# Doors Opening Causing Damage



## roker (10 Aug 2010)

One of my gripes is people opening their doors and hitting the side of my car. My last car was corrugated when you looked at an angle down the side. I have changed my car and I am very protective with it to maintain the finish, it can also cause rust if the paint is penetrated. I caught a women the other day putting her shoes on in the drivers seat with her door tapping against my car. I have had kids opening their doors against mine. 
Do people not care? I try to park away from shopping trolley bays and pick spaces in the car park where it is not so busy. It would appear that most car parks are marked much too close together, try to get as many cars as possible in to an area.


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## mercman (10 Aug 2010)

It must be great to be perfect. Never squeezed out of a car and accidentally hit the car beside you. Course you did but it didn't matter that much as neither were your car ! Welcome to the real world.


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## NOAH (11 Aug 2010)

try those door protectors that may stop other doors banging against yours, get good strong types.

noah


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## PetrolHead (11 Aug 2010)

mercman said:


> It must be great to be perfect. Never squeezed out of a car and accidentally hit the car beside you. Course you did but it didn't matter that much as neither were your car ! Welcome to the real world.



That's a bit harsh Mercman... 

I make a point of not touching my door on cars parked next to me when I enter/exit my own car because I know how infuriating it is to have your car 'corrugated' by careless motorists. 

I'm going to sound old and cantankerous now but some people have a complete lack of respect and general awareness of what's going on around them. 

There's no need to bang your door off the car next to you. Even if the parking space is a bit tight.


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## twofor1 (11 Aug 2010)

roker said:


> do people not care? I try to park away from shopping trolley bays and pick spaces in the car park where it is not so busy.


 
Have to confess it bothers me too, although I do accept scratches from this are unavoidable and have even banged a few myself.

To minimise it though I also avoid parking near trolley bays, always park in between two cars newer than mine, never park beside three door cars (much bigger doors) or battered cars, and an absolute no no, never park where the car on either side has reversed in as have to often seen the driver return and try to squeeze their shopping trolley between cars to get to their booth.

Doesn’t make parking easy though, often simpler to walk where practical.


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## Sandals (11 Aug 2010)

I can park in "Mothers and Babies", never pick the one nearest the exit door, seen many a heavy tolley free falling away from shopper with couple of kids into that car parked there.


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## Caveat (11 Aug 2010)

It's very easy to avoid hitting other cars with your door - if there is a chance of this happening, open your door very slightly,  and simply grip the door with your fingers on the outside of the door.  That way your fingers act as a buffer and will bump the other car first.

I know, it sounds like a _Viz _top tip, but seriously, it's what I do!


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## truthseeker (11 Aug 2010)

Is the odd bang of another car door, a trolley bumping the car, the odd ball hitting it etc not just part and parcel of owning a car - natural wear and tear as it were?


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## Boyd (11 Aug 2010)

Agree its very annoying alright, i've mentioned it to a few people whom I caught in the act, some apologies profusely, others looked at me as if I was nuts, others almost told me to F off. Its a behaviour thing. Others let their dopey kids swing the door open without a care in the world for my innocent beautiful car thats beside their crappy people carrier.


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## Boyd (11 Aug 2010)

truthseeker said:


> Is the odd bang of another car door, a trolley bumping the car, the odd ball hitting it etc not just part and parcel of owning a car - natural wear and tear as it were?



No, all of those are caused by people who dont respect other people's property enough to care


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## MandaC (11 Aug 2010)

username123 said:


> No, all of those are caused by people who dont respect other people's property enough to care



100% Agree.  This is a pet hate of mine.  

I also park further away from the door of shopping centres, etc to avoid this happening.  I dont mind a bit of a walk to the door.  Also, where possible not next to cars with baby seats in the back.

