rant (can you believe this?)
 

Hi all,

I don't understand some people these days. This morning I went to the grocery store to get some soda. As I pulled into the lot, a mini van was just leaving this nice spot located right in front of the store. After waiting a few seconds for the guy to move out, I parked my car. At that time, this middle-age lady in a Honda Civic (previous model) made a left turn, and as she passed me, she seemed to be saying something. I don't think it was too nice, as her expression indicated. It appeared she was waiting for that parking spot as well. But I did not know that; had I known, I would have parked somewhere else. As a matter of fact, I think I was there first and saw no one waiting to park.

Well, after I parked my car, I got out and walked toward the store. But for some odd reason, the lady's expression made me think, and I turned around to see if she had gotten out. I saw her. She walked by my passenger side (this side was facing toward the street and therefore not visible from the store's position), and as she made her way toward my trunk and out into the open, I could see her putting something away in her purse (keys, perhaps?). I thought this was strange and suspicious. What made her actions really suspicious was that the path she took to head toward the store. She didn't even have to walk by my car at all--that would have been a slightly longer walk and with an obstacle in the way: my car.

My worst fears came to me, and I casually turned around and checked my car after she had entered the store. Argh! I saw some hairline "key" marks, which looked very unnatural in origin, and I don't remember seeing them before. But I didn't check my passenger side carefully or thoroughly, maybe because I didn't want to look like some weirdo who was in love with his car. Or maybe I didn't think much about these marks at the time and didn't want to believe that a middle-age woman, who was dressed decently, would actually do something so childish as keying someone's car.

I went back in to get my stuff, but I couldn't stop thinking about the whole incident. My suspicion grew and I walked by the lady to grace her with my presence and to send some message to her that I knew what she did. After I had bought my items, I went to my car. I checked it again, and my suspicion grew even more. I actually waited for her to get out. And when she did, I waited for her to leave. I didn't feel too comfortable confronting her because I wasn't sure if that was the right thing to do.

Anyhow, she leaves and headed toward the lot exit. I followed her, but I didn't do it in a very obvious way. However, I did want her to see me though. She did, and her next action confirmed my suspicion. She was about to take this exit but decided to turn and take another to enter the same street. Why? Did she think that I was going to take her license plate number down? I don't know, but she acted like she did something wrong.

I think she might have. When I got home, I took a very careful look at my car and those marks do look like they were done by a key. I really don't remember ever seeing them before. I should note that my car has been parked at home for the past few days.

I'm not mad. I just don't understand why some people do this kind of childish things. I mean she was a motherly looking type of person. She was dressed nicely and did not look like the type that would vandalize other people's property. You would expect people like that to be a little more mature. I mean, I can be way immature at times, but I would never key someone's car. This lady should set examples for me! Anyhow, that's my rant.

BTW
People like that makes me think I'm better than them, because I would never do such an uncouth thing like that! Just my $0.05 worth.

u must be a saint

i would of confronted her...call the police the works

keying my benz is a big no-no

-ren

Cossie -

The only thing to do in that situation is to call the police. Take down the license number and if she leaves, the police can contact her by the registration.

In either case, you will need a police report if you intend to file a claim with your insurance carrier to repair the damage.

I see these cases all the time. It's frustrating. I'm an investigator who specializes in insurance cases. E-mail me privately if I can answer any questions for you...

About all you can do is make the person uncomfortable by calling the police - and perhaps informing them that you are calling the police. Better not to physically retaliate.

If by some miracle the police arrive while the woman is still present, they might agree to seize her purse and/or keys to hold them for evidence. They should have paint scrapings on them for a little while - perhaps paint chips in her purse.

Your case will always go better if you have a witness, even a witness that saw the direction she walked in to pass the car. It also is very helpful to keep a photographic record of the condition of the car every few months, so you can present a "before" and "after" photo of the car's condition.

You'd really like to see a case like this successfully prosecuted, but it would seem hard to prove.

And, to protect the revenue stream of our lawyer friends that might read this, I must advise you that I am not a lawyer and the statements I make here are meaningless in legal context. In fact, I have to tell you that you must ALWAYS hire a lawyer in every facet of your interactions with other people. :)

Ken300D

I would have moved my car to blocked her in, called the police, and taken it from there. I would have taken this as a violation and taken it to the fullest extent!!!! NO DOUBT ABOUT IT!:mad: :mad: :mad: :mad: :mad:

Also keep in mind that this incident may have been picked up by a security camera....

But, you must contact the authorities to make a record of the event.

I agree with Ken, physical retaliation is not the answer. Hope it all works out for you.

If it were me, I would have called the police. If I didn't have time to, I would follow her to her house and try not to be seen. Then, I would confront at her own house. Not that I would do anything, but imagine how uncomfortable it would make her feel if I knew where she lived! Then I would call the police.

I often thought about letting the air out of the offender's tire. Depending how mad I was it would be one tire so they could change it, or more so they would be stuck. Then maybe taping the valve to their windsheild.

I have no idea of the legality of this though.

Call me whatever you want guys,but ,I will get even.
My 2.6 was parked infront of my garaged and this punk
broke my radio antenna.Its up frozen.A nieghbor told me
who did it.Its the nieghborhood troublemaker.I "super
glued" his Mustang's door key holes.Both of em'.

Howdy All
Manny, nice touch!¡ It seems no matter what you do some things come back to bite you. You take things into your own hands and the other person gets revenge. You bring in the police and the other person gets revenge. :rolleyes: :confused: :mad:

If I was witness to someone keying my car or doing anythign else to it, I would call the police instantly, and report it.

Vandalism is a crime, and if I bear witness to it on my vehicle, I will take it to the full extent of the law.

And since my car has custom paint, it would require a full repaint. It would be impossible for them to color match my car, trust me, I already had them try to doa color match at several places, and not one of them could come up with the right paint color and finish.

So I would not let this person get away knowing I had a whole paintjob being needed to repair the small amount of damage done.

Alon

And The Winna Is...
 

Dale Doria.

Remember folks, Dale is a child psychologist, so he knows juvenile behavior first hand.

Don't be a "Mr. Nice Guy" if there is fresh damage, it's obvious.

Bust her if you still can.

If it were me I would have walked quickly back to my car as soon as I was suspicious of her actions.Sometimes a strong defence will wilt the offence.:eek: But then I'm a construction worker and I learned a long time ago not to let 'them' push you around.Don't get me wrong,I would call the police before resorting to violence and I think public embarassment would stop people like this in their tracks.Now I'm ranting:D

I heard a story once about an incident just like yours. Except the guy who got keyed waited the lady to come back to her car and confronted her. He told her he saw what she did, but since she had no regards of others property and the damage was not big enough to call the police. He just wanted to even out the damage. He then walked up to her car and stab it on the hood with a screwdriver. Turned around and drove off. The lady just stood there with her eyes as big as a headlight.

Back when I had my 190E I always made the effort to park it far from others. One day I was late for class and had no choice but to grab the nearest spot. I regreted it later. My pristine paint had been dinged and scratched by a turquoise car next to me. I was so upset that I did something which I think now was not right. I grabbed my key and swiped across the door of the car next to me. It was a very visible mark. I think back now and I should have taken the plates and tried to get them to pay for the damage. Anyway I know now that if you want to maintain your cars original look you need to stay away from those that don't respect others property.

Placo1