Sympathy or not?

Difficult but I know where he is coming from, plenty of drivers park like that without a reason for doing so other than being complete airheads. Years ago in a supermarket I heard my number plate over the tannoy. A helpful customer tells me he saw another driver take his bumper down the side of Bess, the WHOLE side of the car. I got the staff member to call out the number of the offending car and a few minutes later Mr and MRS hippo walked up, he says, "So what, just a car and knock for knock". I pointed out my car was already parked he made an axcuse and made to walk away so I casually remarked to the staff member at customer services if they sold brake fluid and thinners. Two minutes later I have his insurance details and two hundred notes in my sweaty mits. Rubber bumper, mostly polished out, thankfully. Thing is that these places are dangerous. How many of us have seen low-life's dumping a trolley by pushing it into the parking area? Sometimes bad parking can be understood, perhaps not condoned but understood.

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While I don't condone nor enjoy it, sadly scratches and dings are a part and parcel of driving and parking in public spaces. They're not an excuse to act like a twat and deny others a rightful parking spot.

I have sympathy for him if he's had scratches and dents from careless drivers opening doors into his car or scraping the bumpers whilst getting into an adjacent space. It's happened to me and these days people just don't own up and leave a note. A combination of increased insurance repair costs and price comparison sites offering cheaper insurance in return for a voluntary excess makes honesty a much more expensive game.

However, I really can't condone his actions. However much he's worried about his car being damaged, there's no excuse for selfishly taking spaces that three other drivers could have used, especially if it's busy. If he really is bothered he should either shop when it's quieter or find a space at the far end of the car park and be prepared to walk.

No sympathy; you buy a car, you have to accept the rules, one of which is: one car, one parking space in a car park.
It's selfish and irresponsible to take up more space than necessary "just because"; what happens if that person were to fly, would they sit in a middle seat and refuse to let anyone sit next to them "in case you move a bit during the flight, and bruise my arm" ?

I just wish people would take care and accept responsibility for their own actions, but that is a whole topic by itself.

This.

The guy parking over 4 spaces is a twat: 2 will do. I am currently parked in an underground car park next to an M2. He'll be as worried about his as I am about mine so all well and good.

This is one area the Volvo does well being dressed in dodgem style cladding around it's entire perimeter. Other people are the least of its worries given the strength of the paint. Bird crap left for seconds will damage the paintwork while simply looking at it seems to cause minor scratches. I'm tempted to have it checked to see if a coat of lacquer was ever put on.

It's nowt to do with the lacquer or lack of it. It's the fact the paints have to be water based these days and certain chemicals that used to make them impervious to bird mess are no longer allowed. That said some are better than others in this respect. My Focus and Insignia were really prone to damage even after just a few hours whereas I left the Golf for three days in a long stay car park and the bird that shit on it was entirely unsuccessful in its vandalism. The Megane didn't suffer either. So maybe it is the paint Volvo use but I can tell you now they won't cover it under warranty.

Where possible I'll park leaving an empty space either side, or position myself so that nearby drivers have as much room as possible to get their door open. It seems to work as I've not had a parking ding in 20 years and all my cars have had unmarked flanks.

I do have a blow up Phil Mitchell look alike that I leave in the passenger seat mind.

It's be karma if somebody scratched "wanker" down the side of his car. 

Just park at the extremities of the car park and walk a bit farther if you are worried.

I do agree with the CCTV comment too - it does need to be a two way enforcement. 



 

CCTV "coverage" is crap; my Fiesta was damaged by a careless door opener whilst parked at LHR T5 Pod parking when I was on holiday in May. When I wrote and explained and asked if there was any CCTV evidence I was told that the CCTV coverage is only on the entrance and exit to the car park, there is no coverage over the parked cars.

Anyone else planning to use this car park, please take note.

People are funny about parking.
I remember when my Alfa was about 2 weeks old I parked it at the furthest point of the Tesco car park in Perth.
When I came back there were cars in each space either side and then a gap of at least 30 yards
I was irritated but on checking carefully there were no marks.

My parents told me they once parked at West Sands at St Andrews, it was mid-winter and theirs was the only car until somebody came and parked right next to them, close enough so you couldn't open the door fully!

It's a herding mentality