Double parking can be injurious to your car

 He then told me about how some of his friends' cars got mysteriously scraped with sharp objects while they had parked them at the store.

I suggested his friends may have double parked and left the automatic transmission in "P" or in case of a manual transmission vehicle, engaged the parking brake.

In that case, once owners of other vehicles return to their cars, they get utterly frustrated on finding another car blocking their exit, which in turn leads to quarrels and scrapping.

I would like to suggest readers not to park vehicles in a way that forces others to push them out of their way when they leave the parking lot. They will surely not be in good mood while doing so.

Also, they will hardly care whether pushing the car will cause damage to any of its parts. For instance, if the car is pushed from the rear, applying too much of force on to the spoiler can cause it to loosen or break altogether.

Pushing the engine compartment lid with force can also create a dent. Some people may even push the frame of the headlight, which is clipped to the body and could cause the lamp to be pushed inside.

So, if possible, avoid double parking and find another parking spot. Even though it may be a little further away, at least you will be assured of your car's safety.

But if you really do not have any other option, then make sure that the wheels are pointing straight so that even if the car is pushed, it will not turn left or right. Otherwise, you may find your car occupying half the road, or worse, be pushed onto another vehicle.

Also, leave the car in neutral and never engage the parking brake. The best option would be to push your car a bit and check whether the road is level after parking. Even if the road is slightly slanted, get back into the car and find another parking spot.

Meanwhile, if you are lucky enough to find a parking bay, which of course, is difficult during the weekends in department stores, back up into the slot rather than drive head in. This makes it easier for you to drive out if another car double parks in front of you.

You should also park straight and make sure that there is enough space between your vehicle and the other cars so that when they open the doors, it does not hit your car.

Finally, while you are leaving, drive slowly in parking lots because one of the parked cars may suddenly move out. To be even more safe, always turn on the headlights in roofed parking lots, to warn other drivers of an approaching vehicle.

You can see that automobiles are heavy machines that require a lot of care, even while they are being parked.

Meanwhile, you can keep sending me your questions to my new e-mail  sappakij@yahoo.com since I will not be accessing my old e-mail id for a while.