Both cars damaged while parked several times now…
Discussion
Is it a sad reflection of the times?
When you’re driving you can generally take evasive action to avoid all of the incompetents on the road.
22 years of driving and parking all over. Maybe had the odd little knock on the vans plastic bumpers leaving light marks but nothing serious. And someone keyed my Clio trophy once for no apparent reason outside work.
In the past 12 months - keeping in mind we live on a wide road with parking along both sides so plenty of space:
M5 driven into back of in traffic in Glasgow - guy got aggressive with me for getting out and making him look a moron in front of his other half. Luckily barely marked.
M5 keyed outside of my house multiple deep scratches on front wing. I don’t drive like an idiot around here and don’t start it at antisocial hours as don’t drive to work so not sure who I’ve upset or how. On good terms with neighbours.
M5 back bumper badly scraped while parked down the road - through paint on corner in big area. No note left and it was really obvious to whoever did it as big white scrape on dark blue car.
M5 front bumper scraped lightly both sides while parked outside house
M5 side driven into by passing vehicle probably texting or not looking ahead rear arch scratched through paint, bumper marked. Opposite side to last damage
Cooper S back bumper scraped through paint on corner
Cooper S front bumper scraped through paint on lower intake grille parked in a car park in Sussex that had 600 of 900 spaces empty, parked well out of the way just for one night.
I genuinely see people just using bumpers to nudge in and out of parking spaces all of the time - have we turned into France/spain where nobody gives a crap when parking or cares for anyone else’s car?
Livid of London!
When you’re driving you can generally take evasive action to avoid all of the incompetents on the road.
22 years of driving and parking all over. Maybe had the odd little knock on the vans plastic bumpers leaving light marks but nothing serious. And someone keyed my Clio trophy once for no apparent reason outside work.
In the past 12 months - keeping in mind we live on a wide road with parking along both sides so plenty of space:
M5 driven into back of in traffic in Glasgow - guy got aggressive with me for getting out and making him look a moron in front of his other half. Luckily barely marked.
M5 keyed outside of my house multiple deep scratches on front wing. I don’t drive like an idiot around here and don’t start it at antisocial hours as don’t drive to work so not sure who I’ve upset or how. On good terms with neighbours.
M5 back bumper badly scraped while parked down the road - through paint on corner in big area. No note left and it was really obvious to whoever did it as big white scrape on dark blue car.
M5 front bumper scraped lightly both sides while parked outside house
M5 side driven into by passing vehicle probably texting or not looking ahead rear arch scratched through paint, bumper marked. Opposite side to last damage
Cooper S back bumper scraped through paint on corner
Cooper S front bumper scraped through paint on lower intake grille parked in a car park in Sussex that had 600 of 900 spaces empty, parked well out of the way just for one night.
I genuinely see people just using bumpers to nudge in and out of parking spaces all of the time - have we turned into France/spain where nobody gives a crap when parking or cares for anyone else’s car?
Livid of London!
Edited by ARobinson on Wednesday 27th November 18:09
I've had all 3 cars damaged outside my house and not one person has left a note .my tvr griffith is as I speak being resprayed again after being hit .I only spent 7 grand on a new respray 18 months ago .my alfa tonale and skoda superb estate have been damaged in the last few months 😢 both cars are on the 73 .damaged has not exceeded the insurance excess so are waiting to be fixed at my expense. Everyone is now public enemy no 1 to me now and I'm just waiting for someone to upset me
Like many enthusiasts, I’m a bit of a perfectionist, and driving my pride and joy every day - especially when it’s something I’ve invested a lot of money in - can cause too much anxiety.
These days, the family car, a Tesla Model 3, gets used around 90% of the time, and one of its main appeals was not having to worry about the inevitable bumps and dings. After six months and 10,000 miles, it already has its fair share. If it were up to me, I’d probably fix them, but my wife makes a valid point: what's the point? I can’t really argue with that.
These days, the family car, a Tesla Model 3, gets used around 90% of the time, and one of its main appeals was not having to worry about the inevitable bumps and dings. After six months and 10,000 miles, it already has its fair share. If it were up to me, I’d probably fix them, but my wife makes a valid point: what's the point? I can’t really argue with that.
Since I switched from new cars to an old Freelander 2 that I don’t need to worry about I’ve found that it hasn’t acquired a single (additional) mark on it in two years of driving and 25,000 miles.
I can only assume that certain people enjoy opening their cars doors intentionally into nice cars and get a kick from it.
But I think it’s just becoming more and more common for people these days to be selfish w
kers who don’t give a stuff about anybody else. Only this morning did I catch someone letting their dog st outside my house and not bother to pick it up. In the summer when I mow the grass outside my house I can almost guarantee that my shins will be covered in dog st by the end of it. I guess you’ve just got to realise that half the population have an IQ in double digits and are, frankly, thick as mince.
