How do you deal with this....inconsiderate people and door dings?

crazy glue the gas cap shut. That works.



I had a Cadillac door open right into my side while I was in the car. This obnoxious man completely disregarded me, so when he walked away, I took the heel of my work boot and smashed in his door panel, got in my car and drove away.



While I was 17 or 18 at the time, I would not do that again.
 
BK1 said:
I park in a parking garage at work and usually no one parks next to me due to the fact that on the passenger side is 1 small spot with a concrete post on the other side. No one parks on the left side of my car since there's no spot- just the aisle.



To make a long story short, I come out and wedged between me and the post is a car that someone obviously doesn't give two hoots about. I noticed that there is no possible way they could have opened their door without banging into mine.



It really bothers me that people who don't care about thier cars seem to feel other's don't either. I'm really tempted tomorrow to park over the lines.



Any suggestions would be appreciated.....
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There are two ways to handle it--if you find who did it, give them a verbal beating they'll never forget. If you cannot, pull your keys out of your pocket and leave them a personal note...
 
tom p. said:


After having spent much time travelling/living outside of the US, I make it a point to do a casual door ding survey when I'm out. I hate to say it but the severity we see here is somewhat unique to America.
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Actually I'd wager to say the problem is probably just as bad up here in Canada. I live in Alberta where there are lots of rednecks and Newfies who just don't seem to give a damn.



(no offense to the decent, respectable Newfies out there!).
 
Spilchy said:
I had a Cadillac door open right into my side while I was in the car. This obnoxious man completely disregarded me, .
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Wow, that's the third Cadillac driver "bashing" I've counted so far. I assure everyone not all Cadillac drivers are (insert explicitive here)



FWIW, although my Caddy isn't a daily driver I would be worried about someone dinging me if I parked it, quite the opposite of the other Cadillac owners encountered here.
 
I have a couple of strategies. First, I always look for end spots, or off angle spots next to straight in spots.



At work in the deck, I park on an end or to the left of a wide concrete pole that separates you from the car on the right, and angle over a little.



In shopping areas, I always park out, on an end if possible with the exposed side to passenger doors only to lessen the odds. Except at movies and restaurants you would be surprised how many people drive solo.



If you cant find the protected or end spot, chose one next to a 4 door instead of a 2 door since the 4 doors have shorter doors with less swing. Finally, if possible, park next to other well cared for (not necessarily more expensive cars) where you can see that others have the same concerns as you.



If all else fails and you get nailed, hope for no paint damage and go see the dent wizard.
 
Along with my acid, I carry a large locking pocket knife like the Gerber or Emmerson combat knife. You can always slash the tires but be aware it can be very noisy. The air coming out of a slashed tire can be heard over 100 feet away. So leave the area(with your vehicle) and leave it(your car) on idle on a side street or alley, then go back to the suspects vehicle and start slashing, but do it fast and run like hell.



Good luck.
 
I would not recommend using those wire cutters to cut off all 4 valve stems.



Nope. Absolutely not.



That would be irresponsible and childish. And, no one carries 4 spare tires, so you would be inconveniencing them to no small degree.



Me, I just use an Evolution 4 car cover and find an end spot or one out of the way and I hoof it.



Not perfect, but 6 years of parking my Contour SVT at the airport and not 1 door ding.



BTW, I can't believe the number of door dings I see on cars in St Louis. SoCal was NEVER this bad.
 
Damaging someone else's car puts you equal to, if not below the person who gave you a ding. I mean, I see people hit doors all the time and not even notice. They did it accidentally, you did it intentionally. If its that big of a deal to you, then just wait for them to come out and confront them to their face.



About a week ago, while I was getting out of my car, a 40 mph gust caught my door and flug it open onto the car next to me. The car was very very dirty and not well cared for, but i did leave a little paint on his door. I left him a note with my number and told him to call me if there was any substantial damage. He called me the next day and thanked me for leaving the note and said not to worry about it.



If you are going to rage about the car, piss someone off just enough without touching them or threatening them in any way. If they touch you or attack you in any way, beat them senseless in self defense. That way you can get them for assault and give them a little beating; which is a lot better than just slashing a tire in my book. :D
 
Kebmike said:
I have a couple of strategies. First, I always look for end spots, or off angle spots next to straight in spots.



At work in the deck, I park on an end or to the left of a wide concrete pole that separates you from the car on the right, and angle over a little.



In shopping areas, I always park out, on an end if possible with the exposed side to passenger doors only to lessen the odds. Except at movies and restaurants you would be surprised how many people drive solo.



If you cant find the protected or end spot, chose one next to a 4 door instead of a 2 door since the 4 doors have shorter doors with less swing. Finally, if possible, park next to other well cared for (not necessarily more expensive cars) where you can see that others have the same concerns as you.
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kebmike, these are excellents recommendations that are near and dear to my own heart! Also, avoid getting near an old American car where each door weighs in at 1/4 ton! They can do real damage when permitted.



I also try to make it a point to park nose-in and don't make it appear I am "showcasing" my car...just keep it real low key....kinda like "stealth" parking...just blend in with everyone else, take only one spot and be invisible! Not always easy but certainly a worthy undertaking.
 
forrest said:
I Me, I just use an Evolution 4 car cover and find an end spot or one out of the way and I hoof it.



