I was at AmPm, and some guy in a beat up red car opened his door, and hit mine with the edge of his door, WHILE I WAS IN MY CAR causing a ding into my door paint. He said sorry and left immedietly

What would you have done in this situation?

This really angered me, I will be parking away from other cars now going on.

 

It must be a red car thing... they must have spring loaded doors...

Just go inside and have a nice stiff drink and pout. Thats what I do

 

I would have chased his A$$ down and at least gotten his plate number.

 

Let it go. Life goes on. I learned several cars ago that even if I have to find a parking space far from where I'm going...if I want to avoid scratches and dings, that's what I do. My Xfire has multiple dings and scratches because I didn't buy it brand new.

 

What the hell can you do, you don't want to get sued or arrested. However, you can have some pretty violent fantasies. I have usually said in less than friendly tones "my car is not a door stop". The Crossfire is still a virgin door wise. I put some micro dimples in the rear quarter panel but kicked my own *** to insure it doesn't happen again.

 

Most people are careless with their cars whether they are expensive or POS, and even more so with yours. The best defense is to park away from other cars even if you have to walk to the store or restaurant. I try and find weird parking spots that are extra large or where no one can get next to me. If I have to part between cars, I park closer to a passenger door on the assumption that 100% of cars have drivers but not all have passengers. I would probably say something like "Thanks for hitting my car, a$$hole" if someone actually did. So if my posts stop suddenly, you'll know that I was the victim of parking lot violence. On a similar note, if you park 100s of feet from anything in a Walmart parking lot, why do shopping cars start rolling in the direct of the XF as if drawn by a powerful magnet?

 

One other thing to think about. Check the car you're parking next to for a carseat or booster seat. If it's a car seat the occupant generally has to open the door as wide as they can to get the child in and buckeled. If it's a booster seat you have to realize some kids are careless. Not that they don't care, they're just not thinking when they fling the door open to get in.

There have been several occasions that I've parked the car, gotten out, saw a childs seat in the car next to me, got back in to my car, and moved it to another spot. My car has several nasty dings in it already, but I do everything I can to prevent more.

 

All good things to look for. A couple other things to consider: is it a car or a truck (Truck doors are huge, trucks sit up higher and seem to hit a broader span of the vehicle). Is it a four door or a two door (four doors cars have short doors and a shorter throw), Are the doors smooth / straigth edged or are they protruding in some way, like the ones which go back over the wheel wells).

My rule of thumb is, at minimum, find an end space so you can protect at least one side of your car. You can also pull over closer to th curb (don't scare the wheels) thereby giving more space for others to open their doors if they actually end up parking IN THEIR SPACE as they should.

Bottom line for me, park away from people, in an end space, not anywhere near shopping cart recepticles, and on level ground if possible (doors have a tendency to fly open on a hill -- right toward your car). One draw back to parking away from things is that your car is totally visible and exposed and those A**H**** that are jealous, might just target you for the heck of it (key job, tire slashing, etc.).

Good luck protecting our babies........

One last thing--- don't park your car in an area where lot's of people walk by...... luggage, briefcases, purses, etc. all have a way of hitting it.

 

Don't forget there will always be those people who see a car parked all by itself and think that it needs some form of car companionship, be it a cart pushed in its direction, a key drug across its paints, or a friendly door ding and go.


I almost wonder if it would be practical to pull a General Patton and car inflatable cars in the hatch, place them strategically (spots next to the crossfire), engage in our activities, return to the Crossfire (deflate our phone car army) and continue on with our day....hmmm the possibilities are endless

 

If it's blatant and the damage is significant, try to get their insurance and file a claim. If they won't give it, remind them that you could take them to small claims court. Some insurance companies will pay these claims out and some won't, but it doesn't hurt to try and it's just one phone call.

If whoever hit you won't give insurance and it really is a big enough deal to go to the effort about, you can file a police report (there's an off chance the police will actually go to the effort of locating insurance for you - otherwise, at least you have the report to point to) and then take the offender to small claims court. A quick hand with a cell phone camera is a huge asset here. You can also sometimes get parking lot owners and businesses to give you security camera footage of the area, if they have it.