I can only assume that certain people enjoy opening their cars doors intentionally into nice cars and get a kick from it.
But I think it’s just becoming more and more common for people these days to be selfish w
kers who don’t give a stuff about anybody else. Only this morning did I catch someone letting their dog st outside my house and not bother to pick it up. In the summer when I mow the grass outside my house I can almost guarantee that my shins will be covered in dog st by the end of it. I guess you’ve just got to realise that half the population have an IQ in double digits and are, frankly, thick as mince. ARobinson said:
I genuinely see people just using bumpers to nudge in and out of parking spaces all of the time - have we turned into France/spain where nobody gives a crap when parking or cares for anyone else’s car?
I suspect being in London (or any big city) is part of the problem - not enough space / too much traffic (time and volume) / everyone always in a rush / massively multicultural society with lots of consequent different views on cars....but overall I think people over the last 10-20 years have come to see cars less as something to own and be proud of, and more as disposable white-goods to be bought or rented and then got rid of. And treated as such, despite them costing far more in real terms than they used to.
Blame the joint woes of easy/cheap leasing/PCPs/finance and the increasing detachment of people from their car (loss of feedback, loss of mechanical awareness because NVH insulation is so good, loss of mechanical knowledge/sympathy/skill as cars now usually just work - many Gen-X and all Boomers would have learned in a car with a manual choke, carbs, no ABS, no PAS and a rather Italian approach to rust, whereas the last generation or so have all learned in cars which have more in common with a Playstation simulator than those old cars just described)
Not defending it but basically the cost of living has gone through the roof so people won't risk owning up with the inevitable effect on their insurance premiums. If you drive a half decent car people think you're a "rich bd" and can easily afford it. Welcome to the modern world. I've had snide remarks from people just for driving around in an old E36 3 Series that's worth about as much as an empty crisp packet!
d" and can easily afford it. Welcome to the modern world. I've had snide remarks from people just for driving around in an old E36 3 Series that's worth about as much as an empty crisp packet!Edited by MitchT on Wednesday 27th November 20:07
MitchT said:
Not defending it but basically the cost of living has gone through the roof so people won't risk owning up with the inevitable effect on their insurance premiums. If you drive a half decent car people think you're a "rich bd" and can easily afford it. Welcome to the modern world. I've had snide remarks from people just for driving around in an old E36 3 Series that's worth about as much as an empty crisp packet!
Not only is the cost of insurance expensive lately for many people, but a lot will increase their excess to stupid amounts - £1,000/£1,500 just to get the cost down. In the event of hitting someone's car in a car park, they know they don't even have the £1k to repair their car and will drive off.d" and can easily afford it. Welcome to the modern world. I've had snide remarks from people just for driving around in an old E36 3 Series that's worth about as much as an empty crisp packet!Edited by MitchT on Wednesday 27th November 20:07
mjlloyd500 said:
I've had all 3 cars damaged outside my house and not one person has left a note .my tvr griffith is as I speak being resprayed again after being hit .I only spent 7 grand on a new respray 18 months ago .my alfa tonale and skoda superb estate have been damaged in the last few months ?? both cars are on the 73 .damaged has not exceeded the insurance excess so are waiting to be fixed at my expense. Everyone is now public enemy no 1 to me now and I'm just waiting for someone to upset me
Falling down.I would be surprised if outside an enthusiast group anyone recognised an M5 as being a “flash car” these days. There may be some resentment to a BMW being seen as flashy, but I suspect it is just that people don’t care.
I witnessed a door ding incident recently and I asked the other party why they were leaving without fessing up, “didn’t count as an accident and it was the other cars fault for parking too close”. That sounded like revenge talk for being offered as their sense of entitlement had been breached. Who knows, but it sort of sums up the issue for me, everyone is a victim these days and thus they are not responsible for their own actions.
I witnessed a door ding incident recently and I asked the other party why they were leaving without fessing up, “didn’t count as an accident and it was the other cars fault for parking too close”. That sounded like revenge talk for being offered as their sense of entitlement had been breached. Who knows, but it sort of sums up the issue for me, everyone is a victim these days and thus they are not responsible for their own actions.
It's a sign of the times. Everyone seems to be angry right now. Everything costs more. More of our money (tax payers) is being given to those who either don't deserve it or warrant it and it's not being spent correctly on those who need it.
I hear a lot of "the rich are fine and don't give two hoots whilst everyone else is struggling".
All of the above breeds resentment and people care less and less.
I hear a lot of "the rich are fine and don't give two hoots whilst everyone else is struggling".
All of the above breeds resentment and people care less and less.
When I read things like this it reminds me of why I drive an older car I paid £4k for two years ago.
Weirdly it is parked in the street and I haven't noticed it pickup a single scratch or dent in my ownership.
