Teen opens car door and dings car next to you... what do you do?

[Anonymous]

This has happened a couple of times. Once there was a big gust of wind and my young teen just opened the door and let the wind throw her door into the car next to us. (wasn't intentional to hit the car, but it was careless). Another time, there was no wind, just a snug (not tight) parking space and my kid opened our car door into the other car.

Both times, scratches were made on the other car, and my car's paint was scratched off a bit.

Do you just move on? Is there anything to do with the other car? Is this just the car equivalent of what goes around comes around (i.e. sometimes your car will get dinged and sometimes your kid will do the dinging?)

[Anonymous]

Off to get my popcorn! This topic is always fun here!

[Anonymous]

My car has multiple dings and no one has ever acknowledged that they dinged my car (and similarly, no one has ever acknowledged any ding in any car of mine ever).

It's just a thing that happens.

[Anonymous]

I chastise my kid hard, but ultimately I move on.

I have gotten many door dings over the year, and my kids have accidentally given a one or two, as well. If I am close to another car, I tell my kids to wait, and I open the door for them. That's ridiculous to do for a teen, they really should know better.

[Anonymous]

I would use at as a teaching moment--you always leave a note, because you never know who was watching and might leave their own note. Or when the police were parked nearby and saw the whole thing, etc.

The vast majority of the time, the car owner will appreciate the note and won't care at all about a minor dink.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would use at as a teaching moment--you always leave a note, because you never know who was watching and might leave their own note. Or when the police were parked nearby and saw the whole thing, etc.

The vast majority of the time, the car owner will appreciate the note and won't care at all about a minor dink.

+1.

But then I am a freaking law-abiding model citizen.

[Anonymous]

I usually use the measure of what I'd like to happen if my car was dinged. Like those above, I have several dings on my car and one of them is deep enough that I'm a little pissed about it. If it was a bad as the one that bugs me on my car, I'd leave a note. If it's like the little ones that everybody gets eventually, I wouldn't leave a note.

Recently, I tapped the fender of a car while backing out. It was a tiny dent but just bad enough that I'd be mad, so I left a note (and had our insurance handle it).

[Anonymous]

I leave a note. I also waited until my kids could be trusted. One of my kids has ADHD and I continued to open the door for him for quite a while when a car was parked next to us. Once he was ready he was really careful. One time the wind blew it right open and it caused a little ding. i left a note. I see that as teaching good manners and character.

[Anonymous]

What does you "note" say?

"My kid scratched the paint on your car, call me for payment"?

[Anonymous]

OP here -- fwiw, kids are 14 and 11. I just said to the 11 yr old, "be careful opening the door"... of course, he didn't hear me b/c he was focussed on chasing a fly around the back seat. Then he opened the door hitting the car next to us (and the driver was IN the car!

I was not happy with 11 yr old. I know it wasn't intentional, and mistakes happen, but I wish kids would think about something other than themselves once in awhile. And, no... I didn't say anything to the other driver b/c I didn't know what to do. Should I have pulled out $40? That's all I had on me.

Just trying to get a feel for what most people actually do.

[Anonymous]

The couple of times this has happened where I saw potential damage, I took photos of it and then left a note saying we think we may have dinged their door, sorry about that, here's our name and number if you'd like to reach us about it. No one has ever called us to follow up, but I feel okay about it knowing I gave them the opportunity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does you "note" say?

"My kid scratched the paint on your car, call me for payment"?

"I apologize-my child accidentally dinged your car. Here is my contact info:"

I have gotten similar notes twice and didn't call either time.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- fwiw, kids are 14 and 11. I just said to the 11 yr old, "be careful opening the door"... of course, he didn't hear me b/c he was focussed on chasing a fly around the back seat. Then he opened the door hitting the car next to us (and the driver was IN the car!

I was not happy with 11 yr old. I know it wasn't intentional, and mistakes happen, but I wish kids would think about something other than themselves once in awhile. And, no... I didn't say anything to the other driver b/c I didn't know what to do. Should I have pulled out $40? That's all I had on me.

Just trying to get a feel for what most people actually do.

Wait a minute. Your child dinged the car next to yours when opening their door WHILE the person was in their car? OP, you just modeled and taught your child to be extremely rude and, quite ironic to your own post, to think even more about just themselves. Of course you address a person who is right there in the car next to you. Big fail OP.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What does you "note" say?

"My kid scratched the paint on your car, call me for payment"?

There's no reason at all to blame the kid. Just say, "Sorry, but I dinged your passenger side front door. Please call me at xxx-xxx-xxxx. Larlo Lee"

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here -- fwiw, kids are 14 and 11. I just said to the 11 yr old, "be careful opening the door"... of course, he didn't hear me b/c he was focussed on chasing a fly around the back seat. Then he opened the door hitting the car next to us (and the driver was IN the car!

I was not happy with 11 yr old. I know it wasn't intentional, and mistakes happen, but I wish kids would think about something other than themselves once in awhile. And, no... I didn't say anything to the other driver b/c I didn't know what to do. Should I have pulled out $40? That's all I had on me.

Just trying to get a feel for what most people actually do.

Wow ok...this is different. You knock on their window if there is damage, like you said there was, and you say "I'm sorry, we just dinged your door. Do you want my insurance information?" Come on, OP! You know how this works. You don't hand them $40. You handle it like an adult. Your children will continue to be disrespectful because the example you're setting for them isn't really one that fosters respect, at least in this case.

If this was me, I'd have gotten out and asked you for your insurance information. $40 and you didn't know what to do - ha! PLEASE!