7 weeks in - dent in the car

[matchboy]

Don't know if there's a topic all ready for w7nkers that dent people's cars, but I have to have a rant.  Dropping my little girl off at school today, some dumb f7cking b!tch lets her 5 year old open the car door and smashes into my car - dent over an inch long in the passenger side panel (not the door).  I am f7cking livid.

Took all my restraint to not f and blind at her in the playground with all the mums and kids there.  Told her she was paying for it and to expect a bill.  Starts giving me a sob story about how she has 3 kids and can't afford it, and that it was an accident.  DON'T LET YOUR 5 YEAR OLD OPEN A CAR DOOR THEN YOU INCONSIDERATE (UNT!

My question to the forum is this therefore:  I'm off to get a quote for a repair at lunch, do I just pay for it myself and have a heart as she may well not be able to afford it - or, do I make her pay for it as its her own fault for letting her kid open the car door by herself and why should I have to shell out, especially just before Christmas?  I do not let my 5 year old open car doors, she waits for me to do it.  And if I had dented someone else's car I would be paying for the damage.

To say I am fuming is an understatement.  And the paintwork is f7cked too. 

Thanks for listening 

[sam67GTD]

Show no mercy, get her to pay for it. Maybe when she gets the bill something will click in her head not to allow her kid to open the door herself.

I really feel for you, I'd be livid too, especially so on a nice new GTI 

[monkeyhanger]

She has insurance (hopefully). Either her insurance pays and it costs her the excess (and maybe next year her premiums go up), or she bites the bullet and covers it herself to avoid the excess and possible premium rise. This happened because she couldn’t be arsed to get out of the car and open the car door for her kid.

There’s one thing having a heart, there’s another being a mug. If it needs a repair (and it does), someone has to pay for it – why should it be you?

If I was driving an auld banger and it was another dent to go with the other 10, then I would probably let it go because if I’d done it, I wouldn’t be arsed to get a repair done that I was paying for.

If she has to pay for it she’ll be far more careful next time and make sure her kid doesn’t just swing the door open and jump out of the car. You could be saving countless other potential victims by making her pay.

Did she even acknowledge the incident until you approached her? Would she have left a note on your car if you weren’t in it at the time? If you can confidently say no then there isn’t the slight bit of guilt I’d be feeling in handing her the bill.

At the end of the day it was an accident and insurance covers her in the event of an accident of her causing.

[matchboy]

I'm pretty sure if I wasn't just about to get out of my car ie. I was there, she wouldn't have said f7ck all.  Plus I may not have noticed it for weeks as I don't go that side of the car.

She did acknowledge it, and was apologetic - but that doesn't pay for the f7cking damage.  What got me is that she didn't get the kid to apologise - if that was my mum she would have made me say sorry.  I also would have made my little girl say sorry.  I also think that the only reason she was saying sorry was because I said she had to pay for it - that's what prompted her.  She started off by saying that her kid was excited to see mine so opened the door like that - don't even bother trying to shift the blame b!tch - you shouldn't be letting a 5 year old open a car door PERIOD.

I'll see how much its going to cost and then we'll see who's going to pay.  I took a pic of her number plate and just checked that its an 11 plate - you can't be that skint then can you b!tch?!

[Ginagee]

Arrrgghh, just reading this I'm feeling angry. My children are NOT allowed to open the doors themselves… it's the LAW in my car. It is my utter pet hate when someone opens their door and bangs it into the car next to it, and/or lets it just rest on it while they get their lazy ars*s out. Arrrgghhhh.
My advice, if it's worth anything… Get the quote, then talk to her & show her the estimate. She says she's not got much money… but I do think she needs to be more responsible, and learn that she could control her children. I would ask her to make a sensible contribution… not because it's revenge, but just so she has an understanding!!!!
People who aren't into cars, just see them as something to get them from A to B. They have no pride about the state of their car. BUT they should not be so ignorant about how other people feel. So ask her to contribute what she can afford, and what she & you feel is fair. I'm really feeling for you.
I once had a kid ride a bike into my new pride and joy, years & years ago now. I was young, and on my own, (on a dead rough estate - didn't fancy taking the kid to his home to argue with his parents!) didn't really know what to do. Cost a fortune to get it fixed. Still feel pi55ed when I think about it now!!!!!

[GTI_Redpath]

depends what car she was in, if the car was expensive, shes lying and she can afford it, if she was in a 500 quid corsa and she was genuinly repentant, id personally be a bit more lenient. maybe im just being soft

[matchboy]

Arrrgghh, just reading this I'm feeling angry. My children are NOT allowed to open the doors themselves… it's the LAW in my car. It is my utter pet hate when someone opens their door and bangs it into the car next to it, and/or lets it just rest on it while they get their lazy ars*s out. Arrrgghhhh.
My advice, if it's worth anything… Get the quote, then talk to her & show her the estimate. She says she's not got much money… but I do think she needs to be more responsible, and learn that she could control her children. I would ask her to make a sensible contribution… not because it's revenge, but just so she has an understanding!!!!
People who aren't into cars, just see them as something to get them from A to B. They have no pride about the state of their car. BUT they should not be so ignorant about how other people feel. So ask her to contribute what she can afford, and what she & you feel is fair. I'm really feeling for you.
I once had a kid ride a bike into my new pride and joy, years & years ago now. I was young, and on my own, (on a dead rough estate - didn't fancy taking the kid to his home to argue with his parents!) didn't really know what to do. Cost a fortune to get it fixed. Still feel pi55ed when I think about it now!!!!!

Maybe this is the way forward.  Just some form of contribution.  What really p!ssed me off was the fact that just cause I'm driving a new car she assumed that I have the money to pay for it!  F7ck off!

She was driving an 11 plate Vauxhall mpv - I don't know the name of it as its a heap.  But I would imagine it was still a £15k car originally.

Its wound me up today, and it winds me up reading about other people's stories.  That's the trouble with people today - they don't give a f7ck about other people nor other people's stuff. 

[virginVWman]

Easiest way to look at it is if the shoe was on the other foot and your car door had flung open....you honestly expect the other individual to understand or let alone give a sh!t that you can't afford it? Not a chance. Her mistake. Her fault. Therefore she pays. End of in my opinion

[Gnasher]

Make her pay (preferably through her insurance) - if it's the rear quarter thats damaged it'll cost a lot to fix - which she says she can't afford!

[matchboy]

It is the rear quarter, yes.  So I'm expecting it to cost.

And if the shoe was on the other foot I would have paid for sure, as it would have been my fault for letting my child to open the door on her own.

Getting a quote in a bit - let's see how much it is before I decide.