litesout

So I thought this would be a fun one to post up. How many of you have hit the back of your garage, how ever light, parking or pulling in to it? I'll admit that I tapped the back wall of my garage about a week or so after I got the house and started parking in there. I was already on the brakes, and it wasn't enough hard enough to make a mark on the wall. Didn't leave any white paint on my front bumper. No marks anywhere. Its like it didn't happen. My buddy wasn't so lucky. About a week before he closed on his house, the owner ran into the back wall. Did some pretty serious drywall damage. Don't know if it was on purpose or not, don't care. So, how about you....

xenonhid

Itchytoe

When you back up, the brake lights form two lines that will cross over each other. I watch them and when they meet I stop. Like this, cept without the... (Couldn't figure out how to get tabs or spaces to work. Forgive my ignorance)

..(|.....|)
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Stop Here!

That way you won't back into the wall. You may hit things you have on the floor, but not the wall.

wong05tsx

iTrader: (6)

I have, very lightly as well didnt leave any marks

I now have a fishing line hanging from the ceiling, and i stop when the line hits my window.

nj2pa2nc

have shelves and freezer at the back of garage. I line up the driver's side mirror to the circuit box-never have a problem. I still make sure the car is pulled in far enough before I close the garage door.

SoCaliTrojan

I can't imagine anyone hitting the back wall of their garage. First time you park in a garage that you own, you'll get out a couple of times to see how far the car can go. Once it's parked in the right spot, you then look for landmarks to use. Perhaps the passenger-side rearview mirror covers a shelf column, the passenger's headrest covers that case of motor oil, etc. And, as mentioned before, people can use their taillights to gauge distance. When I used to park in a covered spot at an apartment complex, I would rarely look over my shoulder. I basically used my sideview mirrors to gauge distance and angle, and I would park perfectly the very first try each time.

Vehicles are machines that can do damage if not operated/controlled properly. It's scary to imagine sharing the road with someone who is not able to maneuver their vehicle in a familiar and controlled environment.

PACman

Such is the case with some people driving larger vehicles.

litesout

At the time it was far from a familiar environment. I had just bought the house a few days before and hadn't even thought about moving in yet. Now that I actually have some stuff in the garage, I have landmarks. The driver's side mirror lines up with a box on the shelf when the car's in. And for being a two car garage, its freakishly short. With the front bumper 2 inches from the wall, I only have about a foot and a half behind the car with the door closed.

fadinglionhart

you can set up a laser pointer running off the garage opener light as a power source and aim it at where your dash would be. As soon as you see the dot, you know you're in position.

It's like wong's fishing line concept, but cleaner since there's no wires dangling down at all.

IDOSEO

I have yet to do this with my TSX, I did it with my accord straight into a parking bench haha

DLTSX6MT

I used to hang golf balls from the ceiling, positioned just right to touch my windshield when I was positioned right, but eventually decided they got in the way too much when there were no cars in the garage. Plus, that was a pain to adjust for different cars. Now I just put a long piece of 1x3 on the floor across the front of the two front tires and stop when I feel I've rolled up to the wood.

Arcticcl9

Watching the brake light form lines against the wall was exactly what I did when backing up in my 1st gen TSX. I'm glad someone else had thought of that also!

mrgold35

I use a short 2X4 on the driver side tire as my guide in the garage. I have a three car garage for two cars. I park the TSX in the center of the 2 car garage so I can open the door without hitting the wall. Having the A-spec kit and suspension, I've learned to judge my distance when parking most of the time (only two frontend scrapes in 3 years).

1Louder

I've never hit the back wall - I hang a golf ball on a string and when my windshield hits it, I'm good.

However, that ball only gives me maybe 2" clearance from the rear bumper and the garage door, and I HAVE shut the door on the bumper before. Most of the scratches came out...

DemonPoofball

I back up until I'm in line w/ the outlet. Keeps me from hitting the stuff in the back of the garage, and still able to shut the door.

Now... I won't let my husband back my TSX in the garage... he knocked off a chunk of wood from the side of the doorway w/ my last car... Luckily it was a pretty solid car and we buffed out the scratches, but I'm WAAAY too paranoid to let him now! I grew up backing in the driveway, around other cars and into a garage, he didn't.

litesout

I'm a bit paranoid to back into mine. The hot water heater sits right in the middle and sticks out from the wall far enough that if I don't park to the side of it, I can't close the door. Oddly, I can whip my work truck (F250 extended cab 4x4) into a space in reverse with no problems, but I just seem to have a mental block when it comes to the TSX.

s2kneguy

Have never hit the back wall-there's a fridge and shelving to keep me from doing that..

DiaBando

iTrader: (3)

I too, have shelving and stuff. I have visual cues set up to ever prevent bumping anything in the garage. I also padded the lolly-column on the drivers side.

EuRo-R NoOb562

never hit the back wall of my garage yet (knock on wood) lol dont want it to happen...

