"Misparked" Car: My Friend Doesn't Know Where He Parked. Lol. Help?

ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 04:19
Last edited 07/10/2022 - 11:05 by 1 other user

Oh boy.

Having performed a grid search like the budding reconnaissance officers we are, and not having google location history, I presume at this point my friend has to wait for council fines to start turning up. Seriously can't understand how it was not in the area.

I suggested we call the police tomorrow and report the car "either misplaced or stolen".

Any other ideas? (Aside from preventative measures for the future)

PS you are welcome for this morning's entertainment. Someone is sillier than you!

PPS my friend is not me, I am far too irresponsible to own a car

Automotive

Comments

  • Gervais fanboy on 07/10/2022 - 04:25
    +18

    Has he considered buying a new car ?

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 05:40
      +76

      I did bring this up, and I suggested he go with the "airtag" upgrade

      I also suggested he may not have a car and had simply found some keys at some point

      • Gervais fanboy on 07/10/2022 - 11:52
        +13

        Hahahah, lol

        Cheers for giving my comment the reply it deserved. I was just doing my best Jv impression.

  • holdenmg on 07/10/2022 - 04:51
    +33

    Phone the Council.
    Maybe you are looking for a Car that is probably already towed.

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 05:41
      +5

      Yeah this started to occur to me when we seriously could not find it in a 3 block "radius" so like a 6x6 grid of where he thinks he left it

      But who towes a car at 8pm on a Thursday?

      I reckon council and then police in that order

      • Typical16-bitEnjoyer on 07/10/2022 - 09:11
        +54

        But who towes a car at 8pm on a Thursday?

        Tow truck drivers when they spot a car in a towaway zone.

  • mapax on 07/10/2022 - 05:30
    +18

    So many missing details.
    Was it in a CBD, suburbs or shopping centre?
    Is your friend a stoner?
    Has your friend considered not driving from now on?
    What leads you to believe it’s lost and not stolen?
    How does your friend survive daily life?

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 05:43
      +43

      My friend is Irish.
      That's all I know about him, I've never been able to understand a bloody thing he says.

      Actually he gave me a compliment when he noticed I kept asking "what did you say?" - he's like "most people can't understand me and don't even trygrunblemumbleirishaccent"

      In the inner west where the streets run less to a grid and more to a "(profanity). That'll do"

      It could be stolen but I think it's very unlikely. It's a decent area, it's a new car, it has a security key and it is also pretty conspicuous.

      How does he survive? By the good graces of his friends apparently. And don't we all, really? How wonderful.

      • jjjaar on 07/10/2022 - 07:58
        +18

        My friend is Irish.

        It’ll be the one parked facing the wrong direction.

        Every time I’ve gotten in a car with an Irish driver in aus, they’ve forgotten that they can’t park on the opposite side of the road without turning around first.

        • OzzyOzbourne on 07/10/2022 - 12:39
          +2

          Being from the uk, I didn't realise this was a thing either for a while. I thought cars were visible from either end. (Except for unlit roads at night). But having found that when driving you appear to be visible from neither end, I guess it makes more sense ☺️

      • OzzyOzbourne on 07/10/2022 - 12:19
        +1

        "My friend is Irish. That's all I know about him"…..wow, I thought I didn't have enough friends, but if all I need to know is where someone is from then I must have hundreds lol 😂

      • MrPants on 07/10/2022 - 18:17
        +26

        My friend is Irish.

        Did you go around the 6 x 6 grid twice? You know, to be sure, to be sure…

        • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 09:12
          +2

          I'm pretty sure we covered some trails thrice for good luck

          But he had no luck at all

          I did question whether he was really Irish, I thought the Irish were lucky

      • Franc-T on 08/10/2022 - 19:22
        +3

        mabye he misplaced his calf?

        Have you tried looking for a baby cow?

      • Hangryuman on 10/10/2022 - 10:08

        Oirish ? Ah - yer can't get there from here … !

        • tonyjzx on 12/10/2022 - 21:42

          tell your mate there's a pot of gold where you left the car… or maybe a job as a traffic controller or recruitment agent…

          maybe a potato in this trying time?

  • EightImmortals on 07/10/2022 - 07:18
    +1

    So how drunk was he exactly?

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 07:32
      +21

      I did say he was Irish and incomprehensible (tautology?)

      To be honest I was not impressed. I don't think even one drink and driving is a great idea (I'm very risk averse).

      I did tell him that the universe was saving him from a far worse fate, through hiding his car from him.