Not perfect, but 6 years of parking my Contour SVT at the airport and not 1 door ding.
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Isn't covering a car in a public lot just begging for vandalism?
 
Never had a problem with it. Folks in STL must be blind, because they always ignore that car.



My others get finger and nose prints all over them, but the SVT is invisible.
 
forrest said:
... but the SVT is invisible.
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...nothin' wrong with that!
 
In the days before remote entry, you could carry around a bunch of wooden toothpicks and break them off in all the locks of their car.



Yesterday, I was pulling into 7-11 and the only spot available was next to an Eclipse that some girl was getting out of...and she was parked a good 6" into the only spot left. Since my car is an older car and already scarred up enough on the sides, I pulled right into the center of the spot, maybe 6" at the most from her driver's side door. Even Calista Flockhart isn't skinny enough to have been able to open the door and squeeze in.



Anyway, the 7-11 was obviously busy and I took my own sweet time getting what I needed and paying for it. I walk out and the girl is standing there, unable to get into her car. I walk over to mine and she starts yelling at my about blocking her in. Before I could say anything, some lady says to her "Honey, if you had parked your car in between the yellow lines like he (pointing to me) did, you would have been able to get into your car now, wouldn't you?". I smiled at the lady and the girl flipped us both off.



:lol
 
"I would not recommend using those wire cutters to cut off all 4 valve stems."



--------------



Thanks Forrest, I'll try that one day......... If you cut the valve stem, will the air rush out real loud? Like a slash?
 
Shrug. It's part of "living in the world with others". I make a once-a-year appointment with the Dent Wizard part of my car expenses for the year, usually in the spring (so that the car will be at its nicest for the summer).





Tom
 
I know how good it would feel to mess with someone's car that has damaged yours but the consequences are not worth it. Morally you may be in the right but not in the eyes of the law and in the lawsuit happy society we live in you are just asking for trouble. I once caught a woman slam the door really hard into the door of a brand new black firebird convertible. She didn't even flinch and walked away. The crease in the centre of the door was very deep and although fixable with paintless dent repair really needed to go to a body shop to be fixed and never be noticable. She gave me a "mind your own business" look and walked away after I told her what she had just done. I left my business card under the wiper arm of the firebird with her car make, model and license plate number and the owner called me the next week to thank me. What that driver did is technically a hit and run offence in Ontario and she was either going to be fined $400 and lose 6 points on her license or make a deal with the owner of the car. She paid him off $1500 cash for his trouble. Doesn't pay to be an A-hole.
 
Another thing to consider....



Witht ehemphasis on security, there may be video surveillance cameras in the parking lot. You may exact your revenge, but risk getting arrested for vandalism.



Years ago, (1978) I was parked and sitting in the car while my fiance went into a grocery store for a minute. A woman in a Cadillac parked next to me, threw her door open and dinged my car. I got out and confronted the woman.



She stated "a little touch up paint, your car wil be fine".



When the woman walked into the store, I let the air out of her left front and right rear tires, then left her a little note on her windshield....



"a little air in the tires, they will be fine...." :p
 
Ray said:
"I would not recommend using those wire cutters to cut off all 4 valve stems."



--------------



Thanks Forrest, I'll try that one day......... If you cut the valve stem, will the air rush out real loud? Like a slash?
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Good question, Ray. I would also like to say I wouldn't advise removing the valve stem completely either. ;) I'm not sure if just cutting it would actually let the air out, or just make it a PITA next time you want to check pressures/inflate. I know removing the valve stem would let all air out, though. :nono
 
When I was a youngster, my parents tought me to respect other people's property. 55 years later I still do.



Also during that time there were other parents who did not teach their children that lesson, then those kids their own children, and now 2 generations later it seems respect is now lost from our culture.



A lot of people should be required to have a license to have kids, even more need to be neutered at birth.



Rant over, thank you for your patience
 
Another tip: Never Ever Ever Ever park next to minivans. Minivans = children and children=careless. Kids pile out of minivans and brush the zippers on their jackets up against your nice clean beautiful paint. You can't get angry at little kids, so its best to avoid them. I learned this by watching my younger brother and sister pile out of our minivan when we were a bit younger (but I still cared about cars). In their carelessness they lean on and brush other people's cars.





The worst thing, however, is when its your own family. I came outside a few weeks ago, when we had about an inch of snow, to find my dad (an extremely intelligent man with 2 masters degrees from MIT) brushing my car off with the broom we use to sweep dirt out of our garage. I nearly had a heart attack. His response was "its a BROOM, the bristles are soft!!" I wanted to tell him his head was soft, but that would have got me evicted.



Also, my grandfather, who I love dearly, has a habit of leaning on cars and resting things on them. when I got my firehawk, the first day I had it I took it over to show him, and he leans on the thing (whilst conversing with me) and rests the paper bags he had in his hand on it. I couldn't say anything but I make it a habit of parking on the street and not in his driveway, because he ALWAYS leans on cars in the driveway while talking to people. ugh.



-Tom
 
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