How do you deal with parking lot damage

I understand -- but there is nothing you can do about it. At 44 yo ive learned to pick and choose my battles. I dont have a nice car because id have a bigger problem not getting pissed. Also, you might no realize that here in mexico they (we -- i can now include myself) drive like animals. In traffic ive had people sideswipe me, crap fall off way-over loaded trucks and ding body work, bust a mirror and way more scratches then you would ever get in the USA -- by a long shot. Again there is not much you can do because while they do require insurance here not many people carry it. Plus its not a good idea to confront people if they dont look kosher -- depending on where you are at you could wind up in a ditch the next day with flys in your mouth.

 

yeaaap im from el paso/ juarez In mexico not a good idea to confront people it could easily be your last conversation. on a brighter note I like the chain towing idea tow them to the desert haha!

 

That's a good point - and we're both basically making the same one. It depends on your situation. If I rashed my truck in the woods I wouldn't expect it to last 5 years without serious rust problems. We're lucky enough to have law and order around here, so we're a little more willing to hold folks accountable I guess.

 

I don't have any door dings on my 2012, yet. I am normally in the truck while the wife is in the store, and I stare at people when they pull up beside me to make sure they pay more attention. I know I will get dinged eventually.

There are people that will purposely ding a new vehicle. Even when parked way out in the lot. They pull up, ding you, then move somewhere else in the lot. I don't know what the reasoning is for that, other than just being mean.

Some people park at an angle in the parking space, thinking they are preventing dings, but usually get bumper scuffs instead, or the next person parks at an angle also, and dings them anyway.

I will confront a door dinger, and I will pursue it. People who think it is no big deal, are actually contributing to the problem. Being nice is one thing, but holding people accountable is the right thing to do. I would not do some of the things people have posted in this thread, but I would pursue it with documentation, pictures, and go the insurance route.

 

Backed into a car and dented the bumper. Waited around 20 minutes till owner showed up and exchanged info. Asked him to give me quote and payed out of pocket so I didn't go on my insurance. Guy had parked behind me less than 5' from intersection. I was pissed because I hit him and at him for parking where he did.
I was parked at a Kentucky Fried chicken in my new Audi in 2000 eating when a woman pulls up in a jeep with 3 kids. Kid bangs my door with his door and gets back into the jeep, does it a few more times and I tell him to knock it off. Mother yells at me and tells me to not talk to her kid. She goes into KFC with kids and I get nice big wad of gum and put under her door handle. Finished eating, was hoping to see her face but no time.

 

I go balistic when I find damage to one of my vehicles, mainly because I'm honest when something happens.

Driving my RX-7 into an icy parking lot one winter while a student, I was moving so slow that the speedometer wasn't moving. When I turned the wheel, nothing happened. Was going to pull the parking brake, but the car had moved a bit, then slid straight on an angle. Figured I didn't want to take a chance on spinning or side-swiping the whole vehicle. Pumped the brakes, nothing. So, did a two km/hr slide into the side of a car, face-palming for half of the 90 seconds it took. Jumped out, no damage to my car, big dent in the door of theirs. Left a note, parked, and went to class. The girls dad calls, thanks me. The cops call, thank me. My agent even tells me how upstanding and a fine gentleman I was. Then tells me the insurance company tends to let that go for being honest. Then when he finds out she was insured by the same company, says, no, they will ding me.

My wifes van, named the Behemouth because it's so huge, looks like it's been through a demo derby. The latest was when she came home last week, and someone has hit her so hard in the bumper, it crumpled the quarter panel. Best part? I'm starting out my own business, so money is tight, and fixing it is way down the priority list. And I was supposed to put my advertising on her van, but I can't now with it looking like a beater.

Don't even get me started about the time I came out my buddy's building to find someone had literally parked ON my RX-7 then drove away. Spent a month sitting in the parking lot nightly waiting for the red Tracker that did it to show up. Probably good for both of us they didn't...

 

Yep sliders are perfect for keep cars from hitting your doors with their doors...

 

Some bastards dinged me 2x last time I payed to park for a concert, only got 6000 miles on it too. I will be adding sliders to reduce the damage to my undercarriage when I drive over the next one that does that.

http://youparklikeanasshole.com/
This site can relieve a little of the door ding rage, they even have tickets you can print out and leave on the offending assmobile.
http://www.youparklikeanasshole.com/files/notice_1.pdf

Watching them read the ticket is priceless!

 

Keep a couple of these

$8 Painless Learning Presidents Placemat Black 23 x 19 x 10"es

Place mats

And a bottle of this Super Glue in your truck at all times.

Cover windshield full of glue right in front of the drivers field of view. Place place mat on glue, press down.. Enjoy watching them try and peel that shit off.. When it does come off, they will need to spend time with a razor to remove the glue.

Doesn't damage the car at all but it sure does waste a few hours of time.

 

my truck came with running boards from the factory. 6 years later and still no door dings.