# Most likely cause of this damage??



## afctom (Jul 26, 2014)

Walking to my car today and saw this. My car is filthy so it stood out like a sore thumb and could only have happened today. I can't work it out, has someone hit it? keyed it? Anyone able to work it out from the locations of the damage and where there are patches with no dirt?? the damage is so deep. Absolutely gutted


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## Bill58 (Jul 5, 2010)

That looks like someone has fallen against the car, perhaps a cyclist.


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## Pittsy (Jun 14, 2014)

Yeah, look at the height, i bet that is about the same height as a pedal


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Cyclist you can see the tyre marks in the second pic.
Looks like he went front to back


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

My 1st thought before looking at the comments was a cyclist as well.

That sucks!

Edit - after looking at the comments I agree even more, thats definitely tyre marks!


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## squiggs (Oct 19, 2009)

Nothing more to add ...........


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## afctom (Jul 26, 2014)

Thanks everyone. Does look like a cyclist impact now everyone has mentioned it, but where am I looking on the second pic for tyre marks? 

Would I be wasting my time trying to touch it up myself, or is bodyshop type damage? Still absolutely fuming


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## Jiffy (Nov 21, 2009)

Maybe the end of a ladder? That would explain the parallel marks.


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## PyRo (Oct 25, 2014)

For a proper assessment you need to clean the area and look for and dents or bruising of the bodywork I would suggest, before making a decision on remedial work. Unlucky though, feel for you.
PyRo


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## afctom (Jul 26, 2014)

PyRo said:


> For a proper assessment you need to clean the area and look for and dents or bruising of the bodywork I would suggest, before making a decision on remedial work. Unlucky though, feel for you.
> PyRo


Yeah of course mate will do. I know it's not the worst damage in the world but its gut-wrenching, why spend so much time/effort/money on a car for some kn*bhead to smash into it without the decency to apologise!

The only thing I can think of is maybe it was a child? does the size of the area damage look like a full sized bike or a childs?


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## AllenF (Aug 20, 2012)

Thats a full size cycle the tyre mark is the thick line at the top


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## Bero (Mar 9, 2008)

afctom said:


>


Look at the mark where the dirt has been rubbed off about 4" above the paint damage. And where it tapers down to the left. The part it tapers down to will be the centre/axle height of the tyre, as the mark tapers up this the more of the tyre making contact until at the max height thats the diameter of the tyre. Along the top of this mark there are vertical lines where the dirt remains, this will be the grooves between and tyre 'nobbles'. I suspect the clean marks down by the sill one lower part of the door will be caused by a tyre too....but possibly a leg.

Looks like an adult bike to me, measure the top of the 'clean' mark to the ground will be the minimum tyre diameter.


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## afctom (Jul 26, 2014)

Top of the thick mark to ground - roughly 70 cm (27 inches) Thickness of top mark roughly 4 cm (1.5 inches) - Quick search on halfords and that pretty much 100% confirms it was a bike tyre.

Despite your excellent explanation Bero, still can't get my head around the angles and how the 'nobbly' surface part of the tyre could get on the car at that angle? maybe its me being stupid, sorry if so!

Anyway it's not like finding out how it happened will help the situation at all. So frustrating.


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