In LA, I rarely see speedsters park overnight at a public garages or streets. most of my speedster sightings are during day time, at car shows or open view restaurants on the Cali coastline.
Then again, I live in an urban neighborhood and any convertible is easy prey for thieves.
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HA, probably why Terri Nuckels has VOLKSWAGON script on his Speedie. A secret ignition kill switch is a must along with a separate one on the electric fuel pump. Maybe that's why many of the front bumper brackets are where they are - to prevent a stock WV tow bar from being quickly attached. You can always pull the coil wire or the dizzy rotor.
When we travel in/with the Speedster, it hasn't been a problem parking overnight or short stay in a hotel or restaurant parking lot.
I would think that parking a Speedster (or any car of value) overnight for extended periods in an urban area it would be just a matter of time before being victim to vandalism or theft! I would not recommend leaving any car you value in that situation to tempt the criminal mind! 
I work in Baltimore, and I have (so far) experienced an interesting phenomenon: When I drive Bridget into work, people along the route cheer and ask questions. She gets parked, as is necessary, completely open. There is no lock on the glove box; the front trunk pops with a lever that would be easily found by any experienced thief.
No one messes with her.
This can't be because no one sees it. It's not because cars in the lot behind our office don't get broken into. They do.
So why does my car get left alone?
I think there are three reasons which, in combination, make it less likely to be messed with.
1. There is no GPS, stereo, or center console (with quarters in it) visible. Most thefts in my neighborhood are by junkies/homeless dudes looking to pick up change or something they can flip instantly for a fix.
2. As it happens, even junkies like beauty. Not saying a desperate, jonesing addict would never touch a classic car, but there is a thought process.
3. Respect/fear. On the street, every exotic car is owned by someone who is presumed to be a drug lord. Therefore, it is owned by a killer. People in Baltimore think my car is a Rolls Royce or Bugatti, and so the person driving it must have juice. Obviously if they meet me they understand that I am totally rip-off-able. But when Bridget is parked, she is presumed to be owned by a player, and thus left alone.
Your mileage may vary.
Thankfully, where I live, I only have to worry about idiots backing into me when they are trying to park - why is it that people can't parallel park these days?
I do choose my parking places very carefully, 'cause I ain't no drug lord...
Not having to worry about owning an expensive original car is one of the main reasons to own one of these Tupperware replicas in the first place isn’t it?
I mean that, and how it can ride better, or can be made more powerful, or stop better and still be more reliable than an original ever could.
^ In that sense, I would think the concern of vandalism/theft then becomes a frame-of mind!
If the purpose of the Speedster is to be expendable (relatively inexpensive & fun to drive), then it would follow that one wouldn't be concerned about parking or security.
Conversely, if the Speedster is a pride-and-joy possession (inexpensive or otherwise), then parking anywhere can be unsettling!
This type of decision-making process is why Baskin & Robins has 31 flavors!
I would not tell these guys that their cars are Tuppperware. Especially the cars they have been churning out the past 5-7 years. The builds can get very detailed and very expensive in a hurry. That said, I am cautious, but it does not stop me from going out and having the time of my life. I took may car to 4 events this year ranging from 150 to 750 miles away from home. 3 events were mutli day & overnight and the car had to sit at hotels in diferent states. Like Jim said, no one wants to put their car at risk and it really does become a frame of mind. Most bad things happen close to home anyway. It's just murphy's law.
never worried about it that is why u have insurance for peace of mind
I've never been worried about parking at motels over the years. Was terrified the first year or two when commuting from Massachusetts between South Carolina but nothing ever happened and I finally relaxed about it. Since than I've moteled with it from Daytona to Watkins Glen to Carlisle and never had a problem.
I have two incidents which are memorable. Years ago we were heading down to South Carolina (our first trip of many to follow) and stopped overnight in Fredricksburg, Virginia, just off of I-95 and I was hauling Pearl on a trailer. I pulled through the motel portico and went to the desk to check in and the evening manager insisted that I back the trailer into his personal parking space next to the check-in building so he could "keep an eye on it" for me. Later, when I was heading out with the truck for take-out, he was out front taking pictures of her.
