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Re: Women Drivers & Parking


Gardian
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I was walking back to my car this morning - parked in the large-ish village car park.  Market day, but plenty of spaces particularly in the far corners.

Small car went very, very slowly past me, headed for one of those very far corners. The lady driver ended up aiming for a space which was the middle one of seven vacant ones, so plenty of room for error. The 1st attempt was in the space three and a half / four and a half, with the white line neatly bisecting her vehicle. Three further attempts didn't get much closer to a satisfactory conclusion. By then, I was on my way!

In truth, her attempts were in marked contrast to another old girl who I see regularly and who just pulls up .............. just anywhere!  45 degrees to the straight, leaving no room to pass by. 

All very worrying.  But then, we blokes are all perfect drivers, aren't we? [6][6][6] 

 

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Conversely, I was coming out of the bank the other day, when the bloke whose car was parked behind mine was about to exit his parking space, which he did by driving  straight into the back of my car. As I was on the spot, he had no opportunity to just drive off, which he claimed he had no intention of doing (and I'm James Bond). His opening gambit? "I didn't see your car: I was eating my burger".....

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Yes, that's the good news Betty, as dumbing down becomes more common the gap will narrow as men become worse at more things but better at hair and makeup!  Have you seen how many new cars are now equipped with the front bumper mounted parking sensors [8-)]  presumably so you can eat a burger and drive [Www]

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Yes, market day here, same thing happened to me, or at least my friend, whose car it was.  She was sitting in it, and I was chatting through the window, with one parking spot in front of us ... we both felt the car move when the (female) driving touched with the rear bumper ... her excuse, she hadn't felt anything, and the parking sensors must not have worked ...

Now there were loads of parking spots further down the road - I know, I'd just walked past them ... but will they walk that far?  No!

Now it was quite obvious that I was standing talking to the driver seated in the car, as she had driven past me to get to the spot ... and in that situation I would have been very careful not to touch if at all possible ...

From one hopefully careful  lady driver ....;)

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Mr Nectarine always parks in the further corner of any car park, well away from any neighbouring vehicles, so that his car won't be bumped and banged by opening doors.

Most times, we return to the car to find another, absolutely next to it. Just those two, in that corner. With millions of empty spaces all around.

But, on the same point, we went to the cinema the other week and were the first in and got some seats (at the back, on the end ... not a popular spot we thought.) The next people who came in looked around at the empty cinema and came and sat immediately in front of us!

I have a horrible feeling we are being stalked !!!!
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In the pre-pedestrianisation days, my wife and I watched at first in horror and then, I have to admit, in amusement as an old dear in an equally ancient car attempted to manoeuvre out of her ample parking space in Cheltenham promenade. She was hidden deep inside a large coat and her face was almost covered by a large hat. She was also clearly lacking in some mobility, in terms of head movement.

There was plenty of space in front and behind but her method was to reverse until her chrome bumper was stopped by the car behind. She then drove forward, turning the wheel ever so slightly, until progress was checked by the car in front. This continued for about 15 minutes while the crowd of spectators grew. She ignored all offers of assistance and just carried on until she had cleared the front car and went on her way.

Notes with her registration number were put on both of the hit cars. OK, the damage was largely superficial but still not what you wish to find on your return to your vehicle. I doubt her car was marked, apart from paint collected from the struck vehicles, which no doubt her "man" was in the habit of polishing away when she got home.
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Mr Nectarine always parks in the further corner of any car park, well

away from any neighbouring vehicles, so that his car won't be bumped and

banged by opening doors.

Most times, we return to the car to find another, absolutely next to

it. Just those two, in that corner. With millions of empty spaces all

around.

Yes, it's not just you!  I have never understood this need for people to be so close to each other .. like you I park a long way away - guaranteed that the person who just has to park next to you cannot park properly and you cannot get into either door!  Last week a big land rover parked so badly - cockeyed and at an angle next to me to such an extent that though I could (just) get in, I could not drive out in any other direction but the against the flow of traffic  ... so earning lots of black looks ..

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Last week a big land rover parked so badly - cockeyed and at an angle

next to me to such an extent that though I could (just) get in, I could

not drive out in any other direction but the against the flow of

traffic  ... so earning lots of black looks .