  • SBOB on 07/10/2022 - 07:18
    +53

    Perhaps try this documentary that detailed how two guys went through the same ordeal

    https://m.imdb.com/title/tt0242423/

  • djones145 on 07/10/2022 - 07:26
    +13

    check his clothing and boots to see if there is any mud, sand, clay or plants or seeds

    send it to the lab to analyse, it might give u an idea of the location he parked his car and walked from

    worked on CSI, should work in real life

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 07:33
      +14

      Actually he took a photo or two of some random stuff just incidentally, I spotted some numbers written in spray paint, deduced it was the building number for the back entrance. Found the spot! Go go gadget google street view.

      But alas. He had outstupided me. The car was nowhere to be found.

      • Ponsonby on 07/10/2022 - 11:57

        If the "photo or two of some random stuff" that he took was in the vicinity of the car, then check the geo data in the photos' metadata (unless he had this turned off)

        • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 08:56

          That's also a good idea. Very meta

      • Franc-T on 08/10/2022 - 19:23

        Honestly if he had a google phone your location history probably would have shown him

    • Domingo on 07/10/2022 - 10:07
      +13

      Nah, create a GUI interface using visual basic to see if you can track an IP address

      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hkDD03yeLnU

      • Iwantthebestprice on 07/10/2022 - 10:56
        +5

        Oh please a simple GUI interface made with visual basics to track an IP address won’t find his car if it’s been infected with a virus crippling the system

        https://youtu.be/u8qgehH3kEQ

  • try2bhelpful on 07/10/2022 - 07:28

    Sit him down, in a quiet place, and ask him to try to remember walking to your place after parking the car. See if he can remember any type of landmark either when he parked or on the way. Most of us have a quick look around when we park to make sure there aren’t dodgy people nearby.

    I don’t know what parking is in your area but having to walk more than three blocks is not unusual around me.

    Best of luck.

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 07:35
      +1

      This is a good idea, but he was not forming new memories. He was the dodgy person.

      Anyway, at least we get a laugh out of this. His 2 hour walk would have helped get him sober at least.

      • try2bhelpful on 07/10/2022 - 10:59

        Hopefully he wasn’t drunk when he arrived.

        • Hangryuman on 10/10/2022 - 10:10

          if so he may have left the keys in the ignition for next random to see and simply 'oh thanks' and drive it off and yonder

          in which case, does he have any paperwork to describe the car to the police as stolen ?

    • coffeeinmyveins on 07/10/2022 - 10:43
      +1

      and ask him to try to remember walking to your place after parking the car.

      Based on what OP said this guy was pretty drunk so it's likely they he physically doesn't even have those memories.

    • Sydney Guy on 07/10/2022 - 21:19

      "Most of us have a quick look around when we park to make sure there aren’t dodgy people nearby."
      I've done that. OzBargain poll to see how common it is?

  • capslock janitor on 07/10/2022 - 07:34
    +3

    I'm Ur #1 subscriber so this was interesting to wake up to🤣

    This is why I sometimes take photo of where I parked in certain new areas.
    Heck, even Google has parking marker! Use it,.
    Also check their location history

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 07:36

      Yep good ideas. And yeah I thought this would be worth reading and shaking your head at, over a hot cup of coffee. You're welcome!

  • thatsnasty on 07/10/2022 - 07:34
    +2

    Waze and apple Maps also save my parked car location each time I disconnect from Bluetooth or CarPlay, so maybe try a different app if no luck with Google Maps?

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 07:37
      +2

      That's a good idea. I didn't manage to wrangle out of him whether he uses default google maps or something else. Got the impression he wasn't good with phones (or cars, or alcohol, or enunciation…)

      • ItsMeAgro on 07/10/2022 - 11:05

        Unless he's been very specific about turning it off, Google tracks his every move through his phone.

        He can find out how to find his google location history by… googling it.

        • try2bhelpful on 07/10/2022 - 11:09

          Good point. With my health app I can see where I’ve been that day. Let’s hope his phone wasn’t left in the car.

  • kolorijo on 07/10/2022 - 07:41
    +2

    Check his garage or car space, he might have forgot that he left the car there.

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 07:59
      +5

      I did consider the odds of there being two completely useless people with the same car, and someone else lost theirs, and stole his.

      It makes no sense, but neither does walking around for 2 hours to find a car that should be 5 minutes away.

      Thinking more about your suggestion, if he wakes up with an uber charge to the area showing on his credit card, I am going to call him several names.

