Am I being unreasonable to expect parents to stop their DC flinging open car doors and dinking the next vehicle in car parks?

[apprenticemum]

For 20 years I have put up with driving the family bangers, so when my husband shelled out for a brand new sporty number, I was over the moon. Having never owned a new car, I am especially careful to find spacious parking locations. Never the less, my pride and joy has gained several dinks and judging from the height and position they were done by rear passangers of high, people carrier or 4WD vehicles. Now I may be making assumptions but stand in a car park and watch how children get out of cars. Unless instructed by parents, they will not know that they are causing damage. Why can't parents teach respect for other peoples property? P.S. I am a parent and practice what I preach.

Ooh mamas. You risk a jobsworth parking attendant slapping a fine on or the wrath of irate parkers who can't find a space!

Can you get fined because your car is wider than the space so have to take up two 'so called' spaces

"Perhaps I should rephrase the thread to why cant people big or small show respect for other peoples property."

YANBU at all. It must be really upsetting to see a new, very much loved car being bashed about - I wouldn't know since I can't drive, but totally get the "respecting people's property" bit!

I feel your pain...

I had parked up in Sainsbo's waiting for DS2. I was parked exactly between the lines. DS1 and I are sat there minding our own business when I felt the car rock. I looked to my left and the man in the next car had opened his car door into mine. I was not happy, especially as he didn't look at us and was about to drive off. Oh no, I wasn't going to let him do that! Luckily, he didn't mark or dent my car, but his excuse was "well these bays are rather tight on parking". I was not pleasant with him. I said they are effing fine if you didn't park way over to one effing side and also driving an effing Nissan Micra should give you more room too. Sheesh. I think it was more that he didn't give an apology that wound me up more.

When I get out of the car and I have the boys in, even though they are now 14 and 11, I always go around to their side and hold the door open to make sure it doesn't bang into any other vehicle - as mine is only a 3 door car, they have to climb out from the back.

YANBU but it is often the size of the space as people have said. I've lost count of the amount of times I've gone to move into a space only to find that I wouldn't be able to get out of the car once in it. I'm fat but pretty squashy and I drive a Vectra not a Hummer. Some car parks worse than others. Supermarkets are usually ok.

I completely agree with your phrased question.

And I am disgusted at honeymom's disregard for the property of others.

I often have to open the door so wide as to touch - not dink - the car next to me or I couldn't get out. I'm not large - but often spaces are small. My car isn't tiny, estate car so slightly wider than a small car but if I've got a van or large SPV next to me parked up to the line then there isn't much space to get out. I am very careful about opening doors though, don't want to scratch my paint either!

The kids can't open them - I do from the outside.

The last person that hit my car - with a massive bump - with the car door (I don't think she saw me sitting in the car) was an adult FWIW.

Well obviously the actual spaces aren't getting smaller InTheNight but the space left over once the mahoosive cars either side have parked is getting smaller due to those cars getting bigger.

It is annoying. I have even had this happen in disabled bays, some clever soul will park too close and lo, I can't get the wheelchair or dear Papa in/out of the car. I always think it could be avoided if the bays were slanted so even those who lack manouvering skills could pull in and out of spaces easily...

Interesting thread. I'll raise my hand for being guilty here - DS (3) overenthusiasically opened his door the other day (from the outside) before I could stop him and left a tiny tiny mark on the car that was parked closely (but within the lines) next to us.

I had no paper or pen to leave a note, was late to pick up DH from work, and there's no way we can afford any repairs to our own car, let alone anyone else's.

I left, albeit guiltily. In the car, I explained in detail about how and why to open doors carefully. He's 3 though, so I don't have high hopes for much of it going in.

I do have regard for other peoples' property, but sometimes accidents happen, and there's just nothing you can do about it.

Really, you don't think spaces are getting smaller? I absolutely think they are. I used to have a Mercedes G Wagen, bloody great horse of a thing. No problem parking it ever. Now I struggle to park a Vectra or a Peugeot 307 in some spaces.

It is a real shame that your car has been damaged this way but I think unfortunately if you drive in very busy places then you have to accept that your car will get some "wear and tear" (as gutting as this may be). I don't think anyone is deliberately careless in this way but accidents do happen and at least these dinks are relatively minor, it could be much worse.
This is one of the reasons that I would never buy a new or expensive car, the stress of keeping it away from potential damage wouldn't be worth it.

I have told off countless children for doing this, normally with mothers with the attitude of Honeymom having a go for telling their precious brats kids off.

InTheNight!

I absolutely think car park spaces are getting smaller (and cars are generally bigger). Many more people have cars now (and many families have more than one car), and 'real estate' designated for parking is more expensive than ever.

Just as airline seats/leg room have been steadily shrinking over the years in order to cram more people in to maximise profits, they are determined to squeeze more vehicles into a limited area.

If we are in a tight parking spot, i always walk 'round to open dd's door as I don't expect a child to be able to open a heavy door as carefully as an adult would.

You've never had the car park redone at your local shops/whatever? They are always revamping ours, sometimes for the better, often not. As I said, supermarkets are usually not too bad.

I am not sure why side steps are helpful pug, my car has side steps but still have several dents and the door. On my car at least, the side steps are just a way of climbing in, not protection. I do have a pretty good alarm though that can be set to sensitive enough that when you are in the car park it can detect a bump and make people shit themselves when they hit it by sounding for a short bust of angry siren.

We were once sat in DP's car (a newly restored 1960's classic with brand new shiny paint) just about to get out and go into shop and someone rammed their trolley into the side. Then she got stroppy with us for getting out to check the paint. Then she turned into a shouty fishwife. Then her DH/P came and joined in.

Why can't people just respect others property.

honeymom 'also when someone parks so close that to squeeze in and put a child in I have been know to not give a fuck if I hit the car' nice

car parks spaces should have enough room to open the doors, but in any case whoever stopped last parked too close and they are at fault. If there is one space and it's not big enough to open the doors safely then the car park is full so you have to move on.

We always tried to teach DD to do this carefully but she has been known to forget. On one occasion we were taking her and her friends to the cinema for a birthday treat. In her excitement she flung the door open and caused a small scratch on the car next to us. But we did leave our contact details for the car owner and we did shell out for the cost of the repair - about £90 IIRC.

Didn't make a big thing of it with DD at the time because we didn't want to spoil her birthday, but certainly made sure she remembered in future.