[honeybee]

I have been parking my cars on the road, and so far I haven't noticed any such instances (Yeah, there were a couple of minor accidents, but no scratches or other regular menaces). Apart from the shopkeepers, there's no one regularly watching the vehicles, and it's extremely easy for a miscreant to hold a ballpen or some other sharp object in the palm of a hand and drag it over the car's body, specially on the pavement side and away from people. However nothing has happened so far.

Which indicates that it's the mentality of some people to indulge in such destructive activities. Even during this last holi, both cars had a lot of colour, which was cleaned after a simple wash/clean job by the regular cleaner guy. I realized the Nano is less prone to such nuisance as it does not have a hood which will accumulate such things.

To come back to the point, if there are miscreants around, this will happen, with or without any occasions. And if there aren't miscreants around, special occasions won't matter.

Is the car parking spot lighted? You can buy a good quality webcam (one of the Microsoft Lifecam models we used in our last job - for face recognition - was retailing at around 5k, and an IP cam doesn't cost a bomb today. You could get the IP cam fitted on the wall outside your balcony/room, and have it connected to a desktop or a fileserver with plenty of hard disk space. Would actually be a good security investment too.

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by honeybee

Is the car parking spot lighted? You can buy a good quality webcam (one of the Microsoft Lifecam models we used in our last job - for face recognition - was retailing at around 5k, and an IP cam doesn't cost a bomb today. You could get the IP cam fitted on the wall outside your balcony/room, and have it connected to a desktop or a fileserver with plenty of hard disk space. Would actually be a good security investment too.

Video Surveillance of public areas without due authorization may not be legally right. Just imagine each occupant of the society doing it. IMO, it would set a wrong precedence to other occupants and a potential invasion of privacy.

[sukhoi30]

Is it only your car that had this problem or there are other owners also facing the same issue. If others are facing the same issue then you could team up with them and as a group complain to the society. I believe that it is wrong for the society to say that "parking is at owners risk".

[Captain Slow]

Originally Posted by idea

In my case, it is not kids for sure.



Society complaint is going to be a waste but will have to do it as to make a "note" of event. CCTV - good quality -seems to be a good option but will call for investment.

Trust me its not kids! these people doing it are doing it for fun! Do you detail/wash your car by yourself?
If you want this to stop or catch this moron CCTV camera is the only option.
I had to spend close to Rs 6,000 on this.
Paint job repair for the figo is estimated at 10,000!

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

Video Surveillance of public areas without due authorization may not be legally right. Just imagine each occupant of the society doing it. IMO, it would set a wrong precedence to other occupants and a potential invasion of privacy.

Public Area's? The parking in the basement is paid property and belongs to the person staying in the house. So Legally the parking is a part of your property and keeping an eye/watching your own property is no invasion of privacy as long as the camera is pointed to only your parking area.

[idea]

Originally Posted by sukhoi30

Is it only your car that had this problem or there are other owners also facing the same issue. If others are facing the same issue then you could team up with them and as a group complain to the society. I believe that it is wrong for the society to say that "parking is at owners risk".

For last 2 days, its just my car.

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by Captain Slow

Public Area's? The parking in the basement is paid property and belongs to the person staying in the house.

That was in specific response to honeybee's post which reads as follows:

You could get the IP cam fitted on the wall outside your balcony/room, and have it connected to a desktop

Don't you think it captures the video of every person walking thru' the pathway?

Installing a CCTV camera at the car park is fine but not in the balcony. BTW... without seeing the actual layout of the car park, it is difficult to comment on the specifics.

[dkaile]

At least you know its the handiwork of culprits. In my case my over excited Labrador regularly jumps on my cars when ever he is chasing monkeys around and I have no way of stopping him. My scratches are quite similar to ones on your car caused by his nails in my case. Though Formula-1 wax polish does provide some respite in diminishing them.

[honeybee]

Originally Posted by Warwithwheels

Video Surveillance of public areas without due authorization may not be legally right. Just imagine each occupant of the society doing it. IMO, it would set a wrong precedence to other occupants and a potential invasion of privacy.

The moment you call it a 'public' area, you cannot claim invasion of 'privacy', IMO. And why each occupant doing it separately? I would go and install it as a common security feature for the whole society. After all the only people to oppose it would be the miscreants.

