Disoriented driver damages other car

The driver of this Mercedes-Benz SUV, right, damaged a black sedan on Monday morning, according to employees of 24 Hour Fitness, where the accident occurred.

The owner of a black Acura sedan complained that his car was dented on Monday morning when the driver of a Mercedes-Benz SUV backed crookedly into the adjacent space at 24 Hour Fitness in Paramus.

This morning, gym employees said the two male vehicle owners spoke, and the Mercedes-Benz driver identified himself as a body shop owner who would gladly repair the damage.

My advice to the Acura driver is to call his insurance company, get its recommendation on a body shop and ignore the other driver's offer.

Gym employees said police responded, and made out an accident report.

See post, "Why gyms and bars don't mix."

On Feb. 28, I saw the same two vehicles in the gym parking lot. The damage to the sedan is shown above. The rear bumper of the SUV is shown below.

On Feb. 28, I saw the same two vehicles, and the driver of the Mercedes SUV had backed his vehicle into a parking space, as he did when he damaged the sedan.

He appeared to be a middle-aged Asian man.

Why gyms and bars don't mix

A disoriented driver did an awful job this morning of parking the Mercedes-Benz SUV, above right, at 24 Hour Fitness in Paramus, and may have hit the black Acura sedan.

If it wasn't 8:45 in the morning, I would have guessed the driver of a Mercedes-Benz SUV had one too many at Miller's N.J. Ale House, which is next to 24 Hour Fitness in Paramus.

I noticed the sloppy parking job as I walked to my car in the gym parking lot, which is off Route 4 east.

I couldn't tell whether the Mercedes ML 350 had hit the black Acura sedan.

The owners of Bergen Town Center send a poor message to gym customers by putting the bar-restaurant next to 24 Hour Fitness, especially in view of its menu of unhealthy food.

Miller's Ale House offers valet parking, and often in the morning, I see parking-lot stanchions blocking what appears to be a fire exit from the cavernous gym, a former tenplex movie theater.