TommySalami

I voted yes but I never hit the actual wall. One time, before I figured out what landmarks to pull up to, I ran the front bumper up some stairs in the garage. Didn't make any noticeable scratches

thunder04

iTrader: (1)

When I first bought my TSX, I hit the back wall in the garage of my old apartment.

In my house, I've yet to hit anything and we're going on 3 months! *knocks on wood*. Then again, between the incident above and today I'm a better driver.

Mr.Wes

This post is funny. I've tapped my back bumper trying to get out of a tight parking garage just about 3-4 weeks after I got my car. Just a small scratch on my back bumper thankfully! Coming from an Integra 2-door, I'm still having trouble getting used to the size of this car!

Dktran31

i have never done this with my tsx, thank god, the only time i ever remember hitting a wall when backin up was in a parking garage with my first car (91 accord) when i first started driving =]

ClementLi

LOL, you guys are not alone using this same method, I live in HK with my Euro R, and I did the same thing on the other side of the planet, and my brother, did the same on the first few drive on my car, I thought this was just me, but now I've found others, it's funny!!

afici0nad0

this is a very ingenious method.

Newmanium

Never touched anything with the TSX, oversize modern garages FTW!!

When I was in New York recently, I saw one car parallel parked on the street with cars touching its front AND back bumper. Think it was on the Upper East Side... can't imagine owning a car there.

I did drive a Suburban through a garage door a while back (long story)... the Suburban had a few scratches, the garage door was completely demolished. That car was a tank, a really crappy tank.

dave_ramkumar

iTrader: (5)

i too gud of a drive to do that

jiro5

^ not too good in english however :peace:

I admit, with my past cars I overshot the distance, hitting the back bumper. But with the TSX i'm careful. If in doubt, I get out

litesout

I've been practicing backing in these last few weeks. Now that's the only way I park. I rearranged the garage, moved some shelves and stuff and now there's no landmark for me to look for if I pull straight in. Using the above method seems to work well. I have yet to back into the wall!

TSX408

na man ive never hit the wall

swoosh

iTrader: (5)

all u gotta do is, when u think ur close to the wall, open the door, lean out and reverse back !!!

man u will never hit anything and get killer parking judgement !!!

davidspalding

Not sure if OP meant backing into garage or pulling straight in, but actually there are some easy things to prevent mishaps 100% if you know what you're doing.

1. I use a yellow Park Smart mat, which is like little chocks that your tire rolls over into and stops. I find that on a level surface, the mat is sufficient to hold my car without having to apply the parking brake (my TSX is a 5AT, so I'm also parking in "P"; 6MT owners can just leave the car in 1st gear). The mat shifts forward a little over time, but with some chalk or duct tape you can just mark the ideal spot and reposition it every few months. I pull in slow, usually in "N" and with enough enertia that the car clears it and settles into it. Cost: roughly $25.
   
   
   
2. Another trick (in a large enough garage) is to watch the delimiting line as it approaches your side mirrors. On most sedans (dunno about SUVs), when you pull into a parking spot, when the line where you should stop just clears the bottom of your side mirrors, your car's front is approaching same delimiting border. With the TSX (for me, I'm 5'10") there's usually plenty of room to spare, about 12" or more.
   
   Now if you're BACKING INTO A SPOT, presume that the spot is the same length as any spot you pull forward into. Slowly back in, and when the ends of the lines (i.e., the delimiting line of the parking lanes) approaches the bottom of your side mirrors, you've pulled sufficiently into the space, and you can presume that your rear is approaching the back of the parking space (not always with 100% certainty in case there are tall tire humps in the space, set 2' out from the curb, that can hit your exhaust). It pays to visually check the space before you back in, lest there be some objects that would be blocked by the trunk (rearward visibility is pretty limited). Cost: free.

I back into spaces a lot, have for decades, and it's tricky -- you have to watch the sides very carefully for lines, adjacent cars (I backed into a car last year that was in my left outside mirror's blind spot, and was parked right on the line), shopping carts, etc. But with practice it can be done with a fair degree of accuracy and consistency.

I know, someone's pointing out that these reference lines aren't visible in single car garages. That's why I use the first option. The thick yellow Park Smart mat I bought at Brookstone several years ago is showing no signs of significant wear and will probably serve me another 10 years. I recommend them, over hanging balls or battery powered devices. Of course, if you have anyone who might kick the mat out of its spot and not reposition it correctly, you might have to glue it down or something.

davidspalding

BTW ... doesn't this thread belong in Car Talk / Ramblings?

litesout

Probably. Thought it would be fun to put it here though.

The Park Smart mat is probably a good idea. I've thought about doing the tennis ball because its funny. When I was looking at houses I always laughed when I saw them hanging from the ceiling. I don't want it getting in the way when I'm working in there and the car's on the driveway though. Stupid short garage.

aragrev7

I've never hit the back wall. My GSXR stopped me. It did tho Good thing it was only an inch away from the wall to start. Phew! no damages!

narutobear

i never till last year, i hit it 2x

davidspalding

There are other reasons to exercise caution when backing into a space.... (Just happened to see this walking in to work.)



Doncha wonder how s/he got out?