Am I in the wrong? Options

[Random_Stranger]

Ok, I am pretty much cool with everyone in my engine overhaul class. It is pretty obvious I love my car, as my normal day to day attire has anything related to Toyota on it, from shirts, jackets, hats, to keychains. Today, the first semester guys (which I am in) was in class all day, when we came out on break, I find one of my friends leaning against my car, and the other with is drink on my hood, along with his bag of burritos on it. I was like "WTF?! Get that $#!T off my car foo" and he took it off and was saying sorry. Then I got in my car and went to grab a bite to eat. When I get back, I am near the front entrance of our shop with my car back where I had it, parked out in front of the shop door to bring my car in. Then another guy was leaning on my car and when he did, it made my alarm chirp. For some reason, he looked back and decided to kick my tire to set off my alarm. I am already pissed off at this point, with energy drinks in my system to help aide my anger and frustration/irritation, and upset because the teacher was lecturing us all day when I wanted to get things done. I turn off my alarm, walk over there and the majority of first semester and second semester standing around watching me walk up. I told them "Look, I am not a confrontational guy, but I swear to God, the next one of ANYONE messing (used another word, but whatever) with my car will catch the quickest @$$ beating". Then one guy said "I like to fight" and I walked up to him and said "I'm serious".

After that, everyone except those who were not leaning on my car (and my friends who were that kept apologizing) were the only people who talked to me. Now that I have calmed down a bit, I ask myself, Am I out of line? Or did I have full right to get all mad for people leaning on my car, touching it (after I keep it clean when I come to school and don't want fingerprints on it and stuff), etc..?

[SwissFerdi]

Nope. A car should be respected, and I would've damn sure done the same thing.

[johnnehh]

Nope. A car should be respected, and I would've damn sure done the same thing.

QFT.

[Random_Stranger]

Well I asked my mom (the most passive person on the face of this planet) and she said I was in the right. My dad isn't the best person to ask about stuff like this, because he is like FUNK EVERYBODY! So I asked her as I respect her advice, even if I do not agree with it, and at times often seek the medium of my instincts and her reasoning if that is the case. But no, she said "You're damn right boy!", so I feel better. Now I need to work off this aggression so tomorrow I won't hold any hard feelings and hopefully that is the end of that.

[Nial]

Anyone touching my car gets shouted at the first time.....my car is one of the only things I would fight over, I`m very relaxed and easy going, never get into fights ever.....but if they did it again I`ll defend my property. If I ever caught anyone breaking into it/damaging it etc I would certainly kick the living crap out of them.

[Random_Stranger]

Anyone touching my car gets shouted at the first time.....my car is one of the only things I would fight over, I`m very relaxed and easy going, never get into fights ever.....but if they did it again I`ll defend my property. If I ever caught anyone breaking into it/damaging it etc I would certainly kick the living crap out of them.

You are a man of my own heart Nial. I am exactly the same way. I haven't been in the fight since the 6th grade and haven't had to since then (came close many times, but I am also reasonable and talk to people before). So I 100% agree with you and that is how I feel.

[SwissFerdi]

Especially when someone cares about their car as much as I do, or Random does. Cars can't fight back.

[95CelicaST]

I had an acquaintance of mine (a friend of my friend) put his greasy hand on my car intentionally to get a reaction from me after I had just announced that I had spent the last 4 hours detailing. I choke slammed him into my friend's yard for that. He then took a rag and cleaned it off. Since then he respects my cars.


So what you didn't isn't anywhere near crossing the line into "wrong". It's your car. Your property. Your time and money. Would you want someone to come onto your nicely manicured lawn and start digging holes? I know I'd flip out.

[yarik83]

I have kids skateboarding and playing football near my car. Most now know to stay well the eff away from it. Some that dont get a serious pep talk. Some that decide that their ego is better than my car get shooed away. Those that still persist... trust me I might be 135lbs 5ft 7 but you do not want to mess with my car. One guy thought he would be smart by throwing his football in the side of my car to piss me off. Now I am not a football player by any means cause after all I did grow up in Russia. I picked up that ball so fast and threw it so hard that when it bounced off his head it knocked him on the ground. When he got up from the ground all pumped up I opened my car and pulled out my machete (I work in the field every now and then so have my hard hat, safety goggles, boots etc) and said that next person to touch my car gets his ear chopped off. Ever since then that little 15 year old twerp has been giving me a very wide pass. Every time I come outside he crosses the parking lot.

