Car Cover

[Nostromo]

I tend to worry about the safety of my car parked in an open hotel car park when I am away on holiday. I know that CCTV offers some protection from theft or break-in, but the vehicle is still exposed to the elements. So, I am considering getting one of those quality 'breathable' fabric car covers that can even be locked in place. Does anybody have any suggestions or opinions on this?

[MaggieAllan]

Can't resist it Nostromo sorry


One or two of your colourful shirts....should keep anyone away as well as the weather[msntongue]

[blott]

Do you think that a cover might not attract attention to the vehicle and give the idea that something worth stealing is underneath, whereas if it was just one of many in a car park, it might not get noticed Nostromo?

[DaveL]

Why not get a local taxi firm to take you to the airport. It depends on distance but with airport parking charges these days the break even point is getting smaller.

Dave

[Nostromo]

Maggie: I like those colourful shirts almost as much as I like my car. So, all that'll happen if I use your suggestion is that I'll worry about the shirts instead of the car! [msnsmile2]

Blott: I assumed that cars in big hotel parks (like Hilton or Le Meridien) are relatively safe from interlopers because of CCTV. But the thought of my poor car baking in the sun or bombed by birds for 3 weeks is something more than I can bear! [msncry]

[daisy]

i have an idea we could swap cars no one will touch mine .[msnsmile2]no seriously we left ours at one if the big airport parking facilities that they have and had to leave them with the keys in case they needed to move it ! wasnt to happy about that and some por guy was going mad upon return as they had moved his car and left it unlocked i woudnt have been happy either was a very nice car. most big hotels have good security these days though.

[blott]

Having lived near Heathrow for many years, I'm sure that at least some of the hotels will have either underground or multistorey car parks due to the lack of available land around the airport. If I come across any specific ones, I'll let you know.

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by blott
Having lived near Heathrow for many years, I'm sure that at least some of the hotels will have either underground or multistorey car parks due to the lack of available land around the airport. If I come across any specific ones, I'll let you know.
[/quote]

Thank you very much Blott. You are nice after all! [msnwink][msnwink]

[blott]

I always was! :)

[steph_goodrum]

Nostromo
Notwithstanding car parking charges/availability and security worries, we always get a friend to take us to/from the airport for safety reasons.
When I worked, at what was then Marconi Avionics, 4 of the top managers of the company were critically injured and very nearly died because the one who was driving nodded off for a split second as they were driving back from the airport (about 40 mins drive). They bought in a company ruling that after a transatlantic flight nobody was allowed to drive and I made up my mind then that it wasnt worth the risk and whatever the cost we would not drive after a flight of that length.

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
Nostromo
Notwithstanding car parking charges/availability and security worries, we always get a friend to take us to/from the airport for safety reasons.
I made up my mind then that it wasnt worth the risk and whatever the cost we would not drive after a flight of that length.
[/quote]

Thanks for the message Steph and I acknowledge the spirit in which it was said. But apart from taking an expensive taxi, we cannot get anyone to drop us to the UK airport. I find it easiest to Drive-fly-drive on our visits to the US, which is at least once every year.

Fortunately, I don't bother with meals, movies or other frills on the flight. I try to get some sleep as soon as the flight is on its way and usually can manage at least some hours rest, putting me in reasonable shape for arrival.

[steph_goodrum]

It's the unknown of the sleep factor on the plane that worries us. We always have a decent feed at somewhere like the Golden Corral before we fly and then try to settle down to sleep more or less as soon as we are on the plane (helps with the jetlag) but if you have a paticularly noisy flight then it isnt always possible, so we'd rather not have to worry about it.

[Nostromo]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by steph_goodrum
It's the unknown of the sleep factor on the plane that worries us. We always have a decent feed at somewhere like the Golden Corral before we fly and then try to settle down to sleep more or less as soon as we are on the plane (helps with the jetlag) but if you have a paticularly noisy flight then it isnt always possible, so we'd rather not have to worry about it.
[/quote]

But then I have an advantage over you. After 27 years of frequent overnight on-call work where sustained sleep is a luxury that seldom comes one's way, I have learnt to snatch the ol' 'forty winks' wherever possible, often oblivious of my surroundings. I once slept through an Alice Cooper concert! (I'm joking, of course - even I couldn't manage that)