“I Made A Scrape On a Stranger’s Tail Light While Parallel Parking Yesterday. Today I Got This Text”
Karma works in mysterious ways and can make your day end on a wholesome, fuzzy, and heartwarming note, even if you did something wrong. That’s what one Redditor learned after accidentally scratching a stranger’s truck while parking.
Reddit user Slathbog felt so bad about scratching the stranger’s tail light that she left an apology note with their phone number on the vehicle. But she probably didn’t expect to get a text message saying that the scratch didn’t look too bad. Or another one suggesting that Slathbog should do something nice for a friend or a complete stranger, instead of paying for her mistake with buffing supplies.
Image credits: Julija Nėjė (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Slathbog
In a world where feel-good news is, in general, rare and few in between, Slathbog’s tale touched a nerve with the ‘Humans Being Bros’ community on Reddit. More than 67,000 Redditors upvoted Slathbog’s story and felt better about the world.
Also, over 650 Reddit users also left a comment; some of them even shared wholesome accident, scraping, and scratching stories of their own. This just goes to show that getting behind the wheel of a car doesn’t always have to end in road rage. Sometimes, things end in such a way that you start believing in humanity just a little more than you did yesterday. Or the day before.
As it turns out, Slathbog’s behavior is a great example of what to do if you accidentally scratch or hit somebody’s car in a parking lot. The News Wheel explains how you should opt for the high road if you’re ever in a situation like that. Your first instinct may be to drive away and avoid all responsibility, but you should do your best to steer away from acting like a Visigoth barbarian. Instead, be as responsible as a Roman.
Furthermore, you should track down the car-owner or leave a note if you can’t. Leave your contact details, but not sensitive information that you wouldn’t want random passersby to get their mitts on.
And remember to take photos of both vehicles, the note, as well as the damaged car’s license plate number, model, as well as other pertinent information. You never know, maybe the owner will send you a wholesome text message telling you to be kind to a complete stranger. Even if they don’t, you can sleep easy knowing that you did the right thing by taking responsibility for your actions.
Redditors shared their own wholesome car accident stories
I was driving on a rainy night and a young lady (probably about 17 yrs old) lost traction and rear-ended me. I took a look and didn't see anything too bad (my car was a hoopty), but we exchanged numbers just in case. I get home and my bumper's a little dented, but NBD. I call and tell her to not worry about it. She asks if I can talk to her dad, because apparently he's been going ape s**t since she got home. I ended up telling him that my car is fine, to chill the f**k out, and go tell his daughter he loves her and he's glad she wasn't hurt. Priorities, man!
Only 12 upvotes and one of them was mine? This is a great story! Love!
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I met the opposite the other day :( scraped past my car, I wound window down like hey u just hit my car, so he reversed against it and forward again, then took off :( sadly for him my car sits higher so I have a scraped bumper and misaligned headlight, his car was caved in and he couldnt put his window back up after he wound it down to cuss at me (it was raining). Thanks karma for sorting it out ^-^
Or you could end up with a psycho that now expects you to pay for repairs that you didnt cause..happened to me..in a company pick up, i merged left,heard a faint metal noise. Guy pulled over,i pulled over,. His car was so low that his mirror grazed my fender wall. No damage.. But he filed a police report and called the companies insurance wanting a new paint job and mirror..
My mother exchanged dirt with a woman in a crowded P.O. lot. Nothing even scratched. About a week later she got a call from her insurance--the woman was claiming an entire smashed front end! I told the nice man all she did was rearrange some mud--and I wondered out loud just what else the woman hit and how liquid her lunch had been. We heard no more about it. (But I still wonder...)
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My dad used to tell a story about his father who was an Insurance Loss Adjuster back in the day when there were a lot fewer cars on the road. He was driving along a narrow road when another car came the other way, and they dinged their wing-mirrors. Not much damage, but what made the story was that my grandfather got out a tape-measure, they measured the road and their cars, and shook hands on getting away with only that much contact with such little clearance!
On the day my cat died, I took her extra things to the shelter and, not knowing what to do with myself, I went to Starbucks. As I pulled in (fairly distraught and sad still) I scraped the car next to me- not bad, but it was a BRAND new minivan. I went inside and ended up finding the guy who owned it when he left and headed that way. I came out to show him and apologize and give the needed info, and he just laughed and said "We have six kids- it's good to break it in now!" And went on his way. I was INSANELY grateful and got a gift card and note to him via a barista there. He had NO idea what went on that morning, but it certainly brightened a tough day. Thank god for his kindness.
One time my wife hit a neighbours car (communal car park) not much damage done so I wrote a note and stuck it on the windshield. Turns out the guy was a panel beater and was just so appreciative we left a note as most of his customers never had that consideration given to them
Happened two times to me, both times a stranger touched my rear bumper... I drive always old cars, so I don't care much about the looks. The first hit left no marks, so no problem. The second one was a young boy, it was raining and he touched me quite hard...we both stepped out our cars, my rear bumper was damaged...real damaged. The boy went pale, thinking about the problems he would get... but my bumper was already broken before, so I told him and the expression of his face was priceless.
