‘So it’s like Tetris….but with cars….’: Florida dealership worker shares how they prepare the cars for a hurricane. Should you worry about water damage?
How do you prepare cars for a hurricane when you have over a hundred in your lot?
Dayton Michael Shupak (@shupaksgotyourback) is an automotive sales consultant at the Gainesville, Florida dealership Gatorland Toyota. He took to TikTok on Thursday to share the dealership's massive hurricane prep.
The video shows how Gatorland is sheltering from Hurricane Helene, which made landfall earlier on Friday. The TikTok has already picked up over 1.1 million views.
How to prepare for a hurricane at a car dealership
"So we start by stacking the bigger vehicles outside the dealership," Shupak tells his viewers, "as close as we can get to it."
Presumably, this is done because the larger vehicles can better withstand the violent winds likely to accompany Helene.
"We take all the smaller vehicles and stack them on our showroom floor," he states, showing the Gatorland showroom crowded to near overflow with various Toyota models.
Shupak then gives a tour of the now-empty parking lot that the dealership's new cars had occupied. "There is not a single new car to be found," he says.
Shupak explains the lot's numerous used cars will be housed in the dealership's expansive service shop.
Afterward, he shows off a massive repair bay with hundreds of feet of available space for Gatorland's used inventory. "There they are, coming in," he explains as the cars begin to enter the building.
@shupaksgotyourback this storm is massive #hurricanehelene #floridahurricane #hurricaneseason #hurricane ♬ original sound - Dayton Michael Shupak
Should you prepare your car for Helene?
It's highly advisable to garage or otherwise shelter your car if you are in Helene's path or even nearby. However, even if that option isn't available, there are still several things you can do to prepare.
National Dispatch states that "if you do not happen to have a garage, park away from trees, power lines, light poles, and other things that could fall onto your vehicle and cause damage."
Additionally, it also recommends keeping a full tank of gas (or a full charge for EVs) and making sure your car is in good drivable condition. It's advisable to keep an emergency kit in your car containing:
- Jumper cables
- Gas canister
- Tool kit
- Tire jack
- Flashlight with batteries
- Radio with batteries
- Blanket
- First aid kit
- Motor oil
AAA suggests knowing the best emergency evacuation route ahead of time and completely disconnecting your FV from all ports to avoid damage from power surges.
Also, do not try to restart an EV that has been flooded or water-damaged.
Rising water could potentially damage and even total your vehicle. You should ask your insurer if your car is covered for flood and water damage.
What did the viewers have to say?
Some viewers noted the similarity between storing cars at the dealership and a popular video game.
Viewer just_jennay (@just_jennay) noted, "So it’s like Tetris….but with cars…." after watching Shupak's video.
Another viewer echoed the video game comparison, writing, "Okay but the amount of backing up driving skills used to play car Tetris must be amazing."
"Things I never thought about but very happy to learn!" another person commented.
"Idk what I thought they did at dealerships but this actually pretty cool," another added.
The Daily Dot has reached out to Shupak via Facebook and TikTok messenger for further comment.
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