Advice required about car park door hitting my car | Legal matters | Back Room Forum

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Thu 25 May 2023 13:48

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - Melly Goldsman

Last night as I got back into my car in a supermarket car park, the car next to mine a man walked up and and was putting their child into the car.

There was a good 2 foot 10 inches between the cars and bot cars were parked well within their bays (the other car was parked in the last bay which is wider than the others hence the 3 feet approx gap. I was seat belting up and thinking, please don't smash your door into my car but the next thing as he bent into his car, his bottom hit the door and his door fully opened

into my car at a right angle EG his door fully opened.

I got out of the car and politely told him his car door had hit my car, he said sorry, I said thank you but your car door has hit my car and marked the black pain. HE went on like it was all my fault and said he was a busy many, try looking after a 6 month old baby and working. He had a smirk on his face and was passive aggressive, IMO.

I was a bit shocked and worried that the talk may turn nasty, so I told him politely the damage was not there and he had caused it. Not sure which planet the man was on but he appeared to blame it on him being busy and his back/bottom catching his door and his door hitting mine was not his fault.

I had just had my tooth filled and was not feeling myself and TBH, scared of what to do next but thankfully the paint damage is light, so I left it there whith him muttering he was a busy many.

His car was an old car and I do try and park away from them mine is about a year old and almost unmarked until now

My question is, what should I have done. In hindsight and I telling him politely and if he refused to offer to have my car repaired etc I should have taken pictures, his reg and asked him to pay vi insurance and or give them the chance to pay for on the spot repair jobs that often cost less then 150/70 quid depending on what had happens

What would you do if this happens to your car and what is the best way forward if the guilty party refuses to give their insurance details/etc (this is on private land.)

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Thu 25 May 2023 14:52

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - sammy1

Not a lot you can do for a minor scuff if he will not cooperate. If it will not polish out then it is a minor paint job £100.

I often watch with amusement how some struggle to park nearest the door or exit. If it means parking in the tightest spot they will do it. Meanwhile there is stacks of room not far away and you can get to stretch you legs Door dings and bumper scraps are common in car parks so park out of the way

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Thu 25 May 2023 15:13

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - Andrew-T

Not a lot you can do for a minor scuff if he will not cooperate. If it will not polish out then it is a minor paint job £100.

It happens all the time - what was unusual is your being there when it happened, thereby risking a confrontation. IMHO you will only get a patch-up job for £100, but I doubt it is worth an insurance claim. A decent third party would be more apologetic, but that's life unfortunately.

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Thu 25 May 2023 23:49

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - Crickleymal

Whenever I get out of a car in a tight space I always put my hand around the edge of the door so that the only thing that touches the car next to me is my hand. As I don't want to hurt myself it makes doubly sure that I'm careful.

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Thu 25 May 2023 15:06

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - FP

It happens all the time, unfortunately. Some people don't respect others' property and don't take enough care.

If the damage is fairly minor and can be touched up easily or buffed out I would forget it happened.

I suspect it's the guy's attitude that has really upset you more than the damage to the car, which I can well understand, but I suggest you try to keep things in proportion.

If the damage is more serious, unless you have evidence (photo, c/c camera etc.) you have little chance of recovering the cost of repair. So the answer to your question is, yes, gather all the evidence at the time.

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Thu 25 May 2023 15:28

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - gordonbennet

The man's a bully and this is quite standard behaviour, his passive aggressive would have morphed into more intense aggression had you attempted to pursue getting your damage fixed, he'll just deny it and walk off to his own amusement.

Sadly such behaviour, lack of responsibility, caring nothing for other peoples things is only going one way, we'll all have to get used to it because it isn't going to improve.

Sitting in Subway couple of weeks ago, i watched a lady park perfectly beside our car in her new white Hyundai hybrid, she took her dog out of the back and went into the vets.

Few minutes later an older Fiat Punto turned up and parked beside her to her nearside, when i say parked it was abandoned at a jaunty angle, passenger luched out of the back and bashed the door into the Hyundai's back door, she looked at the damage, as did the driver and the front passenger when they'd alighted, they then looked all around to see if anyone had witnessed the damage (didn't see me because of reflections probably) seeing no one they wobbled off to Lidl.

Once i'd finshed my excellent sub i excused myself from my wife for a minute checked the ding in the Hyundai door myself and popped along to the vet, lady was already being attended to but i let the receptionists know what had taken place...she wasn't exactly surprised by the positioning of the Fiat which she could see from her chair.
Haven't heard anything, but like you OP the chances of getting any honourable settlement from such creatures is most unlikely.

This is one of the many reasons why i won't buy a new car, its annoying enough when a well cared for older car gets damaged by louts.

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Thu 25 May 2023 20:35

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - Melly Goldsman

Cheers,

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Thu 25 May 2023 15:16

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - bathtub tom

telling him politely and if he refused to offer to have my car repaired etc I should have taken pictures, his reg and asked him to pay vi insurance and or give them the chance to pay for on the spot repair jobs that often cost less then 150/70 quid depending on what had happens

Exactly that. My missus scraped an old car in a car park and exchanged details. They got a couple of ridiculous quotes (I found they worked in one of the places). I told them I'd give a hundred quid and if they wanted more it would go through insurance and a claim would show on their record. They bit my hand off! The scuff on my bumper polished out.

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Thu 25 May 2023 20:18

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - Melly Goldsman

Cheers everyone, especially one about seeing a new car bashed outside the vets.

I'm glad I did ot push the man as I hate arguments especially in public.

My car is unmarked almost. I've touched it up and only I now notice it when looking for it and glad there was no ding or deeper damage.

I hope there is no next time but I have decided to challenge the culprit, EG

Hello, do you know you have hit my car with your door. There is damage on my door. If they apologise, depending on the damage, age of car etc (This is a a large German SUV cost us loads of money that me and my OH worked hard for) There, even if they apologised, I'd say, "thank you, but the damage needs to be repaired," and if negative feedback, I'd offer to

"we can sort this our privately or give me your insurance details" Take pictures, video and preferably with the door still on my car or video showing how the door made contact in that area. Take their reg etc. If they refuse, pursue via courts if it looks as though they have a penny to their name.

We like some of the others here are always ultra careful opening our car doors in order not to damage the car parked next to us regardless of its worth/etc.

I'm glad I posted this as I've been able to work out an action plan with help from all of you.

My car was not damaged, he caused the damage and a gentleman would have offered to pay up, give insurance details etc. A sensible, person would not have banged their door into mine.

My feeling is this man is careless and selfish I just hope he does this to the wrong person and pays the price.

Edited by Melly Goldsman on 25/05/2023 at 20:34

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Thu 25 May 2023 22:57

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - bathtub tom

I've had this and when approached the miscrean told me i shouldn't have parked so close (in marked bays). I replied " I didn't know I should've left so much space for a fat, ignorant woman". Hubby got out and when I did (6' 16 stone) he rapidly got back!

I used to have a KIA Pride I bought for fifty quid. It cost me a couple of hundred more to get it road legal, but I took great delight in parking it close to the driver's door of cars that took up two spaces.

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Thu 25 May 2023 23:26

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - Andrew-T

<< My car was not damaged, he caused the damage and a gentleman would have offered to pay up, >>

Eh ??

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Fri 26 May 2023 18:38

Advice required about car park door hitting my car - 72 dudes