. This is the best strategy. The car needn't be expensive - it just needs to be brand new. All people, regardless of pay grade, love their car - especially when it's new.
3) Avoid parking next to mini-vans (frustrated and distracted mothers), trucks (rd-nks) and commercial vehicles.
4) Park on the line if there is a car two spots over on the same side as the line you've parked close to. This is called the "squeezing out the competition" strategy or SOC. It works especially if the the car two spots over is a junk car, commercial car, or intimidating truck. Nobody likes to park next to those types of cars either, and the fact that you've made that spot even smaller makes it less attractive. And since you are so far to one side, chances are that the car on the other side of you is far enough that you won't get a door ding.
5) Deleted - secret.
6) Deleted - secret
7) This only works for WalMart parking lots, as WalMart is the only place I know with "free" carts. Simply park the cart in the parking spot next to you (and position it so it won't roll into your car). Most shoppers when driving around looking for a spot, frankly can't be bothered getting out of their car to move the cart. The constraint is that there must be more attractive parking spots than the one next to yours.
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That's it for now, but it works for me. I must say that all of the tactics mostly only work for non-crowded semi-empty parking lots. Tactics #5 and #6 seem to work in any parking lot, even the really full ones.
ps. I've deleted #5 and #6 because I think I don't want those tactics going around the internet. Sorry, but I too am selfish and want those ones all to myself.