The same procedure applies if someone bumps you while parking or backs into you on a street, except in those cases the police are usually more willing to get involved.

 

LOL ...........

 

This is why my car is never parked anywhere but my house & car cruises!!! On the days I am feeling froggy & drive it to work, I park between 2 co-workers who love their cars as much as I love mine. If someone door dinged me I would file an insurance claim - period. That might be nuts, but if you want to hit my car with your door then hit my CR-V. It can take it....

I know I am always careful with my door when I open it. I expect other people to do the same or take responsibility.

 

Now that everyone has suggested what you'ought to have done" here is my answer toyour question.

A polite confrontation is as far as you should go with the perp. Get his license plate & description of his car. Document that you tried to exchange contact info. If the perp refused, that's on him. Turn it over to your insurance.
Calling the cops will likely just annoy them but is often a requirement of the insuarance carrier. Up to you on that.
Take a picture at the scene before either car moves, if you can. It doesn't PROVE much except that the guy's car was there, it was red which should be the paint stuck in your dent. (even if you can't see it a bit of clear Scotch tape, well rubbed in, will often pull it.)

Let the insurance Co handle it. It's what they do.

 

Well, in situations like that, thank the good lord I haven't had any with these cars, I am glad I am a cop...last time this happened was years ago...and yes, a lady in a red car, with groceries...came out and I truely thought there was no way her door could reach mine...and it didn't...she opened the door all the way, reached for her groceries and shoved the cart into my corvette's door...and it wasn't a bump, but a thump...poor lady was terrified...said her husband would kill her...lol....it was me she should have been afraid of, but no, her husband...turns out he owned a corvette....they paid to have the door repaired...lol

 

Most door dings are pretty cheap to PDR, so if you've got insurance with a deductible over $200 or so there's no sense filing with your own insurance (all it can do is make things more expensive, somehow). My mom tried to collect from someone else's insurance company on a door ding she watched them make (and collected their info for), and the insurance company refused to budge without video footage from "security cameras" they claimed were in the parking lot (there really were none).

That's the only reason I suggest small claims court as a possible alternative for bad dings - judges are usually more reasonable than someone else's insurance company.

 

One always takes a chance when filing a claim. Depends on the company and often the agent. I have had success with this but also had the very same insurance company fold, and payoff on a dispute, leaving me the responsible party.

Your advice is more likely the best approach. But harder, will take longer and be more aggravating to do.

 

If I dumped an ashtray into someone else's car people would exclaim outrageous! The remedy would be a vacuum job @ 50 cents. However when someone slams their door in to mine at a remedy cost that ranges from hundreds to thousands (depending on how fanatical I happen to be about panels matching perfectly) it's not that big a deal. I think we need an organization modeled after MADD to address this inequity.

The other thing that really pisses me off are those mini parking spaces that have become so popular at smaller shopping centers. I use door defenders in those spaces, if I have no choice, and have to park in one. I usually avoid anyplace with high door hazard.

 

I kicked their door in once. An eye for an eye. I had a POS car park an inch from my bumper and hit my bumper. Squeezed in between me and the car behind me and there wasn't enough room but he did it anyway. Just a little scuff that came out. I took his windshield wiper arm and broke it off.

I know I could get in serious trouble for this but who cares. Nothing makes me more angry than someone that doesn't respect another man's car.

 

*******.... i would have made a big deal and told him he has to compensate you somehow. There are stupid careless people in this world. No sense of common courtesy. pisses me the hell off as well. Get his tag. get his info and give him a call. At least try to reason with the guy. If not move one and dont park next to shitty cars.

 

The same thing happened to me in the 80's. I was sitting in my new grand-am when a gal pulled up next to me, opened her door and the wind caught it BAM right into my new car. I got out and simply treated it like a fender bender. Exchanged info and her ins paid. A rare possibility? Sure she was a nice and cooperative. when they arnt I know what Id do to their car after they went inside. If they drove off I guess your screwed cause they will deny it for sure.

As for parking far away let me remind everyone that it doesnt always protect you. this is what I got at work for parking far off away....a rock thrown at my door...WTF?!