Couple of months ago, came back to my car to catch a woman with the door of her car pressed against my car, taking the baby out (think she was Granny)She had chipped the door handle. (car was 6 months old at the time and an expensive model)  There was no need for it as the car park being almost empty and her knowing that she would be taking the baby out, she still parked on top of my car not leaving enough room.  

She nearly died when she saw me walking towards the car she had the door open against.  She knew by my face was not happy and I had words with her.

I disagree it is part and parcel of driving a car....total carelessness for other peoples property.

Some people are into cars, some are not, I am and always mind my cars.  I change them frequently. Hate seeing cars looking like you could join the dots down the side.


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## truthseeker (11 Aug 2010)

MandaC said:


> I disagree it is part and parcel of driving a car....total carelessness for other peoples property.


 

I agree there are cases where people are genuinely careless and could be more respectful. But there are also plenty of cases where people dont mean to hit off a car, but the wind grabs their door, or the trolley they are pushing has a mind of its own and it accidently bumps off a car. 

I personally dont find any of it a big deal - then again, Im not into cars, they are just a means of getting from A to B for me.


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## amgd28 (11 Aug 2010)

PetrolHead said:


> That's a bit harsh Mercman...
> 
> I make a point of not touching my door on cars parked next to me when I enter/exit my own car because I know how infuriating it is to have your car 'corrugated' by careless motorists.
> 
> ...



I agree also - I am very careful of my door touching an adjacent car, but some people don't see to give a hoot. 
One thing in mitigation for the "bangers" - it isn't always the other driver's fault - Sometimes kids can be exuberant in getting out of the car, and open the door quickly - with the best will in the world, it isn't always possible to control kids at certain ages.


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## Caveat (11 Aug 2010)

truthseeker said:


> ... then again, Im not into cars, they are just a means of getting from A to B for me.


 
Even so, this 'means' will be worth less when you go to sell it if it's covered in little scratches, chips or dents!


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## truthseeker (11 Aug 2010)

Caveat said:


> Even so, this 'means' will be worth less when you go to sell it if it's covered in little scratches, chips or dents!


 
Ive never sold a car, I drive them til theyre so old that they are worth nothing and then either scrap them or give them away to someone learning how to drive


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## michaelm (11 Aug 2010)

truthseeker said:


> Is the odd bang of another car door, a trolley bumping the car, the odd ball hitting it etc not just part and parcel of owning a car - natural wear and tear as it were?


Of course, and particularly for those with an A to B outlook.  I endeavour not to hit off other cars and to prevent my kids from doing so (easier task now as I have sliding rear doors).  I wouldn't loose any sleep about someone unintentionally hitting off or scratching my car (providing they are somewhat apologetic).


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## Little Miss! (11 Aug 2010)

oh my god this drives me crazy, i have a designated parking spot in the development i live in and at least once a week i've paint missing off the doors where some inconsiderate w*^ker has hit their door off mine. I only changed the car a few months ago, car not even 4 years old - spotless bmw for the uk but now it's been touched up at least 10 times! only i work in the trade i'd be fleeced!

basically i think it's so inconsiderate as i ALWAYS manage to get out of my car without hitting the car beside me abd can't see why others can't do the same.


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## Caveat (11 Aug 2010)

truthseeker said:


> Ive never sold a car, I drive them til theyre so old that they are worth nothing and then either scrap them or give them away to someone learning how to drive


 
Well good for you then!! 

You must realise though that many (most?) people do sell their cars and would be hoping to get the best price they can?


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## truthseeker (11 Aug 2010)

Caveat said:


> Well good for you then!!
> 
> You must realise though that many (most?) people do sell their cars and would be hoping to get the best price they can?


 
Oh I do agree - and I fully agree that there are many inconsiderate people out there - but I also feel that some amount of wear and tear is to be expected and you know when you get a car that its going to be parked in different places, and its going to meet inconsiderate people, and its going to meet genuine accidental bumps, so I just wouldnt get too pushed over it.

Its just life.