    • morse on 07/10/2022 - 08:22
      +1

      This is my thought too, he actually got an Uber or a Bus and car might actually be at home.

      Also may go through text messages and photos from last night to see if there’s any clues. Perhaps also check the health app if they have one to see about number of steps at which time.

    • ozbjunkie on 07/10/2022 - 08:03
      +2

      You know what's interesting about Seinfeld? The way that, over time, we identify with different characters. Like I know now that I'm George, but I always thought of myself aspirational as a Jerry, but probably only because we at one point had a missus, and he wasn't the crazy in his friend group.

      I would discount the idea I'm Kramer because I just don't have the energy or enthusias…. See? George through and through….

  • pegaxs on 07/10/2022 - 08:05
    -6

    Yeah, no one “misplaces” a car where they can’t find it at all. Even the dumbest human would have a rough idea where they parked it.

    I mean, I can see it being lost in a massive multi level car park, and not remember the level, but you would always remember an area on a floor, near a door, on a corner, along a row, but not forget entirely. And if you parked it on a street, even less so.

    Maybe try ringing the local council to see it if was parked somewhere and was towed because obstructing driveway/clearway

    my friend is not me, I am far too irresponsible to own a car

    Sure, your “friend”, but it seems “they” are pretty irresponsible with cars as well.

    • Euphemistic on 07/10/2022 - 08:20
      +16

      Story on radio last week of a girl who parked her car in her apartment block carpark and walked somewhere from the carpark. Later she got home, straight to apartment. Next day went to the carpark and car gone. Reported stolen, collected insurance etc. Months later car reported as found, in the identical carpark for the block next door.

    • coffeeinmyveins on 07/10/2022 - 10:44

      Yeah, no one “misplaces” a car where they can’t find it at all. Even the dumbest human would have a rough idea where they parked it.

      OP said the guy was drunk so that actually does explain it

      • Sleeqb7 on 07/10/2022 - 11:19
        +2

        I can't fathom being so drunk I can't remember anything, but not too drunk to drive well enough to get somewhere.

        • coffeeinmyveins on 07/10/2022 - 13:56
          +2

          Some people are selfish assholes who only think about themselves.

    • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 08:59

      Someone woke up grumpy on Friday.

      Actually I bet there were at least two

  • flickr on 07/10/2022 - 08:15
    +1

    Some car has beep back function when you press button. Just randomly point the remote and try that.

  • Motek Benzona on 07/10/2022 - 08:21
    +4

    I did this once. Parked in West End, went back to my "spot" and the car was not there. Spent the next 3 hours looking for it but it was nowhere. Phoned police and insurance and was about to give up when i walked down a side street to get some shade and there it was! I literally forgot i parked it there. During those 3 hours i had no idea at all where it was.

    It was a hectic day. I have a tag in the car now

    • Mokr on 07/10/2022 - 08:57

      Air tag?

      • Motek Benzona on 07/10/2022 - 09:39
        +1

        Tile..They work so well.

  • GordonD on 07/10/2022 - 08:36
    +2

    Used to work in a country town where there was parking at each end of town. When I got to work I'd try for a spot at the closer end, and if there was none go to the other end. Then at the end of the day I'd try to remember which end of town I'd parked at that morning. Was it the north end today, or was that yesterday.

    Years later I lived in the inner city. From my balcony I noticed a rather attractively dressed young woman walk past heading in one direction. Went downstairs and saw her going in the opposite direction a little while later. Then I saw her go past again. Yep, she'd parked her car in an unfamiliar area, and completely forgotten where it was. So I offered to get my car and give her a tour around all the possible parking areas. Found her car on the second one. It was one street outside the area that she'd been searching for the last couple of hours.

    • Mokr on 07/10/2022 - 08:56
      +2

      And then

      .

      • GordonD on 07/10/2022 - 08:58
        +3

        Yes, that was the disappointing part. But, hey, sometimes you've just got to do a good turn for the sake of doing a good turn.

        • Mokr on 07/10/2022 - 09:03
          +3

          Pretty privilege. Anyway you really weren't doing it just to be nice

          • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 09:00
            +4

            @Mokr: Hoping this Irish lad doesn't think I was trying to get into his pants

      • Windows7forever on 08/10/2022 - 04:25
        +1

        Gordon gave her the D.

    • John Kimble on 07/10/2022 - 12:07
      +8

      attractively dressed

      Was she wearing magnets?

  • onetwothreefour on 07/10/2022 - 08:55

    I've lost my car briefly when going to a concert and parking on some back street to get free parking. Took me about 30 minutes of searching but I was worried the whole time.

