Hi all,

So while waiting for the bus at work today to go home, I see employees leaving in their cars.

The first one hops into a scrappy 06 plate Citroen Picasso. He starts the engine (with difficulty), and then sits on the redline for a good 10 seconds while parked in neutral. From the sound, I thought it was a petrol, but as it drove past me while leaving, I realized it was a diesel. The engine sounded knackered.

The second one drives past in a relatively new Ford S-Max or Galaxy or something, with a very weird swooshing sound coming from the car. I take a look, and notice that he is driving with his rear offside tyre completely flat. He seemed to go on his way, completely unaware. Surely you would notice something like this??

Anyway, the point is, it's pretty shocking how some people treat their cars, and are so careless.

Anyone with similar observations?

Working within the motor trade the majority of staff change their car every year, now the amount of people who don't was them in the time of ownership will really surprise you!

its is sort of related , some years old was in a car park walking back to my car a woman had put a shopping bag on my bonnet ,I give her a mouth full her reply was there nothing wrong with me butting it on your bonnet I was steaming , so I got my tool box out of the boot and but it on her bonnet saying nothing wrong with it but it did dent it , her face was a picture

When I saw the thread title, I imagined this going to be about thrashing non-starting cars with branches from trees, John Cleese style

its is sort of related , some years old was in a car park walking back to my car a woman had put a shopping bag on my bonnet ,I give her a mouth full her reply was there nothing wrong with me butting it on your bonnet I was steaming , so I got my tool box out of the boot and but it on her bonnet saying nothing wrong with it but it did dent it , her face was a picture

I would have launched her shopping across the car park too, cheeky cow!

People have so little respect for their own property and worse they have less for other peoples.

I have had stand up rows and smacked massive dents in other peoples cars before. Whilst they were watching me.

Had a guy open his car door into mine, whilst I was sat in it, he chipped the paint, I got out and confronted him and he was being a royal donkey about it. Said I should stop complaining and at least he didnt dent it, I asked if it was alright to dent other peoples cars and he replied it was. So I smacked the door open hard enough that I dented his and took his paint with me. He asked me what I was playing at, and I just replied "you said its perfectly alright to dent other peoples cars". His face was a picture, and as he started getting irate, his missus led him off, telling him "if you weren't being such a (c bomb) and werent so far up your own (backside) then he wouldnt have done it!" she turned to me and apologised that he had damaged my car, and said she would have done the same in my shoes.

This was quite some time ago, and looking back I acknowledge its probably seen as criminal damage, but some people are just so self obsessed and care so little, that they need to get a taste of their own disrespect.

You hit the nail right on the head there James . . they have no respect, or sense of value . . .

absolutely, but because these people think you will just take it, they dont care. As soon as it happens to them, its a different story.

I hate my car being scratched (after some pratt keyed it) and the fact there are so many stone chips. If I could afford it, I would have them professionally repaired.

I take great care and value my car, and look after it, but when people have that little respect....

Quite possibly because they have not physically earned the cash to actually pay for it themselves - life is very easy when you're spending other peoples hard earned . . .

Mechanically I keep my car(s) sound but aesthetically I've given up, no point working on a farm. It does amaze me though how some people are unaware as to how to start a car...( don't drive straight off etc and also give it time to 'prime up' before actually turning the key) . Lad I work with, has a Volvo S60 with the ST engine in it, gets in, reverses and canes it off down the road. Other bloke I work with, his l200 is sponsored by black gaffa tape lol

Without wishing, or intending to generalise, it's these sort of '' drivers '' that'll be on Forums such as this begging for help at some point too . . .

As someone correctly stated on here recently - look after your car & it'll look after you - wise words indeed - & has served me very well over the last 37 years & 3 years prior to that with mopeds & motorcycles.

Agreed Mark, I try to look after them and repair problems before they get too bad. Mindel has done me well for almost two years now, and other than general maintenance, and repairing former owner bodges, she starts, drives, and protects me when I need it all!