Missed me by inches.
Trader Joe's parking lots are the worst... I swear they're designed to test our patience. Had a similar close call myself recently—someone backing out while glued to their phone. Glad you avoided damage, though; those near misses really spike the blood pressure.
Trader Joe's parking lots are a special kind of chaos. Had a similar experience last weekend—was pulling out slowly, checking mirrors, doing everything right. Out of nowhere, this guy zips behind me in a tiny Fiat, totally oblivious. Missed him by maybe half a foot. My heart rate shot up instantly.
Here's what I've learned from years of navigating these parking lot nightmares: always assume everyone else is distracted or in a hurry. Go slow, double-check blind spots, and never trust backup cameras alone—they're helpful but not foolproof. And honestly, if you can park further away and walk a bit more, it's worth it just to avoid the stress.
Glad you dodged that bullet though... close calls like that remind me why I pay extra attention (and why I switched insurance companies last year).
Agree on the chaos part, but parking further away isn't always safer. Last week I parked way out to avoid the madness, and someone still managed to ding my door with a cart... guess nowhere's totally safe. Backup cameras are decent, though personally, I rely more on physically turning my head—cameras can miss stuff at weird angles. Glad you avoided an accident though, those close calls definitely stick with you.
"Last week I parked way out to avoid the madness, and someone still managed to ding my door with a cart... guess nowhere's totally safe."
Yep, learned that lesson myself. Parked in the far corner of a lot once, thinking I'd avoid trouble, only to come back and find a fresh scrape—no note, nothing. Cameras help, but like you said, they miss those weird blind spots. Now I just accept parking lots as a necessary evil and keep my expectations low...
"Now I just accept parking lots as a necessary evil and keep my expectations low..."
Yeah, you're spot-on with that. I've been into classic cars for years, and honestly, parking lot anxiety is practically a way of life at this point. One time I drove my '67 Mustang to a local meet-up—figured fellow enthusiasts would be careful, right? Came back to find a tiny but noticeable ding right on the front fender. Never found out who did it, and no one owned up (typical). At first, it drove me nuts, but eventually I realized these things are just part of owning something you care about.
The best thing you can do is take precautions—park strategically, use dash cams if possible—but accept that some stuff is beyond control. It's frustrating sure, especially when you've gone the extra mile to avoid trouble. But hey, at least you found decent insurance in CA; that's half the battle won right there. Good insurance won't stop random dings or careless shoppers, but it definitely makes dealing with the aftermath less stressful.
Hang in there—you're definitely not alone on this one.
