Getting out to Nashville can be a great way to cool off from a long week of work. However, the struggle to find quality parking is a great way to raise the heat all over again. And if you find street parking to be not entirely ideal but a necessary evil, this quick guide is definitely what you need. As a Nashville resident, you know that parking downtown can be hard to come by, especially on weekends. With street parking as one of only a few options available to you, it's simply an unavoidable part of your life behind the wheel. So, if you have to park on the street, you may as well stay safe. Below are some basic things every Wyatt Johnson Mazda driver can do to ensure the safety of their vehicle when parking on the street. Be The Boss of Street Parking in Nashville Having to parallel park on a busy street can certainly be nerve-wracking. In fact, parallel parking is something that many drivers struggle with, but it’s still an important skill to master. So, how comfortable are you with parallel parking? More importantly, can you parallel park? Because if the answer to either of these questions is no, you may want to just pony up the twenty-or-so bucks required to gain access to an oversaturated parking garage. However, if you have the mettle to take on the tall task of parallel parking on a busy city street, keep reading. Life Hacks for Street Parking Read the street signs: A common joke among big-city drivers, street signs are something that should be simple to interpret but, oftentimes, are not. With differing messages, time restraints, and symbols all coexisting on the same small rectangular sign, parking legally on the street can require some focus and mental fortitude. Take your time, read the signs and ensure that you won't be returning to a freshly booted vehicle. Park under street lights, not tree branches: If possible, it's always a good idea to park your car in a well-lit area. In general, the more visible your car is, the safer it will be. On the other hand, parking under trees should be avoided whenever possible. Trees shed debris with rain and wind and, on occasion, come down completely in severe weather. Not to mention bird poop is rather annoying, especially with a convertible. Fold in side mirrors: One of the easiest ways to protect your car when parking on the street is by simply folding in your driver-side side mirror. This prevents an irresponsible driver from passing too close to your parked car, clipping off your mirror, and continuing on with their day, leaving you with the bill for repairs. Take or hide your things and lock up: On average, over 80,000 unlocked cars are stolen yearly. That's right, unlocked cars. So, while this may seem like an obvious tip, it is an important one. Lock your car, take your keys with you and be sure that no valuables are visible to people passing by and peeking in. Make sure potential thieves are not interested in your car or anything inside it. Drop a Pin: People are forgetful. We forget our keys, our phones, our wallets. Heck, sometimes we forget whether or not our kids are in the backseat. We also, on occasion, forget where we park. Prevent this issue by dropping a pin on your maps app before you leave your ride behind. Then, when you're ready to return, simply pull up the pin and find your ride in no time. Make a Note Car wash: Getting your car washed about every two weeks is a great way to make sure your car looks presentable. Beyond that, it shows would-be thieves that you pay attention to your vehicle. Oftentimes, car thieves target vehicles that look neglected. The idea here is that they will have more time after the theft to do with the car what they want before the owner even notices it's gone. So, protect your car's exterior appearance and show people you care about your ride with frequent washes. Snow cover: A snow cover or car blanket protects your car from all elements. Whether that's snow, hail, tree debris, or bird droppings, a cover is a great way to protect your ride and prevent passersby from seeing what's inside. Sunshade: Over time, constant exposure to the sunlight will cause fading and cracks on your dash and other areas of your interior. A sunshade is a great way to protect your car's interior and prevent potential thieves from seeing something worth stealing in your car. Catalytic converter shield: This may sound like an unnecessary precaution, but when you consider the fact that an experienced thief can steal a catalytic converter in about two minutes, that $350 shield is looking a lot better than a $2,000+ converter. Don’t Fear Street Parking! With more and more people moving to major metropolitan areas each year, parking in areas like Dayton is getting harder and harder to find, while inventory for car thieves has never been higher. However, if you follow these steps, you can rest easy knowing that you've done all you can to protect your car while it's parked on the street.
Our most recent involvement with the Clarksville Civitan Club was sponsoring their 2022 Scavenger Hunt at this year’s River Fest. The fundraiser offered a chance for participants to explore and discover local businesses, support their community, and of course, win a prize of $10,000 and $250 cash drawings, all for a great cause. That great cause is a scholarship worth $8,000 for one lucky Austin Peay State University student, with which the Civitan has a long-standing relationship, with many of their current members also being alumni of APSU. 
Exterior of Civitan International Research Center, 2017.
Aside from the Scavenger Hunt, The Clarksville Civitan also runs fundraisers that benefit the Civitan International Research Center. Located in Birmingham, Alabama, this center is responsible for a wide variety of successful research including into various disabilities, PTSD in veterans and abuse victims, as well as Parkinson's. The CIRC is also responsible for a leading brain cancer treatment using spider venom. The Clarksville Civitan has been a staple of the Clarksville community for years and we at Wyatt Johnson are proud to be a part of their mission. If you would like to learn more about how the Civitan helps communities all over the world, you can visit their website! The Clarksville Civitan has a lot in the works and we can’t wait to partner with them again soon!