Why park there then?

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As far as I am concerned all women should learn to drive ... I have seen too many men older than their wives confined to home due to illness with their shiney car in the drive that the wife was not permitted to get her hands on .. All the women in my family drive and  when the time comes for me to be driven about by one of them because I will not be able to they can drive how they like !   Carry on girls ....you are doing a great job...and remember a miss is as good as a mile .as long as nobody dies who cares how you park .

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Well said Frederick.

I think another problem is that women of a certain age have learned to drive but the husband takes over. He always wants to be the driver and doesn't want the wife to drive his car. Wife then loses confidence and when the time comes and husband cant drive she is scared to take up driving again.

I know one lady who never learned to drive then when her husband had a stroke she decided to take lessons and now drives the car.

Chapeau to her. He is no longer with us but she has her independence.

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I agree with that sentiment, Frederick and Cendrillon. I was the only person in my immediate family to learn to drive, even though I had two brothers who were technically inclined and I could never understand why they didn't learn. My SIL learned to drive when she was heading for 60 years old and although she never actually enjoyed it, she liked being able to visit many places that driving brings into your life. She also learned to use a computer aged 65+, but my brother only looks at things she puts up on the screen. Sadly, she had to give up driving last autumn due to a brain tumour. Since then my nephew bought her an ipad, so she still surfs the net although she can't get out much.

I don't drive long distances these days, due to arthritis getting worse, but potter locally and take over on autoroutes on the long trek to the Gard to give my husband a break. He's always usually driven us around, but he loves driving and I just like it.

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''His car'' ???????

Maybe I am naive but in ' our ' family it's ' our ' car.

"

PD

There are some men for whom a car is their precious, much prized possession and a status symbol.[Www]

We are a one-car couple and manage well, our children have left home, married and have their own families and cars.

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I wouldn't want to drive my husband's tank on a daily basis. I do, occasionally, if I can't fit something in my car, or if I have to take more than one passenger. Otherwise, I prefer having (and driving) my own car. It's tiny and economical and I can park it almost anywhere.

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In UK I once had 3 lessons specifically on reverse parking, and after that I could get neatly into any little space.

But it's a different matter in France, with LHD, the procedure seems different and I end up miles from the curb.

What's the secret? Use the wing mirrors more?

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[quote user="powerdesal"]'' He always wants to be the driver and doesn't want the wife to drive his car. ''

''His car'' ???????

Maybe I am naive but in ' our ' family it's ' our ' car.[/quote]

We have an 'our' car and my car. I'm not happy to drive big cars, just feels good to be in a little one - my Polo is just right, small and old not the new so-called improved one. I only ever drive the Prius on autoroutes in France, a couple of hours maybe at a time; I never drove his Porsche - yes, definitely his, but I used to drive the Saabs. Maybe I became more timid as I got older!

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This thread seems well timed.

My daughter and I drove into a Pay & Display car park this morning. Our path was obstructed by a small Peugeot which then started to move forward with its driver's door wide open. The door clipped a parked car and bounced shut, while the car gathered pace and rolled on into the side of a Land Rover.

It was only then we realised it was driverless. The lady owner had been buying her ticket at the machine and had left the car running without applying the handbrake.

Fortunately for the innocent parties, the Peugeot was moving quite slowly at first and the slope was quite gentle. The car that was struck a glancing blow by the door seemed completely unscathed while the Land Rover had merely collected paint from the (dented) Peugeot along its running board. It could have been a lot worse of course as the car park was busy, including some old folk and children on foot but luckily not in the path of the runaway car.
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[quote user="Sunflower"]"It's a small man who never admits his mistakes."

"I admire all you one-car families"

It's someone with a big chip on their shoulder who feels the need to be so condescending all the time.[/quote]

Oh, I've got an enormous chip on my shoulder. In fact, I'm quite well balanced, I've got a chip on both shoulders. Huge ones. About everything.

On a serious note, and lest my plate of chips be further misunderstood, I do admire one car families. I think it's a far better use of resources. I admire people who can and do manage their lives well enough to need and use only one car. If that's having a chip on my shoulder, or indeed being condescending, then I'm 100% guilty, and happily so. As for the other matter, I'm particularly prone to being condescending when being condescended to.

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