I've been bad - damaged someone's car in carpark

[GuiltyMoo]

I came back to my car in a supermarket car park to find that someone had parked their car with their passenger side way too close to my drivers side. So close that I couldn't get past their wingmirror to get to the door. So I had to bend my wingmirror in to squeeze past. Then I had to do contortions to open the door and then get in. I accidentally knocked their wingmirror out of position and dented and scratched their door doing so.

I confess that at that point I was so furious that I let my car door bang again against the other car. I then drove out of the space, stopped, got out and went back to put their wingmirror back in place.

I am now at home feeling super guilty, waiting for a knock on my door from the Police after they track me down from the carpark CCTV.

So, AIBU for squeezing into my car and causing the damage? Should I have gone back to the supermarket and had them call the driver to move their car so I could get in mine?

I'm a big worrier, and this will pop into my head for years to come, as another moment of shame.

@PinkOnWednesday

It’s fair enough you accidentally banged their wing mirror the first time trying to get in, although it would’ve been better to scoot over the passenger seat (if able to, obviously not everyone can do this) or go in and ask the shop to put an annoucement out. But the fact you deliberately banged your door against theirs makes you very unreasonable, in my opinion. Being furious doesn’t justify deliberately damaging others property, and has meant you’ve lost your moral high ground.

This - the first time was an accident, the second deliberate and malicious. The fact that they parked Inconsiderately does not negate that what you did was wrong

No I didn't leave a note with my details, just as others haven't after denting and scratching my own car

Really? Ffs what an attitude

I hope someone saw you and has passed your details on to the car owner

That's nasty. If you are ashamed, I hope you will make an attempt to find out the other car's owner through supermarket and pay for the damage.

All those you saying that it was merely "inconsiderate" for someone to park in a way that blocked access to someone else's car - what do you think the OP should have done instead? The driver could be anywhere. And quite frankly if you don't want to risk damage you don't park right up to someone else's car. It's not for the other person to stand around waiting for you for what could be hours.

I think this is a classic case of karma.

Couldn't agree more. Parking so close to someone else's car that they struggle to get in is not merely an inconvenience.

OP, trying to be helpful, if you are worried about CCTV being followed up, could you call and leave your number at the supermarket and an explanation that you were desperate for the toilet or had an emergency?

When I was about 8 months pregnant with a toddler in tow I had to park on a very tiny spaced car park at my local hospital. I was so lucky to get a end space meaning no problems getting in and out. When I returned however some idiot CF had parked next to me so close to hide the fact it wasn't even a space. I was so not getting in. I had to get my toddler in the other side, clamber over the back seat to strap him in. Then get in the passenger side and get across the hand break. No mean feat when 35 and heavily pregnant and certainly not slim to start with. I was so angry if only I had a baseball bat! I loved my car too much to open my drivers door with force a few times. It was tempting with this car so close as I gained my composure and got me breath back. The only time I ever wished I was driving a old banger, I would have done some damage without a doubt.
Did you not damage your own car OP?

I’m going against the grain here, but unless the car park was so densely packed there was literally nowhere else to park YANBU!!

Honestly I’m fed up of total idiots parking so other drivers can’t get into their drivers seat in their own cars because they can’t be bothered to shuffle a couple of inches or find another space. It’s just rude, inconsiderate and entitled!

Ok maybe you shouldn’t have deliberately banged the door against their car but so many times that happens purely by accident and if it happened more often maybe people would think about how they park rather than just being selfish! Not everyone can manoeuvre into a small gap or into the car via the passenger door and many people also would not be able to “just go up to a manager and ask for the car to be announced” or whatever. Also but everyone has a pen and paper handy to leave a note. Plus quite frankly if it was me and I had a pen and paper I’d leave a note saying “Sorry you were parked so close to me that I had no option but to scratch your car while opening my door. If you have a problem with this my number is [insert number] please leave a message on my answerphone apologising and we’ll see what agreement we can come up with. Please think about how you park in future to avoid this happening again. Regards. Nosquit.”

Sorry but there it is. Why should someone feel guilty about scratching a car when the other person has no consideration and if they thought for two seconds could see there is no room to get in a car? (As I said, totally packed car park where you can’t help it is a bit of a different matter, I’m talking if there were other spaces.)

@KBILLY

Wow, what a sanctimonious bunch we have here today.

In your shoes I'd have been furious too, and no way could I climb over the passenger side to get in.

I'm a fan of natural consequences to be honest - you far so close to someone that you almost prevent their access to their car? You get scratches on yours 🤷‍♀️ Perhaps they'll be more mindful next time.

How do you know the OP hadn't parked badly and too close to the line. Spaces are small these days. Also, she claims she is overweight so maybe the car wasn't even that close and a slimmer person would have had enough space. Can't believe how many people think it's ok to damage someone else's property.

@Staffy1

I imagine she read the thread.

The OP said she was right in the middle and the other car was over the lines.

@PelvicFloorTrauma

Unreasonable drivers who park inconsiderately, in my opinion, deserve the reality check represented by a dented door. I wouldn't fret for 5 seconds. I have done exactly the same as you. And, no I am not fucking going out of my way to climb though my car boot or across from the passenger side. If you are shitty enough/ stupid enough/ entitled enough to park badly then good luck to you.

