Am I wrong? I thought I was doing the right thing…

[HuecoDoc]

I dinged an SUV with my Camaro door yesterday. I couldn't beleive it. I've been in a Jeep for the last 13 years, and I'm too familar with it. The second detent of the Camaro's check strap lets that long door swing wide! The first detent leaves barely enough to space to exit. My old (78) Camaro was like this and I remember times I needed to hold the door as close as possible against it's own spring action the entire time I carefully maneuvered out of it, or else it would swing out into the next car.

The SUV was not old but had more than it's share of dings. What I left was a 3/8 inch V-shaped scratch, and a note with my name and number. If I were them, in their dinged up SUV, I wouldn't bother having it fixed, and I'm hoping they don't call, but it's really not my choice.

It would have been poetic justice if someone called the police because then the two monkeybrains (the other Camaro guy and your passenger) could deal with each other, because I think she is the responsible party. Probably not really a police matter though, and maybe I'm wrong about the liability.

I spent an hour yesterday searching for or trying to devise a modification of the check-strap to limit door opening. Preferably, the door would stop exactly in between the two places it tries to stop. That would be enough room to get out while minimizing collateral damage. I don't think I will make the mistake again, but it would be a lot easier if the door would stop in between the places it does.

[wullger]

Originally Posted by 2011 2SS/RS

You did the right thing. I hope if I ever get a door ding it's from you... and not your ex-friend.
I promise if I ding your car, I'll leave my info.

[ffrcobra_65]

You did the right thing and I applaud you for it. Your ex-friend is something else. It shouldn't cost more than $100-$125 to have a Paintless Dent Repair tech take care of a little dent. After a few minutes, it will be like it was never there and the original paint is retained which should be the other guy's first choice of fix.

[jputer]

You only missed one thing, open the door for your friend so that you have control of your car and can protect the one next to you. Protect yourself, protect your friendship and be a "Gentleman" all at the same time.

[SoFlaZ]

You should have left her there and had that D-bag Camaro owner take her home. Besides that you did the right thing

[Tarl]

That's why I'm a Di*k to anybody that goes riding with me in my car. I tell them (and often times show them) the 1st indent, then open it to the 2nd indent. I advise them to "BE CAREFUL" opening the door, they are heavy and LONG, and only go to the 1st or 2nd indent depending on how close a veh or object is. I even verbally remind them when we stop, "Watch your door" when exiting. NEVER open the doors all the way or allow them to swing open freely.

My philosophy, I'd rather be a "Di*k" now, before it happens, then have to deal with a dent or denting somebody else's car and then being a di*k.

Before they even ask or mention anything I tell them, "This is my pet peeve, this is my car and I can be anal about how people open the doors to my car. I'd rather be anal now, then live with a BS dent somebody put in my car because they weren't paying attention.

Guess I'm anal all around!

And YES, you did the right thing! Hec, I'd have prob smiled and asked to buy you a coffee because of your genuine heartache and how you handled it. Of course I'm old and not all together, you know....I'm a few beers short of a six pack....obsessed with high performance cars and bikes....I'm getting senile and so forth....so catching somebody doing that on purpose or just driving away.....I could lose it in an instant... :P

[jturnercpa]

This camaro "owner" sounds like a real poser to me acting like a $50 PDR job is some big deal. Hell, beer cans have a tougher skin than these cars do. A good fart too close to it can force me to have to give my PDR guy a call. His last car was probably a 1st MY New Gen Stang and both are/were probably base base models (yes i put it twice). He probably just wants to stick his nose up and say look at me, and if it was lunch time more than likely it was his DD, and you can't keep a DD safe forever.

Send the guy a hundy folded in the form of an origami jackass with a good PDR guy's card between the cheeks and tell him to keep the change a--hole.

Note to Self: Never park next to another camaro, because I'm either gonna get my door dinged, or my ass chewed out for breathing too close it. (Man, we really are d-cks!!)

Oh yeah, PDR rocks! those guys are modern day artists.

[DaddySS]

Too bad more people are not honest like you.

You did the right thing.

And thanks!

[Thrillz]

Wow guy does the right things and everyone is nasty to him. Dude your rare in this day in age doing that. Most folks would have just drove away. Btw make new friends she is not one of them.

[SS-screamer]

Eye for an eye..... Take a bat to her car and leave a big dent, refuse to pay for it then tell her that you taking your fair share of the costs.

[xpanda305x]

ask her to take you on a ride in her car. and throw the door onto something. and be like oh. owells...but like bang it hard as hell.

[5thGenOwner]

Originally Posted by jputer

You only missed one thing, open the door for your friend so that you have control of your car and can protect the one next to you. Protect yourself, protect your friendship and be a "Gentleman" all at the same time.

I absolutely agree, and this is how I handle ANY passengers in my Camaro. Not many people realize how long the door is, and how easy it can swing out into the next parking space. Or possibly scrape the curb you park on. It's not that anyone would do this on purpose, but it's not their automobile and they don't know it like we do.

As for the gentlemanly thing to do. Yes, I have always let the women and children go first, ect. ect. but I believe this is something that has been discarded due to politically correctness. And laziness! I'm not really picking sides here... it's just how I was raised. I admit to being lazy a time or two. But I'm glad the door locks are in the center console... it gives me enough time to run around to the passenger side before they figure out how to unlock the door.

Regarding Karma, Good/Bad, Life Experiences, or whatever you want to call it. How we get through it is what makes our/your character. And aside from all the (immaterial) material things... character is all we/you have. And sir you did the right thing and you are a good man!

Finally, I'll leave you with these lyrics:


"Mama Sed" - Puscifer

wake up son of mine
momma got somethin' to tell you
change has come
life will have its way
with your pride, son
take like a man

hang on son of mine
a storm is blowing up your horizon

change has come
keep your dignity
take the high road
take it like a man

listen up son of mine
momma got something to tell you
all about grownin' pains
life will pound away
where the light don't shine, son
take it like a man

suck it up son of mine
thunder blowin' up your horizon

change has come
keep your dignity
take the high road
take it like a man

momma said like the rain
this too shall pass
like a kidney stone
this too shall pass

its just a broken heart son
this pain will pass away

[Darth_Emma]

You did the right thing. Bravo!

It is refreshing to know there are other honest people in the world!

Did you find out what the repair is going to cost? I hope it's not too bad.

Those who say you should be vengeful are not nice! You have already shown you are better than that. (But, is fun to imagine...)

[sask-man]

You did the right thing

You need to punt that "friend" to the curb permanently - SHE made the ding SHE should pay

Continue doing the right thing - It will pay off