When I owned a brand new Impreza Turbo back in 2000 it had two dents in the door in the first week. My boss at the time bought a brand new 5 series, picked it up, parked in sainsbury on the way to the office and picked up a dent.
Just not worth the hassle to me.
Weirdly it is parked in the street and I haven't noticed it pickup a single scratch or dent in my ownership.
When I owned a brand new Impreza Turbo back in 2000 it had two dents in the door in the first week. My boss at the time bought a brand new 5 series, picked it up, parked in sainsbury on the way to the office and picked up a dent.
Just not worth the hassle to me.
Can sympathise.. First week of owning my new (to me) S4 which was immaculate inside and out it was scraped on the back bumper by what looks like a bicycle peddle. The next day, it was reversed in to the front corner by another car in a car park with the largest spaces you have ever seen.. and no cctv of course. Few days later the other side of the bumper was scraped when parked up. Again, no evidence of the culprit. After now fitting £300 worth of dashcams, not one single incident in 5 months. Luckily, most of the damage has polished out to a point where you have to go up fairly close to see it, but there is a dent in the front wing which will require the bumper to come off and be realigned, so saving that job for when I move on to the next car.
It is absolutely a problem and I won’t park in between other cars and if I park on the end of a row, which I try and do I ensure that it is a door’s width from mine. Or I park in an empty area and walk further. Crazy isn’t it but now I do it without thinking. The nightmare scenario for me is multi story car parks. Never park in them. My fault to a degree because my car is quite big and car parking spaces just aren’t big enough. I am fussy and have my car detailed and ceramic coated, so I am a long way from normal as you have no doubt gathered 
Sadly people just don't care for other people's things. As said, some will actively avoid admitting to hitting another car for fear of premiums going up, others have no moral compass so wouldn't either way and some will go, "oh it's only a little scuff" and think nothing of it.
Parking out on the road can be a hazard in general. Some friends of mine had their two cars parked outside their house. A driver (assumed drunk) totalled both their cars and hit others down the road at the same time. My mate had only had the car 12 hours!
Some would say it's stupid but it's part the reason why my day to day car is a 16 year old Saab. It's not perfect but it's tidy, but if someone were to damage it in a carpark I'd not be as frustrated (maybe 8/10) than I would if a car I'd kept mint for years did.
OP - maybe go for a dashcam front and rear you can keep on perhaps. Only way you can hope people may be caught out.
Parking out on the road can be a hazard in general. Some friends of mine had their two cars parked outside their house. A driver (assumed drunk) totalled both their cars and hit others down the road at the same time. My mate had only had the car 12 hours!
Some would say it's stupid but it's part the reason why my day to day car is a 16 year old Saab. It's not perfect but it's tidy, but if someone were to damage it in a carpark I'd not be as frustrated (maybe 8/10) than I would if a car I'd kept mint for years did.
OP - maybe go for a dashcam front and rear you can keep on perhaps. Only way you can hope people may be caught out.
People are stbags. (I'm being polite.) Expect that when you own a car, it will turn into a shed over time whether you intend it or not unless you treat it like a garage queen and only take it to car shows.
I want to buy my next car but then I'll have to go through the whole heartache of the first time I find a scratch or dink on a nice car with decent bodywork (especially as all the ones I'm looking at are low mileage because previous owners don't like putting miles on them
).
tbags. (I'm being polite.) Expect that when you own a car, it will turn into a shed over time whether you intend it or not unless you treat it like a garage queen and only take it to car shows.I want to buy my next car but then I'll have to go through the whole heartache of the first time I find a scratch or dink on a nice car with decent bodywork (especially as all the ones I'm looking at are low mileage because previous owners don't like putting miles on them
).I'm out on the roads between 8 and 12 hours every working day, the standards of driving have never been worse with large town and city drivers holding olympic medals for incompetence and ignorance, aggressive and unreasonable too, don't get me started on the lack of basic manners you might as well be living in a zoo, the chances of such as those A being able to avoid hitting other vehicles/things and B then taking reponsibility for their actions and failings are nil.
The only car we've never had damaged was our old 940 Volvo estate, Mrs used to park that anywhere and nothing ever happened to it, they haven't damaged Landcruiser either, yet.
If you keep your vehicle clean and obviously looked after some half wit subnormal will find perverse pleasure in deliberately damaging it for you, they can't help themselves, too thick to get themselves a decent job and reap the results their seething envy somehow compels them to lash out.
The only car we've never had damaged was our old 940 Volvo estate, Mrs used to park that anywhere and nothing ever happened to it, they haven't damaged Landcruiser either, yet.
If you keep your vehicle clean and obviously looked after some half wit subnormal will find perverse pleasure in deliberately damaging it for you, they can't help themselves, too thick to get themselves a decent job and reap the results their seething envy somehow compels them to lash out.
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