Neighbour's kid scratched my car

[Martin_M]

ORD said:

OP has more money than balls.

As always, a constructive comment from this user.

[DS197]

HannsG said:

I feel bad your car got damaged.

However, knowingly parking it on a pavement when you probably know kids will be out playing is a bit of a dumb move.

Hence why my car is always on my drive. Hell, my house is surrounded by conifers and has its own private drive. If I was to be murdered no one would probably hear me scream or find my body for days.

But I still park my car on my drive. And they aint nothing special.

A 10 year old E46 M3 and a 2008 Saab Estate TTiD

I'm sure everyone would park their car on their drive (if they had one) regardless of whether or not it was special.

I can sympathise with you op. I brought my new car in the begining of June, and it's already got a few scratches that weren't there before. I even sit in my car when I take the family shopping to prevent aholes from hitting my car and it does work but isn't practical. I also got a windscreen chip in the first week thanks to a lorry. I was thinking of getting my car wrapped or getting a full outer respray once I move to a house with off-street parking/a drive. Have you looked into getting the car clear wrapped?

[Motorrad]

ORD said:

OP has more money than balls.

Not sure that comes into it necessarily.

My neighbour has accidentally scuffed my motorcycle moving in and out of her space but I won't mention it because

1. She's a good neighbour always ready to help and has a cheery smile and wave for everyone.

2. She's fit.

[ORD]

Motorrad said:

Not sure that comes into it necessarily.

My neighbour has accidentally scuffed my motorcycle moving in and out of her space but I won't mention it because

1. She's a good neighbour always ready to help and has a cheery smile and wave for everyone.

2. She's fit.

She would be a better neighbour if she owned up to damaging your property, apologies and payed for the repairs.

I would be so embarrassed for someone else to have to fork out to repair something of theirs that I damaged or, by extension, my child damaged.

I really don't see the issue at all. If the neighbour in either case gets pissy, he or she is an arse and not worth worrying about. You damage someone else's property; you pay for the repair. It's basic decency!

[Hoofy]

Sometimes it's better to just buy a shed and not give a st. As per my own post, someone's door opened so hard against my car when I was in it that the car shook with the force.

[k-ink]

Actual said:

I share my experience...When my son was learning to ride his bike by riding on the pavement (legally) and had to ride between cars parked on the pavement (illegally) I would call out very loudly hoping the owners would hear "DONT SCRATCH THAT CAR PARKED ON THE PAVEMENT".

That about sums it up. If you park your car to inconvenience others your have to expect issues. Just because others are equally inconsiderate and do the same is no excuse. Karma at work.

[Mr2Mike]

9mm said:

I think you're going to be short on sympathy as a result of parking on the pavement.

Kids riding bikes on the pavement scratch cars very regularly even if they are correctly parked. Unless the OP was hogging most of the pavement than it makes little difference IME.

[Jasandjules]

Why not just ask the neighbour politely if he can ask his kid to be more careful around the cars. Not making any deal of it or anything but just bringing it to his attention. After all, there may be half a dozen other cars that get scratched with owners who won't be so nice

[soad]

ORD said:

She would be a better neighbour if she owned up to damaging your property, apologies and payed for the repairs.

[ORD]

k-ink said:

That about sums it up. If you park your car to inconvenience others your have to expect issues. Just because others are equally inconsiderate and do the same is no excuse. Karma at work.

Have you read the OP's posts? His car was parked temporarily in that position AND it is how all cars are parked on the road in any case, as it is otherwise too narrow. He didnt inconvenience anyone. The position of his car is a complete irrelevance.

PH is full of people ready to make all kinds of excuses for low-lifes and people who refuse to take responsibility.

[Birdster]

I think it comes back to the old "it's only a car". To most people they don't care as it's a thing to get from A to B, whether it's an old car, or a new 530D on a lease. These people may look after their homes and take their shoes off at the doorway, but they'll treat their car like rubbish. Their pride is elsewhere, a home, a garden, music collection etc.

I presume the child isn't a bad child who goes around throwing stuff and deliberately damaging stuff. You could mention it to the neighbour, but it has a potential to sour the relationship. If they're otherwise considerate with parking, noise levels etc then let it go. If it had been an adult that had damaged it it would be a different story. Or if they'd seen the child do it then you could have discussed it there and then. To knock on the door and say little Amy has damaged my car is going to sour the relationship as it will not be forgotten. We're all protective of our family/children.

I do sympathise and I'd be annoyed as well, but I appreciate that is easy for me to say when it's not my car.