  • Mokr on 07/10/2022 - 08:55
    +2

    Lost car reward 100 dollars.

    Taxi cab will find it

  • shaybisc on 07/10/2022 - 08:57

    So he parked the car somewhere in the inner west and walked home from there?

    • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 09:01

      I think you might be right

      And in a way, the problem is the solution.

  • jv on 07/10/2022 - 09:13
    -3

    Use Google Street View

  • [Deactivated] on 07/10/2022 - 09:24

    Check to see if he has Google Location History or the Apple equivalent.

  • KaTst3R on 07/10/2022 - 09:30
    +3

    Thats why i sometimes take a screen shot of my google street view location if im gonna park in a unfamiliar area.

  • fredz0r on 07/10/2022 - 09:53
    +2

    I suggest watching this movie https://www.amazon.com/Dude-Wheres-Car-Ashton-Kutcher/dp/B00…

  • brad1-8tsi on 07/10/2022 - 10:08
    +3

    It's Inner West Sydney?

    Put a post up on the relevant FB Groups. Erko 2043, Inner West Buy Swap Sell, etc

    • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 09:03
      +2

      'I will swap you this Irish bloke for information leading to his car'

  • pharkurnell on 07/10/2022 - 10:25
    +1

    The fishings great in here today

  • JIMB0 on 07/10/2022 - 10:37
    +1

    It's your friend anything like Colin Carpenter?

    https://youtu.be/EAYaDkgWL4Y

  • kerodean on 07/10/2022 - 10:58
    +1

    Dude, Where's My Car?
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jH_nkW3QtFg

  • try2bhelpful on 07/10/2022 - 11:07

    Frankly we have had a few instances where we, temporarily, lost our car because we parked in a different place to where we remembered it to be.

    We, actually, had our car stolen, in broad daylight, diagonally opposite Russell St police station. We figure someone got out of the cop shop and decided they needed a ride home. The joke is our car was a Camira and we got much more at insurance book value than if we’d sold it. It is the weirdest feeling. You walk up thinking, “somebody has parked in our car parking spot”. Then the penny drops and you look at the landmarks. Yup, it’s been stolen. We did the block to see if the thief realised it was a bad choice but we never saw it again. Probably ended up in a dozen other cars.

    • BartholemewH on 07/10/2022 - 21:15

      As teenagers we tried everything to kill a Camira before my mate was due to trade it in for $200.00 off a ute. Redlining it, neutral dumps, reversies, high speed slalom, handbrakies, the lot. It did it with ease….just to piss us off.

  • trapper on 07/10/2022 - 11:20
    +5

    A friend of mine drove in to work, but then after work he walked home.

    Later that day noticed the car missing from his driveway and though it was stolen.

    Few weeks later spotted it at work. lol

  • Sleeqb7 on 07/10/2022 - 11:26
    +3

    Great thread, thanks for posting!

    I've lost my car in a multi level car park before, and after 20 minutes of freaking out I thought to check another level and my prayers were answered.
    Good luck!

    • Gervais fanboy on 07/10/2022 - 12:03
      +1

      Same same,
      Happened to me at Chadstone last year.

  • Danger on 07/10/2022 - 11:34

    Time to evaluate your need of friendship with him/her.

    • Gervais fanboy on 07/10/2022 - 11:59

      Come on it’s okay to assume things sometimes.
      It’s a ‘him’ alright..

  • drfuzzy on 07/10/2022 - 11:35
    +4

    If parked at a major shopping centre, go back after closing time. Easier to find when empty.
    If parked on the street - good chance it has been towed so investigate that.

  • stuffisok on 07/10/2022 - 12:04

    Go full detective and kindly ask neighbors, building owners, etc. to see their surveillance videos

    • ozbjunkie on 08/10/2022 - 09:06

      I had contemplated going to the pub and asking if security footage showed him approaching from one direction or another

  • Lord Fart Bucket on 07/10/2022 - 12:15

    How sure are you there was even a car to begin with?

  • OzzyOzbourne on 07/10/2022 - 12:23
    +3

    Well, I've walked home from the train station, forgetting that I parked my car there and had a slight heart palpitation when I arrived home and saw my car was missing…but never completely forgot where I left it. Must have been a good night on the Guinness 😊

  • GlobalWorming on 07/10/2022 - 12:32
    +1

    I put AirTag in my car, hidden place, buzzer surgically removed to be silent. Funny thing, the UWB directional arrows in FindMy app do not work on it, because it inside big metal cage.

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