This actually happened to me twice, one i was parked at work and a medical supplies delivery van obliterated my side mirror, got a call from security telling me they have detained the van driver and that i should come down from my lab and decude what to do with it, i hot down , took a look at the mirror (which obviously needed replacement) , took a look at the poor guy , clearly distraught, panicking and in utter horror , i just asked him to double check if this is going to get him in trouble with his boss if he knew (if we exchanged insurance unfo) , it obviously did, gave him a smile n told him il take care of it and to have a nice day. Another time i was parked in a restaurent parking lot, came out with my fiancé to gind my dodge challenger's rear bumper dent, and a note apologising which had their number, looked at it and it easiely fixed, gave them a call thanking them for not just leaving 😊
Several years ago I was stopped waiting for traffic to clear, and a kid on a learners permit rear ended my car and cracked the bumper. I didn't want him to get in trouble or insurances to go up so I told him not to worry about it. Then a week later I backed into my co-workers car. Left maybe a quarter size dent. He just waved it off told me not bother with reporting it. Tiny stuff happens all the time, it's ok to be annoyed but why bother reporting it to insurance? With deductibles and insurance premiums going up it doesn't seem worth it. When someone backed into the side of my car (a few years later) and did significant damage and i reported it to insurance it was a nightmare of phone calls and reports and TONS of hassle for me.
In stop and go traffic, my friend driving, and he started going only to have the traffic suddenly stop again. He slams on the brakes and bumps the car in front of us. We all pull over and the driver's get out. The car in front of us isn't in great shape and the other driver says he can't tell if there is anything new, then looks at my friend and says, "You going to Floyd, man?" There was a Pink Floyd concert nearby that night and he had his priorities straight. I was half expecting a giant pig to come floating out of his back seat.
One time I slid on ice in a parking lot and went straight into someone’s Jeep. No damage to my car or theirs but I left a note anyway. I guess the note blew away because some random guy called me like eight months later and wanted to know the details. Like b***h, it wasn’t even your car. Then the other day I was stopped at a light and some guy came speeding up to me and slammed on breaks and hit the back of my car softly. It did scrape my expensive car but I just shrugged it off since he looked like he had bigger problems. My fiancé shook his hand and told him to be careful.
I don't understand this: "Reddit user Slathbog felt so bad about scratching the stranger’s tail light that she left an apology note with their phone number on the vehicle." If you damage someone's car, you are liable for it, whether you feel badly about it or not. It's not as if she was going above and beyond the call of duty by leaving the note. Anyway, the guy's response was awesome.
I backed into a British Telecom van once while reversing into a space. It was at about 2mph, I looked and didn't see any damage to either car, the chap was working a few feet away and saw it happen, he didn't even bat an eyelid, I told him but he said, it's just a works van, do I look like I care :)
I once witnessed a woman trying to park, and she hit (didn't scrape) a car, twice!! She went in the store, and while she was gone, I wrote down all of her info: license plate number, make, model of the car, color, etc. and waited. She came back out, and left!! So I wrote a note to the owner of the car (the car was noticeably damaged) and left it under her windshield, with my info on it. She called me and thanked me profusely! She was a single mom, and so very grateful, and ended up getting a settlement. We recently purchased a new car. Came out of a grocery store to find that someone had significantly dented the side of the car. They left no note. Some people are douchebags. Don't ever be a douchebag.
My brother found a note on his windshield when he had finished shopping. It said something along the lines of "I am awfully sorry, but I bumped into your car backing out. Please call me at 12390. *our father's name*! The laugh of the year ensued! Dad had been so distraught over causing problems for someone that he didn't even recognize the car.
It really does depend on how the person reacts. I was rear ended by a sweet old lady and she was really kind and it was only a couple scratches so I didn't do anything about it, but oh when I was dented by an obnoxious early 20s year old who told me "my car is old anyway" oh you bet I submitted a claim and got that small dent fixed by her insurance :)
I got rear ended in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the freeway. We both pulled over and got out to check for damage, which was pretty much nonexistent. The best part was the look on the guy's face as he noticed I was about 8 1/2 months pregnant! ;)
I was parking at the hospital parking lot to go in for my chemotherapy and I scraped another car a little bit. I left a note because that's what you do and I got a call later from the lady who said nothing to worry about she couldn't even see where the scrape supposedly was. So that was nice.
I hope you are well and stay well! Internal drycleaning is a b***h but that is why I am still here.
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Several years ago I had stopped to get a coffee and was backing out of my spot. A young (new driver) didn’t look before she backed out and she backed right into me. No big deal....we were just rolling. When we got out of the car she was SO upset!!!! I just looked at her and put my hand on her shoulder. In my Mom voice, I said; “Honey, are you ok?” She said; “Yes, but your car!” You could barely see anything so I told her; “It’s all ok...no damage done...just be careful next time.” I hoped that someone would react the same to my daughter. Here’s one more....the gas guy came to the house, filled the tank and as he was leaving I heard some kind of noise....he knocks on the door and proceeds to tell me that he scraped the entire side of my car while leaving. I looked at him also, and said; “Are you ok?” He just stood there and stared at me like I had 3 heads. I proceeded to tell him that it was just a “thing” and that things can be repaired. He was in shock...Blessings!
