lyrixmajor

can someone recommend a place if south florida, ft. laud, miami, boca where i could get it done...

bmms8

contact these ppl, and ask for a location near your area.

http://compustar.org/

DWP

Under "other options", some years ago people were installing proximity-detecting alarm systems that would verbally tell people to step back if they got too close to the car. The systems were, as I recall, fairly useless, except in providing amusement to passers-by. Has anybody come up with an updated version that would supplement (or replace) the verbal warning with a call to a service like Tele-aid? Of course, given that it takes only a few seconds to key a car, even that would probably do no good.

It's implicit in this discussion that (unless it was a personal grudge) the car got keyed because it was a nice new Mercedes. The increasing division in this country between "haves" and "have-nots" is probably responsible for a large share of sociopathic behavior like that, which is not to excuse the behavior in any way. I recall that some people with nice cars (especially Porsches, for some reason) used to park them at an angle across two parking spaces in crowded parking lots, to avoid dings. People stopped doing that when the started getting keyed for their troubles. There was a rough justice in that situation - jerk behavior corrected by criminal behavior - but just keying a car for no reason but amusement and/or envy is, regrettably, a sign of the times.

ruperto

Sorry to hear about your car. I'm afraid that there's not much that can be done.

I try to match the car I'm driving with the neighborhood I'm going to, if possible. There are reasons I have to go to certain neighborhoods, and it's a fact in some of these places, the likelihood of such things increases. It's not a blanket statement, but a statement of statistical fact. Sad but true.

ruperto

It's not in my sig, but I also have an older Toyota Camry, and the family Plymouth Voyager. Those are safer cars in some neighborhoods, I've found. Not likely to be keyed, or jacked.

Even something simple like finger or crayon graffiti is annoying. I parked my ML320 after a few days of purchase, in a place and someone wrote "F U" on it. I don't do showy stuff like bling-bling or anything like that, but I guess the vehicle offended someone. What can you do?

vtec26

i agree with everyone here that the people who did this are scum. but how many times do we stop to analyze if we did anything to deserve what happened? i'm not implying that in this case, the incident might have been provoked, but all i'm saying is sometimes it might be.

just as it was mentioned, there is no scorekeeper for things like this. what if somone decided to be their own score keeper because a car stole a spot in the parking lot or cut them off while on the street and they just happened to park in the sme lot or in any other situation where somone felt they were slighted? things like this may occur because someone felt so strongly about an action that they decide to apply, what they believe to be, an appropriate return of favor. when this happens, the target has usually disrespected someone else. if we never look in the mirror to analyze the situation and change for the better, unfortunate things like this might continue to happen to us.

of course, there are also incidents where kids just vandalize for the fun of it, in which case i can think of a few appropriate ways to return that favor.

Barry45RPM

Usually, here's what we did to "deserve" it...
We bought a car that costs so much, that they think if THEY had that kind of money, THEY'D know what to do with it to better their life, like buy a home, etc...

The truth is it would probably take them 21 days to **** away all of the 60+K on feeling good & taking care of their friends... instead of working hard, saving up & playing by the rules.

That's usually the reason *****head mall rats key up cars. Malls typically have enough parking... only jealousy & a "screw him" attitude causes this.

Thats like asking the owner of a building to look introspectively at himself to see what he did to warrant all the graffitti sprayed on the side of it! They're both just wanton distruction of personal, private property! There is NO ACCEPTABLE JUSTIFICATION for it. NONE. You don't kick a dog because you dislike its owner! "Returning the favor" makes you a criminal just like them.

Mortenstein

Hi, I really feel sorry for what happend. I also think there is absolutely NO ACCEPTABLE JUSTIFICATION for it! We really don't have to come up with the "poor childhood" story when things like this happen! If they didn't get anything right in their lives (for whatever reason) ... why should they damage my property that I worked for and that I like to enjoy?

