In Reply to I have Dingaphobia. Survey on best parking strategy to prevent dings. I tend to posted by Jeff (SMILEY on November 30, 1999 at 20:11:10
... Since I have two kids and go to a bunch of places that kids go to (gymnastics class was the worst, got my only ding there), I am extra careful parking with my left flank exposed. In those cases, there is a very good chance a kid will be getting in/out of the right side. I will park to the right of a car already there, making sure I leave enough room (tend not to park beside 2-door cars - bigger doors), but try not to leave an empty spot open to my right when at one of those places.
I've also tried to teach my girls to be careful getting out of either of our vehicles. I tell them to hold the door every time they get out. They are really sick of hearing it, but it has become automatic for them, just like their seatbelts.
.find a corner slot.
I figure if you park with the right side to the curb your left flank is exposed to the other vehicles passanger door. Hopefully the other car has no passenger. Biggest threat here is the kid who kicks his door open into the D.
If you park with you left side to the curb you will always have a passenger and with my luck it the 400 pounder that dings the door then leaves a foot long scratch as the car rises off the over stressed spring as they get out.
A Dingaphobics worst fear is the WALMART parking lot full of shopping carts. I take my wife Maxima to WALMART. Her car already looks like a golf ball with dings.
Jeff