I was rear ended at a stoplight the other day. Traffic was turning left on a green arrow, the car behind me saw those cars moving and started to go and hit me. I almost just drove off, but pulled over instead. She followed and we got out and looked. There was barely a scuff on my car, i actually looked in the daylight and didn't see any at all, so no big deal. Besides, it's just a car and no one was hurt. It was 630 in the morning and we were on our way to work. I told her "don't worry about it." She said "you're so nice and thank you" and seemed relieved. It was almost like she was shocked that I didn't flip out because Colorado drivers are a******s, though most are actually from other states. (I'm a native and admit i can be one too, if needed, but I'm pretty chill depending on your actions. I'll get where I'm going safely sooner or later. ) I wish more people were chill in situations instead of being self-centered and greedy. It was a good day.
I nudged a car when parking once. Couldn't see a mark but left a note anyway. She was most appreciative as she'd just had it repaired after someone else hit it and didn't leave a note.
A guy rear ended us in a snowstorm. Nothing serious, but it was a brand new lease and a white bumper and the damage was obvious. We were taking our cat to the vet and knew the wait for police would be long with the snow. It was also his work truck. Some exchanged info. The body shop the dealership my husband worked at gave the guy a break with an estimate of 800, no need to get insurance involved. Guy thanks us gives us check. We take to bank. No funds. Guy calls us and leaves a message, drunk cussing us out that we’re scamming him but also admitting he hit us. I call him and leave message to tell him where we will meet him to file the police report if the money isn’t available the next day. I guess he didn’t want his work to hear that message because it was there.
Kindness moves the receiver, and the giver past the trouble and in to a place of understanding. For what we deal with all day, if we can be anything, let us be kind!
I was driving my 2003 Grand Marquis Mercury north on I-35 from San antonio about55. A woman came up behind me and we were going along smoothly when Wham she Hits me from behind. we were going about sixty and she WAS keeping a safe distance! We Both found room to [ull over. About two Thousand dollars damage to her Honda front end.car was drive-able after the airbags were cleared away!.My Car, A scratch on the slightly compressed Bumper. We exchanged info and I never heard from her again-or-her insurance company.I didn't need to file a claim with mine.
I once had a dump truck hit my driver's door on the highway when I was 17 or 18. He tried merging and didn't see me in my little Mercury Tracer. We pull over, he's crying. I'm shaken up. My door is functional but a huge dent and now squeaks when it opened. He's handing me his information, just bawling, so I ask him what's wrong thinking there's no way my little car hurt him. He tells me he's going to lose his job over this. He's not from the U.S. and even though it's his first accident, the company has already warned him that he's expendable. I looked at my dented door, back at the guy, back at my door, and then handed him back his info. "It never happened." I said. I would never have slept well again had he lost his job over a stupid car. 15 years later, I hope he's doing well!
Picking the boys up after school. As I was loading them in the car a lady was watching us making us very uncomfortable. As I was walking to the drivers door she approached and started crying. She said, while parking she had hit my car and she wanted to exchange information. She showed me where she had left some white paint on my front bumper. Then she showed me the damage to her car. She had 3 long scrapes on the passenger side of her car. The front fender, rear door and back fender were all scraped and slightly dented. I told her not to worry because my damage would buff out but her car got the worst of it. She then said " Thank you because my husband is going to kill me. He just bought the car yesterday." I worried about her all night. The next day as I was dropping the boys off at school, She and her husband thanked me. He was amazed that my car had so little damage. Sometimes to pays to drive a twenty year old car.
I've been on both sides of this one. I once hit a car while parking. The lady came out of the store as I was inspecting the damage (really none to hers) and she was all like - I don't see anything and I don't want to talk to my insurance company so 'good good?' I was super relieved. The another time I was waiting to turn left at a light and a van slid (icy weather) right into my back end. We got out and there was literally no damage to my car and his license plate holder fell off. He was so apologetic so I bummed a smoke off him since I was out and called it good good.
i had the opposite of this :( was driving the first day with my permit and bumped a woman's car because i turned too soon, and she tried to keep us in the road when we were both cool to go. then called a police officer and her husband freaking out about damage and when the officer got there he told her it was literally just a paint transfer she could get off easily as did her husband. (we had more damage than she did) but she still called and had our insurance raised by like 50+ a month over a paint transfer. it sucked.
One Christmas season was rough. My husband had a heart attack, I had double pneumonia. He was 4 hours away and I was in no shape to go see him, plus had 2 little kids. The roads were icy and I was sick, tired and distressed. I slid into my neighbors parked car. Cracked his plastic bumper (it was -20F). I lost it. I was sobbing and coughing and really broken. Trying to get my kids to school. One neighbor took my kids to school to keep me off the roads. The neighbor I hit asked for insurance info and 3 days later (still sick and hubby in hospital far away) had to pay $1000. I know I broke it and it was my responsibility but I was suprised he asked so quickly. All good though we still hang out. It's his personality I guess.
I don't understand how ppl get pissy about bumper contact. BUMP-ER. It's in the name. It's just a car, ffs... Save the drama for when you do that to a child or a pet.
It's so good to see that there are still some people that don't get offended by everything. Loved this post.
Advice based on past experience: If you get into a car accident, report to insurance company with all the details. Put everything on record. Document and take pictures of everything while your memory is still fresh. You do not have to claim anything. This is just in case the other side decides to take advantage of the situation and claim you hit them. This story had a happy ending, but yours might not.