The only thing these people deserve is and even harder

Btw... did you realize that "our" car is a kind of magnet to others! How many times did I park 61816 miles away from the last occupied lot - just seconds after I left my car the lots around me begun to be crowded. But I was lucky so far... 7 months in the "crap-car-city" of El Paso and noone hit my car so far!

vtec26

i agree that if for no other reason, someone is jealous and decides to key a car, that person is competely in the wrong and there is no justification for that.

most of what i see is a difference of opinion. all i'm saying is that for that split second to think to yourself, did i do anything to deserve this. 99.9% that answer is no...and then u have every right to be angry. it's like in barry's response where he uses the word "usually" throughout. all i'm saying is to consider the .1% chance of the "unusual" case where this happens.

let me give u a real case. i was with a friend looking for parking at a crowded mall during xmas shopping season. 10min later we followed someone to their car and signalled to park. 2 min later when they finally backed out, a lady came around the corner and took the spot. obviously there was a little profanity directed towards her, but she walked away either ignorant of what she'd done or just not giving a crap. well maybe 5 to 10 min later we found another spot, and my friend takes a knife to the car. put a hold in the hood and punctured the sidewall of two tires. this is extreme and makes him a criminal. but i did nothing to stop it because i felt the disrespect that lady gave to us deserved this. this may make me an accessory to a crime, but i don't see myself or my friend as criminals.

one more point, all the people saying that these people deserve a beating, you'd be breaking the law as well if you actually carried that out. but in most of these cases, i would have nothing against anyone beating up these guys and would not consider you a criminal for doing it.

anyhow, back to the orginal intent of the thread. i do feel sorry for this happening to anyone's car. it's good that the insurance is at least taking care of this. hope everything works out.

ATS

Woah.. That is a little extreme. I could see if they ran you over or something.. Your buddy needs help..

Nevada Jack

Wow...do you really think that you can justify commiting a crime because it "seems justified in your mind" based on a action commited by someone else? If you don't consider yourself as a criminal, what do you consider yourself as? I would not want you on any jury I was involved with. Unbelievable.

I really wanted to let this go but had to comment.

BoSoxFan

Glad to see that you and your friend had such great Christmas sprit with plenty of "Peace on earth and goodwill to men."

Barry45RPM

vtec26]...this is extreme and makes him a criminal. but i did nothing to stop it because i felt the disrespect that lady gave to us deserved this. this may make me an accessory to a crime, but i don't see myself or my friend as criminals.

You might have felt good but what you and your friend did WAS criminal, and way, way over the top...an insane criminal rage. If caught, he should spend some time in the can, with Bubba looking sexily at him, and not offered the chance to pay for the damage.

Its criminal because all she did was "take YOUR" parking spot. It cost you nothing (and it isn't YOUR spot anyway) so she wasn't either curteous or aware of driving "rules". What you and your buddy did was take about a thousand dollars from her wallet, or if she claimed it on insurance, from all of US.

A decent human being wouldn't do that if he was looking for a spot to park his car at a hospital emergency room, so he could get his pregnant wife inside to deliver!

I hate to come off like a Religious Fanatic, which couldn't be farther from the truth, but there was no excuse, short of her killing your dog in front of you for kicks, for you guys' behavior.

saffrontiger

Wow. Can't believe i just read that on a MB forum

Mortenstein

Do you drive a Benz or are you just reading?? People like you should spend some time with counting tiles on the wall or counting how many days left until seeing the sunlight again... just sick!

But I really want to see your face after taking "somebodys" parking lot and then your car beeing keyed all around. But you would probably say "Ok, I was disrespectful and deserved it and who cares anyways - my insurance (so we all) will pay for it."

This bullsh.. makes me sick and I never thought W211 drivers could even think the way you do. But life once again proofed me wrong.

I just wonder - if the thing between the ears is obviously not used for thinking, how can such people make enough money to drive that expensive cars... but oh - forgot... just $299 a month

And now I will unsubscribe this threat because this bullsh.. makes me

TPAbnz

You've got to be kidding. I never thought that I'd read something like this in such a pleasant forum as MBWorld. With respect to your comments, I won't even get into the gentlemanly act of yielding your parking space to a woman.

