Explain why white collar people buy pickups

[catch22]

A house 2 doors down parks a giant Ford F250 super diesel in their yard. At least it was the motivation for them to cut down their weeds; last summer their grass was 3 feet tall.

[Bill Robertson]

I'm a car guy. I love cars. I'm anal about ours. I don't understand having a garage full of boxes of stuff you'll never touch unless you move. But what I find even less understandable are people like my next door neighbor. They have two nice, newish cars that sit on the driveway. And a completely empty two car garage. Nothing stored in it at all!

[Pete]

A house 2 doors down parks a giant Ford F250 super diesel in their yard. At least it was the motivation for them to cut down their weeds; last summer their grass was 3 feet tall.

Almost every community in America does not allow parking anything with wheels on anything less than hard-paved surface.

For example, you cannot put a trailer or boat in your backyard and many places don't even allow them on a driveway unattached to a vehicle. You also can't just throw down gravel as that will not satisfy the ordiance.

And you absolutely cannot block a sidewalk. That part of "your" driveway is in the public right of way.

[PurpleChicken]

^
Nobody has approached telling you or anyone else what they can do with your garage.
If you don't want your questions answered, don't ask them.

Nice redirect but the tone is as someone wrote:

Garages are for vehicles.

which implies no one should do anything with their garage other than have a vehicle in it. I apologize if I misunderstood.

People can use their garages for whatever they want given any HOA or City ordinances. I've lived in other countries where trees were growing out of the sidewalks and bike racks on the sidewalks. Walking down the sidewalk was clearly a navigational experience. But, the trees added coolness in the summer and the obstacles gave the area character. Every town had a different flavor and characteristic. Here in the states every town looks pretty much the same. Every strip mall looks the same. Every neighborhood looks pretty much the same. Large swaths of cookie cutter housing on postage stamp lots. Phoenix is the worst. Anyway, this has nothing to do with Big Trucks, I digress.

I used to own a Nissan Hardbody. Great little truck with great gas mileage and never broke down. As the trucks and SUVs get bigger my insurance costs go up. Not that I'm a bad driver or own an expensive vehicle, it's because insurance companies need to cover the expense of repairing those expensive trucks. So, I'm all for the availability of smaller trucks.

[Bill Robertson]

A house 2 doors down parks a giant Ford F250 super diesel in their yard. At least it was the motivation for them to cut down their weeds; last summer their grass was 3 feet tall.

I'll own up to being my neighborhood a-hole that turns in people for yard parking. Someday I might want to sell my house so the nicer the neighborhood looks is my concern.

[Pete]

Nice redirect but the tone is as someone wrote: which implies no one should do anything with their garage other than have a vehicle in it. I apologize if I misunderstood.

It's an opinion which you know darn well.

And you asked for it.

[PurpleChicken]

I'll own up to being my neighborhood a-hole that turns in people for yard parking. Someday I might want to sell my house so the nicer the neighborhood looks is my concern.

Every time I want to make a change to my property (add a shed, put up a car cover, etc), I go to the city and work it out with them first. Find out what I can and can't do and after, I'm good.

Blocking the sidewalk, parking on grass, etc are things we don't do. We even respect the street space in front of other people's houses, that is, we don't park anywhere other than in front of our house or our driveway. We also drive slowly through the neighborhood and within limits on city, state public roads.

[catch22]

This thread prompted me to file a report with the city. This has literally been going on for the better part of a year. Before, they were parking all the way up onto the sidewalk (parallel).

[Bill Robertson]

This thread prompted me to file a report with the city. This has literally been going on for the better part of a year. Before, they were parking all the way up onto the sidewalk (parallel).

I bought a house on NW 42nd between May and Villa in an area of houses much like your picture in 2000. The area quickly went to hell with yard parking and yards full of other junk. It started with a couple and spread as I guess people decided if he can, I can. My yard and house stayed nicely kept and I did a lot of updates. I got married to my current wife while there and in 2005 we decided to get out. I had the house for sale for months with a realtor I trust very much. I ended up having to take about 10% less than I originally paid and ate all the updates. Try to not let this happen to you.

[DowntownMan]

I use the action center a lot for parking issues in my neighborhood. My biggest pet peeve is when they park in driveway not only blocking the sidewalk but also sticking out a couple feet into street while also blocking sidewalk

Now that’s a hazard.

But just FYI in okc city limits regardless of HOA you are not to park on non paved surface, block sidewalk, block hydrants and also the vehicle cannot be inoperable such as in parts or flat tires left for days in either street or even driveway

[catch22]

I bought a house on NW 42nd between May and Villa in an area of houses much like your picture in 2000. The area quickly went to hell with yard parking and yards full of other junk. It started with a couple and spread as I guess people decided if he can, I can. My yard and house stayed nicely kept and I did a lot of updates. I got married to my current wife while there and in 2005 we decided to get out. I had the house for sale for months with a realtor I trust very much. I ended up having to take about 10% less than I originally paid and ate all the updates. Try to not let this happen to you.

These are the some of the only renters on this street, at least at this part. The next renters are about 10 houses up the street (right of the picture). The neighborhood is in pretty good shape with rapidly rising equity. I have gained $70k in equity in under 2 years. They just aren't making any new land near the mountains, and Colorado Springs has been ranked as one of the top cities to live in the country. So, I am not worried at the moment. But they are definitely the worst residents on the street, and they are the first house you see when turning into the neighborhood. Notice they still have one of their Halloween decorations out. Everyone else has been pouring money into their houses, and I have been helping my immediate nextdoor neighbor with some repairs and upgrades (single mother of 3). You are right though, it just takes one to set the ball in motion.