I was once hit by someone trying to go nose in to a parrallel spot in front of me. My car was scratched up pretty bad. Later that same day, I left my phone on top of my car while I drove away, and it was never to be seen again. #prettyterribleday The next day, I went to an autobody to have them do an estimate, $700 for the whole bumper, but my car was old and I didn't really care, and they offered to touch it up for free! I then went and replaced my cell phone (losing out on the $100 credit for a trade-in). I let the person who hit my car know that he was off the hook for paying for the damages. A few days later, I receive a Visa gift card for $100 in the mail from the person who hit my car saying how much he appreciated my honesty since I could have charged him the $700. It made up for the $100 trade in I lost on my phone. I think it proves that good karma comes back to you!
Had a kid run into my car with his bicycle a couple summers ago. His dad started yelling at him. I had my window open, ran out to make sure the kid was okay. I told them not to worry about it. I was only concerned for the childs safety. His dad wouldnt stop thanking me. Material c**p shouldnt matter. It didnt stop my car from working how it should so II was fine.
Karma is wonderful, great story, makes my day to read about some terrific people, likely big cities have many bad situations with road rage, it's understandable if a new car is involved, but not worth rage, some teenage boys trying to beat the light, hit me from behind, I had a whiplash, back injuries, for life, I didn't say a word to them, however, later the three boys lawyer tried to say it was my fault, tan God I had a witness, at midnight, he stayed to talk to the police, he was driving a taxi, next day I phoned the company to thank him, otherwise, it would have been 3 against me !!!
Our Son had slid into a girl's car, (in HS parking lot) it was his 2nd minor accident and 3rd on our policy in 5 months. We asked the girl's parents if we could pay for it directly as it would increase our rates. They were SO understanding as they too had a son who has a few fender benders and they were in that same place once.
I slid on the snow the [######!]plow left at the foot of my mother's driveway, and put a lovely dent in the back left panel of the neighbor's car. I immediately reported it to my insurance, and when they got home, went over and told them. The man was horrified I'd called my insurance. Turned out it was his teenaged daughter's car, she'd go in the risk pool, and he worked for the make's dealership and could replace it for free. (MY car was undamaged; I drove a tank.) He called my insurance and told them everything was fine--I'd overreacted. (O-ka-a-ay.)
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I drove a 1977 Dodge Van for my kids safety and I loved that d*mn van. Stopped at a light and guy behind me hit my hitch but the light changed, so we stop at the next light . I didn't even get out of my van just yelled back "You Good?" he yells back YEAH and nothing more done.
These stories are an affirmation. My then husband bumped a car in the lot at the after school center, did nothing to our car, and a small nickle size dent in the woman's bumper. Not only did she refuse to let it go, she also insisted on filing insurance. I can't remember the total, but it was a hell of a lot - they paid to replace the whole bumper. Funny thing is, I saw the woman several times over the next few years and she never had the dent repaired - she probably just pocketed the $. This is why our insurance rates are so high.
You can actually report this to the insurance agency as it’s insurance fraud!
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Had a time where we were in a multi story car park and we were clipped by another driver pulling out while we waited. He didn't even stop! Just drove off... for about 5 seconds. Then he reversed and a woman got out of the passenger seat in her 50's and dragged the driver out by his ear. It was his mom and she made him stop, reverse and apologise. No damage done but funny as hell!
Wish someone would have been like that to me the one time I barely tapped a car and she lost it on me. I told her I’d pay out of pocket BC I can’t afford the premium on my insurance to go up. She refused. Definitely will make me nicer if someone ever hits my car..
And there is those people - when I bought ... my first ever brand new car -I was parking on the farthest parking spot so no one will hit me. One morning I came to my car and the whole door are scratch and there is a note .... someone is cussing me that I haven’t park straight enough ( I parked perfectly it was my new , brand new first car ever ) and telling me to go f myself .
Pfft I came out of a movie to find damage to my car....cost almost 5k to fix...no note left.
I had maybe had my license a year and was driving a s****y little 1989 pontiac sunbird my dad bought for me at a car auction for $250. I rolled up behind an SUV at a red light on a hill (we were facing down hill) and thought I had come to a complete stop. I was distracted by my friend in the car and didn't realize I was still slowly rolling forward and I just barely kissed the SUV's bumper. I was so shocked I didn't know what to do, I just froze. The SUV rolled forward a few feet, then a middle-aged woman got out, walked around and looked at her bumper, looked at me, must have decided there wasn't any damage, got back in her car and kept driving. I about had a heart attack, but was so relieved that she didn't make a big deal about it.
When I was 16 I ended up rolling into a car. We were turning right onto a road and there was nobody coming so the car in front of me started going. I took my foot off the break- didn't even hit the gas- looked to see if anyone was coming, and that's when our bumpers made contact. Even though there were no cars coming the guy had slammed on his brakes. His daughter got out and started screaming at me about how often her dad, the driver of the vehicle, had gotten into accidents and gotten rear ended. I was driving my mom's Mercury Sable at the time, and that thing was so plasticky, but I had no damage. I looked at their car- saw no damage. He went on for a good 15 minutes about how I'd definitely ruined the structural integrity of their car though. I did give them my insurance information and everything, but we never heard from them. Honestly if you keep getting into car accidents maybe you should reevaluate your driving habits.