For example the guy helping me load my new bike into my car was really careful not to damage the car, or bike. He was a bike and car enthusiast and we chatted for a while. I suspect if he wasn't into cars and noticed what the car was he wouldn't have been as careful.

Edited by Birdster on Monday 17th August 11:22

[Lordglenmorangie]

Martin_M said:

I have a good relationship with my neighbour but I'd feel really awkward going to his door or even mentioning it tbh. I know he would tell me to get it fixed and he'll pay for the repair but I just don't feel comfortable about bringing it up. If it was a deliberate act then that would be totally different but I think I'll put it down to experience - my car was parked half on the pavement in front of my house as I was putting sand between the monoblock. From now on, I reckon I'll keep the car in the drive at all times!

Good lad, you sound a throughly decent person, hope your actions stop any more bad fortune with your car.

[RobinBanks]

Martin_M said:

You speak sense sir - and thanks for your advice.

Really?
I'm trying to work out what that post is supposed to mean!

[RobinBanks]

CoolHands said:

On a separate note is a parent liable for something a child does if they have not been negligent? I don't think so.

Yes. The parent is legally obliged to take responsibility for the child. Negligence is irrelevant.

If a six year old boy causes damage to a third party's property, how do you expect him to pay for the repair?

[Sheepshanks]

CoolHands said:

On a separate note is a parent liable for something a child does if they have not been negligent? I don't think so.

Happened to a colleague and his neighbour's house insurance paid what was a surprisingly large bill (bearing in mind it was a toddler on a trike). At first he was going to claim on his own insurance and his neighbour was going to pay the NCB loss.

In the OPs case I would expect being parked on the pavement would scupper the claim.

[Motorrad]

ORD said:

She would be a better neighbour if she owned up to damaging your property, apologies and payed for the repairs.

I would be so embarrassed for someone else to have to fork out to repair something of theirs that I damaged or, by extension, my child damaged.

I really don't see the issue at all. If the neighbour in either case gets pissy, he or she is an arse and not worth worrying about. You damage someone else's property; you pay for the repair. It's basic decency!

I don't think in my case she realises she's caused any damage at all.

To be honest I'd rather carry on flirting with her and having her come round to borrow a 'cup of sugar' wearing skimpy clothing than cause bad feeling.

My girlfriend would probably think differently though

[Birdster]

Motorrad said:

ORD said:

She would be a better neighbour if she owned up to damaging your property, apologies and payed for the repairs.

I would be so embarrassed for someone else to have to fork out to repair something of theirs that I damaged or, by extension, my child damaged.

I really don't see the issue at all. If the neighbour in either case gets pissy, he or she is an arse and not worth worrying about. You damage someone else's property; you pay for the repair. It's basic decency!

I don't think in my case she realises she's caused any damage at all.

To be honest I'd rather carry on flirting with her and having her come round to borrow a 'cup of sugar' wearing skimpy clothing than cause bad feeling.

My girlfriend would probably think differently though

Off topic, but maybe she wants more than sugar.

[Durzel]

Birdster said:

I think it comes back to the old "it's only a car". To most people they don't care as it's a thing to get from A to B, whether it's an old car, or a new 530D on a lease. These people may look after their homes and take their shoes off at the doorway, but they'll treat their car like rubbish. Their pride is elsewhere, a home, a garden, music collection etc.

A sensible attitude.

With the best will in the world parking cars in public is always going to have risk because of the exact attitude you highlight. All you can really do is be mindful of where and how you park accordingly, the rest is in the lap of the Gods.

[Dave200]

ging84 said:

i think i could make a killing, starting a business where i pick up people's new cars direct from the factory, load them into a container so they can be shipped to a secure location, and permanently stored while the owners rent a £1k shed from me

Agreed. Every time this thread comes up I'm stunned at the lack of realism of people who wish to use cars every day. The (somewhat sad) reality is that regularly-used cars are going to attract the odd mark here and there, particularly if you do things like use public car parks and park on the kerb.

I'm all for taking good care of my car, but I'm realistic that I can't possibly use it and wrap it in cottonwool at the same time. These are mutually exclusive concepts.

[otolith]

RobinBanks said:

CoolHands said:

On a separate note is a parent liable for something a child does if they have not been negligent? I don't think so.

Yes. The parent is legally obliged to take responsibility for the child. Negligence is irrelevant.

If a six year old boy causes damage to a third party's property, how do you expect him to pay for the repair?

I had a look on Google when this thread was first posted, and the impression I got was that CoolHands is correct. A parent is only liable if they are negligent.

e.g.

http://www.inbrief.co.uk/child-law/child-accidents...