[Pete]

^

There are reasons for laws and ordinances and people don't get to pick and choose which ones they'd like to follow.

Sometimes people honestly don't know the law so your neighbors will soon be informed and one way or another, they will have to comply.

[GoGators]

This thread prompted me to file a report with the city. This has literally been going on for the better part of a year. Before, they were parking all the way up onto the sidewalk (parallel).

Oh my god. You have to be the most patient and kind neighbor on the planet. I would have been reporting this to the city every single day until it was corrected. This picture actually makes me angry.

[Richard at Remax]

I know I'm 6 pages behind but why does every one who has these trucks feel the need to back in everywhere. Is it a power move? It's hilarious because most take more time trying to back in rather than pulling in like a normal person.

[PurpleChicken]

I know I'm 6 pages behind but why does every one who has these trucks feel the need to back in everywhere. Is it a power move? It's hilarious because most take more time trying to back in rather than pulling in like a normal person.

Where I used to work, in the parking garage, tons of people would do this no matter what the vehicle type. Used to drive me nuts because I had to wait for them to pull up, position, and back in. I asked one of my co-workers once why they did that and the response was it's easier to leave.

I guess, I never had trouble leaving by parking in head first and I'm always worried about the driver behind me and taking up their time while I get my jollys backing in to a parking space.

[PurpleChicken]

This thread prompted me to file a report with the city. This has literally been going on for the better part of a year. Before, they were parking all the way up onto the sidewalk (parallel).

Texas plates. Has anyone noticed Texas drivers are exceptionally aggressive on the roads? Or is it just me. Every time I go to Dallas it's like I'm taking my life into my hands just by going down there. When I first moved to OKC almost 8 years ago I was really impressed with the drivers kindness and consideration of other drivers on the road. This has progressively deteriorated over time.

[wunderkind]

We have owned a pickup truck for years but we have also used the heck out of it. Many home improvement projects. Just one example: building a pond- and hauling ten tons of rocks without a truck. And we selected them over time so it was many trips to Minick Materials to get them. As for the garage, it has been a pottery-making shop for years and a wood shop before that. Needed space to house large lathe, band saws, other tools, two pottery wheels, a kiln, shelving, two workbenches, etc.

I don't get too irked about street parking except when its excessive. Like (this was the best) when our neighbor owned a limousine service and began parking them around his house, in the driveway but also in the street across from our driveway... 3 or 4 at a time. When we called the city the only limitation was that he had to move them, like every 48 hours or something. So, move them he did, to park a little further over.

[gopokes88]

I know I'm 6 pages behind but why does every one who has these trucks feel the need to back in everywhere. Is it a power move? It's hilarious because most take more time trying to back in rather than pulling in like a normal person.

Turns better and is safer.

[MikeLucky]

I know I'm 6 pages behind but why does every one who has these trucks feel the need to back in everywhere. Is it a power move? It's hilarious because most take more time trying to back in rather than pulling in like a normal person.

Backing into parking spots is actually much safer than not. When you back into a space you go past it and completely clear the spot visually so you know you can safely back in. Then to leave you have eliminated the most unsafe part of parking and that's the visually impaired back up into an area that you likely can't visually clear before leaving your spot.

A lot of drivers of company owned service vehicles are required to breach park for this very reason.

[mkjeeves]

At oil related sites it’s standard procedure for faster and safer exodus during an event requiring emergency evacuation. Some of that could be spillover habit. I try to find pull through parking so I don’t have to back at all. Unless I’m planning on loading up the back.

[GoGators]

The theory is that it is safer to back into a known (parking space) than backing into an unknown (traffic). Many job sites require back in parking and a lot of people who drive company vehicles are required to back in anywhere they go.

[FighttheGoodFight]

Yes my father had a company vehicle for many years. He was required to back in. Doesn't work there anymore but always backs in. Habit now for sure.

[jerrywall]

I know I'm 6 pages behind but why does every one who has these trucks feel the need to back in everywhere. Is it a power move? It's hilarious because most take more time trying to back in rather than pulling in like a normal person.

Turning angles. Your back wheels don't turn. When you need to take something with a larger wheel base in between two cars in a tight parking lot, it's MUCH easier to back in than drive forwards. You can't really adjust the angle much once you're moving into the spot, so you have to be able to enter it pretty much straight on if you go in front first. I have a challenger which is only about 20 inches shorter than a Dodge Ram 1500, and I have to do this with some lots. I imagine most large truck drivers just get into the habit.

[BoulderSooner]

Turning angles. Your back wheels don't turn. When you need to take something with a larger wheel base in between two cars in a tight parking lot, it's MUCH easier to back in than drive forwards. You can't really adjust the angle much once you're moving into the spot, so you have to be able to enter it pretty much straight on if you go in front first. I have a challenger which is only about 20 inches shorter than a Dodge Ram 1500, and I have to do this with some lots. I imagine most large truck drivers just get into the habit.

this and the previously mentioned safety when you leave of not backing into an area you can't completely see.

[Bill Robertson]

Off topic again but the back in discussion made me think of this. My car of the last year & a half has a back up camera. My wife's Liberty doesn't. I drove hers the other day to get tire fixed and I couldn't believe how every time I backed up I first looked at the radio instead of out of the window.