chinoyboi

iTrader: (8)

Ok so let me start off with the fact that I only started driving manual only a few months ago. I drive fine in it, but hills still kind of intimidate me. So, I visit my girlfriend in SF. There was no parking along her street (flat street), so I'm left with perpendicular streets that have a pretty steep grade. So as I was carefully choosing a parking space. I decided to park downhill at the edge of the street. But here's the catch, at the edge of the street is a fire hydrant zone, so I park right before that zone in the legal area, so I just put it in first and bounce. So that was cool, I went and chilled at my girl's house for awhile. Then it was time for me to bounce and go to a Subie meet (COCO meets), And well, what do ya know.... An Audi S8 (yes an Audi S8 2007 or 2008 I believe it's really brand new and really nice) parks RIGHT in front of me IN the ILLEGAL hydrant zone and with LITTLE breathing space. So once I see the car, I'm just like, "****, I'm ****ed". So I'm pretty scared and formulate a plan of getting out, so I use the e-brake trick to get out, set it to reverse, gas it a little and release it. The hill grade is SOOO steep that I still end up rolling closer to that S8, and I stop, now I'm even in a worse position, I'm literally an inch away from hitting his car. I have no idea who's it is and neither does my girlfriend or her family. I knock on a few doors to see who's it is, no luck, no one knows who it is. And most people assume that it doesn't belong to any of the neighbors, for it's a REALLY nice car (in a fairly upper middle class neighborhood) and they parked in a dumbass spot. So I set off my alarm a few times no one comes out. Then I call the parking and traffic services, and they'll get a tow truck to haul his *** out of there. Now I'm sitting here at my girlfriend's house as she's packing for a trip to the east coast, tired, not going to the Subaru meet, not getting my sway bars or new gaskets installed and just basically wasting my time. As of now, I'm waiting for the tow truck, and I really hope that the owner leaves ASAP, as I would hate to see a beautiful S8 towed away incorrectly and **** up his car. But his lose for parking at such a dumb spot. UGH I'm sooo irritated and pissed cause this was the EXACT situation I was trying to avoid.

Update!!!!

Ok, so for the next 2 hours, I was just chillin' at my girl's house and going back every 20 or 30 min to check up on the car. After reading some people's suggestion to take pictures, I decided to take pictures (Sorry, there won't be pictures, my girlfriend forgot to load them up before she left, so no pics till she gets back). Then this woman comes out! To describe her, she was in her late 20s, super young, really trendy, so it was obvious she was super rich (or super spoiled). It's really hard to describe how she was, but the best way is, she was seriously a dumb blonde. She was completely nonchalent about the whole situation and didn't realize what was going on. Firstly, she was like "Sorry, am I parked in front of you". I was being very nice, but serious and was like, "Yeah, you parked right in front of me in the illegal zone, I called the tow truck to take away your car." and she was like, "OH REEEEAAAALLLLLYYYY? Please don't call the truck! I'll move my car right now. Why can't you just move your car?", so then I explained to her how that there was no room and my car is a manual and I keep rolling. She really didn't get it the situation. Then one of her friends came out and was like, "What's goin on?" "Oh, I was parked in the illegal zone, but this is the sunset yo!!" So I was just like... WTF? So she just bounced and moved her car. I was just pretty pissed off, on how she was so unapologetic and was just being a dumb biatch. I have a feeling she was intoxicated. So after that, I just bounced, pretty pissed about what happened...

I'd also like to add, she didn't park very far from my girl's house, so... I won't say what I did, but something not very nice to a very beautiful and brand new car...

DetailAddict

iTrader: (52)

you are too nice... i would NOT do it on purpose, but if I accidentally tap the bumper on my way out, oh well. I used to live in SF so I know how it goes. When I park on the hill, I ALWAYS make sure people around me have enough space to leave. Simply because I don't want to get hit.

455h013

iTrader: (10)

F that, have his ride towed for parking like a jack ***.

iLikeTofu

iTrader: (3)

Man that really suck especially since you are still kinda new at manual. I was about to suggest the ebrake only when I read on further.

Take some pics . Before and after tow. Its the owners fault for parking illegally, he/she should have know better.

chinoyboi

iTrader: (8)

Definitely, wish I could see his face when he sees that his beautiful S8 is GONE. And has to probably pay over $200 for towing fees and whatever. I really want to see that face.

My g/f is looking for her camera. I'll post them ASAP when she finds them.

RallyWagon

Good for you learning how to drive a manual.

Please don't take this the wrong way, but there are two things you need to practice so that you will have the confidence and ability to be able to get out of that tight parking space on the hill.

Learn how to hold the car still while having the clutch partway released and your foot on the gas. Once you can do that, try stopping on an incline, put the handbrake on, then ease out the clutch a little bit until it bites and you are holding the car in place, at that point release the handbrake and you should be able to move forward up the hill without rolling back. It does take practice. I'm from England and had to be able to do a "hill start" without rolling backwards in order to pass my driving test

Once you can do that, go find a flat place to practice getting into and out of tight parking spaces. You will need to use the handbrake and have complete control of the car by balancing the clutch and gas exactly right. Once you've got the hang of it on the flat go find a hill and repeat.

I know this won't help you right now, but it will down the road. It does not matter how many times you have to inch back and forth to get into or out of that tight parking space, it's knowing that you can do it that is so empowering!

Good luck.

Spoolin415

iTrader: (4)

Shoulda gotten a pillow from the house, had your gf hold it between your bumper and the Audi's while you GENTLY came in contact with the *******'s bumper and then just did your thing getting out.

A lot of time would have been saved.

Hong

arn't you a nice person =P i drove my teg there for family visit and i ended up leaving with a scratch on the front bumper -.- (before conversion)

PikkaGTR

iTrader: (4)

thats the first time I heard someone use a pillow
hahaha pretty good idea

iLikeTofu

iTrader: (3)

+1 haha I would have never thought of that.

WRX>Civic

+1 for the pillow. Dude, sorry you had to go through that, especially when your new to stick. At least you were nice enough to tow his car instead of hitting his car.

wrxisthebest

iTrader: (15)

hey...

ya man i was wondering where u were at..

hmm well my only suggestion is go practice using only the clutch to hold ur car in place on a hill.. basically give the car a lil bit of gas and let the clutch out until it holds, and just sit there. not using the brake in anyway shape or form u should be able to hold ur car in place on a hill.. it will help u out alot!

iLoqin

iTrader: (5)

I'd do it with an older car =P, Save ur scooby clutch =D

VRT MBasile

iTrader: (17)

Gently roll forward and use his car to brace yours so you don't roll forward more. Then leave him a note that says "see that paint on your rear bumper? next time leave some space asshat"

and then pray he doesn't remember what car he parked in front of

joltdudeuc

iTrader: (6)

so wait, how'd it work out?