Date:         Fri, 26 Jan 2001 16:30:20 EST
Reply-To:     Oxroad@AOL.COM
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Jeffrey R <Oxroad@AOL.COM>
Subject:      public garages/wasRe: Westy height ? Garage door openings w
Content-Type: text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Public garages have frustrated me since I arrived in Los Angeles with my 83
Westy a few months ago. The moral is, in my opinion, don't necessarily trust
the PVC pipe or plastic chains hanging at the entrance if the numbers show
the clearance is a close call--I would say close is anything under 7 feet--I
mean it is California. And also watch for public garages that say 8 feet of
clearance at the entrance and then turn to 6 feet of clearance once you're
down the ramp. (In my humble opinion this town could benefit from just one
engineer carrying a ruler, a stop watch, and with a touch of common
sense--besides the clearance, Are you kidding me with these stop lights on
every  35 MPH street that turn amber for about only 10 seconds before turning
red? And then to install cameras to take your picture if you don't make the
stop which will send you a $300 ticket! (no I haven't gotten on, yet) Or how
about this seemingly perfectly acceptable and I think even legal "make the
left across traffic AFTER your light has turned red"? Please tell me these
are jokes since it is friday and I could use a laugh)

Here's my complaint about public garages in Los Angeles being new to LA.
First many I have been in will give you a clearance of , say, 8' 2" inches at
the entrance to the ramp. Then, once you get in the garage the ceiling will
lower and there will (hopefully) be a sign saying 6" clearance. Now granted
so far in this situation there have been a FEW parking spots in the area
immediately down the ramp where the clearance is still above 6" but on every
occassion it has involved talking with and sometimes arguing with the parking
attendant or valet to get cones moved to use spots in this "special" area or
to be able to even in look for a spot where there is ample clearance. One guy
insisted I continue on in an 8 foot + garage down through the 6'6' ramp to
park even though he well understood my bus wouldn't fit. (Sunset Blvd &
Crescent Hieghts theaters and mall that is).

I was in one garage with I think 6.8" clearance at Sony studios in Culver
City, CA. In my opinion I JUST made it and parked "illegally" on the garage
first floor. A little too tight there especially with speed bumps, which of
course reduce clearance at those spots, and all the auto paint scuffs,
scrapes, and chips in the overhead concrete beams of the parking garage
didn't make me any more comfortable. Meanwhile I fit EASILY under the
overhead PVC "warning" pipe that was at the garage's entrance but once I was
a little deeper in the garage my radio antenna would hit the overhead--and
the antenna must be about only 1 maybe 2 inches higher than the whole rig.
AND AGAIN--I cleared the PVC at the entrance antenna and all with no problem.

Later I saw another Westy flying through the garage. And with that little
rocking from front to rear of the suspension the top was so close to the
concrete overhead I was amazed it didn't hit. I can only assume the guy
driving that Westy was borrowing it. (he probably pushed the trip odometer
while he was moving as well).

Anyway thanks for listening to my rant. And be careful in close call public
garages. And explain to me this $3 valet parking in an outdoor lot when I'm
going to a diner or some dive bar--not a fine dining establishement--when the
parking spot is right next to where I have to turn it over to the valet. And
I'm not so cheap about the $3 exactly--or maybe I am-- but every time I park
I've gotta pay $3-$15 and then tip the valet who will invaribaly grind my bus
into gear, or worse if there's a garage involved, crash it into some overhead.

But I mean the weather here is great.

Jeff
83.5 Westy
Loving LA, but frustrated by the parking


In a message dated 1/26/2001 10:12:23 AM Pacific Standard Time,
DStewart@CHRM.COM writes:

> How about a parking garage with 6'7" clearance?  Doesn't sound like that
will
> make it, though I've seen a Country Homes Vanagon in our garage here at
work.
>