Have you ever had one of those nights when you just can't go to sleep, so you're up late channel-surfing and run across the most remarkable new kitchen gadget being touted on some infomercial? And it's such a simple thing that you can't help but kick yourself for not thinking of it first?
I recently had a similar experience while attending the NSRA Nationals in Louisville. As anyone knows who has attended this event, the hotels right next to the fairgrounds can get pretty busy and it just so happens to be where we stay. To help the parking situation, they have a guard stationed at the driveway to make sure you're a registered guest before you come in and park a car. Therefore, there should be enough spots for all of us to park-or so you'd think. After returning from a photo shoot, which in Kentucky in the summer ends around 9:30 p.m., I was ready to get back to my room to get cleaned up after a 12-hour day of being in the sun and humidity. Needless to say, parking wasn't coming easy, and that's when I saw something that had me kicking myself for not thinking of it first. Several rodders, who more than likely trailered their cars to the event, had placed lawn chairs in their parking spots to hold them. What a great idea to make sure you're the only one who can use your "assigned" spot the entire weekend. Why hadn't I thought of that?
I have decided that I won't make that mistake again, and as you can see from the photo here, I now place my office chair in my spot at work whenever I leave so no one else can use it. I have officially called dibs on this spot.
This worked so well the first few weeks that I have now gone out and bought about a dozen lawn chairs and have taken them around to all the places I generally go within the week. I have chairs set up at my local grocery store, auto parts store, and several restaurants. So far the only real drawback has been that I've had to get out of my car to move the chair when I want to park and then do it again when I want to leave. But I think that's a small price to pay to always have a parking spot up front.
By now you might be thinking, "What about the other people who want to park?" Hey, that's their problem for not thinking of this before me. I've got a place to park up close; they can find somewhere else to park their cars (which probably isn't as nice as mine anyways) and walk a little. They should know how important I am.
If you're reading this and think I'm serious and that this is a good idea, you just might be in the wrong hobby. I really don't have a problem with this behavior at the fairgrounds as long as it's done while you leave your spot to go and actually cruise your car-but let's leave it there.
I'll even go so far as to give my permission to anyone who runs across this at a hotel to go ahead and, if you're in a good mood, move the chair out of the spot and park there yourself. Now, if you're in a rental car, not in a good mood, and don't feel like getting out of the car, there are ways to deal with that as well (use your imagination).
And if the guy who left me the note at the Nats is reading this, right back at ya.