Keeping it Safe

[Mark13]

OK, so I know this is what might be described as a first world problem, and we are rather over worrying, but any ideas would be appreciated.

For the next quite a lot of months, we have to park the precious thing on the road. Its a pretty cosseted cali, lots of use but not the every day car, previously lived in a dry garage, etc, and we're looking for ideas to reduce risk of, well, everything. All we have really come up with is leave the tow bar on to protect one end a bit from parking dinks, close the blinds and don't clean it.

Could be a waste of time of course - it's a 180 and therefore bound to self combust in the next week or so - but if it doesn't will be great to keep it in current condition or thereabouts.

I think quite a lot of people do park on the road, just wondered if anyone has any thoughts about anything else we might do (as well as not worrying about it)?

Thanks!

Mark

 

[Lewis]

Firstly consider whereabouts on the road, ideally not somewhere the road narrows and scrapes are possible. Ours is out on the road and we have an unspoken arrangement with the neighbours as to where we park it so as not to annoy people / take up too much space - it means we can usually put it back in the same place and be reasonably assured of it's safety from passing traffic.

Make sure you notify your insurance company for obvious reasons and also because some won't insure a Cali on the road. Another funny thing we came across in the Highway Code, make sure you're parking overnight facing the direction of the traffic - just to prevent any debate if you got smashed into overnight.

Definitely get yourself a spare safe if you don't have one already. You might also want a physical steering wheel lock.

Closing blinds is debatable. Might just make it look like there's something worth stealing inside. Personally prefer to leave all blinds open and any unused cupboards too.

Was so nervous when Cali arrived about it living on the road but don't really think twice now. Better to have it with a few nerves than not to have one at all.

 

[Mark13]

Thanks Lewis, very helpful indeed.

Had not thought about that angle not the blinds, will go and open them now. The insurance people at Safeguard have, incidentally, been very helpful.

 

[soulstyledevon]

When the vehicle is empty and nothing on show the blinds are up.
When we have our gear in there visible, I tend to lower the blinds. Thus not advertising what we have to people passing.

 

[Meoncoast]

Our dash camera front and rear is left running when parked up - hope it will capture evidence if worse happens

 

[hirsty]

Mine is on the street 24/7, sometimes with Duvalays on the back shelf. I try not to worry about it, it's no more vulnerable than a standard nice car.

Sparesafe essential - I don't know why scrotes nick a single wheel, but they frequently do.

I leave the mirror half-up & unclicked so it has somewhere to go if bashed from either direction, might help or might not, I think it's a consumable item!

 

[WelshGas]

Mine is on the street 24/7, sometimes with Duvalays on the back shelf. I try not to worry about it, it's no more vulnerable than a standard nice car.

Sparesafe essential - I don't know why scrotes nick a single wheel, but they frequently do.

I leave the mirror half-up & unclicked so it has somewhere to go if bashed from either direction, might help or might not, I think it's a consumable item!

Expensive consumable at £350 a side.

 

[SimonB]

Mine is parked on the street and I agree the spare safe is essential. 2 of my neighbours had their spare taken from their T5.
I leave my blinds up and often see people looking in as they walk past. I park it outside the house so the bulk of it doesn't upset people's view from their front windows.
The other thing to think about possibly, is a tracker.
https://vwcaliforniaclub.com/threads/gps-trackers-some-things-ive-found-researching.14990/ This is a discussion between a number of us about trackers of different types and prices. You can geofence some of them, so if it moves more than 100 metres from where you set the tracker it will text you it's position. Mine is a Back2You which quite a few other members have as well. It locates the position on a Google map.

 

[Meoncoast]

Sparesafe essential - I don't know why scrotes nick a single wheel, but they frequently do.

nick 4 you have a set easy money

 

[Mark13]

Thanks for all these - I think we're going to do just about everything suggested. And worry a little less.

Mark

 

[BikerGran]

Another funny thing we came across in the Highway Code, make sure you're parking overnight facing the direction of the traffic - just to prevent any debate if you got smashed into overnight.
.

Do you mean parking the same way as the traffic on your side of the road? Cos that's what it said last time I looked, rather than 'facing the traffic'. It's so that your vehicle shows red rear reflectors to the traffic in the same lane.

 

[Lewis]

Do you mean parking the same way as the traffic on your side of the road? Cos that's what it said last time I looked, rather than 'facing the traffic'. It's so that your vehicle shows red rear reflectors to the traffic in the same lane.

Yep that's what I meant. Amazes me how many people ignore it. I wonder if insurance companies have ever used it as a way of avoiding a pay out?

 

[BikerGran]

Yep that's what I meant. Amazes me how many people ignore it. I wonder if insurance companies have ever used it as a way of avoiding a pay out?

Don't know but I do remember a lot of cars parked in our cul-de-sac got ticketed for it some years ago.

No passing traffic of course, in a cul de sac, but there used to be an ex-copper living at the top of the road - the bit where the cars were wrong way round.

 

[DM]

Don't know but I do remember a lot of cars parked in our cul-de-sac got ticketed for it some years ago.

No passing traffic of course, in a cul de sac, but there used to be an ex-copper living at the top of the road - the bit where the cars were wrong way round.

At one time I'm pretty sure the rule about facing the direction of traffic applied to unlit roads. If the road was lit then the rule didn't apply. Many streets now have lighting which goes out after midnight - so that rule would be a bit irrelevant now.

 

[madwomanne]

Rule 250
Cars, goods vehicles not exceeding 2500 kg laden weight, invalid carriages, motorcycles and pedal cycles may be parked without lights on a road (or lay-by) with a speed limit of 30 mph (48 km/h) or less if they are:

• at least 10 metres (32 feet) away from any junction, close to the kerb and facing in the direction of the traffic flow
• in a recognised parking place or lay-by.

Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOTbe left on a road at night without lights.

 

[soulstyledevon]

Don't know but I do remember a lot of cars parked in our cul-de-sac got ticketed for it some years ago.

No passing traffic of course, in a cul de sac, but there used to be an ex-copper living at the top of the road - the bit where the cars were wrong way round.

My friend got a ticket a few years ago for this. Again parked in a cul de sac and we believe ex copper had reported him because he didn't like the vehicle parked there. Spooky

 

[Amarillo]

Other vehicles and trailers, and all vehicles with projecting loads, MUST NOTbe left on a road at night without lights.

So a Cali laden to over 2.5 tonnes parked on a residential street must have its parking lights on. Interesting.

 

[Lewis]

So a Cali laden to over 2.5 tonnes parked on a residential street must have its parking lights on. Interesting.

I read it as cars OR goods vehicles upto 2.5t, as Cali is registered as a car this wouldn't apply.