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## michaelm (11 Aug 2010)

Little Miss! said:


> oh my god this drives me crazy


Try parking in Rome.


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## aristotle (11 Aug 2010)

You should see the way they park in paris too, they think the front and back bumpers of cars are for just that..bumping into cars and nudging them forward and abck to get into tight spaces. Its unbelievable compared to other countries.


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## PetrolHead (11 Aug 2010)

username123 said:


> no, all of those are caused by people who dont respect other people's property enough to care



+1


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## MandaC (11 Aug 2010)

After your home, your car could be your most expensive purchase.  If someone came into my house and damaged something, I would expect them to pay.  Why should it not be the same for a car?

The woman who I caught banging her door off mine was driving a banger, full of dents, etc.  My car was six months old and had cost 35,000.  Why should it be ok for her to casually whack the door against it and then react like its ok.

There will be 2 schools of thought on this subject.  You will either be into your cars and this drives you mad, or you will drive a car to the death and not care how bad it looks.

I actually squeeze out of my car like Caveat says to make sure I dont damage someone elses.


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## sse (11 Aug 2010)

It's a simple lack of consideration whatever the reason, the days of leaving a note apologising and offering to pay for accidental damage are of course long gone. At the end of the day nobody dies but it is annoying, like others I always park well away from other cars but mine still has the telltale scratches on doors and wings.

I once got back to Gatwick airport from a business trip with a colleague who had parked his less-than-a-week-old Saab convertible in the long term car park, right at the top end miles away from any other cars. Of course we get back to it to find a manky people carrier parked about 12 inches from it in an otherwise empty car park, together with two telltale dings where the doors had been flung open, together with a lovely scratch where a bag or something had been left on the bonnet. I often think about how I'd love to have seen the faces of that family when they got back, hopefully from a very long, tiring and delayed journey, to find all four of their tyres completely flat.

SSE


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## roker (11 Aug 2010)

The bottom line is; there must be some standard measurement that the designers use for car park, if they were large enough for a car with doors open there would no one hitting doors.


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## sse (11 Aug 2010)

roker said:


> The bottom line is; there must be some standard measurement that the designers use for car park, if they were large enough for a car with doors open there would no one hitting doors.



There are architectural standards, but these haven't kept pace with the increasing size (particularly width) of modern cars. When we built our house we added on two metres to the length and width of our double garage over the standard.

In the UK a typical garage built up to the 70s is often only big enough to get a largish car in, opening the doors and getting out is impossible. Even modern housing developments have very tight spaces.

SSE


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## zag (12 Aug 2010)

Wear and tear, simples.  Obviously it's not nice when someone does it out of sheer stupidity or laziness or anything.  But, you know, cars are designed to be used.  Bits wear.  Bits tear.  Yes, you can fix them up, or like others you can leave them alone because they don't impact your ability to get from a to b.

If you are seriously concerned about the resale value (which is fair enough) then the car has been bought as part transport mechanism and part investment.  If you are really serious about the investment element (stored value) then you must get pretty upset every time the car leaves the driveway.  Roads are dirty places, full of little stones, cans, etc . . . all of which will take a toll on your vehicle body.  It's an inevitable part of using the vehicle . . . wear and tear.

z


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## RonanC (12 Aug 2010)

roker said:


> The bottom line is; there must be some standard measurement that the designers use for car park, if they were large enough for a car with doors open there would no one hitting doors.


 
[broken link removed]


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## PaddyW (12 Aug 2010)

I don't own, nor drive a car. Yet I'm always extremely careful when getting out of a car, not to hit the one next to me. I think it's just rude in all honesty.


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## shnaek (12 Aug 2010)

PaddyW said:


> I'm always extremely careful when getting out of a car, not to hit the one next to me. I think it's just rude in all honesty.


Same as. It's just common courtesy, which isn't common at all any more. Accidents will happen, but some people just don't give a sh*t.


