Help - idiot parking!

Hi all, I love my car, but unfortunately have on-street parking (due to living in the centre of Windsor) - and have had my bumpers scratched or damaged 5 times already this year due to inconsiderate @rseoles...! I'm considering trying to find some kind of proximity alarm, that would activate when someone gets too close to the car (whilst it wont necessarily stop them continuing to dirve into the car, but may help..) it would at least alert me/neighbours to the fact that someone is about to damage my car yet again.. Does anyone have any experience/advice/thoughts on options (short of moving and getting a garage!!)? Thanks, Justin

I've had a similar problem but with people deliberately scratching my car. Have had to park it at work since I got it fixed, but am setting up a CCTV and security light for my driveway. Maybe that'll work as a deterrent. We'll see.

I park in central London and face similar issues without a garage at home - I have used a heavy duty car cover for the last 18 months and it protects against minor scratches from poor parking, and to date also appears to deter anyone from scratching it deliberately. It takes me about 3 minutes to put it on which for the peace of mind it gives is well worth it. Make sure you get a lockable one though as I have had people try and steal the cover.

Some few years ago I saw at the VSCC meeting held at the Bugatti Owner's Club hillclimb near Gotherington, a car ( I think it was an Aston DB6 Volante ) that was equipped with an amusing alarm system. This consisted of the car giving off a series of taped human voice warnings as people drew closer. The first one, I seem to recall, was an authoritarian male voice demanding "Please keep your distance ! " This was spoken when anyone got to within about 15 metres. The second message ( at a range of about 10 metres ) was a sultry female voice saying " If you love me, you'll leave me" and the last one was a voice that sounded very much like Henry Cooper's and at about 5 metres this said " Do you like hospital food ? No ? Then bugger off ! " Very amusing, but after about 30 minutes a gorgeous bit of totty in a micro skirt came swaying up and switched it off, so I guess that it might wear a tad thin after a while ! Was I impressed with the alarm ? - maybe, but not half as impressed as I was at the sight of her bending over to reach a switch in the central armrest ! SGLB

Reminds me of Peter Kay's Phoenix nights, when Paddy the bouncer gets an alarm fitted to his car that says "get back you b4$t4rd, I'll break your legs"

Excellent (and amusing!) comments, thanks guys - a heavy duty car cover sounds a great idea - can anyone recommend a supplier?

Got mine at website below - good quality, tailored to 911 and lined. Other consideration is if parking on street, make sure it has a window for your tax disc to show through. http://www.classicadditions.com

I agree with John's comments re Covercraft covers, but only so far as they are light and strong and easy to fit. Other than that, they are absolute rubbish and even fail to keep dust out, let alone rain. I think that they may be acceptable for inside use (putting to one side their willingness to let dust through ), but for outside use they let rain through, and worse yet, if this rain then freezes, it is impossible to get the cover off without pouring gallons of warm water over it ! Of course, Covercraft may have more than one type of cover, but the one I bought was the most expensive and was described as being suitable for outside use. Give 'em a very wide berth. They are worse than useless and no cover at all is much preferable !!!!!!!! However, should you decide to buy one, then please ensure that you tie and lock it. A neighbour of mine bought one for his Merc. whilst he had his garage extended. He didn't tie and lock it so the wind blew it away. He has never seen it since, although it did remain for a short while tangled up with his Sky dish, before eventually launching itself off over the houses and bound for Luton airport at a rate of knots ! SGLB.

Clifford do a proximity alarm, makes a load warming when someone comes into close contact with the car, the field is adjustable to. about £150 have a look on there web site.

OK that's interesting thanks - will take a look

Have you considered something like paintshield.co.uk ? i.e. a protective plastic film that people use on bumper, bonnet and wing mirrors to protect against stone chips. You could just get the front bumper done and forget abt the bonnet and wing mirrors. It is practically invisible (when just applied to the front bumper) and could offer a first line of defense against those irritating scuff marks people leave behind when they reverse over the leading edge of your bumper while trying to get into a parking space. I haven't tried it yet myself, tho came close to getting it on my car.

I have the Clifford Concept 600 fitted to mine - pain in @rse at times Wind blowing in the tree's or bushes can set it off, apart from this it does work, it is quite fun watching people jump out of their skins in car parks!! BTW - The taped voice alarms tend to attract kids.

I have a Cover Zone outdoor cover - fits fine, easyish on & off, even when cold or frozen with no obvious signs of rain getting in. I located mine thru eBay and went direct to a place in Ilford I think and paid aroun £70. Similar to this http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=10408&item=4548938550&rd=1 Cheers, Rob