Damaging other epople's items

[codefro]

Im wondering what someone could do in this situation:

If you’re getting Ito your car and your door accidentally hits the car next to you. By you getting into your car, you scratch the car next to you. Youre on your way to work What do you do?

 

[codefro]

And sorry for the misspelled title.

 

[Angelsflight]

Im wondering what someone could do in this situation:

If you’re getting Ito your car and your door accidentally hits the car next to you. By you getting into your car, you scratch the car next to you. Youre on your way to work What do you do?

Well, if you accidentally ding someones door and you feel bad about it, you could leave a note on their window saying what happened and your number.

Someone at my apt complex full on hit my car, causing a dent. She left me a note, i called her and we met up. She was so worried about having to report it and her insurance going up and all that. It was Christmas time, and she told me she would give me all the money she got for Christmas to pay for the damage. I didnt take it. I was so impressed that she left the note on my car and was honest about it that I told her to forget about it.

Honesty is always the best policy I suppose.

 

[codefro]

Well, if you accidentally ding someones door and you feel bad about it, you could leave a note on their window saying what happened and your number.

Someone at my apt complex full on hit my car, causing a dent. She left me a note, i called her and we met up. She was so worried about having to report it and her insurance going up and all that. It was Christmas time, and she told me she would give me all the money she got for Christmas to pay for the damage. I didnt take it. I was so impressed that she left the note on my car and was honest about it that I told her to forget about it.

Honesty is always the best policy I suppose.

Ya I didn’t think I had pen or paper and I would’ve been late for work. Yet I did feel bad.

 

[Angelsflight]

Ya I didn’t think I had pen or paper and I would’ve been late for work. Yet I did feel bad.

Well, whats done is done. At least you have a conscience! Some people would race out of the parking lot like they were on fire and not give it another thought.

You are from Costa mesa? I lived there for many years. sigh I miss home.

 

[revert_jen]

Ya I didn’t think I had pen or paper and I would’ve been late for work. Yet I did feel bad.

You should always have pen and paper in your glove box. What if you have a full-on accident? You need them to take insurance information and so forth. If my father thought I was ever on the road without pen and paper* he’d have a heart attack. (And yes, I have been an adult for quite a long time.)

It takes 30 seconds to write a quick note with your phone number. You probably shouldn’t cut being on time at work quite so fine as that.

Being prepared isn’t just a boy scout motto, it’s a good idea.

Since you can’t change the past, all you can do is make sure you’re prepared for next time. It doesn’t help the other person, who may have to get their whole door painted to fix the ding, but it makes sure it won’t happen again.

–Jen

• and incidentally flashlight, flares, first aid kit, and chocks (and if it’s winter, mittens, mylar blanket, and some sort of ice treatment), but that’s beside the point

 

[codefro]

You should always have pen and paper in your glove box. What if you have a full-on accident? You need them to take insurance information and so forth. If my father thought I was ever on the road without pen and paper* he’d have a heart attack. (And yes, I have been an adult for quite a long time.)

It takes 30 seconds to write a quick note with your phone number. You probably shouldn’t cut being on time at work quite so fine as that.

Being prepared isn’t just a boy scout motto, it’s a good idea.

Since you can’t change the past, all you can do is make sure you’re prepared for next time. It doesn’t help the other person, who may have to get their whole door painted to fix the ding, but it makes sure it won’t happen again.

–Jen

• and incidentally flashlight, flares, first aid kit, and chocks (and if it’s winter, mittens, mylar blanket, and some sort of ice treatment), but that’s beside the point

but even leaving a phone number for a scratch? I mean aren’t there levels of severities involved?

 

[AHapka]

You should always have pen and paper in your glove box. What if you have a full-on accident? You need them to take insurance information and so forth.

If you are in a full-on accident, the cops will take that information. And then you can just get it in the report.

When I was a deputy, we took all of that down and then gave people the complaint number so they could just visit and get the full report a few days later. All of the information in one nice, concise spot that way.

For most people that was good enough, not too many bothered to ask the other person for the information themselves. Of course, for each their own and if you wanted to you could ask right then and there.

As a side note: pen isn’t usually a good idea because it doesn’t work in the cold. Pencil is a far better bet for guaranteed writing.

 

[AHapka]

but even leaving a phone number for a scratch? I mean aren’t there levels of severities involved?

This could be true. If it’s one of those cars where there are already a million dents and you couldn’t even see if you actually left a scratch or not, you’re off the hook.

My cars have gotten plenty of scratches over the years. I guess I’ve always considered that part of car ownership. One reason I don’t mind having older cars…you don’t mind as much.

However, if it’s bad…leaving a note is appropriate.

 

[revert_jen]

but even leaving a phone number for a scratch? I mean aren’t there levels of severities involved?

Certainly there are different levels of severity. I didn’t actually say anything about how big a deal it is if you leave your number or not. I didn’t suggest it was a mortal sin or anything.

But if you make a mark and you can see you made a mark (that is, the thing isn’t already so banged up that you aren’t sure) then you should leave your number. To be sure, you can rub your finger along it to make sure it’s really a scratch, and not just that you got dirt on their car or something.

I mean if you accidentally threw something and cracked a window in a neighbor’s house, you’d let them know, right? But it’s probably cheaper to fix a windowpane (assuming normal, small, non-double-glazed, etc.) than repaint a car door.

Or alternatively just be more careful parking and opening your car door.

–Jen

 

[revert_jen]

If you are in a full-on accident, the cops will take that information. And then you can just get it in the report.

OK, well say a fender-bender. The police aren’t always that interested, and they aren’t always called.

As a side note: pen isn’t usually a good idea because it doesn’t work in the cold. Pencil is a far better bet for guaranteed writing.

True in general–I should have said pencil. But I have a “space pen.” It always writes. (Actually I have both in there–it’s not like they take up a lot of room.)

I still say that given how easy it is for anyone to drop a pencil and paper in the glove box, everyone should do it.

–Jen