When you were growing up, how many people actually parked their car in the garage?

[Hekate]

36. Lower middle to middle class neighborhoods in Hawaii and California -- nope. In Hawaii we had a carport with open sides...

In SoCal my dad kept all his tools in the garage, including a big Shop-Smith.

I never got into the habit on the Central Coast. The garage holds overflow, and the cars can fend for themselves in the mild climate.

In our current neighborhood a lot of folks use their garages — they probably think we are declasse. My husband’s job is to make sure my car is facing outward. During the Thomas Fire 7 years ago, my ability to exit our slightly curved driveway in the pitch dark was crucial — I don’t back up well on a curve. Weeks later we finally drove thru one of the neighborhoods that was burned to the ground, and there were dead cars in quite a few of the garages…