Kids playing football in the street/cars

cottyh24

I can't believe how many people on here are slating the OP for wanting to keep her car in good condition. I have had 2 cars dented by kids playing football and crashing into them with their scooters. I can't put my car in a garage as I don't have one, nor do I have a drive. I'd love one or both of these but cannot afford to move at the moment. The street I live in even has the 'No ball games allowed' signs up but the kids and their parents either cannot read them, or are just ignoring them. I've thought about talking to the parents but I'd more than likely end up with more damage to my car if I did that (I don't live in the best area).

Whilst I'm not as car proud as op seems to be, it still really annoys me that these kids think it's ok to damage my property. They too are 6 or 7. I do feel a bit sorry for the kids as we have a park round the corner which would be far more suitable for them to play in, but the parents couldn't sit on their doorstep drinking alcohol if they took them there so the kids play in the street.

If I'd have damaged neighbours property with a football when I was a kid my parents would have had my guts for garters and rightly so.

Treevo

janninew wrote: »

Depends if you look after your car or not! A ball hitting my car every now and then is a big deal. Fair enough if you have an old banger but if your a car lover and take care of it a few football dents and scruffs are likely to bother you a lot.

Some people don't understand that those of us who work hard in order to buy nice things expect to have them respected. Some of us just aren't made to settle with a manky flat and dead end job.

valk_scot

notanewuser wrote: »

I'm not sure what I'll do with DD while I get the car out of the garage though. Do I leave her unsupervised on the drive or in the kitchen?? (She's 2 and a half.).

If there's room for you to get in the driver door then there will be room for her to get in the rear door, surely? Open door, she climbs up into her seat and then you lean in after her and do up the car seat straps. It's not like you have to carry her out in a baby seat like you would a tiny baby.

How about putting the furniture etc in storage? Probably drier than the average garage, apart from anything else.

notanewuser

valk_scot wrote: »

If there's room for you to get in the driver door then there will be room for her to get in the rear door, surely? Open door, she climbs up into her seat and then you lean in after her and do up the car seat straps. It's not like you have to carry her out in a baby seat like you would a tiny baby.

How about putting the furniture etc in storage? Probably drier than the average garage, apart from anything else.

Garage is bone dry. But thanks for the idea.

valk_scot

Well, having caught up with the finer details of the garage it looks like the furniture will be out soon anyway and then you'll have far more space to park the car and, presumably, be able to access any door you need? If you don't like to have the car seat behind you when driving btw park the car with the drivers door against the side wall and scoot across from the front passenger seat to the drivers seat. We used to have a narrow garage and wide car in our old house and as I was looking after my son and my nephew as well as being pregnant I used to have great fun getting two small boys and my bump into the car. It can be done though, it's amazing how much you can train a toddler to do for themselves when you get too unwieldy to do it for them. Don't trust a child to do up the safety harness till they're a lot older though!

And really we're only talking about 3-4 weeks anyway till the furniture goes? I'd just keep reminding the young footballers to cease and desist every couple of days and hopefully you'll get some rain too, that will keep them indoors.

notanewuser

valk_scot wrote: »

Well, having caught up with the finer details of the garage it looks like the furniture will be out soon anyway and then you'll have far more space to park the car and, presumably, be able to access any door you need? If you don't like to have the car seat behind you when driving btw park the car with the drivers door against the side wall and scoot across from the front passenger seat to the drivers seat. We used to have a narrow garage and wide car in our old house and as I was looking after my son and my nephew as well as being pregnant I used to have great fun getting two small boys and my bump into the car. It can be done though, it's amazing how much you can train a toddler to do for themselves when you get too unwieldy to do it for them. Don't trust a child to do up the safety harness till they're a lot older though!

And really we're only talking about 3-4 weeks anyway till the furniture goes? I'd just keep reminding the young footballers to cease and desist every couple of days and hopefully you'll get some rain too, that will keep them indoors.

Thanks. It's a double garage but have to park the car really close to the wall to be able to open any doors, and because its a sporty car with bucket seats and I'm a leggy 5' 10" there's no way to climb over the gearstick (believe me, I've tried - including while 8 months pregnant :rotfl: )

She's really good about climbing into her seat (it's this one so there's no way she can fasten it on her own, and I'd probably struggle to do it properly from one side. But I can see how it works.)

Hopefully it won't be long before all the stuff comes out of there. Mind you, it's been much easier use putting DD in and driving away without having to get the car out, get her in it, lock the garage, set the alarm and lock the house, get back in car and then drive away. Her nursery have moved their start time to 15 minutes early. I'll have to be up at dawn I think!!

valk_scot

notanewuser wrote: »

its a sporty car with bucket seats

I have the solution! Keep the smart car in the garage and buy a £300 banger to park on the street and use for the day to day running around. Once it gets too dented outside and filled with squashed biscuits and lost raisins inside, scrap it and get a "new" one. It will save you £££ on repairs and even more in terms of stress.

busiscoming2

I live in the same sort of layout as you and feel your pain. Oddly enough me and DH were only saying today that the lads who used to play ball out the front have now got cars of their own and were complaining about the younger ones playing and hitting their cars!

I would be forever outside telling the kids to go and play near their parents cars (they liked to play outside mine as it is the top of the road). I suppose we were lucky as we never had any real damage.

My kids were only allowed to play with a foam ball and if I caught them using a hard one they were grounded.

I'd speak to the parents and make them aware.

notanewuser

valk_scot wrote: »

I have the solution! Keep the smart car in the garage and buy a £300 banger to park on the street and use for the day to day running around. Once it gets too dented outside and filled with squashed biscuits and lost raisins inside, scrap it and get a "new" one. It will save you £££ on repairs and even more in terms of stress.

Thanks. Got a banger as well! Had it 12 years and now only fit for a
Taking places like stations and pubs where it will be left overnight.

And another car - DH takes that to work when he has to go away. And a bike!

No more cars!!! :rotfl:

In all seriousness, I love each of our cars - they are all perfect for different uses. Had each since new, they've all been loved and cared for. I'm not buying a !!!!py car just because some kids can't be careful playing football.

RedBlue

My parents have this exact situation, almost - the kids in your situation seem nicer.

My parents live in a culdesac and there is about 18 children spread over ten houses and they are an absolute nightmare. They constantly play outside in the road, refuse to move for cars, leave they bikes/scooters on the road and have caused thousands of pounds worth of damage to people's cars and properties - do their parents care........ Not a chance. My parents and other neighbours have spoken to their parents numerous times and either get told to F Off or are told the park (less than 100 metres away) is too far for their precious brats to go.

My parents car has been scratched from bikes and dented from balls. My brothers car has a massive dent in the side where one of them fell off their bike and hit the side of the car with the handle bars. The parents were made aware but refused to pay for the damage saying "they are only kids".

One poor mans car has a huge dent where one of the kids was swinging his scooter around, let go and it hit this mans car - again parents refuse to pay for damage.

Another house has had it's brick wall destroyed by the kids smashing it down and throwing bricks all over the road....

These aren't nice kids, they are feral and they have been "slung up" by their awful parents. You ask them nicely to move away from the cars even they tell you to F Off.

They literally have no respect for anyone or anything!

Main reason why my parents are moving in a few weeks!!!

You have my sympathy!