I mended a thing!

"Xyl0c41n3" (i-am-xyl0c41n3)
12/12/2016 at 14:30 • Filed to: Mended things, Good fences make good neighbors

So, I woke up to this scene Friday morning. One of my asshole neighbors hit my car, pushing my driver side mirror in and snapping the rear cover off of it, to boot. No note. No apology. *Sigh.*

We have assigned spaces where I live and the neighbor who owns that spot doesn’t have a car, so usually it’s empty. That is, until this one asshole neighbor with a ginormous Nissan Titan double parks in that space. Everyone in my complex hates this person because they are forever double parking in spaces that don’t belong to them. The whole parking lot is a tow-away zone, but none of us want to be “that guy” and actually get their truck towed. (It would cost $325 to get it back. I know because someone was “that guy” to one of my other neighbors before I moved in and she told me about it).

But you can see how often a problem they are by looking at how far to the right I’m parked in my own spot. There was nobody in the space when I got home from work Thursday, but I’m so used to their assholeness that I just park as far over as I can anyway. This is actually the second time this has happened. The first time, my mirror was just pushed inward and nothing was broken, though.

Almost everyone in my complex, except me, drives a huge SUV or truck (because, Texas) and nobody else ever has a problem fitting their vehicles in our very generously sized spaces. I squeeze my sub-compact Fiesta over as far right as I can every day and my neighbor with her GMC Acadia still has no problem fitting in her space with room to spare.

This wrong-space-double-parking asshole is just an asshole for the sake of being an asshole.

So anyway, I pick the plastic cover off the ground, grumble a bit and go to work. It wasn’t until I took a closer look once I got to my office that I realized the asshat had actually snapped off one of the tabs that locks the cover into place. Luckily, it fell into a crevice in the rest of the mirror assembly and I fished it out.

Broken tab. :(

That ring is 100 percent .925 grade Mexican silver.

A post-work trip to the store for some Gorilla Glue was in order. I ran to Walmart and grabbed a Gorilla Glue pen, along with some toys and Play-Dough for the County Constables who were standing in the windy cold outside the store collecting gifts for their annual Christmas toy drive. Popped the toys in the back of one of their patrol units, said Merry Christmas, and booked it back home to apply the glue.

Behold!

Foamy!

Somehow I’d made it this far in life without ever having used Gorilla Glue. I had no idea it dried a foamy white, but there ya go. It’s not pretty, but ain’t no one ever gonna see it anyway. I let it cure for the full 24 hours, and then snapped it back on the mirror. Good as new.

I’m glad it worked, because I’d already called to see how much that part would cost to order: $60 before paint matching. No thanks, I’d rather spend $4 on Gorilla Glue.

Anyway, all’s well that ends well. And next time asshat is an asshat, I might finally call that tow truck.

DISCUSSION (22)

jimz > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 14:39

gorilla glue doesn’t work for everything, but when it works, it works .

E90M3 > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 14:40

That sucks. When I lived in Alice we had assigned parking spots, thankfully all my neighbors were courteous. I wasn’t aware when I first moved in, they very politely told me about it. I was also glad I had a 1997 Explorer and that didn’t draw much attention. Thankfully, when I lived in Corpus and San Antonio, I had a garage. I hated the idea of my car being outside unattended when I was in the field. You’re right about parking in Texas, no one seems to be good at it.

Hopefully your fix works. If not, maybe just look on ebay for a used mirror. I got a junkyard mirror for my Explorer because the motors stopped working. It wasn’t hard at all to replace.

Wacko > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 14:42

Nissan Tundra?

Xyl0c41n3 > Wacko
12/12/2016 at 14:42

Titan! Whoops. I meant Titan. Thank you for catching that. Updating now.

Wacko > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 14:44

use the rest of that glue on his truck to keep the gas door closed.

Wacko > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 14:44

I thought you were just high on the glue fumes.

Xyl0c41n3 > Wacko
12/12/2016 at 14:46

I blame it on Monday. That, and that I have yet to have my morning cup of coffee, even though it’s a quarter till 2 in the afternoon.

Xyl0c41n3 > Wacko
12/12/2016 at 14:47

Ooooooh! That’s devilish!

Urambo Tauro > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 14:47

Good work!

I think it’s more appropriate to confront the driver about it than call the tow truck, but with damage like that, I’d say you’re justified either way.

Xyl0c41n3 > E90M3
12/12/2016 at 14:48

Yeah. I was very grateful that asshat didn’t damage the mirror itself or the motor. But we had lots of rain last week, so I was afraid the water exposure would damage the motor. Luckily, the waterworks tapered off most of Friday and everything seems to be in good working order. :)

Xyl0c41n3 > Urambo Tauro
12/12/2016 at 14:53

The woman is a nutter. I’ve tried talking to her about parking in the wrong space and double parking. She doesn’t care. She gets angry if you try to talk to her. One time I was leaving a note (politely worded, because I don’t want to find my car keyed or my tires flat one day) under her windshield wiper asking her (again) to please stop parking in the wrong space. By coincidence, she was actually about to leave right after I placed the note, so I saw her walking towards the parking lot right after I placed it. I kept gathering my own things to head back to my apartment. As I was walking away, out of the corner of my eye I saw her grab the note, read it, and then chuck the paper on the ground.

Like I said, she’s an asshole. And no one at my complex likes her. My other neighbors and I all get along great. She’s not even in our building (there are several buildings in this complex). It just so happens that the spaces for her building start right near our building’s spaces.

Urambo Tauro > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 15:11

Wow.

Being an asshole is one thing, but she caused actual damage this time. It needs to stop. You mentioned a complex, so I assume there is a landlord to talk to? Might want to get them (and/or the police) involved. Just be honest and explain the damage and the situation. Say that you’re afraid of retaliation, and ask their advice.

Do you have a dashcam that you can leave running in your car?

Xyl0c41n3 > Urambo Tauro
12/12/2016 at 15:19

No, unfortunately I don’t. I’ve wanted one for a while, though. Maybe I’ll start trolling ebay to see what they’ve got that’s cheap.

And I texted the apartment manager the day it happened and she was just like “tell the cops and tell the landlord yourself.” (Said landlord lives about 80ish miles away and is pretty much a no-show except when rent is due).

Ike > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 15:21

IMHO warn twice with a note, warn in person once, if it happens again maliciously. (Same day, next day, something where you know they ignored you and not just a honest forgetfulness) call the tow truck company. Then if it happens after that, 2 more notes then a call to the tow trucks. I would not do it in person again because of risk of physical harm

gawdzillla > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 15:23

i’d call the tow truck EVERYTIME i see them double parked

Urambo Tauro > Xyl0c41n3
12/12/2016 at 15:24

Ok yeah, it sounds like both the landlord and manager don’t want to be involved at all. They won’t be any help talking to the other tenant, and they won’t threaten to kick her out, either.

It’s time to get the cops involved.