I slightly tapped a gold Ford Taurus in a parking lot a couple months ago. Little bit of paint transfer. Left a note, got an email, he kept calling me "ma'am" and took his 1990 Taurus in for a full bumper replacement. My insurance went up $600. Sometimes doing the right thing is annoying! 😄
I tapped a bumper before and there was no damage. The lady wanted to call the police anyway only for them to come out and write a out a police report that says no damage. In my defense the lady kept breaking every 2 feet. I didn’t know what the heck she was doing
Brooklyn ... I don't remember if the street was slick with ice or rain, but my brother couldn't stop the car from skidding and bumping into the car in front ... his comment was "I hope the driver is OK." ... my comment after she got out to inspect the damage was "Oh, she's fine." but I wasn't talking about her condition ... in any case, the only damage was on my brother's car as it had bent his hood ... otherwise, everyone went their merry way ...
See: Lawyers, accountants, insurance agents
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I was driving on a rainy night and a young lady (probably about 17 yrs old) lost traction and rear-ended me. I took a look and didn't see anything too bad (my car was a hoopty), but we exchanged numbers just in case. I get home and my bumper's a little dented, but NBD. I call and tell her to not worry about it. She asks if I can talk to her dad, because apparently he's been going ape s**t since she got home. I ended up telling him that my car is fine, to chill the f**k out, and go tell his daughter he loves her and he's glad she wasn't hurt. Priorities, man!
Only 12 upvotes and one of them was mine? This is a great story! Love!
Load More Replies... I met the opposite the other day :( scraped past my car, I wound window down like hey u just hit my car, so he reversed against it and forward again, then took off :( sadly for him my car sits higher so I have a scraped bumper and misaligned headlight, his car was caved in and he couldnt put his window back up after he wound it down to cuss at me (it was raining). Thanks karma for sorting it out ^-^
Or you could end up with a psycho that now expects you to pay for repairs that you didnt cause..happened to me..in a company pick up, i merged left,heard a faint metal noise. Guy pulled over,i pulled over,. His car was so low that his mirror grazed my fender wall. No damage.. But he filed a police report and called the companies insurance wanting a new paint job and mirror..
My mother exchanged dirt with a woman in a crowded P.O. lot. Nothing even scratched. About a week later she got a call from her insurance--the woman was claiming an entire smashed front end! I told the nice man all she did was rearrange some mud--and I wondered out loud just what else the woman hit and how liquid her lunch had been. We heard no more about it. (But I still wonder...)
Load More Replies... My dad used to tell a story about his father who was an Insurance Loss Adjuster back in the day when there were a lot fewer cars on the road. He was driving along a narrow road when another car came the other way, and they dinged their wing-mirrors. Not much damage, but what made the story was that my grandfather got out a tape-measure, they measured the road and their cars, and shook hands on getting away with only that much contact with such little clearance!
On the day my cat died, I took her extra things to the shelter and, not knowing what to do with myself, I went to Starbucks. As I pulled in (fairly distraught and sad still) I scraped the car next to me- not bad, but it was a BRAND new minivan. I went inside and ended up finding the guy who owned it when he left and headed that way. I came out to show him and apologize and give the needed info, and he just laughed and said "We have six kids- it's good to break it in now!" And went on his way. I was INSANELY grateful and got a gift card and note to him via a barista there. He had NO idea what went on that morning, but it certainly brightened a tough day. Thank god for his kindness.
One time my wife hit a neighbours car (communal car park) not much damage done so I wrote a note and stuck it on the windshield. Turns out the guy was a panel beater and was just so appreciative we left a note as most of his customers never had that consideration given to them
Happened two times to me, both times a stranger touched my rear bumper... I drive always old cars, so I don't care much about the looks. The first hit left no marks, so no problem. The second one was a young boy, it was raining and he touched me quite hard...we both stepped out our cars, my rear bumper was damaged...real damaged. The boy went pale, thinking about the problems he would get... but my bumper was already broken before, so I told him and the expression of his face was priceless.
This actually happened to me twice, one i was parked at work and a medical supplies delivery van obliterated my side mirror, got a call from security telling me they have detained the van driver and that i should come down from my lab and decude what to do with it, i hot down , took a look at the mirror (which obviously needed replacement) , took a look at the poor guy , clearly distraught, panicking and in utter horror , i just asked him to double check if this is going to get him in trouble with his boss if he knew (if we exchanged insurance unfo) , it obviously did, gave him a smile n told him il take care of it and to have a nice day. Another time i was parked in a restaurent parking lot, came out with my fiancé to gind my dodge challenger's rear bumper dent, and a note apologising which had their number, looked at it and it easiely fixed, gave them a call thanking them for not just leaving 😊
Several years ago I was stopped waiting for traffic to clear, and a kid on a learners permit rear ended my car and cracked the bumper. I didn't want him to get in trouble or insurances to go up so I told him not to worry about it. Then a week later I backed into my co-workers car. Left maybe a quarter size dent. He just waved it off told me not bother with reporting it. Tiny stuff happens all the time, it's ok to be annoyed but why bother reporting it to insurance? With deductibles and insurance premiums going up it doesn't seem worth it. When someone backed into the side of my car (a few years later) and did significant damage and i reported it to insurance it was a nightmare of phone calls and reports and TONS of hassle for me.