I am a peaceful person but like others have mentioned... a man's car is a man's car. Much like you would stand up for your lady... you must also stand up for the 4 wheeled lady too.

This post has been edited by yarik83: Oct 5, 2009 - 7:17 PM

[SwissFerdi]

a man's car is a man's car. Much like you would stand up for your lady... you must also stand up for the 4 wheeled lady too.

I like that!

When did you move from Russia?

[Supersprynt]

I wouldn't have been throwing around threats.

[yarik83]

I came to the states in 1998.

[SwissFerdi]

When you were 15, I'm assuming?

I came here in 2000 when I was 9.

This post has been edited by SwissFerdi: Oct 5, 2009 - 7:41 PM

[yarik83]

Yep December 12, 1998. It has been an interesting journey so far. Hardest part was integrating myself amidst the teenage mid life crisis.

[SwissFerdi]

I can understand that. You were barely older than my brother, he was 14 when we moved.

[stl95celica]

yeah i yell at everyone who messes up my clean car or even when its dirty. when people lean on my car it makes me mad and everyone that does has an excuse on how it does not mess my car up. so now when we all meet up places i park far away. and i was wondering the same thing if im wrong for b!tc#in at people, but i have to say no.

This post has been edited by stl95celica: Oct 5, 2009 - 9:50 PM

[SwissFerdi]

I park far away as well...usually towards the rear of any parking lot. At school I haven't parked between cars yet...I'd rather park in overflow (grass and mud) if I can't find an end spot.

[garin]

i think that "throwing around threats " like erik said is kind of a bad idea... you'll only get yourself in trouble. however your peers should be respectful of your car, especially because you are all car guys in a shop class, you all love your vehicle. you may have been out of line, but it is understandable... but not right! there are too many idiots and uncaring people in the world don't become one of them faust.

[yarik83]

You are right. It is never good to threaten people under normal circumstances. There is a clause, however, that allows you to do so. You should be allowed to (under serious moderation) to issue threats in self defense. Problem is that when you are talking to 1 person or even 2 people, they are a lot more receptive to your argument. When you are approaching a group of say 5 or 10 it is really hard to get your point across without establishing some sort of authority first. In either case there are 2 outcomes. One group is passive and does not object to a single individual acting like an idiot and in another entire group supports that person either verbally or by engaging in conflict as well. Unfortunately in either case party that is being affected is at a disadvantage due to number of people involved.
The bystander effect is something that is evil and unfortunately there is no cure. You can have otherwise good people watch an individual do something immoral and they will continue standing there looking and not acting. Fear, on the other hand is a force to be reckoned with. Think back to your childhood.. what did it mean when your dad would reach for the belt? It meant that you knew that your rear will hurt like hell and that belt was always there to remind you to behave. Passive intimidation works much like fear and while I personally do not want to be an "old disgruntled man screaming at kids" I am 26 and I can not afford to repair damages incurred by unsupervised children that are up to no good. For example it costs $300 to replace a invader bumper. Shipping, fitting, painting, installing. All of us with fancy cars babysit our rides, going slowly over speed bumps, parking like 3 feet away from the curb etc. When there is an outside party damaging your property.. or even if that outside party can damage your property, preventative measures are often your best weapon.

[Random_Stranger]

i think that "throwing around threats " like erik said is kind of a bad idea... you'll only get yourself in trouble. however your peers should be respectful of your car, especially because you are all car guys in a shop class, you all love your vehicle. you may have been out of line, but it is understandable... but not right! there are too many idiots and uncaring people in the world don't become one of them faust.

True, but I had to give a warning, because I am on school property with a camera on me and I this is the class I had to repeat and can only do so 1 time, so hopefully the threat gave the message. I couldn't just walk up and hit him or them, because of that. Plus they are cool guys, just that I was already pissed off at other things, on energy drinks and wanted to make sure they knew what would happen if it happened again. No damages were done to my car, so I figured a warning was fair enough for that. I said I was not a confrontational guy to let them know I wasn't trying to be a bad ass, but literally would fight the whole class if I had to over my car.