parking your Smart

[EmilysDad]

Who's now parking sideways?

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...ufacturer.html

I don't think I'd get away with in my Roadster

[Ocracoke]

I've often parked like that around where I live, especially if I am hosting a club meeting. That being said, you do need to check that the road is suitably wide enough for this if you park in a unmarked space, otherwise they (parking enforcers et al) may have a valid point. The question I ask myself is "can a Lorry/Fiat Multipla get down here if I park like this?" If yes, then I don't really see an issue. If it is in a marked space, then as the Daily Mail notes, there should be no issue (especially in a 450).

And no, I don't think you'd get away with it in a Roadster (or a ForFour) unless the road was mahooisve.

EDIT: The article (which, rather amusingly, has also appeared on the BBC Website - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-maga...nitor-30488190) refers to "limited waiting spaces", which I guess is the sort of space the Daily Mail article refers to. As I understand it, so long as it fits within the regulations, then surely there can be no issue?

[Big Performance]

450 would fit and does

[EmilysDad]

.... The question I ask myself is "can a Lorry/Fiat Multipla get down here if I park like this?" If yes, then I don't really see an issue. ...

If I park my R Class parallel to the kerb .... ie properly ..... outside our local shops, the outer wheels will sit over the marked lines anyway

[smartfart]

Judging by the red arrows and dozens of Neg rude ignorant comments people hate them and us 4/2 drivers. I pretty much backs up what Ive thought for ages. Its a sad world we live in. I hope ive supported our little cars in my comments as signed in as Fedupwithcameron.. One of my quotes follows.. "So many people commenting here decrying Smarts. MGT Rotterdam you are spot on. They are great little cars. Safe Economical, fun and cheap to insure. Any car if driven properly is safe. Any car driven recklessly and without regard to safety is lethal. Anyone can walk around a vehicle recycle-rs and see big cars ,fast cars and inbetweeners smashed up. We see very few Smarts. And that in the main is because Smart drivers respect their little motors and their limitations.

[CapeSmart]

Amusingly, the BBC report has a different photo: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-maga...nitor-30488190

For myself, [formmaly a 450 and now a 451 owner] I do not park cross wise - if the car will overreach the line. Firstly, you are inviting someone to take a swipe at the car. and you'd have more pain arguing the toss with your insurance company as to why the front of the car was missing! Secondly, fighting the claim is time, effort and money. The effort and money she has expended in getting the fine overturned must have been enormous and I would not make a point of irritating every person in Gloucester's parking company!

If the kerb is deep enough and/or the outer margin is not marked with clear lines, then I do 'Smart park '.

[EmilysDad]

Amusingly, the BBC report has a different photo: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/blogs-maga...nitor-30488190......

Bond Bugs were doing it 40 yrs ago

if only I could manage a picture/link

[BlackDog]

A few years back a Smart meet in the South of the UK visited a seaside town and about 14 of us parked back end on to the pavement in a line. Along comes a parking attendant, who looked like a Benny Hill type character, and asked the question "What's this then a Dinky car convention?" and wandered off leaving us there.

[dervsmart]

Bond Bugs were doing it 40 yrs ago

if only I could manage a picture/link

[Evilution]

If the wheels are inside the lines, it's fine. However, the standard size parking bays are slightly too small for the 451.

[EmilysDad]

Thanks for that Derv ...... I tried a few times & failed

[Ocracoke]

Hmm... The fronts of the car are overhanging onto the kerb, which the 451 and 450 cannot really do and I would fret over the height of the kerb if I did do that.

[earthman]

Firstly, you are inviting someone to take a swipe at the car. and you'd have more pain arguing the toss with your insurance company as to why the front of the car was missing! Secondly, fighting the claim is time, effort and money.

Thirdly, you come back to you're car to find that the other cars have moved closer, you can't actually open either of the doors far enough to get it,...I suppose you could climb in via the hatch though. LOL

[smartfart]

Isnt it a sad world we live in...Now The Daily Mail seems to be drumming up hatred towards Smarts

[Ocracoke]

Isnt it a sad world we live in...Now The Daily Mail seems to be drumming up hatred towards Smarts

FFS.

I am not really surprised at James Delingpole's "article" (using the term loosely). Haters are going to hate and indeed, it seems to be a magnet for people to go "Lol, I hate Smarts. If I see someone parked like this, I'll vandalise their vehicle" (while paraphrased from the comments section, there is at least one comment along this line). Scary to think if I park as Smart encourages and legally, I could return to find my vehicle damaged.

Regarding the "can't open my boot" tag line, having had a quick look at the Highway Code on this, I cannot see anything specific towards this however, I would guess it would be a matter of courtesy. With great power comes great responsibility (with apologies to the original author of that line). In the photo, I can see the Skoda on the left would probably hit the wing mirror should the boot be opened so there is potentially an argument to be made there.

Having said that, where I live, where everyone has to park on the street, there has been occasions where either my wife or myself (or both) have been unable to get out of the space we are in due to the people parked either side of us parking too close to us and that is when we have parked conventionally.

One wonders if they have actually been in one/driven one? I highly doubt it. I get that the Smart family is not for everyone but not everyone feels the need to follow the crowd and if not following the crowd enables me to park at right angles, so be it.