In stop and go traffic, my friend driving, and he started going only to have the traffic suddenly stop again. He slams on the brakes and bumps the car in front of us. We all pull over and the driver's get out. The car in front of us isn't in great shape and the other driver says he can't tell if there is anything new, then looks at my friend and says, "You going to Floyd, man?" There was a Pink Floyd concert nearby that night and he had his priorities straight. I was half expecting a giant pig to come floating out of his back seat.
One time I slid on ice in a parking lot and went straight into someone’s Jeep. No damage to my car or theirs but I left a note anyway. I guess the note blew away because some random guy called me like eight months later and wanted to know the details. Like b***h, it wasn’t even your car. Then the other day I was stopped at a light and some guy came speeding up to me and slammed on breaks and hit the back of my car softly. It did scrape my expensive car but I just shrugged it off since he looked like he had bigger problems. My fiancé shook his hand and told him to be careful.
I don't understand this: "Reddit user Slathbog felt so bad about scratching the stranger’s tail light that she left an apology note with their phone number on the vehicle." If you damage someone's car, you are liable for it, whether you feel badly about it or not. It's not as if she was going above and beyond the call of duty by leaving the note. Anyway, the guy's response was awesome.
I backed into a British Telecom van once while reversing into a space. It was at about 2mph, I looked and didn't see any damage to either car, the chap was working a few feet away and saw it happen, he didn't even bat an eyelid, I told him but he said, it's just a works van, do I look like I care :)
I once witnessed a woman trying to park, and she hit (didn't scrape) a car, twice!! She went in the store, and while she was gone, I wrote down all of her info: license plate number, make, model of the car, color, etc. and waited. She came back out, and left!! So I wrote a note to the owner of the car (the car was noticeably damaged) and left it under her windshield, with my info on it. She called me and thanked me profusely! She was a single mom, and so very grateful, and ended up getting a settlement. We recently purchased a new car. Came out of a grocery store to find that someone had significantly dented the side of the car. They left no note. Some people are douchebags. Don't ever be a douchebag.
My brother found a note on his windshield when he had finished shopping. It said something along the lines of "I am awfully sorry, but I bumped into your car backing out. Please call me at 12390. *our father's name*! The laugh of the year ensued! Dad had been so distraught over causing problems for someone that he didn't even recognize the car.
It really does depend on how the person reacts. I was rear ended by a sweet old lady and she was really kind and it was only a couple scratches so I didn't do anything about it, but oh when I was dented by an obnoxious early 20s year old who told me "my car is old anyway" oh you bet I submitted a claim and got that small dent fixed by her insurance :)
I got rear ended in bumper-to-bumper traffic on the freeway. We both pulled over and got out to check for damage, which was pretty much nonexistent. The best part was the look on the guy's face as he noticed I was about 8 1/2 months pregnant! ;)
I was parking at the hospital parking lot to go in for my chemotherapy and I scraped another car a little bit. I left a note because that's what you do and I got a call later from the lady who said nothing to worry about she couldn't even see where the scrape supposedly was. So that was nice.
I hope you are well and stay well! Internal drycleaning is a b***h but that is why I am still here.
Load More Replies... Several years ago I had stopped to get a coffee and was backing out of my spot. A young (new driver) didn’t look before she backed out and she backed right into me. No big deal....we were just rolling. When we got out of the car she was SO upset!!!! I just looked at her and put my hand on her shoulder. In my Mom voice, I said; “Honey, are you ok?” She said; “Yes, but your car!” You could barely see anything so I told her; “It’s all ok...no damage done...just be careful next time.” I hoped that someone would react the same to my daughter. Here’s one more....the gas guy came to the house, filled the tank and as he was leaving I heard some kind of noise....he knocks on the door and proceeds to tell me that he scraped the entire side of my car while leaving. I looked at him also, and said; “Are you ok?” He just stood there and stared at me like I had 3 heads. I proceeded to tell him that it was just a “thing” and that things can be repaired. He was in shock...Blessings!
I was rear ended at a stoplight the other day. Traffic was turning left on a green arrow, the car behind me saw those cars moving and started to go and hit me. I almost just drove off, but pulled over instead. She followed and we got out and looked. There was barely a scuff on my car, i actually looked in the daylight and didn't see any at all, so no big deal. Besides, it's just a car and no one was hurt. It was 630 in the morning and we were on our way to work. I told her "don't worry about it." She said "you're so nice and thank you" and seemed relieved. It was almost like she was shocked that I didn't flip out because Colorado drivers are a******s, though most are actually from other states. (I'm a native and admit i can be one too, if needed, but I'm pretty chill depending on your actions. I'll get where I'm going safely sooner or later. ) I wish more people were chill in situations instead of being self-centered and greedy. It was a good day.
I nudged a car when parking once. Couldn't see a mark but left a note anyway. She was most appreciative as she'd just had it repaired after someone else hit it and didn't leave a note.