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## AgathaC (12 Aug 2010)

shnaek said:


> Same as. It's just common courtesy, which isn't common at all any more.


 +1. It's about having a bit of respect for other people's property. It also never ceases to amaze me why people choose in an almost empty car park to squeeze in right beside another car -similar to some of the examples given here.


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## zag (13 Aug 2010)

Yes, it's annoying.  Yes, it's rude.  No, it's not the end of the world.

You might go out for dinner with the missus and some friends and have a crap experience, blowing €100+ into the bargain.  Money down the tubes.  Will you worry and fulminate about that as much as you will worry and fulminate about a scratch on your car ?

z


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## SlugBreath (13 Aug 2010)

zag said:


> Yes, it's annoying. Yes, it's rude. No, it's not the end of the world.
> 
> You might go out for dinner with the missus and some friends and have a crap experience, blowing €100+ into the bargain. Money down the tubes. Will you worry and fulminate about that as much as you will worry and fulminate about a scratch on your car ?
> 
> z


 
Yes. Because you see the dent every day. Your crap dinner experience ends up down the toilet never to be seen again.


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## shnaek (13 Aug 2010)

SlugBreath said:


> Yes. Because you see the dent every day. Your crap dinner experience ends up down the toilet never to be seen again.



and the dent could cost more to fix


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## roker (13 Aug 2010)

Yorky; It can take the paint off, and then the Irish weather does the rest until you have a big rusty mark eating into you door.


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## Pique318 (15 Aug 2010)

sse said:


> I often think about how I'd love to have seen the faces of that family when they got back, hopefully from a very long, tiring and delayed journey, to find all four of their tyres completely flat.
> 
> SSE


Well done that man !!!


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## nolo77 (15 Aug 2010)

If possible, I always try to park next to the most expensive car I see because if they are less likely to bang their door off my car!


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## PaddyW (16 Aug 2010)

roker said:


> Yorky; It can take the paint off, and then the Irish weather does the rest until you have a big rusty mark eating into you door.



I took his meaning of bang in a car as being a more adult version!


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## sse (6 Sep 2010)

Pique318 said:


> Well done that man !!!



Well strictly speaking I kept watch while my colleague did the dirty. He was absolutely raging about it, it was all I could do to stop him ripping their wipers off. It's not as if the car park had filled up in the meantime and it was miles away from the bus stop, honestly it was ridiculous! Even worse they'd parked next to his driver's door, so he had to climb over the seats and he ended up putting a big footprint on the glovebox door! 

SSE


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## annR (7 Sep 2010)

Well people who don't want my door touching their fancy car should not park it so close to a car where there is a baby seat in the back.  Sometimes it is physically impossible to get babies and toddlers out of the car without at least touching your door to the next car.  Not to mention pregnant women trying to squeeze into cars.  
What about the woman who roared at me for touching my door off her car trying to get the baby into the carseat, I said sorry I can't help it, she roars well you could have apologised - she was sitting in the front seat on the other side of her car and I didn't even know there was someone in the car.
Honestly people use some judgement and accept that it's going to happen sometimes the way parking spaces are.


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## Boyd (7 Sep 2010)

You will find Ann its usually the fancy car that's parked there first (usually in the corner of an otherwise empty car park) and the 1L fiat parks beside _it_, rather than the other way around. See the post before yours regarding the person at the airport, this is the common scenario.


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## truthseeker (7 Sep 2010)

username123 said:


> You will find Ann its usually the fancy car that's parked there first (usually in the corner of an otherwise empty car park) and the 1L fiat parks beside _it_, rather than the other way around. See the post before yours regarding the person at the airport, this is the common scenario.


 
Dunno about that, parked my banger in the carpark at the local chinese last week, came out to find a 2 year old beemer parked up so close I had to get in on the passenger side.


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## Boyd (7 Sep 2010)

Yeah but I said fancy car, what else would you expect from a beemer driver


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