First off, your "friend" committed a felony in any of the 50 States. Depending on the damages, maybe a first degree felony. Were you in physical proximity to him, in the same vehicle or your car, or did you serve as a lookout? You too would probably be charged as a felony accomplice.

Do you have a felony history or are you in a three-strike state? Three strikes and your out -- that is in the joint for life. If not, nothing like starting out with a felony under your belt.

As a former prosecutor, I'd relish the thought of personally prosecuting a crime like this.

(BTW, in all of the various forums I've read over the years, I don't recall anyone admitting to an act like this with a readily identifiable IP address)

CALBenzo

Yikes! Using your own reasoning, could be a .1% chance she had an emergency and needed that space.

DWP

In California (which is where vtec26 says he is, in another post) vandalism of $400 or more can go as either a felony or a misdemeanor. With limited exceptions, California doesn't require anyone to act to prevent the commission of a crime by another, and doesn't impose any criminal liability for passively standing by while somebody (even a so-called "friend") commits vandalism. The result is different if somebody acts as a lookout, supplies a tool, etc. The moral and ethical implications of standing by in this situation are something else again, of course.

OK. We've all expressed our outrage at vtec26, reset the collective moral compass to true north, and left vtec26's virtual ears burning, er, flaming. Now, back to our regularly scheduled programming ....

saffrontiger

AGREED!

Barry45RPM

So, How about those Yankees?

vtec26

i'm sorry you and other people think this of me, i don't hold it against you or anyone else. i believe everyone is entitled to their opinion.

yes i do drive a mb w211 on occasion, but usually i drive a beater because there are idiots out there who would vandalize a nice car.

i would never dream of taking a spot in a crowded parking lot that someone has already signalled and waited for. to me that is the ultimate disrespect. if i did, i would definitely expect something to "happen" to my car. i would not claim insurance on it because i personally believe in high deductibles...i make enough to deal with life's curve ***** and don't need a company to cover my part...and least of all ruin it for everyone else, because "everyone pays for it."

and the .1% chance it was an emergency for her to take the spot, then could she not have said nicely "sorry it really is an emergency" as she walked away (which takes no additional time)?

if my morals are questioned, so be it. but what about the people who say the vandals deserve a beating? is that not also similar thinking along the lines of revenge and deserving of jail time with bubba? :p

i'm sorry i make you sick. but like many people i can afford a car of this stature without leasing or financing. i would like to think my brain is used for thinking too, considering i've gone through the best universities in the states. but this isn't about me personally and i definitely am not attacking anyone personally here.

i want to say sorry to those who disagree with my views. my intent was not start an argument, but rather offer a different perspective.

thanks DWP...back to the original programming.

vtec26

how bout the stupid lakers and shaq vs. kobe?

lyrixmajor

being the victim here... i would ike to say it is never justified. i never thought of harming my worst enemies car. a man's car is sacred. just like his girl. everyone that responed to this thread know what i mean. even you with the fiend that punctered the ladies car. when i was in high school a friend of mine ex-girlfriend punctured all 4 tires on my car. we went to put sugar in her gas tank and i stopped him. dont get me wrong, i'm not soft. i may be a software engineer now that makes a lot of money but i grew up in the bronx where you handled your ****. its never worth it to physically hurt people and cause them to spend more money. no matter what. however i do belive if you can legally screw them you do. why? they'll think twice before they do that **** again. i will have my eye out.....plus i'm trying to find a sensistive alarm that pages me or surveillance equipment. all that said if it was a guy that did it, i would have kicked his *** period. woman or child, i would have held them for the cops. but the kicker will be that if it sint random, the fu**er will see me with my car in 2 weeks time ( i took it to the shop the next day) and when i but my 2nd benz next year, the sl500 or maybe sl55 they will realize that tehir miserable existence woiuld be better served at trying to make money. who knows maybe i banged his girl...LOL
i realy think gun turrets should be standard...LOL

bmms8

i understand what your saying, and it isnt justified, but like i said before.....go to www.compustar.org !