A guy rear ended us in a snowstorm. Nothing serious, but it was a brand new lease and a white bumper and the damage was obvious. We were taking our cat to the vet and knew the wait for police would be long with the snow. It was also his work truck. Some exchanged info. The body shop the dealership my husband worked at gave the guy a break with an estimate of 800, no need to get insurance involved. Guy thanks us gives us check. We take to bank. No funds. Guy calls us and leaves a message, drunk cussing us out that we’re scamming him but also admitting he hit us. I call him and leave message to tell him where we will meet him to file the police report if the money isn’t available the next day. I guess he didn’t want his work to hear that message because it was there.
Kindness moves the receiver, and the giver past the trouble and in to a place of understanding. For what we deal with all day, if we can be anything, let us be kind!
I was driving my 2003 Grand Marquis Mercury north on I-35 from San antonio about55. A woman came up behind me and we were going along smoothly when Wham she Hits me from behind. we were going about sixty and she WAS keeping a safe distance! We Both found room to [ull over. About two Thousand dollars damage to her Honda front end.car was drive-able after the airbags were cleared away!.My Car, A scratch on the slightly compressed Bumper. We exchanged info and I never heard from her again-or-her insurance company.I didn't need to file a claim with mine.
I once had a dump truck hit my driver's door on the highway when I was 17 or 18. He tried merging and didn't see me in my little Mercury Tracer. We pull over, he's crying. I'm shaken up. My door is functional but a huge dent and now squeaks when it opened. He's handing me his information, just bawling, so I ask him what's wrong thinking there's no way my little car hurt him. He tells me he's going to lose his job over this. He's not from the U.S. and even though it's his first accident, the company has already warned him that he's expendable. I looked at my dented door, back at the guy, back at my door, and then handed him back his info. "It never happened." I said. I would never have slept well again had he lost his job over a stupid car. 15 years later, I hope he's doing well!
Picking the boys up after school. As I was loading them in the car a lady was watching us making us very uncomfortable. As I was walking to the drivers door she approached and started crying. She said, while parking she had hit my car and she wanted to exchange information. She showed me where she had left some white paint on my front bumper. Then she showed me the damage to her car. She had 3 long scrapes on the passenger side of her car. The front fender, rear door and back fender were all scraped and slightly dented. I told her not to worry because my damage would buff out but her car got the worst of it. She then said " Thank you because my husband is going to kill me. He just bought the car yesterday." I worried about her all night. The next day as I was dropping the boys off at school, She and her husband thanked me. He was amazed that my car had so little damage. Sometimes to pays to drive a twenty year old car.
I've been on both sides of this one. I once hit a car while parking. The lady came out of the store as I was inspecting the damage (really none to hers) and she was all like - I don't see anything and I don't want to talk to my insurance company so 'good good?' I was super relieved. The another time I was waiting to turn left at a light and a van slid (icy weather) right into my back end. We got out and there was literally no damage to my car and his license plate holder fell off. He was so apologetic so I bummed a smoke off him since I was out and called it good good.
i had the opposite of this :( was driving the first day with my permit and bumped a woman's car because i turned too soon, and she tried to keep us in the road when we were both cool to go. then called a police officer and her husband freaking out about damage and when the officer got there he told her it was literally just a paint transfer she could get off easily as did her husband. (we had more damage than she did) but she still called and had our insurance raised by like 50+ a month over a paint transfer. it sucked.
One Christmas season was rough. My husband had a heart attack, I had double pneumonia. He was 4 hours away and I was in no shape to go see him, plus had 2 little kids. The roads were icy and I was sick, tired and distressed. I slid into my neighbors parked car. Cracked his plastic bumper (it was -20F). I lost it. I was sobbing and coughing and really broken. Trying to get my kids to school. One neighbor took my kids to school to keep me off the roads. The neighbor I hit asked for insurance info and 3 days later (still sick and hubby in hospital far away) had to pay $1000. I know I broke it and it was my responsibility but I was suprised he asked so quickly. All good though we still hang out. It's his personality I guess.
I don't understand how ppl get pissy about bumper contact. BUMP-ER. It's in the name. It's just a car, ffs... Save the drama for when you do that to a child or a pet.
It's so good to see that there are still some people that don't get offended by everything. Loved this post.
Advice based on past experience: If you get into a car accident, report to insurance company with all the details. Put everything on record. Document and take pictures of everything while your memory is still fresh. You do not have to claim anything. This is just in case the other side decides to take advantage of the situation and claim you hit them. This story had a happy ending, but yours might not.
I was once hit by someone trying to go nose in to a parrallel spot in front of me. My car was scratched up pretty bad. Later that same day, I left my phone on top of my car while I drove away, and it was never to be seen again. #prettyterribleday The next day, I went to an autobody to have them do an estimate, $700 for the whole bumper, but my car was old and I didn't really care, and they offered to touch it up for free! I then went and replaced my cell phone (losing out on the $100 credit for a trade-in). I let the person who hit my car know that he was off the hook for paying for the damages. A few days later, I receive a Visa gift card for $100 in the mail from the person who hit my car saying how much he appreciated my honesty since I could have charged him the $700. It made up for the $100 trade in I lost on my phone. I think it proves that good karma comes back to you!
Had a kid run into my car with his bicycle a couple summers ago. His dad started yelling at him. I had my window open, ran out to make sure the kid was okay. I told them not to worry about it. I was only concerned for the childs safety. His dad wouldnt stop thanking me. Material c**p shouldnt matter. It didnt stop my car from working how it should so II was fine.
