Given his history, I reckon the Dalai Lama would have carefully taken the registration number, gone into hiding and made a lot of carefully targetted announcements urging his followers not to take revenge on his behalf, then waited for the news that they had done so.

Passive-aggressive behaviour is still aggressive, even if it allows the perpetrator to pretend to innocence of responsibility.

Lots of people died because of the sainted Mahatma's passive-aggression and lots of Tibetans have died while the Dalai Lama holds himself very visibly "above the fray".

I don't reckon that's much of an example.

It sounds as though you're above mere vigilantism or retribution…

Fortunately, there's a concept known as Restorative Justice (occasionally Reparative Justice) where the emphasis becomes making-good and the effort is shifted from the crime itself to repairing the damage caused.

Which sounds precisely like what is required in this instance.

'Trolley bowling' sounds like fun, but may attract unwanted attention; keying is easier but too subtle; valve removal creates an immediate and effective time and disruption penalty for the 'perp' but would require too much bending over and we wouldn't want you getting lightheaded and dizzy when you stood up; voluntarily donating your canned goods via a window is giving away the shopping you went there for in the first place and risks putting your shoulder out… So use your knowledge of vehicle restoration.

For future occasions put an effective Duco stripper in a small plastic sauce bottle. Apply as required to the offending vehicle spelling out any descriptive words about the driver that occur to you or a free-form pattern if you're feeling artistic.

Restorative Justice achieved – it's made you feel good, little effort required and the antisocial offender who started it is left to repair the damage.

"I don't reckon that's much of an example."

Why am I not surprised....(even if I do suspect you to be the most intelligent poster on this forum:)

But go on, guys. After all revenge is a purely human trait.

Although seeing that our species likes to elevate itself to realms far above other species in its logic and conduct , I'm wondering why Hasbeen couldn't have waited for the driver and exchanged details.

A couple of thoughts
- Security cameras are a lot more prevalent than they used to be.
- My impression is the the law is a lot more likely to deal with a clearly deliberate attack than the original wrong. Get videoed letting down tyres or spraying paint stripper on some ones car and not being under age or some other mitigating factor and the damage gets a lot worse than a $400 bill.

I don't have neat answers to any of it either. I don't want a situation where I pull in next to a freshly damaged car and the owner decides upon their return that I was the one who damaged the car (in the heat of the moment) and returns fire.

At the same time I'd love to see the mongrels who put the full length wavering scratch (too much height change to be anything other than a hand held implement of some sort) down the side of my car punished in a way that inspired others never to do the same.

Its not fair that Hasbeen should wear the cost of repairs for the incident but at the same time I don't want yet more government intervention to try and sort out all that stuff.

R0bert

A smart one WmTrevor, but unless explained to the perpetrator would probably not be noticed. When looking to see if my paint was on their door, where it sat amid minor damage to their door, I saw similar chips out of it in at least 10 places. I don't think it had been washed in a few years, although not very old so I doubt they would notice much less than a smashed windscreen.

Poirot I was enjoying my day, the first time I have had this car out in a couple of weeks. This was the first day it has not rained, so I have been using a car which is already dirty, rather than dirty another. To chamois the water off the lower part of a car has become hard work for me over the last year or two.

My day had now been ruined. Waiting for, & accosting the perpetrator was only going to reinforce my pain, & lead to an argument, which would further spoil the day, & probably achieve nothing. Better to leave try to forget the thing for the moment, & try to repair the damage myself if possible. I really can't afford to spend any more money on it right now.

Unfortunately this means I will not be able enjoy this car for anything that requires it to share a parking area where people like this can cause me upset. That's a pity, as when I do many people come up, telling me their memories of a similar car. The sight of an old car looking nice is enjoyed by so many. I really would love a dollar for every time someone has said, "Gee I haven't seen one of these since". It would definitely pay for the repairs.

Hasbeen,
I know how you feel. I have had four cars stolen & severely damaged/ruined. The first a beetle just disappeared, the 2nd a VW1600, the third a Landcruiser that was just maliciously damaged beyond repair & another landcruiser had the ignition ripped out along with the cd player & the speakers, side panels & all.
The cops or rather Police (they were decent chaps) got the culprits of the two landcruiser jobs & pleaded with the young sheilah magistrate for the louts to pay restitution, they were after all employed by local council. This dumbcrap of a magistrate told the police that the hoodlums wouldn't have the means to pay me back so she let them off, no conviction no nothing. The 2nd land cruiser the magistrate let them off also even after the same craphead did 8 grand worth of damage to the sergeant's private car. Go figure Australian Law ?
In your position the best revenge is to spray brake fluid over their car when next you see it parked.