[Warwithwheels]

Originally Posted by honeybee

And why each occupant doing it separately

Demonstration effect they call it.

When you install a CCTV in your balcony/ room (as suggested in your post) it implies that you will have the sole access to the system. The other residents in your society will not benefit from it.

When they want to get the same benefit, they obviously need to get one fitted in their balcony.

However, when the Society does it by its authority its a different story altogether.

**Each occupant = Each flat owner.

[amalji]

Originally Posted by Samba

Even i faced similar consequences while i lived at Bangalore. Few kids used to scratch my car for fun. But those scratches were painful for me. What i did was i purchased a car cover and used to put on the cover while keeping the car on parking. It really protected my car from further scratches. I guess kids don't bother to work that much by opening the cover and then scratching. If they see any thing attractive or shiny in front of their eyes they may go for it for fun. So for the time being you can purchase a car cover to prevent further scratches. It may work for you too.

I used to use car cover, when I park in railway station for over a day. But, it creates fine scratches when we engage/disengage the cover with some dust on the car. So, I've stopped using it.

3m has got a paint protection film ( which can even prevent scratches if someone purposefully tries to scratch with a key ).
But, it would cost around 50k to get it done on the whole car.
So, I'm planning to do it only on certain areas like the under side of door handle, outer edges of the door and similar places where we tend to scratch the car unknowingly by ourselves. That way, it should cost only around 2k to 3k, I guess.

[idea]

Managed to take care of 70% scratches using a rubbing compound DIY. Still a eye sore but quite reduced.

However, deep scratches are still around.

[DRIV3R]

Okay guys, now I am a victim of this, thanks to imbecile street kids with whom I had an arguement before due to their playing and damaging my car.

I had a quick look and found it was these kids which was later confirmed by my neighbour's CCTV footage.

• All 4 tyres were deflated, valve caps missing
• Deep scratch made with a sharp stone on the windshield
• Deep scratch and dents on the FR, RR and boot doors
• 4-5 big dents and scribbling+scratching all over the hood
• A deep scratch on the RH headlamp
• The Sport decals are torn on the RR door

All these on my beloved Punto, which has given me a mental breakdown.

I have identified the culprits and have the names and addresses with me, have spoken with few of their parents and they have acknowledged their fault since I have the CCTV footage with me. (I will upload it shortly) All it took for them was just 2 mins, with atleast 10 guys doing a well planned job.

All the 3M and SPA visits are now gone down the drain.

All my tyres are not holding air now. Have filled 3 times already, am hoping it is the tyre valves.

Given this situation, what are my options?

What possible legal action can I take upon these upcoming crooks?

[Captain Slow]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

Okay guys, now I am a victim of this, thanks to imbecile street kids with whom I had an arguement before due to their playing and damaging my car.

Really sorry to hear about what happened to your ride.

How young are these kids? and the kids family are they middle class working people ?
If you have the video of the kids doing the damage then approach the parents and ask them to pay up for the repair costs.
If they are not willing to do so then you might have to approach a lawer/cop and ask them for help.
Can you post a picture of the kind of damage done by these vultures?

[DRIV3R]

Thanks for the concern.

I did not have the mood to click pics, talk about our love for cars, I slept hardly for 3 hours last night and had any food after around twenty hours only this afternoon. Was busy getting the car to move and sorting these rascals out. I would post the video tomorrow as I need to convert it first.

Am looking at damage worth atleast 20k.

Those imbeciles are mostly 7th 8th grade types.

[mustysekhon]

Originally Posted by DRIV3R

Thanks for the concern.

I did not have the mood to... , I slept hardly for 3 hours last night and had any food after around twenty hours only this afternoon ... atleast 20k.

Those imbeciles are mostly 7th 8th grade types.

It may be less if you claim insurance and ask the parents to pay the non-insured / deductible amount. Children do make mistakes and one bad apple may lead others down a bad road. Legal action may tarnish them for life and forgiving them may help them realise what could have happened. If they go to the same school, speaking to their counsellor may help. Given our culture most parents do come own heavily on children without realising long term damages. The children will thank you one day for taking the higher road.