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May 23, 2009

Old people have to drive too, ya know?

I have been driving since I was 15. That makes 26 16 years that I have been behind the wheel.

I have not had any accidents that were my fault.

Ok, only one that was my fault, a fender bender and it was recent.

My problem has become parking in the garage. We have had the same garage for 12 years.

My vehicle has been the same size for 11 of those years. (the first year it was shorter)

Lately, I have not been pulling into the garage far enough.

Granted, I have one of the longest cars made too...but it has been the same size since.....forever.

This happens about 3x a week for the last 2 months.

Is it possible to lose my depth perception? At 41 31?

Lindsay who is with me most of my waking hours….has noticed this too.

As we were getting out of the car the other day….I look back at the car before opening the door to the house and exhale: “Oh I did it again”

Linds: “It is because you are getting old…..er. I mean… not old, just older.”

bad%20parking

Thankfully, I am only having these bad parking issues at home.

I won’t even get started on losing my car in the parking lots though….there has been talk of a large plastic bouquet of carnations being attached to my antenna.

Lovely. That just screams OLD person.

22 comments:

  1. Suz... if you are going to resort to plastic flowers on your antenna, let me send you a plastic Arizona smiling cactus with sun glasses and a cowboy hat instead. You'll definately find your vehicle then!

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  2. Well, I am OLDER than you (49 and 11/12), but for sure, my depth perception has gotten worse during this decade. Night driving is the worst.

    This is probably something you've already thought of, but if there is an item in the garage (or a mark on the wall) that you can use to line up with your driver's side window, that can help. (My parents, who really ARE old people, use a tennis ball, which they have hanging from the ceiling by a string. When it touches the hood of the car, they are supposed to stop...SUPPOSED to stop.)

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  3. Yeah, it's old age alright. The very reason I don't have a garage is to save my self the embarrassment you speak of.

    My new place has a garage...a one car garage and very narrow but 22 feet long so I have to watch the sides and not the back of my vehicle.

    When I'm not sure where my car is in large parking lots, I hit my red button on my car key. It not only sets off the alarm, my headlights summon me by flashing.

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  4. Funny! I have been finding myself losing my car in the Walmart parking lot lately. I pass it off on being distracted - not getting older! So, that's it - your not losing your mind because of age - you are simply distracted with your stressful life and all! :)

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  5. Oh please don't get a plastic bouqet. That does scream OLD! : ). I laughed at the picture. That is BAD parking for sure!

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  6. Karen - BWAH HAHAHA!! "SUPPOSED to stop"

    Suz, I refuse to accept that we are getting older. The damn garage keeps moving just to mess with you!

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  7. I'm 51 and my brother resorted to giving me a red light (of sorts) that tells me when to stop!!!

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  8. We got a longer van and it took me a bit to get it right. I put a mark on the wall to help me! :)

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  9. Vol Fan had to hang a tennis ball on a string from the ceiling. When my windshield hits the ball, I know I'm in!!

    I also have to park my little CR-V in the middle of a 2-car garage so I won't hit the sides.

    Let's just say that parking is not my forte!

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  10. Ha---you are NOT old... I am the one who is older than dirt!!!!! I guess we start blaming alot of things in life on 'being old'....

    My biggest problems on REALLY getting old are nothing more than ACHES and PAINS.... Gosh--could that be happening to me?????? Yipes!!! I AM old!!!! ha

    Have a wonderful Memorial Day weekend.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

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  11. Oh my gosh, read my post about how I often lose my car in parking lots! LOL!

    http://www.dishingwithdebbie.com/wordpress/2009/03/29/wink-wave-z-50/

    Have a super weekend!

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  12. Hee Hee I always used to laugh at my Mom because she had a tennis ball suspended from the ceiling that would tap her windshield when she got into the "sweet spot" in the garage. Now I get it! We are busy women, who has time to worry about little things like parking the car? LOL

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  13. So fuuny! Love that photo

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  14. My Dad drove until he was in his 90s. He had wheel chocks (those things that keep a parked car from rolling) on the floor to let him know when to stop. They seemed to solve his problem with depth perception.

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  15. Haha, I love this post.

    About 2 times a week I thought my car had been stolen because I lost it in a parking lot. Ooops.

    I've never caused an accident but I certainly have had some very close calls. I'm an awful driver, I have terrible depth perception and I'm not a detail oriented person. I love that in China I don't have to drive. I'd be okay with never owning a car again.

    Too funny! Your posts are always so enjoyable!

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  16. My only accidents? Backing into things. I started small - a rear light here, a side mirror there. Then my entire rear fender on a wrought iron bench. I finally stopped when i did $4,500 damage to my parents' car - by backing into it when it was parked in my driveway..... women can't park or go in reverse (ok that will stir the hornets nest as a gross generalization....)

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  17. I am 34 and am going to learn how to drive.My husband has two teenagers 17 and 15 and now I will join that headache he seems to have(its called a driving headache)

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  18. got an idea for ya here bee! (we see this a lot in our neck of the woods!)... attach a line of string to a tennis ball. then tie the line to something in the top of your garage. have your tennis ball dangling right where you want your care to stop. then when you hit the ball you know you have parked it perfectly!!... that problem solved. as for your "brain cramps" that may not be able to be fixed!!... he he...

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  19. Karen, Pat and gang... My parents used a tennis ball too! Hang from the ceiling--it really works! I turned 50 this year and am considering doing the same thing :-)

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  20. Now that you mention it, I think depth perception does start to go when we get older - I think mine's going too! Also, my trick to find my car in a parking lot - I hit the panic/alarm button on my keychain - works everytime! :-0

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  21. You spring chicken, you! :-D

    Some days I wake up from driving and wonder what the heck I'm doing behind the wheel - who put me there?

    Yep. Old age... it'll git everyone.

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  22. I loved reading your blog tonight.
    Be sure and stop by my blog and sign up for the "10 Giveaways" that I will draw for on Wednesday.

    Also, please pray for sweet Maggie as she returns to St Jude's this week. Would love for you to grab her button for your blog...

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