Another time we met some friends at a classy Italian restaurant in Worcester, Mass. and were arriving right from a TYP356 event nearby. I pulled up and asked the guys out front where I could park it. "Right there", said one guy who pointed at the valet lot across the driveway. "I would rather I drive it myself", I replied. "No Problem, just pull it into that open front spot and leave it, no charge - We'll make sure nothing gets near it!"
This has been pretty typical of life with a Speedster...
I would not tell these guys that their cars are Tuppperware. Especially the cars they have been churning out the past 5-7 years. The builds can get very detailed and very expensive in a hurry. That said, I am cautious, but it does not stop me from going out and having the time of my life. I took may car to 4 events this year ranging from 150 to 750 miles away from home. 3 events were mutli day & overnight and the car had to sit at hotels in diferent states. Like Jim said, no one wants to put their car at risk and it really does become a frame of mind. Most bad things happen close to home anyway. It's just murphy's law.
Hey, that car in the background is mine!!!
Must be when I had mine into Henry's shop to have some work done of the fuel injection.
We've had experiences similar to Gordons.
We stayed at the Sheraton in Fort Worth for our anniversary. Valet let me park it my self and had us park it under cover up front in the hotel managers spot. No charge....said it was good for the hotel.
While we where getting set they parked several very very expensive cars outside.
I don't park in bad areas but I don't worry much either.
Weird thing is we often come back to the car to find Corvettes parked next to it.
Jay
We always park in the front of motels--under the canopy area where cars stop to unload. I never ask----just park it there.
I put my car cover on and use a cable and lock with the lock towards the side where it can be easily seen. Also I set the alarm. I like this set up much more than when I used to get a ground floor room and park the Speedster right outside my room.
I also use a battery disconnect. My car has a l-o-t of nights at motels. Never a problem in 6 years of ownership. Knock on wood!
I used to obsess. I don't any more. I've got to drive it to enjoy it, and driving it means parking it somewhere.
careful where u park or u meet see Vinnny at Mecums with your car 
I bring a cover and toss it over my car for the "out of sight—out of mind" philosophy. If they don't know what's under the cover, interest goes way down. Granted, only special cars get covered so I don't know if that's a factor in a thief's thought process (if there are any thoughts in their heads) but it works like one more layer of cheap security. Same idea as putting a "Protected by..." sign out front of your house.
I've been looking for an invisibility cloak as a car cover on eBay—yeah, that's the ticket—will pay top dollar! Then again, that would make the parking space look empty, and I'd probably find a big SUV in my spot in the morning.
I have the cover but it just takes to much room behind the seats. I just put on the tonneau, zip it closed and into the restaurant we go. Granted, except for Carlisle we have never left her overnight in a parking lot.
Regarding public parking, make sure you read the fine print in your insurance policy. Some specialty policies won't cover damage or theft if you're using your car outside the limits of coverage
I've got insurance with no restrictions, but it was still very hard to get used to leaving it unattended. Once I could get past that, it opened up a whole world of possibility. If you drive places, you'll need to park eventually. Nobody wants to be tethered to a car.
Some years back, I was making an overnite trip to LA, from NorCal, in my '84 Carrera. When I parked at the motel, I took the spot in front of my room. Carrying a length of sailboat anchor chain, I chained a front wheel to a 4x4 roof post. I figured I'd hear the thief, long before he got away.
If I did something like that I'd wake up in the morning, hop in the car and drive away, forgetting, of course, to undo the chain.
If I did something like that I'd wake up in the morning, hop in the car and drive away, forgetting, of course, to undo the chain.
^ Bwaaaaaaaa....You and me both, Ron!
I think I was nervous the first year at Carlisle. Now a lot of times I park and leave it wide open...