You have deliberately banged and damaged someone's car from sheer temper?

I’m sure you could have got in the passenger side if you’d bothered. You don’t have to be that slim and nimble.

[quote GuiltyMoo]@WithIcePlease
@cupsofcoffee

And the other driver was not been unreasonable parking so close to my car and leaving me with not enough space to get in? In my younger days I might have been nimble (and slim enough) to get into the driver's seat from the passenger side but those days are long gone.

No I didn't leave a note with my details, just as others haven't after denting and scratching my own car. Iknow that doesnt justify my actions, hence the guilt and shame.[/quote]
Surely if you could squeeze in the small go to bang and damage cars, you could have managed wiggling in through the passenger side. Did you even try the passenger side? Or did you just think, stuff the other car, I'm going in driver's door and don't care what damage I cause.
Was this car over the white lines?

You'll be all over fb now with comments about shouldn't be allowed a car.
You have commited a crime, probably on cctv.
Why didn't you leave your details for insurance company, driver will want to claim, surely.
What is the penalty for driving off, anyone know?

YABU. I feel your pain, I would have been pissed off too (and have been). But you are very much in the wrong.

This has happened to me and I did climb in the passenger side with great difficulty as I am also getting on a bit and sadly clinically obese. I wasn’t thrilled or dainty but I did manage it.

If I couldn’t I would have sulked grumpily by the car or gone into the store for a tannoy announcement.

Not that it matters but I would be imagining the other car was owned by my mum, gran, single parent, young driver etc. who really don’t deserve a big bill just for being thoughtless.

If you were parked properly within the lines then fuck them! Maybe they will be more considerate next time. Everyone right is saying about criminal damage etc but don’t worry. They can’t have had a passenger with them or they wouldn’t have been able to get out so they probably won’t even notice until later/another day and then they won’t know where it’s from.

Why should anyone have to contort themselves to climb over their passenger seat to accommodate a twat who can’t park? My dad was a driving instructor for many years and is of the opinion that if you can’t park it then you shouldn’t drive it and I agree with him.

They shouldn't have parked so close to your car door.

Forget about it and move on; should hopefully prevent them parking so stupidly in the future.

I did something similar when some dick without a blue badge not only parked in a blue badge space but did so badly and left me with no room to get DD from her wheelchair in to the car.

It wasn’t intentional and the dint was tiny, I wasn’t too bothered that it happened. I didn’t have any way of leaving them a note so I drove off. Nothing ever came of it.

[quote GuiltyMoo]@WithIcePlease
@cupsofcoffee

And the other driver was not been unreasonable parking so close to my car and leaving me with not enough space to get in? In my younger days I might have been nimble (and slim enough) to get into the driver's seat from the passenger side but those days are long gone.

No I didn't leave a note with my details, just as others haven't after denting and scratching my own car. Iknow that doesnt justify my actions, hence the guilt and shame.[/quote]
I’m 58 with fibromyalgia and overweight and I can shimmy over from the passenger side.
Not leaving a note and then trying to justify that because no one does.
You are very very unreasonable, and will have caused someone real distress. I hope CCTV gets you.

You'll probably hear more about it soon. They'll have your reg.

Funny how you say you feel guilty but all your posts sound really bitchy and not sorry at all. You seem to think the other driver is at least as at fault as you.

Bad parking is annoying but perhaps the person was in a rush. Perhaps they’d had a really terrible day. Perhaps they honestly didn’t realise they’d not left you a lot of space. It’s not an excuse but poor parking as you describe is not a crime, whereas damaging someone’s car because you’re pissed off, is.

If you need a disabled space then apply for a badge and use that, if you feel it’s worth mentioning several times how your physical health impacted you in this scenario.

I had my car scratched and dented (I wasn’t parking like an idiot, someone just decided to do it)

And I cried. I was incredibly upset that no note was left and was unsure if it was malicious or not.

It cost me a bloody fortune to get repairs done. My insurance was already sky high so couldn’t go through them in fear it would go up.

Some of these replies are ridiculous! Why should the Op have to climb in through the passenger side?! And more the point, what if she were disabled or elderly physically couldn’t?! Whenever I park my car I always make sure the person parked next to me has enough room to get back into their cars. It’s just basic common courtesy. In fact I’ve even gone back and moved my car just in case in the past! I like to think others would afford me the same decency.

So YANBU OP. You aren’t a vandal. The inconsiderate twat who parked should have been more considerate. I’d have probably whacked a few times for good measure 😉

Well if people didn't park like dicks alot less cars would be damaged same goes for driving, if everyone was not me me me would solve tons of issues and to be fair you both in the wrong and you never know the driver might learn there lesson about parking like a twat

@Snackz

To all the people saying 'climb through the passenger side', what happens if the OP is disabled? Or has a baby that needs putting in their seat?!

If disabled blue badges are available. Parent and child spaces are provided if she had a baby seat. Next?

Bottom line is she’s a vandal who caused criminal damage.