24th March 2014 - Another good reason for disliking bad parking...

It is Monday night, and a journey up from the South Coast in the Bothy. A fairly uneventful journey, dogs happily in the back, a new route up through Chippenham to avoid the extortion of the Bathampton Toll Bridge who have decided that a Mercedes 310 long wheel base, high top van is a Van, rather than a car because it is a camper. I know - I have always been surprised to get across the Severn bridge for the cost of a Kia, but when asked for £1.50 instead of 50p at the small private tollgate it somehow seemed wrong to be paying the extra. They were, however, fairly convinced that we were over one and a half tons  (probably right) and should pay the extra. I could not really argue - other than to return by an alternative route. Daphne, my Satnav, decided that the journey would be the same time, whichever route I took..

Sadly, there were to be delays. But not as a result of the toll or the journey. rather because hunger dictated that we should pop into Llanelli Tesco's on the way home to pick up some salad to feed our inner hunger while not compromising the diet....

Now, anyone who has followed my photo galleries of "Badly Carked Pars", or my Facebook section " "Parking Cars - An Occasion Gallery" will appreciate my thoughts as I pulled into the car park at a quarter past six to find that my choice of parking was to be restricted....

In fairness to me , this picture was taken a little later, but this being about as near as I could get to the entrance and there being a double space available, forward and back that is because of the length of my vehicle, I turned in, fairly slowly to park alongside the chevrolet.....   Bad Idea!

The Mercedes 310 has quite a good turning circle, but not very good visibility over the front of the bonnet. I regularly have to go fairly close to the bumper whenever I get in or out of the back lane, so I am normally quite good at judging the distance...  but, you may guess, in taking the corner alongside this car, at almost zero mph, the front nearside of the bumper came into brief contact with the rear offside of the chevrolet..

Whenever I post pictures of offending vehicles, I am surprised by the vehemence of the responses, stating that the vehicle tyres should be let down, paint attacked - I even have a full gallery full of letters to put onto the windscreen of offending vehicles.. however, when you actually come into contact with another vehicle, however gently, you have a sinking feeling, because at the end of the day - you know that you have just misjudged!!

In my case, I am not very "car-proud". The car is an instrument of transport. I am not that worried about the washing and polishing. I am never particularly happy until I have the first scratch on the paintwork as I can then relax. I regret a small scratch - but do not worry about them..   But I am not the norm it seems. I have friends who polish their car and worry about the look. Many of those who park with total inconsideration to others are doing so as they are scared of another vehicle touching their precious home from home...

So - it was a very gently nudge....  But in the passenger seat was a lady who came out to look at what had happened... At first I could see nothing... I thought - that was lucky!

Have you noticed that cars do not have bumpers any more??  I think it is a conspiracy to increase work for the body work and vehicle painters.  Not only do they only have painted surfaces, they also have special paints with a laminate sort of cover which will shatter and crack - preventing the use of a little T Cut..
Mrs was looking at the back of the car so I spoke with her in a pleasant fashion - at least I did not find hysterics here - very reasonable and calm - her husband was in the store and would be out in a second.

Well, it had been a long journey from the South Coast, so I parked up and promised to be back in a second but had to make a visit to the loo, so I found another double space in the next section of the car park, where I could be seen, and Susie went off to get the shopping and I went to attend to the call of nature..

On my return, the driver was back, taking photographs if the rear of the car with his camera... I soon joined him trying to find the bit of damage with my own camera... 

Yup - had to accept that if this was me, then there was some damage, about an inch and a half...  My offer of suggesting T Cut did not go down very well - particularly when he asked me if I was professional body worker.. I had to admit that it was not an area of my skill... I gave him a Vollsanger Card with full details and he agreed to take the vehicle to a garage the next day to see if it was easier to fix it without the insurance..

I have no objection to dealing with things via insurance, when a similar incident happened with Susie and the owner wanted a couple of hundred pounds for the repair - I decided to go through the insurance because they were taking the mickey!!  I found later that they had claimed over £1100  for the same repair through the insurance company who would not listen to my information that this was a case of fraud - they preferred to just deal with it as a blame-worthy accident - and though the no-claims bonus was protected - they still increased the premiums outrageously and there was nothing that we could do apparently... 

So I have no objection to dealing with the insurance - but it would be more convenient if we found an alternative - for both of us....  As we all parted amicably, I then took another photograph of the position of their parking - which, though I place as the main cause of the collision, was not something that would benefit the amicable relations.......

Of course - all the other cars have gone by now - probably not wanting to get involved with any possible altercation....  

It was only after I got home and examined the photos again that I saw in the distance something that I had not noticed while chatting with the other driver... Look in the distance.. Yes, in the Disabled and Child Parking areas next to the main covered passage..  is that a fine piece of parking there??

Yup - that would have been a good one under normal circumstances - but to be honest - we were ready to go home now and see what occurs in the next days....

So, note to self - even if you don't like the way people park - restrict yourself to taking photos and don't hit the car.... it will only end in grief - and possible costs !!!



[ 14:8 -12 : MPV 1331+93 ]