Karma is wonderful, great story, makes my day to read about some terrific people, likely big cities have many bad situations with road rage, it's understandable if a new car is involved, but not worth rage, some teenage boys trying to beat the light, hit me from behind, I had a whiplash, back injuries, for life, I didn't say a word to them, however, later the three boys lawyer tried to say it was my fault, tan God I had a witness, at midnight, he stayed to talk to the police, he was driving a taxi, next day I phoned the company to thank him, otherwise, it would have been 3 against me !!!
Our Son had slid into a girl's car, (in HS parking lot) it was his 2nd minor accident and 3rd on our policy in 5 months. We asked the girl's parents if we could pay for it directly as it would increase our rates. They were SO understanding as they too had a son who has a few fender benders and they were in that same place once.
I slid on the snow the [######!]plow left at the foot of my mother's driveway, and put a lovely dent in the back left panel of the neighbor's car. I immediately reported it to my insurance, and when they got home, went over and told them. The man was horrified I'd called my insurance. Turned out it was his teenaged daughter's car, she'd go in the risk pool, and he worked for the make's dealership and could replace it for free. (MY car was undamaged; I drove a tank.) He called my insurance and told them everything was fine--I'd overreacted. (O-ka-a-ay.)
Load More Replies... I drove a 1977 Dodge Van for my kids safety and I loved that d*mn van. Stopped at a light and guy behind me hit my hitch but the light changed, so we stop at the next light . I didn't even get out of my van just yelled back "You Good?" he yells back YEAH and nothing more done.
These stories are an affirmation. My then husband bumped a car in the lot at the after school center, did nothing to our car, and a small nickle size dent in the woman's bumper. Not only did she refuse to let it go, she also insisted on filing insurance. I can't remember the total, but it was a hell of a lot - they paid to replace the whole bumper. Funny thing is, I saw the woman several times over the next few years and she never had the dent repaired - she probably just pocketed the $. This is why our insurance rates are so high.
You can actually report this to the insurance agency as it’s insurance fraud!
Load More Replies... Had a time where we were in a multi story car park and we were clipped by another driver pulling out while we waited. He didn't even stop! Just drove off... for about 5 seconds. Then he reversed and a woman got out of the passenger seat in her 50's and dragged the driver out by his ear. It was his mom and she made him stop, reverse and apologise. No damage done but funny as hell!
Wish someone would have been like that to me the one time I barely tapped a car and she lost it on me. I told her I’d pay out of pocket BC I can’t afford the premium on my insurance to go up. She refused. Definitely will make me nicer if someone ever hits my car..
And there is those people - when I bought ... my first ever brand new car -I was parking on the farthest parking spot so no one will hit me. One morning I came to my car and the whole door are scratch and there is a note .... someone is cussing me that I haven’t park straight enough ( I parked perfectly it was my new , brand new first car ever ) and telling me to go f myself .
Pfft I came out of a movie to find damage to my car....cost almost 5k to fix...no note left.
I had maybe had my license a year and was driving a s****y little 1989 pontiac sunbird my dad bought for me at a car auction for $250. I rolled up behind an SUV at a red light on a hill (we were facing down hill) and thought I had come to a complete stop. I was distracted by my friend in the car and didn't realize I was still slowly rolling forward and I just barely kissed the SUV's bumper. I was so shocked I didn't know what to do, I just froze. The SUV rolled forward a few feet, then a middle-aged woman got out, walked around and looked at her bumper, looked at me, must have decided there wasn't any damage, got back in her car and kept driving. I about had a heart attack, but was so relieved that she didn't make a big deal about it.
When I was 16 I ended up rolling into a car. We were turning right onto a road and there was nobody coming so the car in front of me started going. I took my foot off the break- didn't even hit the gas- looked to see if anyone was coming, and that's when our bumpers made contact. Even though there were no cars coming the guy had slammed on his brakes. His daughter got out and started screaming at me about how often her dad, the driver of the vehicle, had gotten into accidents and gotten rear ended. I was driving my mom's Mercury Sable at the time, and that thing was so plasticky, but I had no damage. I looked at their car- saw no damage. He went on for a good 15 minutes about how I'd definitely ruined the structural integrity of their car though. I did give them my insurance information and everything, but we never heard from them. Honestly if you keep getting into car accidents maybe you should reevaluate your driving habits.
I slightly tapped a gold Ford Taurus in a parking lot a couple months ago. Little bit of paint transfer. Left a note, got an email, he kept calling me "ma'am" and took his 1990 Taurus in for a full bumper replacement. My insurance went up $600. Sometimes doing the right thing is annoying! 😄
I tapped a bumper before and there was no damage. The lady wanted to call the police anyway only for them to come out and write a out a police report that says no damage. In my defense the lady kept breaking every 2 feet. I didn’t know what the heck she was doing
Brooklyn ... I don't remember if the street was slick with ice or rain, but my brother couldn't stop the car from skidding and bumping into the car in front ... his comment was "I hope the driver is OK." ... my comment after she got out to inspect the damage was "Oh, she's fine." but I wasn't talking about her condition ... in any case, the only damage was on my brother's car as it had bent his hood ... otherwise, everyone went their merry way ...
See: Lawyers, accountants, insurance agents
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